He gave it a skeptical look. “I don’t think so. Too violent.”
“Hey! No fair.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
Spike just raised his eyebrows and gave her a look that she was beginning to realize meant she was about to get herself into trouble.
“How about this?” He chose another channel and she nodded reluctantly.
“Fine. I’ll watch that.”
“Watch that tone. I’m sure I can find something far less pleasant for my girl to do.”
“Like what?” she asked suspiciously.
“Like lying on her tummy with a piece of ginger lodged in her bottom.”
“This is fine,” she squeaked.
“Thought so.” He leaned in to kiss her forehead.
He returned quickly with a new sandwich and a big bottle of water. “I want that eaten and all the water gone by the time I come back to check on you.”
“Urgh, water. Yuck.”
“You need to rehydrate.”
She sighed. “I just don’t like the way it tastes.”
He looked thoughtful. Then he picked up the bottle of water. “Back soon.”
She gave him a curious look as he moved away. He was gone for around ten minutes or so but when he returned, the water was a faint pink color and it had cut up pieces of strawberries floating in it.
“Ooh, pretty.”
“This is special. It’s fairy juice.”
“Fairy juice?” She sat up, staring at the water. “Fairies aren’t real, Daddy.”
“You so sure about that? Because if fairies aren’t real how come they live in my garden?”
“Do not!” She gaped at him. This was a side of him she never thought existed. Sure, he’d told her he was a Daddy Dom, but she hadn’t expected him to be, well, playful. Stern, yes. Demanding, yes. Caring, sure. But playful and fun? Not really.
“They do. And if you’re good, one day I’ll take you on a fairy picnic. But that won’t happen if you don’t drink your fairy juice.”
“Why not?”
“Because you won’t see them. You’ve got to drink the juice every day to build up the magic. See?”
That was genius. She stared at the juice. “Okay, Daddy. I can do that.”
You’re such a sucker.
But she grabbed the bottle and started to drink. Okay, it didn’t taste so bad with the faint hint of strawberry in it.
“Drink. Eat. Do not move off the couch. Hear me?”
“Yes, Daddy. I hear you.”
“How is your foot? Do you need some more cream?”