8. Shane
Eight
Shane
I t’s dark outside, and my house is quiet. The kitchen smells like the roast chicken I put in the oven almost an hour ago, and outside, I can see light snowflakes starting to fall. I pace back and forth, from the spacious kitchen to the cozy living room, making sure for the twenty-eighth time that everything is tidy and inviting.
Sadie’s been here so many times over the past few months. She and Lilah have watched movies in my living room, studied in Lilah’s bedroom. She’s no stranger to this house. But she’s never come over here to see me. Never come over here when Lilah wasn’t home.
For the first time since Lilah moved in with her fiancé Kincaid, I’m grateful for the privacy and solitude. Because tonight, I’m lucky enough to have Sadie all to myself.
I walk back to the kitchen to check on the chicken, and a pang of guilt hits me right in the chest. When I found out about Lilah and Kincaid’s relationship, I didn’t handle it well. I made a big stink about their fourteen-year age difference, and the fact that they’d kept the relationship from me, all while knowing I was half in love with Lilah’s best friend, a woman young enough to be my daughter.
I’m a hypocrite.
It strikes me that maybe the reason I reacted so badly at first to Lilah and Kincaid’s relationship wasn’t because I didn’t approve, but because I was jealous. They’d gone for what would make them happy, despite the age difference and the reasons they shouldn’t.
They were braver than me. And their obvious happiness was their reward for that bravery.
The doorbell rings, echoing through my empty house, and my heart crashes against my ribs. I can’t remember the last time I was this wound up over a date.
Because I never have been. Because Sadie is special.
I open the door, and there she is, an angel with snowflakes clinging to her eyelashes, the tip of her nose red from the cold. Her curls spill out from below a red toque, and she’s wrapped up in a navy blue wool coat.
“Hi,” she says, her eyes sparkling in the dim light. She lifts her arm. “I brought some wine.”
I smile, and then pull her inside, closing the door behind her and sealing us away from the world.
Having Sadie here, no walls between us, the truth laid bare, is freeing. I feel lighter. Like a new man.
I take the wine from her and set it on a nearby table, and then I reach for her and pull her against me.
“Hi,” I say, and then I’m kissing her like my life depends on it. She moans against my mouth and opens for me instantly, eager for my tongue. My sweet, needy girl. God, the things I’m going to do to her tonight.
Sadie melts against me, her body soft and pliant. She whimpers as I stroke my tongue slowly against hers, her hips moving. Her hands are fisted in my sweater, her mouth sweet against mine. And even though we’ve just begun, I already know that I’m never going to get enough of this.
By the time I break the kiss, we’re both breathing hard, chests heaving. Sadie’s perfect lips are red and swollen, her pupils blown with lust. I’m so hard it hurts, my cock throbbing inside my jeans.
“Do you have any idea how many times I’ve fantasized about kissing you when you walked into this house?” I ask, my voice a rough rasp. I brush a stray curl from her cheek, and she presses into my touch.
God, she’s so fucking sweet. How the hell did I stay away from her for all these months?
“Probably about as many as me,” she says, blushing prettily at the admission. Her voice is low and breathy. “I can’t believe this is really happening. That this is real.”
I cup her face and press a soft kiss to her forehead. “Believe it, Sadie. Once I read that journal, there was no going back for me.”
She smiles up at me, and it’s like pure, unfiltered sunshine. Warm and beautiful and life-affirming.
I want to kiss her again, but the oven timer goes off, so I help her out of her coat, grab the wine and lead her into the kitchen with my hand on the small of her back.
“It smells so good in here,” she says, leaning against the island. “Can I do anything to help?”
I shake my head as I uncork the wine. “I’ve got it covered. You just relax and eat, sunshine.”
“Okay, Daddy,” she says, her voice light and teasing, but just her saying the word Daddy has my cock dripping. I want her so much right now, but I also need to make sure she eats.
I take the chicken out of the oven, and a few minutes later, we’re in the dining room with our plates full of chicken, roast potatoes and salad, and our glasses of wine. Candles flicker on the table, and snow falls outside. It’s like we’re cocooned away from the world. I’ve never thought of myself as a romantic, but for Sadie, I want to be. Knowing I can actually have her, this girl who I’ve wanted and obsessed over for months, makes me want to give her the world.
“Oh god,” she moans as she takes a bite of the chicken. “This is so good.” She takes another bite and moans softly again. My cock is impossibly hard, and it’s getting more and more difficult to concentrate on eating. “Chef Shane,” she says, teasing again. I like when she teases me. It feels intimate and sweet. “I had no idea.”
Her compliment makes me feel all warm and tingly, and I take a sip of my wine. “I’ve been on my own for a long time now, and I’ve picked up a culinary trick or two along the way.”
She takes a sip of her own wine and arches an eyebrow at me. “What else don’t I know about you?”
Talking with Sadie like this, being able to be completely open and honest, is refreshing. And it’s as though once locked gates have sprung open, because the conversation between us flows effortlessly and easily. We talk about her internship and school, about her plans for after graduation. We talk about the hockey season and coaching the Thunder. We talk about our hobbies—it turns out she crocheted that cute red hat—and movies and TV shows we like. Hopes and dreams and the future, places she wants to travel. We talk about food and childhood memories. We talk about books and music and our families.
The first time the conversation falters is when Lilah comes up.
Sadie’s plate is empty, her wine nearly finished, and she frowns into her wine glass. “We need to tell Lilah,” she says quietly. “I…I never told her how I feel about you. I didn’t want to make her feel weird, and I never thought that we…” She sighs and looks up at me. “I didn’t think this was even a possibility. So there was no point saying anything. She knows I’ve been crushing on someone for a while, but she thinks it’s another player on the team. I don’t think she has any idea that you were the one I was staring at on the bench.”
I slide my hand across the table and weave my fingers with hers. Her fingers are so much smaller than mine, so much more delicate.
“I know we need to tell her. We’ll figure it out, sunshine. We don’t need to have all the answers tonight. And…” I rub a hand over my mouth. “We should probably keep our relationship between the two of us until your internship is over.”
Her eyes widen slightly. “Do you think you’d get in trouble? For dating an intern?”
I swallow, considering. “Maybe. But I’m mostly worried about protecting you. I don’t want you getting nasty comments or people making assumptions because you’re dating the coach.”
“Dating,” she says with a small smile, a note of incredulity in her voice.
“Yeah, Sadie. Dating.” I slip my fingers under her chin, bringing her eyes up to mine. “I’m in love with you, Sadie Brennan. You’re it for me. I know that in my bones. You’re my girlfriend. My sunshine. My sweet Sadie girl who lets me take care of her in every single way. You’re mine.”
“Shane,” she whispers, her eyes brimming with happy tears. “I love you. I’ve loved you since last summer. And I never thought…” She blinks, sending a tear cascading down her cheek. I swipe it away with my thumb. “And now I’m your girlfriend. Yours. It doesn’t sound real.”
I push my chair back from the table and pull Sadie into my lap, settling her across my thighs. “Believe it, sunshine,” I say, stroking her hair. “It’s real. And now, you’re mine. Your heart is mine. Your body is mine. Your virginity is mine.”
She shivers and nuzzles into me, her breath hot on my neck.
“I’m so glad I waited,” she whispers. “I only want you.”
“I’m glad, too. Now I don’t have to murder anyone because they know what my girl feels like.”
She laughs softly, and it’s cute that she thinks I’m kidding.
“Now, I get to be the only one who knows,” I say, my voice getting deeper and rougher by the second. “I get to be the one to look after you and protect you.” As I say the words, my heart feels full. Complete. And I know that Sadie is the puzzle piece I’ve been waiting to fall into place.
She’s everything I’ve ever wanted. She’s hope and love and sweetness, all wrapped into one perfect little package.
“Daddy,” she whispers, and it’s like something snaps in me. I push my plate aside and lift her onto the table, then stand between her spread legs. Her sweater dress rides up her thighs, and I brace my hands on either side of her hips as my cock brushes against her covered pussy.
“That’s right, sunshine,” I say, dragging my nose over her temple. “Daddy’s going to take care of you.”
“You’re so hard,” she whispers, wriggling closer to the edge of the table and spreading her legs wider.
I press my forehead to hers and grind my cock against her. “This is what I’m always like around you, Sadie. One look at you, and you make me want to fuck and fuck and fuck.” She writhes against me, working her pussy against the ridge of my cock. “Does that feel good, baby girl?” I ask.
She nods. “So good.”
“I’m going to take such good care of your sweet little virgin pussy, Sadie. It’s mine to take care of. Mine to worship. Mine to fuck.” I drop my head and graze my teeth along the shell of her ear. “Mine forever.”