Chapter 16
“Thank you, Daddy,” Lacy said as she checked on the box her new polar bear friend rode in. Drake carried the bag with her new coloring books, crayons, and bracelet- making kit. “But I could have paid for it myself.”
“I may not be one of those billionaires like in the books that are so popular right now, but I’m not so poor that I can’t buy my Little girl a few new toys. What are you going to name your new friend?”
Lacy thought about it for a short minute before saying, “Snowball. Her name is Snowball.”
“That’s a very good name for a polar bear,” Drake said as he pushed open the door and they walked out into the parking lot.
Lacy was so happy she wanted to skip to the car, but did not want to embarrass Drake with such childish behavior.
“What are you thinking, Lacy-girl?”
“I wanted to skip, but don’t want to have anyone staring at us,” she admitted softly.
Drake frowned at her. “We’re only in town for another couple days and frankly, I don’t give a tinker’s damn what anyone else thinks. If you want to skip, do it. Maybe I’ll skip with you, if I can remember how.”
Lacy thought over his words for a few seconds. He was right. Life was too short and she shouldn’t have to corral her Little side at times like this. Maybe seeing her be happy would put a smile on someone else’s face.
Pulling her hand from Drake’s hold, she began skipping. Releasing her Little side felt so good that she began to giggle. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Drake was smiling indulgently though he had stopped walking.
“Skip, Daddy.”
Lacy turned and skipped back to where Drake stood, then danced around him. Taking his hand, she pulled. “Come on, Daddy, skip.”
“I’m not sure I know how,” he admitted with a rueful smile.
“It’s simple. Just do what I do,” she said.
She giggled as he tried, but was unable to master the fine art of skipping. After several tries, she stopped and began walking beside him again. “You’re not a very good skipper, Daddy.”
“No, I’m not. Maybe skipping is a Little skill, not a Daddy skill.”
“Hmmm, that may be,” she agreed with another giggle.
“Have you ever made out in the back seat of a car?” Drake asked as they approached the vehicle.
Lacy frowned at him, trying to figure out what he was thinking. “Not since high school. Why?”
Drake smiled down at her and she could see evil, sexy intent in his gaze. “I was thinking maybe we could break in your back seat with a little sexy playtime before we returned to the hotel.”
Lacy returned his smile and nodded. “Yes, please. I like that idea.”
Drake hit the button on the fob, which unlocked all the doors. Leading her to the back door, he opened it wide and then gave her a sweep of a hand with a half bow. “Climb in, Lacy-girl.”
Lacy scrambled into the backseat then scooted over to make room for him to follow her. Looking at the box in her lap and the bag he carried, she asked, “What do we do with these?”
Drake lifted the bag over the back seat and dropped it into the trunk compartment. He then did the same with the box containing her new friend.
“We’ll get them out when we get back to the hotel,” he said before reaching for her.
Lacy could not help but giggle again, this time not from happiness but from nerves. She’d only been in the back seat of a car with a man once before, and they only made out before her father emerged from the house and caught them.
“Relax, baby. No one is going to care if we’re making out.”
Drake he lifted her over his lap, arranging her so she sat facing him with a leg on either side of his. He then lifted one hand and wrapped it around the back of her neck. Pulling her close, he kissed her.
She returned the kiss with the passion that exploded after simmering for the past hours they were together but she hadn’t been able to get close to him. She helped when he freed her shirt from the waistband of her jeans. A moment later, his hand warmed her satin-covered breast.
She sighed as he massaged the swell of flesh through her bra. At the same time, her hips began to shift back and forth, rubbing her clit against the rod of his cock. She whined a protest when he lifted his hand from her breast and both hands moved to still her hip movements.
The silence of the car was shattered by the shrill sound of an alarm. It was coming from somewhere in the car, but her brain was so scattered that she couldn’t tell exactly where from.
“What’s that?” she asked as Drake pulled out his phone.
“The alarm that tells us that it’s time to get back to the hotel and prepare for the evening’s festivities.
” He tapped the screen several times and silence replaced the shrill beeping.
Slipping the phone back in his pocket, he lifted her off his lap.
“Sorry, sweetheart, it’s time to head back to the hotel. ”
Though tempted to hurl herself onto the ground and throw a good old-fashioned temper tantrum, Lacy pulled in a deep breath and released it on a long sigh. “This sucks.”
“We’ll pick up where we left off tonight, in a big bed where we won’t have to be worried about anyone catching us being naughty,” Drake said as he climbed out of the back seat, then helped her out.
“Yeah, but in between you might wear yourself out and not have any energy left for me,” Lacy grumbled softly as he escorted her around the car and helped her into the front passenger’s seat.
He pulled the seat belt over her and connected it before brushing a kiss on her lips.
“Don’t you worry, sweet Lacy. I will have plenty of energy left for you.
There is something we need to discuss before we get back to the hotel.
I don’t want you to feel jealous of anyone I hug over the next couple of days.
Meeting readers and authors, giving hugs, and taking selfies with them is part of my job this weekend. ”
“I understand,” Lacy answered softly. “I’ll be fine as long as they keep their hands to themselves.”
“That’s all I can ask,” he said, brushing one more kiss on her lips before pulling back and closing the door. She watched him walk around the front of the car as a man dressed in black cargo pants and a black t-shirt jogged toward them from the mall.
“Sir? Excuse me, can I talk to you?”
Drake walked toward him, away from the car, not wanting Lacy to worry about what he knew had to be a stupid matter. “What can I do for you?”
“I just wanted to make sure everything was all right. You were noticed on the cameras climbing into the back seat, and not leaving. The office wanted me to make sure everything was okay.”
Though he wanted to chuckle, Drake was impressed at the efficiency of the security team. They’d only been in the back seat making out about fifteen minutes.
“We’re fine. We just wanted a few minutes of alone time before heading back to our hotel. We’re leaving now.”
The guard looked at the car where Lacy was no doubt watching them closely. “And the young lady is with you voluntarily?”
“Absolutely. Do you want to ask her?” Drake turned and gave Lacy a smile. His Little smiled back and settled back against her seat.
“No, she doesn’t look like she’s in trouble. I’ll let you all go. Have a nice weekend.” With that the guard turned and headed back to the building.
Drake strolled to the car, not wanting to appear nervous to whatever cameras might be watching them.
“Everything okay?” Lacy asked as he climbed into the driver’s seat.
“Yeah. Big Brother’s eye in the sky was worried that we climbed into the back seat and then didn’t leave. They wanted to make sure I wasn’t trying to kidnap you, or something equally nefarious.”
Drake started the engine and pulled out driving to the nearest exit and turned back to the hotel. “All right, little girl, are you ready for your first paid gig as the convention photographer?”
“I think so,” Lacy said, shifting nervously in her seat.
“You’re going to do great, Lacy. And I’ll be nearby if you need a snuggle.”
Lacy smirked at him. “I’ll just have to fight my way through the throngs of women who will no doubt be crowding you from the moment you hit the lobby.”
Drake waited until he’d parked the vehicle back at the hotel before he told her what was on his heart. Shifting in his seat, he took her hand and held it between both of his.
“The biggest reason you don’t have to worry about any of those other women is because I love you. Only you.”
Lacy’s eyes went wide and she swallowed hard before asking, “Are you sure? I mean we haven’t known each other all that long, and mostly only through texts and phone calls.”
“I know, Lacy. I’ve known almost from the beginning. The way you wore that unicorn t-shirt and the bows in your hair when you were directing us on how to pose. Do you realize those were the only pictures your cousin has sold?”
“Really?” Lacy’s eyes went even wider before she blinked and then leaned over the center console to wrap her arms around him. “I love you, too, Daddy. And I’ll try really hard not to be jealous when you’re hugging and smiling at those other women.”
“Thank you, Lacy-girl. Now, shall we take Snowball inside and get him out of that box so he can settle into our room?”