Contributed by Nikki Memmott: excerpt from her “Knights” universe, from a story duel on Romance Divas a few years ago. Enjoy!

“Kayla Bernadette, get over here right now!”  Phallon watched as his five-year-old daughter continued to spin in circles across the courtyard from him, arms extended to support the weight of eight or nine diamond and ruby bracelets several sizes too large.

“Look, Daddy!  I’m a princess!”

Phallon knew his daughter’s expression of wide-eyed innocence was intended to disarm and charm him – and it was working, damn it – but he forced himself to maintain his stern expression.  If the volume of jewelry Kayla was wearing was any indication, she had raided not only her mother’s jewelry box – Saints rest her soul – but those of her grandmother and aunt, as well.  His daughter was in danger of becoming a real menace.  An adorable, beguiling one, but a menace nonetheless.

“Kayla, give me the bracelets,” Phallon demanded.  Kayla stopped spinning but stayed far away from him.

“Aren’t I pretty, Daddy?”

“Yes, Kayla.”  Phallon realized his mistake as soon as Kayla’s expression brightened and she began admiring the jewelry, raising and twisting each arm so emerald and diamond and ruby facets caught the light.  Bloody hell.

Out of the corner of his eye Phallon saw Connor rise from the bench where he had been reading and walk out of sight.  Abandoned in his hour of need – apparently they’d see how Connor liked sleeping alone tonight.  A fly buzzing around his head diminished the dignity of his parental disapproval somewhat, but Phallon batted it away and planted his feet, crossed his arms, and darkened his expression even more.  “Kayla, I’m not going to ask you again.”

Lashes lowered over cornflower blue eyes and Kayla’s lower lip began to tremble, but she held her ground.  Oh, hell.  Not the pout.  A growl started in Phallon’s chest, worked its way up his throat, and just when it was about to explode out of him, a smooth voice came from behind him, distracting him completely.

“Princess Kayla, may I make a suggestion?”

Phallon turned to see Connor stepping towards Kayla, stopping just a few feet from her.  Taken aback by Connor’s sudden appearance but pleased by the title he had bestowed on her, Kayla let vanity overcome her instinctive suspicion and nodded.  “Yes, milord, you may speak.”

By the Saints, the girl was asking to get her backside paddled.  Connor, however, bowed slightly as though Kayla truly was the princess she claimed to be and crossed the distance between them.  Inches away from her now, Connor brought his right hand from behind his back and produced a small ring of flowers.  Simple daisies strung together in a chain, but he held them as carefully as if they were the crown jewels.

Suddenly Phallon could see exactly what Connor intended.  Surely he didn’t think Kayla was going to fall for such a simple trick.  Torn between the desire to reclaim the valuable jewelry and the perverse desire to see Kayla best his lover, Phallon stood back and let the scene play out.

“Being a princess is all very well,” Connor explained, “but if you had a crown, you could be a queen.”

Kayla’s pleasure at the idea of being a queen brought a slow smile to her face, and she reached for the daisy coronet.

“Oh, but your highness has so many other jewels. . .”  Connor met Kayla’s eyes gravely.  “A queen must never be gaudy.  Indeed, for a true queen, a crown is all she really needs.”

Phallon wondered if Connor had pushed the game too far.  When Kayla arched a brow in so perfect an imitation of one of his own favorite expressions that Phallon almost laughed aloud, he was sure Connor’s gambit had failed.  One by one the bracelets came off, though, and the floral circlet was laid on Kayla’s head.

“Queen Kayla.”  Connor bowed with full Court solemnity, and Kayla allowed him to kiss her hand.

“Thank you milord.”  A small frown wrinkled Kayla’s brow, and then she asked, “Shall I make you a Knight, Connor?  I’m a queen now.”

The soft, tender smile on Connor’s face stole Phallon’s breath.  His lover was so in love with his daughter, it was like a hammer to the heart each time he saw it.

“No, thank you, dearheart.  Knighthood is for brave men like your father, not for healers like me.”

A hint of hesitation clouded Kayla’s expression as her attention swung back to Phallon.  He neither smiled nor frowned, just waited to see how she would respond.  Finally she smashed all the bracelets between her two hands and walked over to him.  “Here, Daddy.  I don’t need them anymore.  I’m a queen now.”

“I’ll take them inside for you, but then you’re going to take the bracelets back to your aunt and your grandmother and apologize for taking them without permission.”

“And say sorry to Mama.”

Phallon curled one finger through a strand of Kayla’s hair, exactly the shade of Kaitlin’s.  “And when you say your prayers you can apologize to your mother, too.”

It should have been embarrassing, that Connor melted him as easily as he melted Kayla, but when a strong hand clasped his shoulder Phallon just accepted the comfort it offered.

‘You think you’re pretty smart, don’t you?” Phallon asked Connor later, pouring two glasses of wine while Connor filled the bathing tub.

“Lucky for you, I am,” Connor grinned, “And all yours.”