11. Royce
11
ROYCE
My phone was silent on the bed beside me. No messages. No missed calls. Nothing to suggest Abby had been thinking of me since she woke up.
I couldn’t stop thinking about the way she called me "Daddy" for the first time. Her eyes had widened with vulnerability as she tested the waters, and she had no clue that I'd nearly combusted with desire.
She was just so perfect.
My phone remained stubbornly silent as I showered, dressed, and made coffee. By nine, I was pacing my apartment, checking my phone every thirty seconds like some lovesick teenager. This wasn't like me. I was Royce Elliott, the guy who kept his cool in board meetings and who’d never chased a woman in my life.
And yet, I was coming undone by radio silence from a woman I'd only spent a single night with.
But she wasn’t just any woman.
And that wasn’t just any night.
I poured another cup of coffee and forced myself to sit down with the morning paper. The words blurred together as my mind wandered back to the moment my entire world tilted on its axis and Abby opened herself up to me.
By ten, I'd convinced myself she regretted everything and I’d never get to feel her in my arms again. I’d drafted and deleted a dozen messages to check in, but each sounded more desperate than the last. I was a mess.
At 10:30 exactly, my phone chimed, and I nearly dropped it in the toilet in my rush to check.
Good morning!
Those four emojis said everything I needed to see. She didn’t regret the bath and she saw my note. My heart thundered in my chest like I'd been handed the keys to the universe. A universe in which Abby was my little girl.
I responded immediately, then counted to twenty before I hit send. I wanted to sound eager but not desperate. Morning, baby girl. Sleep well? I was thinking about breakfast... or brunch. My treat?
Three dots appeared and then disappeared before they reappeared again. Yes, please! I'm starving. We never got around to eating last night. But I need at least thirty minutes to get ready.
My smile was wide and my tension was completely gone. Take your time, sweet girl. I'll pick you up in an hour. Wear something comfy.
I added the last part without thinking and immediately regretted being so demanding. But her response came immediately. OK, Daddy. See you soon!
That simple heart emoji had me floating.
I spent the next forty-five minutes in a state of anticipation, changing my shirt twice, checking traffic patterns to her apartment, and reviewing brunch menus at three different restaurants on my phone.
I chose The Toasted Café because it had a great brunch menu and a nice view of the lake from the patio.
My car had barely rolled to a stop when Abby came running toward me. Just the sight of her made my breath hitch. She was wearing a baby-blue sundress with tiny white flowers and a light cardigan draped over her shoulders. Her skin was flawless, but it didn’t look like she was wearing any makeup to distract from her gorgeous smile.
I quickly hopped out of my car and opened my arms to her. “My gorgeous girl.”
Abby crashed into me and pressed her face against my chest. “Thank you for coming back.” She tilted her face up to mine and looked at me like I was her hero.
“I couldn’t stop thinking about you, baby girl.” I bent down and gave her a chaste kiss. “Now, we need to get some food in your tummy.”
She pulled back and nodded. “Yes, please. It’s grumbly!”
At the restaurant, Abby scanned the menu for a while, flipping it over several times as she grew more and more tense. Then her wide eyes darted back to me as if looking for help.
I recognized that look. She was overwhelmed by all the options and her desire to make the right choice. “Um…”
"Would you like me to order for you, baby girl?" I kept my voice low so no one surrounding us would hear me.
The relief in her eyes was immediate. "Yes, please." She nodded and slid the menu toward me with a grateful smile. “Anything is fine.”
The server appeared to take our drink order.
"I'll have a black coffee, and she'll have a caramel latte with almond milk." I glanced at Abby for confirmation and received a delighted smile in return. "And waters, please."
When the waiter left, Abby leaned across the table with a mischievous grin. "How did you know I like almond milk?"
I shrugged, trying to downplay the fact that I'd cataloged every detail I’d learned about her. "I pay attention to things that matter."
For the next hour, we shared bites and stories and got to know each other on a friendly level. She told me about her favorite movies, and I admitted to being the lead singer of my middle school grunge band. We laughed about office gossip—intentionally not mentioning that we'd soon be the subject of it—and played footsies under the table.
Throughout the meal, I couldn’t keep my hands off her. I held her hand and brushed crumbs off her lip. And by the time we got up to leave, I felt like I’d known her my whole life.
Or maybe I’d just been looking for her my whole life.
It was a beautiful day, and I wanted to make it last as long as possible. "There's a park a few blocks down." I kept our fingers intertwined as we left the restaurant. "We could walk off some of those waffles."
“That sounds great.”
I had no idea that the simple act of holding hands in public would feel both ordinary and extraordinary. Anyone who passed us would assume we were just another couple enjoying a weekend stroll, yet every brush of her arm against mine reminded me of how delicious she tasted on my tongue and how precious she was in my arms.
The park was busy with families spreading picnic blankets and college students throwing frisbees. We headed for the walking path that circled a small pond and followed it at a leisurely pace.
"I like watching you at work." Abby was swinging our joined hands slightly between us and looking straight ahead. "It’s sexy the way you’re all serious and in charge."
I laughed. "Serious is sexy?"
She bumped her shoulder against my arm playfully. "Yeah. And now that I’ve seen your other side, it’s even hotter. It's like I get to see both sides of you. Work Royce and Daddy Royce."
Leaning down, I kissed the top of her head. "And which do you prefer?"
She pretended to consider the question by tapping her chin. "Well, Work Royce is very authoritative and powerful in meetings…and looks really good in a suit. But Daddy Royce..." She lowered her voice and leaned against my arm. "Daddy Royce knows exactly how to take care of his baby girl."
Fuck yeah, he did. I was about to find a tree I could lean her up against and ravish her when I noticed her expression changing from playful to alarmed. I followed her gaze and saw a large Canada goose waddling purposefully in our direction. Its neck was extended, and it seriously looked like its eyes were fixed on us—or more specifically, on Abby.
I stepped between her and the approaching bird, but it changed course and circled to approach her from the side. Geese could be surprisingly aggressive, and this one seemed to have some kind of vendetta to avenge.
When it hissed and flapped its wings, Abby let out a small yelp of surprise. In one fluid motion, I scooped her up, and her arms wrapped around my neck. “Damn, girl. Did you barbeque this one’s mate or something?”
"Royce!" She gasped and laughed, smacking my shoulder while keeping her eye on the lunatic bird. "I told you they hate me!"
"Don’t worry, sweetheart.” I kept my voice as serious as possible, despite the absurdity of the situation. “Daddy will save you from this deranged waterfowl."
The goose honked indignantly below us, strutting back and forth as if offended by my intervention.
"My hero.” Abby buried her face against my shoulder as her body shook with laughter. Then, softly against my ear, she whispered, "My silly Daddy."