Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
“ W ork here?” Pippa repeated.
“It was just an idea,” Aspen said quickly. “If you were here during the time you weren’t at home with Zale…”
“I wouldn’t be alone. It’s hard to get on a base, right?” Pippa asked, catching on to the reasoning behind Aspen’s suggestion.
When Zale and Pippa caught up with his team, the hunky soldiers occupied a picnic table outside with Aspen. Pippa got the impression they had lunch together whenever possible. Zale had run through what the detectives had shared, and Pippa watched the men’s expressions change, revealing their concern. That hadn’t helped her feel any better about the situation.
“Everyone has to show ID at the gate. A lot of people pass through the gates each day—delivery people, contractors, visitors, job applicants,” Caden said. “The guards screen everyone. That’s more than the street that runs in front of your house.”
“They didn’t like my printed ID and called the police station to talk to the detectives,” Pippa told them.
“I could see that they’d question that,” Jerico said. “A job here would keep you safer. What kind of skills do you have, Pippa?”
“I worked in an office, running files all over the building and town,” Pippa reported. “I kept meaning to go back to school.”
“That’s something you could do in the future. We’ll check into some programs,” Zale assured her. “As a runner, you’re used to being on your feet. Let’s see what positions are open now. That is if you’d like to work here.”
“Sure. I need a job. I can’t just live off you.”
“I am glad to take care of you,” Zale told her as he logged into the base employment system. “Come here. Check out these postings.”
He scooped her up and sat her on his lap so he could hold his phone for them both to see. Pippa had already scanned and dismissed a few skilled job openings before she looked up to see the men grinning at her. Instantly, she tried to slide off Zale’s lap. Her heart thudded inside her chest as she realized how much she had given away by her position.
“Stay here, little girl. They already know,” Zale told her.
“You told them?”
“Zale didn’t tell us anything, Pippa. He would never do that to you and whatever we suspect, we’ll stay quiet until you tell us personally. Your secrets are yours,” Hank said quietly.
Pippa met Hank’s gaze and felt her panic recede as concern for the stoic man took over. The anguish on his face was palpable. She didn’t know any of them well. But in the interactions she’d had with the entire team, she could sense how close they were and how different they were from other groups of men she’d encountered.
What had happened to the quietest member of the team? She immediately stopped worrying about being embarrassed and wished she could help him.
“Thank you. I guess it’s pretty obvious,” Pippa whispered.
“Only to us,” Koa said. “We’re used to seeing things others might miss.”
“They’re all daddies, Pippa,” Aspen told her. “You don’t have to worry. Each of them would fall on a grenade to save you now that they know you’re Zale’s.”
Surely, she was exaggerating. Pippa looked at the faces around the table. As her gaze met each man’s, he nodded. Her embarrassment faded. She leaned back against Zale’s chest. “But you just met me.”
Jerico smiled and wrapped his arms around Aspen’s shoulders. “It happens that way sometimes.”
“You won’t think differently about me?” she asked.
“You’re asking a group of daddy doms if we’re going to judge a little girl negatively?” Koa asked, as he raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
“Dumb question, huh?” Pippa asked, feeling silly.
“You needed to ask, so you didn’t worry. We understand. Ask any questions you need to be comfortable with us,” Hank told her.
Max reached his hand up to cup over Hank’s shoulder. He squeezed it reassuringly. The team knew whatever had happened and supported him. Somehow that made the team seem more human and not like highly trained superstars.
“Thanks for helping me,” Pippa told them. “Did you find anything that doesn’t require a lot of training or experience?”
“Food service, maintenance, childcare center. Those are all areas with the greatest need for employees,” Zale reported.
“My mom ran a daycare. I worked there through high school and took some classes before I graduated,” Pippa informed them.
“That sounds like a good match,” Aspen said.
“Let’s go talk to them and get the ball rolling,” Zale suggested.
“I can’t go apply like this!” Pippa protested, holding out her borrowed T-shirt.
“Shopping first. Then an application.” Zale amended his plans.
“I will pay you back with my first paycheck.”
“Give that idea up. He’s never going to let that happen,” Aspen said, rolling her eyes.
“Definitely not,” Jerico confirmed.
By the end of the afternoon, Pippa wore a cute skirt and blouse ensemble to submit her name for the open position. It turned out the daycare was short of several staff members. They’d even taken her over there for an interview with the manager. She must have answered the questions correctly. The supervisor shared that if her background check came back clear, she would have a job the following week.
Pippa returned to the car to wait for Zale. She texted him on the new phone he’d insisted she get to let her know she was finished. In just a few minutes, he jogged up.
“Your smile tells me they are excited to have you working with the children,” Zale said as he approached. He kissed her from a short distance away. When she stepped closer, he held her away.
“I’m incredibly sweaty and you are too pretty to get wet.”
“What did you do? Go swimming?”
“Leave it to Caden to decide we need to do sprints when I join the training exercise.”
It hadn’t surprised Pippa when Zale chose to wait with his team while she applied and interviewed. She was discovering how different he was from other men. He’d much rather be busy than be idle, but she never sensed he wished to be elsewhere when they were together. He enjoyed their quiet time as well.
“Looks like you need a shower. Are you finished? I could go to the cafeteria and read.”
“They’ll be fine without me. I wasn’t supposed to be in today, anyway. Let’s go home. I can’t wait to hear all your news. Start at the beginning and tell me everything,” Zale requested as he ushered Pippa to the Jeep.
By the time they arrived at his house, Pippa had shared almost everything she could remember about the interview and the jobs. “Oh. They are going to let me choose which room to work in after the first week. I’ll rotate back and forth, helping the teachers in the baby room, the toddler area, and in preschool.”
“Which do you think you’ll like best?” he asked as they walked into the family room from the garage.
“Toddlers or preschool. I love story time and art. The hardest part is not napping when the kids are resting.”
She adored his hearty laugh. That was one of the features she loved most about Zale. He lived life to the fullest. Love? That word echoed in her brain. Could she really love him already?
“Are you okay, kitten?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. Sorry, I was distracted. Did you say something?”
“Nothing important. I just asked what you’d like for dinner. The team is coming over this weekend for a barbecue. I thought I’d make burgers then. Would you like to have leftover spaghetti tonight or something else? I make a mean grilled cheese sandwich.”
“Leftovers are fine. They’ll be here on Saturday?” she asked, trying to figure out what day of the week it was.
“Yes. Saturday afternoon. I thought we’d go grocery shopping tomorrow after work and grab a pizza.”
“Is it Thursday?” she finally asked.
“Yes, sweetheart. I bet it is hard to get reoriented. Especially when you’re not working.”
Suddenly, tears cascaded from her eyes. Her vision blurred. She felt like she was treading water in a huge ocean, with no idea which direction she should go. Operating blindly, she reached out and found the wall. Pippa put her back against it and slid down to sit on the carpet with her arms wrapped around her legs. Dropping her forehead to her knees, she tried to make herself as small as possible.
“Kitten,” Zale said, lowering himself to the floor. “You’re okay. You’re safe. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
“It’s like they erased me—and I helped them,” she sobbed.
Zale wrapped himself around her, pulling her close to his warmth and rocking her slowly. “You are important. You are seen. I hadn’t told you yet because I didn’t want to scare you, but I’m falling in love with you, Pippa.”
“In love with me?” she asked, lifting her head from her knees. “You’re not just saying that because I’m a big crybaby?”
“A, you’re not a crybaby. You’re allowed to have feelings and sometimes those emotions get so big they spill out. B, I don’t say things I don’t mean. Ever. And C, yes, kitten. You crashed into my life. The last thing I expected was to find my little girl running from a bad guy. But I did. You have my heart, Pippa.”
She searched his face, attempting to spot any kind of deceit or well-intentioned sympathy that would make him exaggerate his feelings. Pure concern and caring radiated toward her. Pippa didn’t hesitate. She threw herself forward into his arms.
His arms tightened around her as they fell backward. Pippa looked down at his handsome face and knew it wasn’t too soon. “I kept thinking it was too soon to care this much about anyone. But you’re not just anyone. You’re my daddy, aren’t you?”
“I’m your daddy, little girl. Come here.”
He cupped the back of her head and guided her lips to his. The first kiss was soft and sweet. That wasn’t what Pippa needed. She deepened the exchange, pouring all her emotions into the exchange. The heat skyrocketed into a sizzling kiss.
She squirmed on top of his hard frame. He stroked his free hand down her spine to cup her bottom, holding her flush against him. His body responded to their closeness, pressing against her. Feeling sexier and more powerful than ever before, Pippa deliberately wiggled her pelvis against his.
Zale tore his mouth from hers. “Little girl. Be careful. I only have so much control.”
“What happens if you lose control?” she asked, holding her breath.
“Pippa, are you asking for what I think you’re hinting at? I don’t want to rush your decision to make love for the first time. You need to be ready.”
She lowered her mouth to his once again and kissed him deeply. He tasted like warm spice. His tongue explored her mouth, tempting and tantalizing her. The earthy scent of his skin created a primitive need inside her. All her senses were on overload—and she wanted more.
Pippa breathed a bit harder when she lifted her head a scant distance. Allowing her lips to brush against his as she spoke, Pippa whispered, “Daddy, make love to me. I need you.”
Zale closed the distance between them and claimed her lips. This time, the intensity of his kiss sizzled inside her all the way to her toes. How many women has this man kissed to have such skills? Pippa forced that thought from her mind. He was completely focused on her.
“Stop thinking, kitten.”
How did he know? “Okay,” she promised and then exclaimed, “Oh!” as Zale shifted her gently to sit on the floor as he sat up.
Rising smoothly to his feet, he slid an arm under her legs and picked her up. Carrying her, Zale turned and headed for the hall.
“Where are we going?”
“I’m not going to make love to you smelling like a training mission,” he declared as he turned into the main bedroom and proceeded into his large bathroom. He cranked on the water. “You’re going to have to take a shower with me, little girl. First, call me Daddy again. I need to hear it.”
“Daddy?” she repeated.
A wide smile spread his lips. “That’s my girl.”
Zale reached over his head to grab a handful of his T-shirt and yanked it over his head. She’d seen his chest before, but doubted the thrill of seeing him would never fade. He yanked the fasteners of his fatigues apart, allowing the waistband to fall open. Her eyes traced a path down his chest to the top of his sagging pants as he toed off his boots.
Damn.
“Now, I get to unwrap the best present I found under a tree.”
She couldn’t help but laugh at the thought that him finding her hiding in the woods was like a Christmas present. Her giggles stopped as he stepped closer to cup her shoulders. Their gazes fused together.
“Are you sure this is what you want?”
Pippa nodded as her cheeks heated. “Yes, please.”
“So polite,” he complimented. “You can tell me to stop at any time, okay?”
“Okay,” she whispered.
“Are you on any type of birth control?”
“No. I’ve never…” Her voice trailed away.
“Then I’ll protect you now. We’ll decide down the road if we want to use something else.” He leaned down to kiss her. All the worries about testing and experience ebbed away. She could only concentrate on him.
Cool air brushed over her back as he lifted her blouse. His hands caressed the skin he exposed as he raised the material. A wordless sound slipped from her lips in protest when he ended the kiss to move back slightly to remove her top.
“I know, kitten. I want more kisses, too. You’re wearing too many clothes.”
Pippa stretched her arms behind her to unfasten her new bra, but Zale captured her hands in one of his, stopping her.
“Daddy gets to unwrap his present.”
It took her a second to process that statement. She was his gift. Liking that idea, Pippa nodded and moved her hands to his broad chest to explore. He unhooked the back closure of the garment and slid the shoulder straps down her arms.
She shivered as his fingers trailed over the sensitive skin of the sides of her breasts. He drew the edge of the cups down and her nipples tightened harder than ever before.
“Drop your arms, kitten,” he requested huskily.
Quickly, she followed his instructions. Watching his expression as he removed the garment completely, Pippa treasured the hungry look on his face that deepened as he admired her. He flung the bra to the side and cupped her breasts. His thumbs rubbed over the taut peaks.
“You are so beautiful, Pippa. I am a very lucky man.”
Before she could answer, he pressed hot kisses to her throat and lower until his mouth finally closed around one tip. Zale rolled it between his lips before drawing it with increasing pressure into his mouth. The sensations inside her grew as well, and Pippa rose onto her tiptoes to get closer to him. The faint taste of pain fueled the fire inside her even hotter. No one had ever turned her on like Zale did.
Wanting to return the pleasure he lavished on her, Pippa trailed her fingers down to the waistband of his athletic briefs. She froze when she encountered hot flesh poking from the elastic band. How long is he? She traced the velvety head of his cock and dipped her hand underneath.
His hand moved quickly to wrap around hers as his mouth pulled away from her breast with an audible pop. The sucking sensation made her gasp as she tried to divide her attention between her pleasure and his control.
“Do you have permission to touch Daddy’s cock, little girl?”
“Is that a thing?” she asked, completely baffled.
“Daddy is in charge, kitten. I will let you play later. Right now, I need you naked.”
Before she could respond, he removed her hand from his briefs and lowered himself to one knee in front of her. Zale unfastened her skirt and stripped the rest of her clothing and shoes off. Pippa stood nervously as he ran his hands over her hips.
“Damn, you are breathtaking.”
Zale pressed a kiss to her mound and stopped to inhale her scent in a move so animalistic it made her heart beat faster. She gripped his shoulders for stability, drawing his attention.
“Are you okay, Pippa?”
“Not if you don’t hurry this up,” she told him.
His deep chuckle made her stomach flip-flop inside. He rose smoothly to his feet and cupped her chin to kiss her lightly. “I’m not going to rush through this, little girl. I plan to savor every second.”
Dropping his hand, Zale pushed his pants and briefs down his legs. He stepped out of them quickly and yanked off his socks. Zale stalked forward as she tried to memorize his powerful form.
“Oh!” she exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up. Pippa held on as he carried her into the walk-in shower and under the massive showerhead. The warm water cascaded over her sensitized skin as he gently set her feet on the tiles. Pippa tilted her head back in the water, pushing her hair back from her face. She didn’t want to miss a second of this.
“Help Daddy get clean,” he requested, taking her hand and pouring silky liquid soap into her palm.
She hesitated a fraction of a second before spreading it over his lightly furry chest. The silky and rough warmth of his skin under her fingertips captivated her, and she explored his hard muscles eagerly. The scent of the suds suited him. Spicy and woody. She inhaled deeply.
“Kitten, you’re going to smell like me. We’ll bring your girly stuff in here next time,” he said, as he lathered her as well.
“I don’t mind having your scent on me.”
Hunger flared in his gaze as he considered that statement and obviously enjoyed the thought of marking her with his aroma. His hands lingered on her curves. She realized he was searching for sensitive spots that she enjoyed when he returned to those places that sent a quiver through her. Pippa had never met anyone who focused more on pleasing her than on his own experience.
Holding his gaze, she lowered herself to her knees in front of him to wash his muscular thighs and lower legs. The sight of his thick shaft at eye level made her swallow hard. She started to wrap her fingers around his erection, but hesitated.
“May I touch you, Daddy?”
“You have my permission, kitten. When I ask you to stop, you must obey immediately.”
Pippa nodded eagerly and wrapped her soapy hands around him. Sliding her hand from tip to root and then in reverse several times, she treasured his deep groan. Encouraged, she continued to explore and cupped his balls. She knew to treat them gently.
“Enough, Pippa.” He lifted her to her feet and finished washing, seeming completely at ease with her presence. He rinsed the suds from his body before focusing on her.
“My turn to finish your bath,” Zale announced, pouring more fragrant soap into his hand.
When he lathered her legs, she moved them apart automatically. Her breath caught in her lungs as he spread the suds over her mound. His touch became more intimate as he glided his fingers along her cleft, dipping inside her folds.
“You are so hot, little girl. So slick,” he complimented her before turning her into the spray to rinse the soap away.
He held Pippa in place as he cleaned between her buttocks. He pressed softly against that small opening as his fingertip glided over it. “Daddy will touch all of you, kitten. Nothing is off limits to me.”
Before she could protest, he again turned her into the spray. “I need to taste you, kitten. Shower time is over.”
He flipped off the water and grabbed a thick towel. Moving quickly, he rubbed the water from her skin with the thirsty material before wrapping her hair in the towel. She welcomed the cool air on her skin as she saw him grab another length of material from a nearby hook and roughly dry his hair and skin. As soon as he finished, Zale dropped the fabric to the floor in a move she recognized as completely out of character. He was finished wasting time.
“Zale!” she shrieked as he threw her over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry.
“Daddy,” he corrected as he strode quickly to the bedroom and leaned over to drop her from a short distance on to the bed. As she recovered from the world whirling around her, he slid between her legs and pulled her hips forward.
Completely turned on, her mind battled to decide whether to be embarrassed by his attention to her most private places or to abandon herself to the whirling thrills he incited inside her. She squeezed her eyes closed as he licked a trail down the cleft of her pussy. His tongue dipped into her folds intimately.
Daringly, she peeked and discovered Zale watching her as he tasted her. Their connection was so intimate. Pippa knew he was making sure that she was okay with his caresses. His gaze locked with her as he scooped up the slick juices that welled from her pussy. The erotic exchange made her crave him more.
“Please,” escaped from her mouth.
Zale lifted his mouth from her to answer. “Let’s see if I can help you come, kitten.” He swirled his tongue around her opening before brushing over her clit.
Sensations zinged through her. The heat built inside her to an inferno. She definitely didn’t feel anything like this when she touched herself. Tingles of sensations gathered between her thighs. Pippa grabbed the bedclothes underneath her and anchored herself. His lips closed around that small bundle of nerves and sucked lightly. When his tongue brushed delicately over it, a massive climax rocked her.
His caresses eased, but didn’t stop. When the sensations weakened, Zale pressed two fingers into her tight pussy, instantly pushing her to the edge. He scissored his fingers inside her channel, stretching her. At what she guessed was the widest point, Pippa felt a slight tinge of discomfort. That taste of pain boosted her arousal, surprising her. Zale seemed to know her body better than she did herself. This was heaven and hell combined. Through the whole process, Pippa knew he was preparing her for their joining. The thought of his thick cock sliding into her filled her mind.
What if she wasn’t any good? That doubt-filled question popped into her brain. Zale could have anyone. He wouldn’t want to stay with someone who sucked at making love. She stiffened self-consciously.
“Ouch!” burst from her lips as pain lanced through her. Her eyes flew open to glare at him. “You bit me.”
His finger smoothed over the spot on her inner thigh. “Stop thinking. I can’t wait to bury myself inside you. To thrust into this slick heat and have you wrapped around my cock.”
“But…”
“No buts, little girl,” he told her sternly as he rose from the floor to crawl over her on the bed. Caging her underneath him, Zale threaded a powerful arm under her lower back and slid her hips away from the edge toward the middle of the mattress. “Our lovemaking will be incredible. It already is incredible.”
She clung to his shoulders as he loomed over her. Having him close reassured her and pushed most of the worried thoughts from her head. The others were easy to dismiss as his hot skin pressed against her. Pippa could only concentrate on the effects his touch had on her. His hands smoothed over her skin, cupping and kneading her.
When she twisted underneath him with need, Zale grabbed a condom from the nightstand and rolled it over his cock. The sight of his hands moving on his shaft was better than any erotic movie she’d ever seen.
He lowered his hips to hers. “Wrap your legs around me, kitten.”
Following his directions, Pippa moaned as his shaft rubbed against her. She wiggled until the contact centered directly over her clit. Damn, that felt good.
He shifted slightly and placed the tip of his erection at her opening. Zale pressed forward slowly, giving her time to adjust to his thickness. Watching his face, Pippa could see discipline etched into his features as he controlled his movements. Emotions swelled inside her as she noted how he cared for her—putting her first and himself second. Her emotions overwhelmed her, and a single tear streamed down her cheek.
Instantly, he froze. Wiping the tear from her face, he whispered, “What’s wrong, Pippa? Am I hurting you?”
She shook her head. “I can’t believe I’m so lucky.”
“Lucky?” he echoed.
“I’d be kidnapped and terrified all over again, just so I get to meet you. I feel so much inside.”
“Kitten. I’m sorry everything happened to you. I wish I could go back and erase all that from your mind.”
“Overwrite it.”
“I don’t understand.”
“We can’t wipe those memories away, but we can record memories over them. Make me yours, Daddy.”
“Kitten, I’m already half there,” he teased.
“Can you hurry it up?”
“Definitely.”
Before she could get nervous and tense up, he flexed his hips and sank fully inside her. When the stretching sting faded, Pippa looked at him in awe. She couldn’t tell where she ended and he began. “Move, please.”
“I am yours to command,” he told her with a twinkle in his eye.
She’d never considered that sex could contain more than just heat. His concern and humor made being so intimate seem less like a performance event and more like a bonding. Pippa liked that, especially as he moved, and those sensuous sensations built within her.
Zale subtly altered each stroke until she gasped and clenched his shoulders. “There?” he asked.
“Yes, please.”
“So polite. Let’s see if I can make you forget your manners.” Supporting himself on one powerful forearm, he cupped her breast and kneaded her softness.
Dividing her attention between all the sensations buffeting her was so hard. When he tweaked her nipple between his fingers, the sharp jolt distracted her from trying to focus on individual caresses. She moved against him, taking in everything—the scratch of his chest hair against her nipples, the growing tingles between her legs, that electric jolt of sensations when he hit that perfect spot inside her, the ripped form and handsome face that inspired all sorts of fantasies.
The air heated around them. His skin gained a sheen from his exertions. Pippa arched up to lick over his chest, targeting his nipple. His groan came from deep inside his chest.
Zale tangled his fingers in her hair and tugged her head back. His mouth slammed down on hers in a flurry of super-heated kisses that left them breathless. When he lifted his head, Zale’s hungry expression pushed her arousal higher.
Wrapping her legs around him, Pippa rubbed herself against him. She needed to come. He had to make her come.
“Let me help you, kitten.”
Reaching underneath her to cup her bottom, Zale rose to sit on his shins. He lifted her to meet his thrusts, adding a grind of his pelvis against hers at the end. Instant zings of pleasure rocketed through her. They built until she didn’t think she could take any more. Just when she opened her mouth to plead for his help again, Zale pinched her clit.
With a scream, Pippa arched her back, pushing herself hard against him as her tight passage clenched around him. Zale’s hands tightened around her hips, and Pippa hoped he’d leave marks that would remind her of this pleasure. His thrusts quickened, pushing her orgasm higher. A deep, wordless shout made her open her eyes to look up at him. Watching him lose control suddenly became her favorite activity in the world.