Thorn (Carmichael Series #5)✔️

Sticks and Stones

**Hi guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter (though I have a feeling lots of you will be upset....oops?) Let me know what you think!!**

Tansy's POV

"Please, just drop it. It was my fault, I got into the middle of the fight between you two fuckers don't know how to behave like grown ass men." I bit out, giving him a half stink eye as one of them had already swelled completely shut.

"Here mommy." Calla mumbled while handing me over the cup of water she'd brought with her. I softly laughed as I glanced into the cup and then at the floor, confirming the own suspicion that she'd lost almost half the water on the journey.

"Thank you, baby." I murmured before taking a sip of the water I had intended to pour onto the guys if they wouldn't stop fighting.

"Daddy you have to kiss it!" Calla abruptly ordered pointing towards my injured eye. Tanner's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, obviously not understanding the motive behind her demand.

"Whenever I get paper cuts from my coloring pages, mommy always kisses them. It makes them feel better. You have to kiss it!" She explained before she gave him an impatient and expectant look. The corner of Tanner's lips curved upward in an amused smirk before he leaned forward and gave my eye a delicate kiss.

"All better?" He asked with silent laughter. I rolled my eyes at him before nodding for Calla's sake.

"I'm cured." I snorted sarcastically. "Calla, why don't you go color in your room?" I suggested, needing to talk to Tanner privately about multiple important things. I could tell she wanted to object, but I raised my eyebrow at her. She puckered her lower lip before nodding and running off.

"Alright, out with it." Tanner demanded before helping me up off the floor, clearly knowing that he was in for a serious conversation.

"First of all, we need to talk about Calla's new nickname for me. I know our earlier solution was for me just to move in and not address the issue head-on, but we really need to think about this rationally." I stated knowingly. I saw his forehead crinkle with stress. Reaching over, I smoothed out the worry lines.

"Don't, you'll give yourself premature wrinkles." I scolded. He rolled his eyes before releasing a long sigh.

"Don't worry, I have Calla here to do that for me." He joked before taking a seat on the couch. I followed him, naturally gravitating towards him as I cuddled into his side.

"I don't know what to do." He confessed helplessly.

"Me either..." I whispered, my voice muffled by the material of his shirt.

"There's no easy answer to this. If we tell her she can't call you that anymore, then we have to explain to her why not and that's a can of worms I don't intend to open until she's much older, but if we let her continue to call you that it will put you in a very sticky situation. She's not your kid, fuck she's not even my kid, but I'm not going to burden you with this just because you really like sex with me." He said, causing me to scoff in disbelief.

"You honestly think I'm sticking around just because you're incredible in bed?" I asked, unable to comprehend his thought process.

"...you aren't?" He questioned skeptically as his eyes narrowed at me. I threw my head back and laughed at how stupid he was.

"God no! I mean, I'm not going to lie and say the sex isn't good because it so is, but that's not the only reason I agreed to this. I love that little girl more than I know I should. Unfortunately, if our little 'friends with benefits' agreement doesn't end up working out, it's going to affect her too. And in a big way." I explained while slumping back against the couch.