Chapter 34
34
Reuben was feeling murderous.
Who the fuck was Colin and why was she missing him? Her attention should be entirely on him.
Yes, he knew he was a jealous prick.
But he wasn’t about to change. Especially when it came to her.
So this Colin bastard was going to have to die.
“I’ll fucking kill him.”
Tears instantly filled her eyes.
Oh fuck.
Why did she look so devastated? Did she love him? That was going to be a problem.
Reuben Jones didn’t share.
“Fine, I won’t fucking kill him,” he muttered. “But he’s out of your life for good, understand me? What are you doing sleeping with him?”
“He makes me feel good.”
Murderous. Rage.
It was hot and red and violent.
“I make you feel good,” he thundered.
“Well, yes, of course. But I’m just so used to sleeping with him. I understand if you don’t want to sleep with him. It will . . . it will just take me a while to get used to going to sleep without him to cuddle.”
He cuddled her to sleep each night?
This was fucking inconceivable. How had he not known?
“Why did you not say something?” he asked.
She shrugged, looking sheepish. “I don’t know. I guess I was embarrassed about my dependence on him. I’m a thirty-three-year-old woman. I should be able to go to sleep without my emotional support squishy.”
“I’m going to be your emotional support squishy.”
Then he heard what he’d just said and paused.
Faith let out a giggle. “You’re going to be my what?”
“Your emotional support squishy?” he asked, confused.
“Yeah. That’s what I call him. But he’s really my best friend. Which I know is ridiculous, considering he’s a squishy. He’s quite big, so he’s hard to hide. He’s supposed to look like a fish, but I think he looks more like a dolphin.”
“Colin is . . . he’s a toy?” he asked in a strangled voice.
Her mouth dropped open. “Oh. Oh no, did you think that he . . . because his name is Colin, you thought . . . oh no!”
He glowered at her because he could tell that she was trying very hard not to laugh.
And he didn’t think this was funny.
Faith slammed her hand over her mouth, but it didn’t stop the giggles from escaping. “You . . . you really thought . . . I’m so sorry.”
She broke into laughter.
“Laugh now, baby girl. But I was this close to hunting the bastard down.”
“But h-how could you think I’d s-sleep with another man when you a-and I . . . ”
“I don’t know,” he muttered. “All I knew was that I was about to commit murder. Then I likely would have come back and punished you every night from now until eternity.”
“I’m sorry.” Her voice sounded contrite as she placed a hand on his shoulder. But her eyes still twinkled with merriment. “I should have explained. Colin is my big squishy. I sleep with him every night and it’s hard not to have him here.”
Tenderness filled him, and he brushed the hair off her face. “Do you want me to go get him for you?”
Shock filled her face and she gave him the sort of look he probably didn’t deserve. One filled with wonder. She looked at him like he hung the moon and stars just for her.
Maybe he didn’t deserve it. But he’d take it and anything else she had to offer.
“No. But thank you.”
He brushed her hair off her face. “What about another squishy? I could go out and get you one.”
She shook her head. “Nothing is open at this time of night.”
“Something is always open.” And if it wasn’t . . . well, it would open for him.
“It wouldn’t smell like Colin.”
“Slightly worrying that he smells.”
“Hey!” She smacked her hand against his chest while he grinned down at her. “I’ll be all right, Daddy. Although I might . . . ”
“You might what?” he asked.
“Cuddle you instead. So if you don’t want that, perhaps I could go and sleep in another bedroom or on the sofa?—”
“You will not.” He scowled down at her. “You’ll sleep here where you belong. And you will not leave this bed without my permission.”
Fire filled her gaze. “You can’t order me not to leave the bed.”
“Of course I can.” Satisfaction flooded him. “I just did.”
“Reuben, be reasonable.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Now why would I want to be that?”
Urgh.
He was impossible sometimes.
“What if I have to pee in the night?” she asked.
“Do you often get up to pee?”
“Well, no. But sometimes I do. What then? Do you expect me to hang on until morning?”
“No, baby. I expect you to wake me up.”
“I can’t wake you up to tell you that I have to pee.”
“Sure, you can. Besides, I’m unlikely to actually be asleep. I only need a few hours a night, remember?” He yawned. “Although someone has tired me out, so I might get a few more hours tonight.”
He sounded like he needed a full night’s sleep to her. Then she remembered how he said that he hadn’t been sleeping at all lately, so Faith lightly pushed him onto his back.
“Go to sleep, Daddy. I’ll be all right.”
“You’ll wake me, Faith.”
So bossy.
“Yes, fine, I’ll wake you.”
He drew her into his side, holding her against him. He was nice to cuddle against. Although very different from Colin, who had that squish factor. Reuben was hard. And hot.
And then she remembered problem number two. Perhaps she could solve that one on her own, though. What would he think about her sucking her thumb, though?
He saw you do it the other night.
Yeah, but last time she hadn’t been sleeping next to him after he’d spanked her, then fucked her.
“I can hear you thinking,” he grumbled. “I’ll go get Colin.”
He tried to get out of bed, but she threw herself on top of him.
“No! It’s not that. It’s not Colin.”
“Are you sure?” He lay on his back and drew her up so she was above him, looking down.
“I’m sure. I just . . . I use a pacifier at night. I got it because I was clenching my jaw and then I got, well, used to sleeping with it. But I have a solution! I just don’t think it’s very sexy to sleep next to someone who is sucking on their thumb. Then again, Colin isn’t really sexy. Don’t tell him that, though.”
“Your secret is safe with me,” he told her dryly. “Also, I don’t give a shit if it’s sexy or not. If you need to suck your thumb, then that’s what you’ll do.”
He moved her so she was back on her side, curled into him as he remained on his back. “Suck your thumb, Little one. Daddy is here, watching over you.”
Slipping her thumb into her mouth, she sighed happily and fell asleep.