Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Shifting back into her grown-up headspace had been easier after waking up with Travis between her legs, licking her pussy. They’d had just enough time for a fast, intense fucking before his alarm rang out and pulled them from bed.
The day had gone quickly, leaving her with only a dozen lollipops, which she passed along to some of the other vendors. They were packing up when Carri and Rooker arrived.
Though she and Travis were moving just as quickly, Lottie was concerned that Carri was falling into her relationship too fast and too hard.
After reading over and agreeing with the simple consignment contract for the boutique to sell Carri’s crocheted critters that Rooker’s assistant had delivered to her that morning, Lottie then confronted her sister and her new Daddy with the hope of keeping her from going through yet another heartbreak.
It was, after all, her duty to protect her sisters’ hearts, even if it was from themselves.
She only hoped she could live with the demands she was about to place on her sisters.
“If there really is such an attraction between you, if he really is your Daddy, then prove it. Come home with us now and don’t see him for one week. Prove to yourself, and us, that he really is the man of your dreams.”
Before Carri could argue, Rooker stepped between them, facing Lottie. “Done. I’ll let her go with you today and will stay away until next Sunday.”
“But …” Carri started, but stopped when Rooker looked over his shoulder at her.
“No calls, no visits, no drive-bys. And you’ll stay away for one week.” Lottie clearly defined the terms of the separation.
“Agreed. But when I show up, I expect you to let your sister make up her own mind about what happens between us after that.”
“Does this mean you also will be staying away from your man for the next week, Lottie?” Tilly asked as she stepped up beside Rooker so she was facing both sisters and Rooker.
Lottie blinked and her cheeks began to turn a deeper shade of pink. “What man?”
“That one.” Tilly pointed to Travis who had just stepped from behind his table and was headed in her direction.
When he saw them staring at him, he did a quick about-face and returned to his table.
“You and he have been getting quite cozy over the past few days, going off in the evenings and not coming back to the hotel room.”
Lottie watched Carri straighten and study her as if seeing her for the first time.
“It’s not the same. We’re in …” Lottie started to argue, but Tilly cut her off again.
“It’s exactly the same. Just like you’ve fallen for that man who neither Carri nor I have been introduced to, Carri and Rooker have fallen in love. At least Rooker was gentleman enough to introduce himself, and he put up with our questioning without a complaint.”
“Yeah,” Carri said. “If I can’t see Rooker for a week, you can’t see him, whatever his name is.”
“And I won’t see the man I’ve met and fallen in love with,” Tilly added. “For the next week, we’ll go back to being the three Smith sisters while we purge and pack the house.”
Taking a deep breath, Lottie nodded. “All right. I guess if Carri can do it, so can I.”
Tilly then looked at Carri. “What do you say, Carri?”
Carri looked at Rooker who gave her a smile and nod. “We can do this, babygirl. It’s only seven days and then we’ll have the rest of our lives together.”
Carri turned to her sisters and nodded. “I’m in. But I reserve the right to be grumpy without getting harassed for it.”
Tilly giggled. “I have a feeling we’ll all be grumpy by the end of the week.”
Lottie remained silent, but had to agree with her sisters. She expected that without seeing or talking to Travis for a week, she too would not be a happy camper.
While Rooker helped her sisters move their things out, Lottie crossed the aisle to where Travis was sitting and reading on his phone.
“Ready to go?” he asked as he closed the book he was reading and stood up.
Lottie looked up at him and blinked several times when he got blurry because of the tears filling her eyes. She wiped both hands over her face in an effort to keep them from falling.
“I can’t go with you tonight. And I can’t see you this week. Not until next Sunday.”
She kept her voice soft though there was no one around to overhear their conversation.
“What’s going on, Lottie-love?”
Lottie shifted her gaze to his chin and then farther down to the center of his chest. “I can’t see you until next Sunday. It’s hard to explain, but I can’t see you, text you, or call you. Not until Sunday. But please, don’t forget me or give up on me. Because I think I’m falling in love with you.”
Before he could respond, Lottie turned and ran. She shoved her way out of the building and did not stop until she climbed into the back seat of the SUV. Only then did she give in to the sadness and cry.
Though he had not heard what Lottie and her sisters had discussed, it was apparent that the three sisters agreed to all take a break from the men they’d met during the convention. He only wished he’d had a chance to give Lottie a long, strong, Daddy hug to get them both through the next week.
But she’d run too quickly, and he wasn’t sure following her out to the parking lot was the right thing to do.
At least this would give him a week to take care of a few things so when they were allowed to once again be together, he would be prepared to be her Daddy.
He left the building just in time to see the Smith sisters’ SUV leaving the parking lot. “I’ll see you in a week, my sweet Lottie-love,” he murmured.
Walking to his car, he decided it was time to stop floating and get serious about settling down and becoming the Daddy his Little girl needed.