Chapter 39
39
Faith could feel herself staring. But she couldn’t help it.
This place was amazing.
They’d walked out of the elevator into a foyer with a large teddy bear holding a sign that said, Welcome.
He was wearing a top-hat and coat and he was utterly adorable.
The floors were polished white and black tile, and hanging from the ceiling was an enormous chandelier made up of . . .
“Gummy bears?” She tugged at Reuben’s hand and pointed up. “A gummy bear chandelier!”
“So it is. You don’t see that every day.”
“I love gummy bears. Can we get a chandelier like that for your apartment?”
He looked pained, and she knew she should feel bad about teasing him.
But considering how much of a dictator he’d been lately . . . yeah, she didn’t feel that bad.
“I, um, will think about it.”
Don’t laugh.
Do not.
But it was too late. Tears were swimming in her eyes and she couldn’t stop the giggle from escaping.
Turning, he glared down at her. “You brat. Are you teasing me?”
“Not me, Daddy. I would never.” More giggles.
Shoot. Betrayed by her giggling.
“Seems we might need to visit that punishment room sooner rather than later,” he murmured.
“Daddy!” she cried. He wouldn’t!
Then he winked at her and she relaxed.
“Good afternoon.”
She let out a small scream as a man stepped out from behind the teddy bear.
Holy heck balls.
Had he been there the whole time?
“Sorry to give you a fright, Little Miss,” he said kindly.
“My name is Reuben Jones. Glaze said she put my name in the register. I called a few hours ago to book in our visit.”
“Certainly, sir. And Little Miss.” The man winked down at her, and she smiled shyly up at him. “Welcome to A Little Bit of Fun. It’s a pleasure to meet you both. I’m Edward. Please come with me.” He opened the doors wide.
Honestly, it was like stepping into a whole new world. Above them, a toy eagle flew around, seemingly on its own. The floor was covered with yeti-sized footprints which pointed toward one side of the store. There were rows of toys ahead of them.
She gasped as she saw an actual princess castle at the back of the store.
Wow.
“As this is your first time here, I’ll go through a few things with you. Littles are required to be with their Bigs at all times. We have carts that can easily accommodate a Little. If the Little Miss wants to sit in the cart, she will need to be strapped in for her own safety. We have baby and toddler carts.”
What?
Edward led them over to several brightly-colored carts, similar to those you might find in a supermarket.
At the front of the cart, there were either capsule seats that reclined back for an adult-sized baby or upright seats like those for a toddler.
But she didn’t want to sit in either of them. She wanted to move around. To touch things.
And she really wanted to go look at their fairy castle at the back of the store.
“I don’t want to sit in a cart. Please, Daddy. I want to explore,” she whispered.
Edward seemed nice, but she was still a bit embarrassed to let her Little out in front of a stranger.
“Okay, baby. I’ll just push the cart, and if you get tired, you can get in.”
Ordinarily, she’d think that was crazy. But she was feeling tired.
“Very well,” Edward said. “We also have some restraints if you think that your Little is likely to wander off.”
Restraints? What kind of freaking restraints?
Edward pointed to some things hanging from the wall. There were pink and blue harnesses with a long lead attached.
Umm. She didn’t think so.
But then again . . .
Yikes.
“Hmm, now, these are interesting. Don’t you think, Little Blossom?” Reuben went over and pulled down a pink harness. She couldn’t tell if he was joking or serious.
She shook her head. “I don’t need that, Daddy.”
Don’t you?
“We also have these.” The oh-so-helpful Edward held up what looked to be another leash. It had a cuff at one end and a clip at the other.
Edward attached the clip to the cart with the baby capsule and then held up the cuff. “It goes around her wrist. She won’t be able to undo it without a code that I will give you.”
“That would be perfect,” Reuben said.
“Daddy, no!”
His face instantly grew stern. And she just realized what she said.
“S-sorry, Daddy!”
He cupped her chin gently, running his thumb over her lower lip. “Are you allowed to say that word?”
She shook her head.
“Do we need to visit the punishment room?”
Faith knew her face was bright red.
She shook her head again, putting her thumb in her mouth for comfort.
“I think the lead could be a good idea. It will keep you safe.”
“I won’t wander away, Daddy.”
“Hmm. I don’t know. You’ve proven to be a bit of a flight risk.” He raised an eyebrow at her.
So rude.
“I won’t run off, Daddy.”
Reuben turned to Edward. “I’ll take it with me just in case.”
Edward handed him a piece of paper with the code. “We have two punishment rooms. If there is a red light on above the door, it’s currently occupied. There are also family bathrooms with change stations in case of accidents. You can find spare diapers and pull-ups in there. Please take your time. There are buttons on the shelves you can press for help. At the back of the room, you’ll find a play area.
“You can leave the Little Miss there if you wish to do some shopping on your own. It’s gated so she can’t get out, and there is a monitor. They will give you a buzzer in case they need you to come back.”
Edward handed Reuben a scanner. “If you scan each item you want to purchase with this it will make check-out a faster process. Littles usually don’t like to wait around while their toys and other items are rung up.”
“Perfect. Thanks, Edward.”
“My pleasure.” He disappeared and she drew her thumb from her mouth.
“Daddy, I really don’t need that.” She pointed to the leash he held.
“It’s just in case, Little Blossom. And if you want it, you can always sit in the cart.”
“But that’s a baby seat. Can’t I have one of the other ones?”
“Hmm, no, I think we’ll stick with this one.”
She was grumbling to herself when her chin was cupped in his hand once again.
“Stop sulking, Little Blossom.”
“Sorry, Daddy.” Great. She was ruining what was supposed to be a fun trip. She was in a store for Littles!
How was that even possible?
They moved down the aisle and she glanced around. This aisle was filled with toy planes, trucks, and cars. As well as some superhero action figures. None of it was really anything she wanted, though.
“Not what you’re interested in, huh, Little Blossom?” Reuben asked.
“Sorry, Daddy.”
“Nothing to be sorry about.”
The next aisle had her perking up. It was filled with dolls and their accessories. There were so many different dolls. She gazed around in amazement. And there were clothes and strollers and beds and everything a Little could want.
Reuben chuckled. “I think we’re in the right place now.”
“Look, Daddy! That one looks like me.” She did. She had big blue eyes and curly dark-brown hair.
“She’s cute and apparently her name is Petal,” he told her.
It was?
Oh, she was perfect.
Clasping her hands together, Faith turned to look at Reuben. “May I have her, Daddy?”
“You certainly may.” He grabbed Petal off the shelf. She was still in her packaging so Faith couldn’t really hug her. But she put her carefully into the cart.
Reuben turned back to look at the accessories as two people joined entered the aisle. One of them was a small woman with her hair up in a ponytail. The man towered over her. He was slim but muscular.
He was wearing a pair of blue denim shorts and a white T-shirt. And he was wearing a harness.
“Mommy, I don’t want to look at dolls. I want to go to the Lego aisle,” he complained as the woman stopped.
Oh wow.
So he was a Little? Faith had never actually met another Little. Well, other than Cat, of course. And she’d talked to Juliet on the phone once. But she didn’t really think that counted.
“No, we have to buy something for Eliza’s birthday,” the woman said sternly.
“I don’t want to go to Eliza’s birthday. She’s mean.” He pouted.
“Charlie,” his Mommy warned. “Behave yourself and help me pick something out.”
Charlie huffed out a sigh and turned away.
“Charlie, which doll?” she asked.
He shook his head.
“Charlie, stop sulking and help me.”
“No!” Charlie added a stomp of his foot and poked his tongue out at his Mommy.
As Faith watched in shock, his Mommy wrapped one arm around his waist and gave him several hard smacks on his ass.
“Ow! Mommy! No!” Charlie danced away, rubbing his bottom.
“Keep misbehaving and I’ll go borrow Edward’s paddle.”
That seemed to get through to Charlie who nodded and moved close to hug the smaller woman.
“I’m sorry, Mommy. I will be better.”
Yikes.
Edward had a paddle? And why did watching what had just happened fascinate her so much? Shouldn’t she be horrified or something?
Charlie hadn’t even seemed to care that she’d watched him get his butt smacked.
They moved away, and Reuben leaned down to kiss her cheek. “If you ever stomped your foot at me like that, you’d be straight over my knee.”
Good to know.
They continued to shop.
“Daddy, you’re buying way too much stuff,” she told him as he added some clay to the cart.
“We have a whole room to fill. And I think I’ll be the judge of when we’ve bought too much.”
She tried to keep her grumbling to herself. But they already had Petal, an entire wardrobe of clothes for her, a cot, stroller, and highchair. Then there was a tea set and some toy food as well.
They really didn’t need anything more.
And she intended to stop him from putting anything else in the cart . . . that was until they turned down the next aisle.
“Squishies! There are squishies, Daddy! Corn and camellias!”
“So there are.”
“Can I get one, please, Daddy?” She turned to him, her hands pressed together in the prayer position.
“Hmm, I’m not sure. I thought you said we already had too much in the cart?”
“I’ll put some back, Daddy. Promise.” She nodded. “I’ll put it all back for that giant squishy.” She pointed at the huge squishy on the bottom shelf. It was an enormous butterfly.
And. She. Loved. It.
“That one?” Reuben stared at the butterfly. “It’s huge.”
She skipped over, touching the big butterfly. It had the cutest face and it was begging her to take her home.
“I’m going to name her Flutter. You want to come with me, don’t you, Flutter?” she said, hugging the butterfly.
“You really love it, huh?” Reuben said.
She winced. Shoot. What was she doing? Of course he didn’t want to buy this squishy. It was ridiculously big. And probably really expensive.
“Um, actually, Daddy. I think it’s too big. I don’t really want a squishy this big. Oh, look, this one is really nice.” She pointed over at a hedgehog squishy. She did love hedgehogs.
“I think I’ll call him Piggy.”
“Piggy?” Reuben asked.
“Hedgehog. Hog. Pig. Piggy.”
“I’m shocked I didn’t get the correlation without you explaining it,” he said dryly.
She patted his arm. “Don’t beat yourself up, Daddy. You don’t have to be as smart as me.”
“Whew.” He wiped his forehead with the back of his head. “That would be a hard ask. Come here.”
Faith eyed him.
Reuben didn’t look or sound upset. But an alarm was going off in her head, telling her that she didn’t want to go to him. That it was best to stay away.
“I need to have a look around.” She took a step back.
“Nope. You need to come here.” He crooked a finger at her.
She shook her head and walked back again.
He put a stop to that, though, by holding up the wrist cuff. “You have until I count to three to get your cute butt over here or this is going on.”
Aww. He thought her butt was cute?
Focus, Faith.
This could be life and death. You must outwit Daddy to save your butt-butt.
Because that look on his face told her that she was in trouble.
And you’re only digging yourself in deeper.
“One.” He pointed at the floor.
She moved her weight from foot to foot. The urge to obey him was so strong that it almost hurt to shake her head.
“Two.”
Suddenly, she was staring down at his feet.
“Three.”
Huh. How did she get here? Her feet must have moved of their own accord. Because now she was standing right in front of him.
Yikes.
“Just as well,” he growled. “But next time, I want you here on one.”
“But why bother to count to three if you want me there on one?” she asked, staring up at him.
“Good point. Next time, you get a count of one.”
Wait. That wasn’t what she meant.
Right. He was looking really stern now. It might be time for her to use her Little charm on him. She wasn’t sure if she had any . . . but she guessed she was about to find out.
She gave him a wide smile. “Hello, Daddy. Fancy seeing you here. You’re looking mighty fine today.”
Reuben folded his arms over his chest. “What are you up to?”
“I couldn’t help but notice how handsome you are. The most handsomest, kindest, loveliest Daddy to ever walk the planet.”
“Ahh, you’re trying to flatter me so I don’t spank you.”
She gasped. “Daddy! Why would you spank me?”
“For lying just now.”
“When I called you handsome? That wasn’t a lie.”
“Kindest? Loveliest?” he said dryly.
Okay . . . that was more like a stretch of the truth than a lie, though.
“And, anyway, that wasn’t what I was talking about. You want this giant squishy butterfly. Don’t you?”
“I . . . um . . . well, but it’s massive. I mean, it will take up half the room.”
“That’s not what I asked, Little Blossom. You need to stop lying.”
“I’m not! I just . . . it is big and probably expensive, and I’d be just as happy with Piggy.” She held up the hedgehog.
He took Piggy and put him in the cart.
Then he grabbed Flutter and put her in the cart as well.
“Daddy!”
Smack! Smack!
His hand landed twice on her bottom. It didn’t really hurt, but it did shock her. He’d just spanked her.
In public.
Sure, no one was here, but still . . . anyone could have seen them.
“Daddy! You spanked me.”
“That was hardly a spanking. Just a reminder to behave. But when we get home, you’re going to sit down and write fifty lines. Each line will say, ‘I will not lie to my Daddy.’”
That was so mean.
“I was just trying to save you money!”
Slap!
“Daddy!” He was out of control. She reached back to rub her bottom.
“Stop worrying about money. That’s Daddy’s job.”
But she couldn’t help it. She was always worried about money. She couldn’t turn that off.
Reuben wrapped his arms around her, tugging her against his body. “I know it’s hard, but if I don’t want to buy something, I will tell you so. All right?”
Would he?
She sighed. She guessed she had to trust that he would.
“How come you’re allowed to tell me no?” she grumbled.
“Because I’m the Daddy.”
He certainly was.