Series: Little Cakes Series by Pepper North
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45066 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45066 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
The Friday afternoon meeting concluded on time, but the detectives didn’t evacuate as quickly as normal at the end of their weekly shift. Small groups stood discussing the strange things they’d noted but never reported. Many shook Ed’s, Avery’s, and Wyatt’s hands and thanked them for discovering the intruder and his mission. No one liked having their space invaded for nefarious reasons.
“Looks like you’ll have another commendation in your file, Avery and Wyatt,” Ed commented drily.
“Thank goodness. That guy took all my awards today when he grabbed everything in that folder,” Wyatt laughed.
“Thank you for following up on what you’d seen. I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out what was happening,” Avery admitted.
“Did you think someone in the squad room was messing with you?” Ed asked with a shrewd look.
“Honestly, yes.”
“I could see how your mind would jump to that conclusion. I’d like to apologize for dragging you into my conflict with the new captain. You’re an honest cop and I was wrong to allege any favoritism,” Ed shared. “I hope we can get back on even footing now.”
“I’d like that, Ed,” Avery accepted his admission. “Don’t you have a game to get to?”
A smile transformed the hardened detective’s face and he nodded before calling his goodbyes and heading out the door. An approving nod caught Avery’s attention. Her response had pleased the captain. She liked how that felt professionally and personally.
Chapter Nineteen
Yawning, Avery pushed the soft blanket off and sat up in her crib. “Daddy?” she whispered into the late afternoon sunshine that filled the nursery.
“Mae Bug! You slept well,” Trace said approvingly from the doorway.
“I wasn’t tired,” she protested automatically.
“Hmm,” he commented as he walked forward to scoop her out of bed. “A two-hour nap usually means something isn’t right. Let Daddy make sure you’re feeling okay.”
She knew what that meant. “I’m good, Daddy. Promise.”
Trace stretched her out on the cute padded mat on her new changing table and quickly restrained her hands above her head. The air drifted over her naked breasts, making Avery shiver. Trying to get away, she twisted her hips to the side.
“Whoa, Little girl,” Trace said reprovingly as he spread a large hand over her tummy to hold her in place before pulling the built-in strap over her abdomen. He maintained the pressure of his hand on her lower abdomen, until her bladder relented and filled the diaper around her.
“Daddy!” Avery whined.
“Daddy’s in charge,” Trace reminded her as he removed the padding and cleaned her skin thoroughly. “Be good or I’ll think you need some medicine regardless what your temperature is.”
“I don’t need medicine, Daddy. Promise!”
Biting her lip to keep from saying anything that could get her in trouble, Avery watched him pull the thick thermometer from the jar of lubricant at the corner of the changing table. Without any fun, Trace spread her legs apart, pushed the instrument deep into her bottom, and held it firmly in place with one large hand cupped over the end.
“Did you have good dreams, Mae Bug?” Daddy asked to distract her.
“I don’t remember any,” she hedged.
“That’s funny. When I came in to check on you earlier, you were squirming in your bed and mumbling, ‘More, please.’ Do you remember what you were dreaming about?”
Avery looked up at him with wide eyes. “Did I say anything else?”
“Yes.”
She hoped he would give her another clue, but Trace waited patiently for her to talk to him. His fingers swirled the thick tube in her bottom at irregular intervals, keeping her aware of his intimate treatment.
“Maybe I was talking about you bringing the last of your boxes over here. Like ‘Why don’t you bring more, please?’ I’m sure that’s what I was talking about.”
“Boxes, huh? Do boxes usually have sound effects that sound like a low humming sound?” he asked, repeating the sound that had stuck in her head last night. The mechanical buzzing that could only be one thing.
“I don’t know, Daddy? Maybe?” she said, trying to evade answering.
“You’re not being naughty, are you, Mae Bug?”
“No,” she promised with a strong shake of her head.
“We’ll see.”
Trace stroked over her displayed body on the changing table. She loved the feel of his hands on her skin. Avery still wasn’t perfectly comfortable taking a nap in only a diaper, but Trace rewarded her bravery at being Little. She really liked positive reinforcement.
Finally removing the thermometer, he announced, “Just a touch of fever, Little girl. Could just be how wrapped you were in your blankie, but Daddy won’t take any chances. Let’s get you a vitamin to give you a boost.”
“Not the cold ones?” she pleaded.
“A warm one wouldn’t help lower your temperature, Mae Bug.” Trace patted her tummy and moved to the small fridge containing a bottle of juice and several vials of medicine. Shaking out a thick white suppository, he returned to her side and rifled through a few jars before selecting one she hadn’t noticed before.