Page 50 of Her Gentle Daddy

“Not until you tell me what’s wrong.”

Her tone was much less forceful and more childish this time, and he couldn’t help but inwardly smile at her unusual defiance. He hoped it meant that she felt safe to be naughty around him.

“Are you asking for a spanking, little girl?”

Her eyes widened, and she instantly plopped down on the sofa. When he came to sit on the coffee table in front of her, he widened his legs, so hers were trapped inside his.

“I know who your sister is. She and her husband are friends of mine.”

20

GABBY

She stared at her Daddy as though he’d told her that she was growing horns. How would he know her sister? Was that whose name was on the piece of paper? Her sister’s name? Madison?

“What do you mean? How do you know who my sister is?”

His hands caressed up and down her thighs as she stared into the distance, soaking in the news.

“Her Daddy is my friend, and that’s how I met her.”

Snapping her attention to Sean’s face, Gabby was sure her chin was on the ground.

“She’s a Little?”

“Yes. I don’t know that I should have told you that, but yes, she is. She’s a very sweet Little, and Ian, her husband, is a good man.”

Wrapping her arms around herself, Gabby felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. She actually had a sister, and her Daddy even knew who she was, but that didn’t mean that she would want Gabby to be in her life. What if Madison didn’t want anything to do with her? Since Sean was friends with them first, he would choose them over her, right?

So many doubts and questions swirled in her mind, and she didn’t know what to do next, so the only thing she did was burst out into tears.

“Hey, hey, baby, what’s going on?”

Sean immediately pulled her to him and settled her in his lap, rocking and shushing her as he stroked her hair.

“What if she wants nothing to do with me? What if she hates me, or what if she is mean to me? You were friends with them first, so you would have to choose them over me, and I don’t want to lose you. I’m so scared.”

She was blubbering the words, but she couldn’t stop crying, and knowing she was in her Daddy’s safe arms made it so much easier to let go.

“Okay, first things first, I would not choose them over you. You are the person I love, and they are my friends. Unless Ian lets me put him in a onesie and read him bedtime stories, there’s no comparison. Which he would never let happen because he’s a stubborn ass. Besides, Ian is nowhere near as cute as you.”

A fit of giggles cut through her crying, and Sean smiled down at her when she leaned back to look up at him.

“Secondly, I don’t know how Maddie will react. I’m sure it will come as a surprise and possibly be overwhelming and a bit scary at first, but I don’t think she’ll hate you. She’s been through a lot this past year.”

Fingering the button of his shirt, Gabby listened to him as he soothed each one of the fears she’d had. She was still worried, but not nearly as much as she had been.

“Would you like me to talk with Ian about it first and see if he wants to tell Maddie, so she has time to digest the news before you two talk or meet?”

Gabby hadn’t even really thought about the actuality of them meeting or how that would work. But her Daddy was right, giving Maddie a heads up so she had time to digest it might be better. Then, if she decided she didn’t want anything to do with Gabby, she wouldn’t get rejected face to face.

“You would do that for me?”

Running his thumb over her cheek, Sean leaned forward and brushed his lips across hers.

“I would do anything for you, Gabby.”

“Daddy, can I take Olly outside?”