Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Mikayla
The wedding ceremony was more beautiful than I’d imagined it could have been.
Bonnie cried and so did I. After my speech at the reception, my nerves finally settled.
Well, three wine spritzers—and champagne on the way to and from the church—helped my nerves settle.
One of my favorite songs came on, and I scanned the room for someone to dance with.
Sam had his gorgeous blue eyes locked on me.
I edged toward the open floor, weaving around tables.
He moved toward me as I reached the dance floor, his hands settling on my waist.
“You look so beautiful, babygirl.”
“So do you.” I laughed and then corrected myself. “Handsome. You look so very handsome.”
“Everyone’s having fun. It’s been a lovely party.”
“Yeah. Mostly. Except for…” I trailed off.
I didn’t want to tell him I’d overheard Crystal on the phone, whining about how unfortunate it was for Sam to be babysitting again.
She seemed desperate for more of his attention than he was willing to give, but her purpose was a mystery.
Why’d she bother coming? I wished she’d stop trying to rile me up.
What was her deal, anyway? She should have been happy that she’d even been invited.
“Whatever it is, don’t worry. Everyone is glad you’re home.” He twirled me out, then pulled me back in.
“Visiting,” I corrected, resting my head on his shoulder to avoid his gaze.
I didn’t want him to see the hesitation in my eyes, the fierce urge to tell him how badly I wanted to move home.
After he’d chased me down, dragged me back into the house, and thoroughly heated my ass, the thought wouldn’t disappear.
It should have. When the spanking ended and I caught my breath, a strange calm settled over me.
The spanking had warmed my heart more than my bottom.
Once the sting faded, I realized that it was silly to keep denying it.
I loved Sam, that wasn’t a revelation. Not some silly crush, but a deep, mature need.
I really loved him and wanted to finally be with him.
We embarked into something more, but my thoughts continued on overdrive.
“You’re welcome to stay with me, Mickie.”
I nodded, almost irritated at how easy it would be. Jobs were plentiful. Housing was available. A new apartment complex was coming by spring, according to Judd who knew one of the contractors. It’d be a piece of cake. Sam would move mountains to ensure all that. But then what?
I lifted my head to answer him and froze.
Crystal was stalking toward us on her fancy stilettos and barely off-white gown, selected as if she’d tried to upstage Bonnie.
Her terrible choice in dresses should have been enough to get her kicked out but she hadn’t caused a ruckus.
Yet. Plastering on a fake smile, I tried to be polite as she reached us.
“May I cut in?” she purred, a seductive pout on her lips as she sipped from the wine glass in her hand. “Please?”
I opened my mouth, but Sam slid his hands down my hips to rest dangerously low. A warning. I shut my mouth so I didn’t tell her where to go and how to get there.
“We were about to get a drink,” Sam said, drumming his fingers lightly against my ass, reinforcing the message.
I’d tangled with Crystal on more than one occasion. Now that I knew how she’d treated Sam, well that only fanned the flames of my dislike.
Crystal gave me an equally fake smile. “Mickie can have mine.”
She dumped her drink on me. Right down the front of my gown! Chilled red wine was bleeding into my blush silk gown at a rapid pace. I stood there blinking at the soaked mess on my chest.
Oh, this bitch…
Crystal clutched her hand to her lips, all doe-eyed and dripping with fake sweetness. “Oops, I’m so clumsy.”
My body locked up, adrenaline spiking, fists curling ready to swing at her surgically enhanced button-nose.
I shook off Sam’s hands, ready to lose every ounce of the self-control I'd been clinging to, but he was faster.
Sam yanked off his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders, tugging me firmly against him, his arm anchoring me at the waist.
“Excuse us,” he said. His tone was calm, a murmur against my ear reminding me that he was in charge.
Crystal blinked, stunned. She hadn’t expected him to protect me.
At least it seemed like it from the way her mouth opened and closed.
Maybe she believed that she still mattered.
He didn’t even look back at her. No. Sam was focused on me.
My emotional state. Getting me out of the reception room and away from prying eyes so I wouldn’t be embarrassed.
I saw Judd quietly point at Crystal, then to the exit doors.
He must have seen what had happened. At least she wouldn’t be allowed to stay any longer.
Not if she couldn’t play nice. That thought did little to soothe my nerves.
Sam steered us to one of the private dressing room slash lounges for the bridal party.
Once the door shut behind us, he lifted me like I weighed nothing and set me on the counter.
Dripping in wine and shame, I should have been more embarrassed but anger boiled through my belly.
But he just grabbed a handful of paper towels and began blotting gently at the fabric.
Focused. Careful. His calm handling was almost too much. I wanted him to snap too!
“She’s got some fucking nerve,” I growled, the words hitting the room hard. “I wanted to punch her right in her perfectly painted-on mouth!”
“I’m glad you didn’t.” His voice was calm, but there was steel underneath it. “She wanted attention. Yours, mine, anyone who offered it. Giving it to her would’ve been a mistake.”
I blinked at him, still seething. “Why would she even think dumping wine on me would get your attention?”
He paused, eyes lifting to meet mine. “Because it’s the only card she had left. She’s jealous.”
I laughed bitterly. “Of me? Your ex-wife is jealous of me?”
“Yeah. Of you. A few weeks ago she came to me and begged for another chance. That she’d changed. That maybe we could—” He shook his head like the thought was a gnat buzzing around his face. “I told her no. Firmly. And when she saw you at my house? She must have completely lost it.”
“Oh,” I mumbled. My throat went dry.
“It’s awful that she had to stir the pot by embarrassing you.” He tossed the last towel into the trash and stepped back. “And you need to hear this, sweetheart. Hear me clearly. She doesn’t matter. Not anymore. Not to me. But you?”
He reached out, touched the edge of the jacket still draped around me, then trailed his fingers down to the wine-soaked fabric beneath.
“You’re the one I think about when I wake up.
You’re the one I watch when you walk into a room.
You are the one I want to take care of, protect, even when you don’t think you need it. ”
His words stole the air from my lungs. I stared at him in awe. I didn’t think I could love him anymore than I already did, but then he went and said something so sweet that it tugged at my heart strings.
“If you need further proof, babygirl, then listen. When Crystal pulled that stunt out there? I wasn’t worried about her.
” He stepped in between my legs, his hand resting heavy on my thigh.
“I was worried about you. About how it made you feel. That’s what being your Daddy means, by the way. It means you come first. Always.”
My heart hammered, words catching in my throat.
I found a bottle of water and took a few sips.
This was that moment. I’d been scared to say it to him, scared to mean it.
But I didn’t hesitate. “Daddy,” I breathed, the word sounding like a secret and a promise all at once.
“You’re my Daddy,” I repeated with feeling. “Only mine.”
His lips curled into a slow, gentle smile. “That’s right. I’m your Daddy and you’re my sweet girl.”
He slid his hand higher, and my body melted under the weight of his claim. I licked my lips, suddenly frisky. “I always come first, huh?”
“Don’t be sassy. Not right now.” Sam stepped backward. “Take off your dress.”
“I thought you’d never ask.” I hopped down from the counter and turned to the huge mirror. The muscle in Sam’s jaw twitched as he slowly descended along the row of buttons on the back of my dress. He ran his hands along my spine, stopping to lift each of my feet and gather the gown.
“I’m going to get this spot to dry. Sit on the lounge chair and behave yourself.”
I was still feeling vulnerable from the whole interaction with Crystal, but I resigned myself to following orders.
Sinking into the plush cushion, I was thankful for the private bathroom.
It was surprisingly luxurious for our small-town venue.
Sam carefully dried the fabric with a hair dryer.
His forearms flexed as he did and I couldn’t stop watching.
Sam glanced over, his mouth curled into a smile. “Like what you see?”
“It’s an alright view,” I deadpanned. Of course I liked watching his muscles flex, thinking about what it’d be like for him to pin me to a wall.
“I like the garter belt,” he said. “Nice touch.”
“I was hoping to show off what was underneath my dress later if you played your cards right.”
“Don’t tempt me, little girl. I’ll put this dress on you wet and carry you straight to my truck right now.”
“Hm, that’s not what I wanted to hear. Perhaps I should find somewhere else to sleep tonight.
” I teased him, but I was giving the newlyweds time alone without anyone else staying there.
The couple at the inn had enjoyed the ceremony and checked out early as a wedding gift to my best friend.
Sam had me to himself whether he wanted me with him or not.
“You’re already coming home with me. It’s your decision on whether you want to go to sleep with a red ass, or not.”