Chapter 17 #2
I burst out laughing. “Great minds think alike.” I leaned back smugly. “That was my plan too.”
“Let’s hear your favorites. And do you have an animal preference?”
Daddy’s smile was indulgent, making my insides turn gooey-soft. Oddly enough, it had the opposite effect on my cock. The other bidders probably wouldn’t appreciate my problem, so I shifted slightly to hide it. Daddy gave me an odd look but didn’t say anything.
The truth was, anything that man did or said was too damn sexy. His rumbly voice? Hard. He handed me a pen, and his calloused fingers brushed my arm? Hard. His woodsy, citrusy scent drifted my way? Hard. It bordered on ridiculous—but I liked it.
“Any of them?”
“Well, chickens are off the table, but sure. Our cartel has about thirty thousand to spend.”
“Thirty thousand dollars?” My jaw-drop habit was getting old. “Are you serious?”
“It’s about a two-thousand-dollar donation from everyone, so it goes further.
If we didn’t pool our money, we’d almost always be doing straight donations instead of buying and then donating.
Our local cartel gets a little bit higher.
” Daddy said it all like it was the most natural thing in the world, which, in Comfort, I guess it was.
“Same name?”
“Uh, not quite.”
“Oh yeah? What is it?”
“Chute Chasers.”
“Oh dear lord.”
Daddy threw back his head and laughed at his own joke. A few people looked our way, but it didn’t seem to bother him. He laughed harder, bent in half with tears in his eyes.
“Please tell me that’s not the real name.”
“Yep, it sure is.”
“Who came up with that?”
“You know Riley—the one who was supposed to be here? Yeah, it was all him. He’s fucking ridiculous, but then Faust heard it and…well, no one’s gonna overrule him once he’s on board.”
“You make him sound like a dictator. He was very nice at the party.”
“Oh, he’s nice. He just likes to get his own way, and Bert’s mission in life is to make sure it happens.”
“Is that relationship goals?
“I think it should be for you.”
“Why for me?”
Daddy reached over and squeezed my fingers. “Because I want to make sure you get every goddamn thing you want.”
Heat rushed to my cheeks. I was too flustered to say anything, which sent Daddy into another round of laughter. This time, though, I didn’t wonder if he meant it. I knew he was laughing at my blushing, but I absolutely felt it in my bones that he meant what he said.
After so many shitty relationships, it was hard to believe that the world’s sexiest, most handsome, best Daddy in the world had fallen into my lap in the middle of Comfort, Texas.
I felt a little like a princess in a castle, and I didn’t want to wake up.
I didn’t want the fairy-tale ending. I just wanted everything to stay the same.
I didn’t know how to make that happen, but I was going to try.
Daddy had said we’d see how it worked out, and he wasn’t wrong—that’s exactly what we were supposed to do.
Still, I wanted a guarantee. I wanted him to say forever.
Because every day I fell a little more in love with him—his drive, his intelligence, the way he loved Mac back but still let him be independent.
I loved the way he was my Daddy. I couldn’t do it right then, but the only thing I wanted to do was crawl into his lap and let him take care of everything.
Every little bit.
“Daddy, I had no idea that going to an auction was gonna make me so tired,” I said as we finally returned to our hotel room.
It was well past midnight, but after all the excitement of the bidding and the adrenaline, I was still too wound up to even think about falling into bed. I bounced from one side of the room and back to him. The carpet was spongy and soft, and for a second, I thought I might be part Tigger.
Daddy laughed as we dumped our stuff in a big pile on the dresser.
I’d kept the paddles and the receipts for our bids.
We’d supported twelve kids with our donations and another one that Daddy paid for separately.
He said that one was for a friend who didn’t know about the auction until it was too late.
“It’s easy to get wrapped up in everything. I hope you had a good time.”
“Oh my goshness, Daddy, I had the best time. Thank you for inviting me, even though I’m pretty sure you weren’t planning to come.”
“I mean, technically I wasn’t planning on it, but I’m glad I did.”
“Thank you for inviting me.”
“You already told me that,” Daddy said with a soft smile. His eyes crinkled at the corners, and two creases, never wrinkles, appeared on the side of his mouth.
“I know, but I had to say it twice so you’d believe that I had the bestest good time.”
“I already believed you. You don’t have to prove it. But since you said it twice, that must mean you mean it double.”
It was quiet in the hotel room, everything muted from the outside world.
It felt like we were alone together. I’d never seen him so relaxed.
The lines had been scrubbed from his forehead, his face smooth, and even his body language was looser, less tense.
He beckoned me closer with the waggle of his fingers, and I stepped between his legs where he sat on the edge of the bed.
His hands migrated up to my hips and flexed there, just enough to make me want him to do it again.
“What was your favorite part?”
“That’s a silly question, Daddy. It was getting my new stuffie.”
“I should’ve known that’s what you would say. Have you picked out a name yet?”
“I only know one cow name.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s Bessie. But she’s from the Highlands, so she needs a proper Scottish name.”
“Do you know any proper Scottish names for a cow?”
“No, but I can imagine. I was thinking a lot on the way back to the hotel because I couldn’t let her spend the night without a name.”
Daddy gave me one of his indulgent looks and waited for me to finish.
“Her name is Nessie.”
“As in the Loch Ness Monster?”
“She’s not a monster, Daddy. She’s a cow, which is why she’s called Nessie—’cause it’ll remind her of home. And I don’t think the Loch Ness Monster is really a monster either. If you call them that, they might get their feelings hurt. Do you wanna hurt their feelings, Daddy?”
“No, sugar, I absolutely do not want to hurt their feelings. And if I ever run into them, I promise I’ll apologize.”
He pulled me onto his lap, and I balanced on one sturdy leg.
The heat radiating from him made me want to snuggle close and let being a grown-up float away.
His fingers ran through my curls as he leaned up and gave me a soft kiss on the lips.
I wanted more, but he drew away before I had the chance to sneak my tongue into his mouth. It felt like it had been too long.
“Sugar, are you ready for bed?”
Before he even finished the question, I was shaking my head.
“It’s late.”
“Daddy, I’m too excited to sleep. We went to an auction, we spent so much money, and I got a new present—a new stuffie! It’s imp’ssible.”
“I think maybe a nice bath would help you wind down, sugar. Take off some of that adrenaline you’ve been carrying around.”
“They got bubbles?”
“Well, they don’t have bubble bath, but they do have Jacuzzi bubbles. Maybe that’s just as good?”
“You gonna take a bath with me, Daddy?”
“If you want me to, I will.”
“I always wanna share with you, Daddy.”
“Then let’s get to it.”
Without another word, I put my hand in his and allowed him to lead me to the bathroom.
Once there, he turned on the taps and adjusted them to the perfect temperature before turning back to me.
He stripped me down like I was precious, but also like he thought I was hot.
Honestly, it was the best of everything.
No one had ever made me feel the way Daddy did.
We’d only been together a few weeks, but I knew it was something worth holding on to.
Maybe he didn’t see it yet, but that was okay.
I saw it, and that was enough for now. I liked this kind of dating so much more than when I was an option instead of a priority.
“Get in, sugar. The AC in this place is set to arctic.”
“You said you liked it cold, Daddy.”
“That was before I decided to get naked,” he quickly retorted with a grin.
Daddy held my hand while I stepped into the tub and sat on the opposite side. It was too small for him to get behind me, but I didn’t mind since I got to watch him instead. Bracketed by his knees, with bubbles around us, was the exact place I wanted to be.
Jasper
Dad, are you going to be able to make it? The soft opening is Saturday after next.
Gage
I’m gonna be there.
Jasper
Yay. I guess.
Gage
Baby boy, I’m gonna need you to get a fuck ton more excited.
Jasper
Eww, stop.
Rowan
I fucking swear to god, Gage.
Dad
Boys, stop cursing. You two are supposed to be professionals, and I’m assuming B&B owners can’t go around swearing either.
Rowan
I’m still not sure, but I’m going to try.
Vaughn
I’m sorry, but I can’t.
Jasper
Dad?
If you can, that’d be cool, Rowan.
Vaughn, no biggie.
Dad
Yes, I’ll be there. Gage will need a babysitter.
We won’t get there until Saturday afternoon. What’s the name of a motel or hotel we could reserve some rooms at?
Jasper
Why aren’t you staying with me?
Dad
I figured you’d want to be able to show the rooms.
Gage
Dad, if we’re getting there in the afternoon, we won’t go to our rooms until it’s over.
You can handle it without needing to freshen the fuck up.
Dad
Gage!
Gage
We’re staying with Jasper.
Dad
I was just trying to make things easier on him.
Gage
Cool. We’re staying with him.
Dad
Fine.
Jasper, we’ll see you next Saturday.