Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 37828 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37828 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Darn it, her shins were really throbbing now.
This day sucked monkey balls.
“Look at me.” He placed a finger under her chin, tilting her head back. “I am never too busy for you.”
“I know, Daddy.” Deep down she did. But it just seemed that lately he had a lot going on. Or maybe he acted like he did in order to try and forget about other stuff in his life.
“You came so close to burning yourself,” he said, sounding horrified. “From now on, I don’t want you touching the oven.”
She gaped at him. “But, Daddy—”
“No, you’re forbidden from touching it. Do not test me on this.”
She gulped. She’d noticed that he had grown more protective since everything had happened. Not that she minded, exactly. But there might come a point where enough was enough.
Just have some patience with him.
“I need to use the oven.”
“Why? Maria does most of the cooking. If she’s not here, then you’ll ask for help. But no touching the oven or it’s your butt that will burn.”
She groaned. “That was terrible, Daddy.”
“What was?” He frowned, then obviously realized what he’d said. “Oh yeah. That was good.”
It hadn’t been good.
“But, Daddy, how will I cook the sweet potato casserole? And I have to make the gravy. Oh man, I need to get the turkey off the freaking floor!”
How had she forgotten about the turkey?
She tried to wriggle down.
“Stay still,” he told her.
“But Daddy, I gots to get the turkey.”
“No,” he said firmly. “You need to sit there and let me take care of you. The turkey can wait.”
“I’ve totally ruined Thanksgiving dinner!” she cried. “There’s only going to be floor turkey and uncooked potato casserole. I’m the worst girlfriend ever!”
She’d be lying if she said it hadn’t played on her mind a bit . . . the fact that she was living with Dimitri while his wife had still been alive. It wasn’t like either of them had known . . . but if he had, would he have chosen her?
“Dahlia? What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing.” She smiled at him brightly. “I’m good as gold. Hunky-dory. Totally A-Okay. Couldn’t get more okay than me.”
“Right.” He gave her a skeptical look.
She might have gone overboard while trying to convince him she was all right. Hopefully, he didn’t press her further.
Someone must have heard her prayers because he wrapped his hands around her hips. “I need to check your shins. Let’s get those tights off.” He lifted her down off the counter, holding onto her until he made sure that she was steady before reaching for the waistband of her tights. Then he slid them down her legs, crouching to pull them off her feet. She held onto his shoulders as he took them off.
“Oh, L’venok, these look sore,” he told her, running his hand lightly over her legs. Then he stood and lifted her up onto the counter again. “I’m going to get you some ice.”
“They’re okay,” she told him. “I’m fine. I really should get the casserole into the oven.”
He shot her a look before lifting her legs onto the counter and placing some ice over them. “Just sit there, and I’ll put the casserole in the oven. And deal with the turkey.” He popped the casserole in first before picking up the turkey and setting it on the counter.
“Do you think we can wash it off? I mean, with water only. Not with dish soap or anything. That would be kind of gross. No one likes the taste of dish soap. Yuck. I accidentally had some once and I spent the whole day blowing bubbles. Not really, but you get the idea—”
“Baby, chill,” Dimitri told her in a low voice.
Chill? Did she know how to chill?
“Deep breath in. Now, let it out slowly. That’s it. In. Out. Good girl.”
She found herself calming down. He was always able to do that for her.
Her rock.
Would he have chosen her?
Stop worrying about this. It doesn’t matter. He’s yours now. You don’t have to stress.
“You okay, baby girl?”
“Yeah, Daddy. I’m good.” She managed a smile for him. It didn’t matter. She had him, and she wasn’t going to waste any more time thinking about her.
At least, that’s what she told herself.
“All right, let’s have a look at this turkey.” He turned to the turkey, frowning down at it before he moved to a drawer, rummaging through it until he found a long metal skewer. He pushed it into the bird.
“It should be done,” she said. “It’s been in there for ages.”
“Baby, it’s frozen in the middle.”
“What? Nooo.” This was it. Now Thanksgiving was officially ruined. “I forgot to take it out yesterday. But I took it from the freezer early this morning. I put it in the bathtub to defrost in some water. Only, I forgot about it. So I turned the oven up really high to compensate for it not being defrosted fully, and now it’s charred on the outside and frozen in the middle. I’m a terrible girlfriend.”