Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Jared
“Dear Jeebus,” I groan as I stretch across the bed. “Why am I so sore?”
The muttered words echo around me like a taunt. No one answers—obviously—since I’m talking to myself. Yet, it’s the silence greeting me that has me suddenly awake and full of answers.
A quick glance to my bedside shows it’s empty. When I fell asleep last night there was a very naked, very well sated man lying beside me.
Where did he go?
Part of me is worried that last night was too much. Maybe he didn’t enjoy it like I had. Could it be all of this was a ploy to get me in bed, and now that he’s had me he’s gone?
But… that’s not the case. I know it’s not.
Daddy, I mean, Jerome, works with me. He’s going to have to see me all the time in the office. I don’t think he’s the type to shit where he eats, pardon the horrible phrase. If he only wanted sex, then he’d have been up-front.
“Well then, where is he?” I mutter as I toss the blanket aside.
I give myself one more minute to stretch, then I throw on my sweatpants and a hoodie. Even with the heat on, my place feels like a freezer box this morning. Better to layer up now than fight against the chill.
Before I can sink any further into my depressed thoughts about my missing Daddy, I catch the scent of something wonderful and sweet. My body practically floats the rest of the way into the kitchen.
It’s there I find my missing Daddy. He’s at the stove swaying from side to side as he hums some song under his breath. As I watch, he flips a pancake in the air. My mouth waters right as my tummy lets out a loud grumble.
“Come on over, cookie. It’s not nice to stare.”
My jaw drops as I move over to him. He opens his arm once I’m close. I tuck myself right into him, needing the closeness after waking up alone.
“How did you know I was watching?”
“I can feel you,” he replies.
“Feel me?”
“Yep. I knew it the minute you entered the room. It’s like everything in me goes on edge wanting you close. I can’t really explain it any other way.”
Burrowing into him even more, I sigh happily. Could he be any more perfect for me? It’s really like Santa read my letter and decided to give me what I wanted.
“What are you doing for the rest of your break, Daddy? Would you maybe want to spend some time with me? It’s okay if you don’t—”
He stops my rambles with a kiss. It’s far too short for my liking, though I think his point was more to get me quiet rather than to start something. The man is actually cooking breakfast, a point furthered when he turns to pull the pancake off.
I step away long enough for him to pour more batter in. As soon as he’s free, I cuddle against him again.
“To answer your question from earlier, I’m not doing anything. My plans have been pretty bare. I’m kind of hoping this really cute boy I met recently will ask me to spend some time with him. I think we are kind of great together.” His voice turns teasing the more he talks.
I tilt my head back, my smile as wide as it gets. “Really? You want to spend it with me?”
“Can’t think of anything else I’d rather do. If you’ll have me, then I’d like to be yours for a lot longer than tonight.”
“How long are we talking, Daddy?” I tease.
“I thought I was the one working in the legal department. You want to create a contract with terms? How about this… you and me, together until… the end of time. That work for you?”
Kissing him was the only answer I could come up with. Words couldn’t describe how happy he made me.
After a delicious breakfast, we decide it’s far too cold to go out. Daddy grabs the blankets from my bed and brings them into the living room.
“We’re going to cuddle while we watch movies. That way, I can keep you close while we do something festive,” he suggests.
I clap my hands together. “This is perfect! I love a good movie day. Do you have a favorite Christmas movie? We can watch it first.”
He bites his lip for a minute. The move short-circuits my brain for a few seconds before I’m able to snap myself back into the moment. Daddy’s mouth should be one of the wonders of the world. Really, the man is a gift.
He’s my gift.
From Santa.
I nearly gasp as the thought comes. Last night had been so overwhelming emotionally that I didn’t register the truth behind this all. My letter to Santa did work. Maybe not how I thought it would, but it was still successful.
“Cookie?”
Daddy’s voice settles over me. “Mmhmm?”
“I figured you’d be more upset by this. Glad to know it’s no big deal.”
No big deal? What’s he talking about?
“Can you repeat yourself? I think I missed a step,” I admit.
He winces, then says, “I don’t have a favorite Christmas movie. I’ve only seen two, and neither stuck with me.”
The sound I make is somewhere between a gasp and a whimper. How is it even possible that he’s survived this long without falling into the wonderful world of holiday movies? What kind of bleak life has my Daddy been living?
“We have to remedy this,” I announce loudly, as if I’m talking to a crowd. “We’re going to make a bracket and watch all the movies. You’ll rate them be which you like best until we narrow it down.”
“Like sports? You want me to watch and rank all these movies?”
I nod as I get up from the couch to search for paper and pen. “This is something vital, Daddy. We can’t let it go on any longer.”
He snorts at my words. It almost makes me smile; except I’m truly too deep in thoughts about movies to give the noise much attention.
A quick check of my junk drawer gives me the items I’m looking for. I easily jot down a few titles since they’re in my top five. Then I move to the more obscure. It’s only when I’m done that I realize how obsessive I’d become.
“Sorry, Daddy,” I say softly as I ease back down beside him on the couch. “I got carried away.”
“No, baby. You don’t have to apologize for anything. It’s nice to see you care so much. Besides, if I need to watch all these movies, then I’m going to need someone with me. Sounds like you’d be the best person for the job, too. Think you can sit through all these movies with me?”
“That would take days. Are you… are you sure?”
Part of me wants him to shout yes. I want his easy agreement so there’s no question. But another part of me expects him to say no. To maybe offer an alternative because he didn’t truly mean to offer to spend even more time with me.
Neither of those things happen. Instead, Daddy pulls me onto his lap. With my legs caging his, he rubs his hands up and down my back slowly as his gaze locks with mine.
“Cookie, I would love to spend more time with you. I truly meant what I said about sticking with you for the holidays and beyond. Watching movies with you feels like a reward. Or better yet, an honor. Being your Daddy is me living the dream. Movies, snuggles, snacks. It’s a perfect combination when you’re involved. ”
I drop my head to his shoulder. He doesn’t need to see the way his words affect me. Doesn’t need to know how raw and open I feel.
Is this what love is like? Being vulnerable with someone to the point of it being uncomfortable? I’m not sure how I feel about it.
Then again, I can’t imagine giving Daddy up. I’ve only just found him.
“If you’re really sure, then I’ll get the movies set up for us. We can make it through three today. That will give us a good start into tomorrow.”
He kisses my nose, then stands quickly. “I’ll go grab some snacks for us too. We can’t watch movies on empty tummies.”
“But Daddy, we just ate. It’s not empty,” I say around a slew of giggles.
“Then we’ll at least be prepared if I get them now. I don’t want my boy spending another second being hungry when he’s around me. I’ll keep you fed, loved on, and spoiled rotten.”
“You promise?”
He leans closer, not stopping until our noses are touching. “With everything I am. You have my solemn vow.”