Excerpt of Little Haven by Normandie Alleman, Meredith O'Reilly

“I still don’t know why we have to move to the middle of nowhere-ville.” “It’s a community of people with relationships like ours, princess. A place where we can be as kinky as we want to be, and no one will care.” Neal Solomon reached over and tickled the spot between Tabitha’s ribs, which drew a reaction every time. She giggled, a result of reflex rather than mirth. “Stop it, daddy. This isn’t funny.” With a sigh, he returned his hand to the steering wheel. “I don’t know that I want to be around kinky people all the time. What if they’re weird?” “Like us?” He laughed. “Daddy… there’s nothing weird about how I feel about you.” Tabitha Gibson’s mouth settled into a pout. Though she was twenty-six, she sometimes behaved much younger, which was something her thirty-year-old boyfriend and daddy dom Neal found charming. “I agree.” She grimaced. “But Minnesota? It’s freaking freezing here!” “It wasn’t warm in Chicago,” he reminded her. “I know,” she admitted grudgingly. “But why couldn’t you have found a place in Florida or something? I hear Atlanta is quite pleasant year round. I’m sure they have daddies and little girls there…” “I promise I’ll help you keep warm,” he said, turning the car into the entrance of a gated community. The sign out front read ‘Little Haven.’ After Neal gave the man in the guard shack his name, he drove the car through the swinging wrought-iron gate and took a right, then a left onto Huron Ave. He drove slowly for two blocks and there stood their new home. It was a two-story beige craftsman, with green shutters and rust-colored trim, the kind of home they’d never have been able to afford in Chicago. Opening the car door into a pile of snow, Tabitha gingerly placed a foot on the recently shoveled driveway. Someone had taken the time to at least clear them a spot, and she appreciated that. She climbed out of the vehicle, pulled her faux shearling coat tightly around her, and gazed at her new home. “It looked bigger on the Internet.” Neal got out of the car and surveyed the property. “It’ll do.” It was an understatement, of course, and Tabitha tried not to roll her eyes. Ever since she’d met Neal eighteen months ago when he’d been the mechanic who repaired her BMW, she’d known that he hated to argue. He avoided conflict as much as possible, while she thrived on it. The two had completely opposite ways of relating—she wanted to fight things out, while he wanted to smooth over their differences. When things got too contentious between them, he liked to throw her over his knee and show her who was boss. Not only did it distract her when he did that, but it made her swoon and forget all about what they’d disagreed over in the first place. Sometimes when she looked at him, her heart wanted to burst out of her chest, she was so overtaken with love for him. But now as she looked around, Tabitha didn’t want to be here. She didn’t like the house, the new town, but what could she do? She’d agreed to it in order to keep the peace. “I don’t know why you dragged me to this Godforsaken place,” she said irritably, looking around to make sure no one else was around to hear her. “With a bunch of outcasts.” Immediately after saying the words she regretted them, but she was too stubborn to take them back. Neal looked at her with piercing gray eyes. “That’s it, Tabitha. I told you—you could complain all you want on the way here if it would help you get it out of your system, but you’ve done that. Now that’s enough. Let’s go inside.” She frowned, but followed him anyway. “What if I slip on this ice?” she whined. With a half-smile he turned and offered her his hand chivalrously. “I’ll help you.” She took his hand and gazed into his eyes, which twinkled like the sun sparkling in the blanket of snow covering the front yard. How lucky she was that Neal handled her moods so well. They traipsed up the walk and to the front door, which he opened with the newest addition to his key ring. When they stepped inside, the whoosh of the heating system was a welcome contrast to the frigid temperature outside. With a shiver, Tabitha let go of Neal’s hand and strode around the airy great room, admiring the two-story ceiling, impressive windows, and majestic view. “This is actually pretty cool,” she said. Neal winked at her. “I’m glad you like it. Only the best for my little princess.” She rushed into his arms. “Thank you, daddy. I’m sure we’ll like it here,” she lied. Neal was so proud of himself for finding this place; he’d gotten himself a job and this house all because he thought it would improve her health. He’d been determined to whisk her away from her high-pressure career and all the stress that came with it, and he’d won that battle. For the moment.