4. Chapter 4
Chapter four
ABIGAIL
The warmest, smoothest pair of lips I’d ever tasted settled on mine at the same time as Gideon’s arm swept me nearly off my feet and pulled me tight to his chest. He was strong and safe and smelled like every delicious thing I’d ever tasted. Warm, soft bread with a hint of chocolate, and the smell of grass after summer rain through the open window. Fudge nuggets. I was in so much trouble.
And the kiss. He took immediate charge but was gentle. Tiny nips to make me part my lips, then he swept his tongue inside and it was heaven. Shivers raced down my body until they reached my core, which seemed to pulse in time to my heartbeat pounding in my ears. My head swam, and I lifted heavy arms to wrap them around his neck, pressing closer, shamelessly grinding against the hard bulge of his —
What was I doing?
Gideon must have sensed my hesitation, because he gentled the kiss, and when our lips parted, he lowered my feet to the floor, brushing a kiss to my forehead. “You’re hard to resist, baby girl, but I can behave.”
It was hard to admit even to myself I wasn’t a hundred percent certain I wanted him to.
Did that make me a— No. I shook my head to clear it of my last foster mom’s words. Helena had no place in my head or my life anymore.
I wasn’t sure what had happened, but somehow before I realized I was soaking in one of the biggest bathtubs I had ever seen, complete with enough bubbles to completely cover me.
Another memory crowded in. Helena had ordered me to run the washing machine and I’d picked up the dishwashing liquid instead of the laundry liquid and been way too generous with it. When she’d returned, there were bubbles over half the kitchen floor, and I was desperately trying to clean them.
That had been another night when I’d gone to bed hungry.
“Are you going to have a soak, or do you want to play?”
My eyes flew open at the deep, husky voice that was all Gideon. Had he left? Wait, had he been there when I undressed? I was suddenly very aware of my clit, which seemed to be just as aware of Gideon. He’d rolled up his shirt sleeves, showing all those heart-stopping muscles. His jacket wasn’t in the bathroom, so he must have left at some point. I breathed out. Wait, did he just ask me if I wanted to play? With him? Heat swept up my cheeks. He seemed to realize where my mind went. “Not that sort of play, baby girl. But I don’t want you spending too long in there until you’ve eaten something. I can’t risk you getting dizzy.” He frowned. “I should have at least gotten you some crackers and cheese.”
My heart did a funny, jumpy twisty thing like one of the pre-k kids, Michael, who loved jumping even when he wasn’t supposed to. Gideon picked up a bottle from the counter and prowled toward me like a big jungle cat. “Lean forward so I can wash your hair.”
I was so shocked I obeyed immediately, getting a murmured good girl that sent more heat sweeping through me. Not as much as the kiss, though. Gideon wet my hair with a handy shower attachment that fitted on the bath, then worked the shampoo in. His fingers were utterly incredible, and I was helpless to bite back a moan at the bone-melting touch.
I heard myself and my eyes flew open again in mortification. They seemed to keep closing of their own accord. But all Gideon did was chuckle, then brush a kiss on my lips. “I love your noises, baby girl. Don’t try to hide them from me.”
Had I died? Was this heaven?
He rinsed the shampoo, taking great care not to get any in my eyes, and by the time he’d massaged the conditioner in I could barely keep my eyes open. He rinsed it and wrapped my hair in a towel, eyeing me carefully, then pressed one of the buttons on the side of the bath and the water started draining.
Rousing, I tried to stand in too much of a hurry and would have slipped if he hadn’t clutched me. “No, I’ll get you wet,” I protested as he reached an arm around me, when I really wanted to protest that the rapidly draining water made me visible and I was very naked. Not that that made sense. You were either naked or you weren’t, and by the time my brain had supplied that thought, he’d lifted me into his arms and cradled my very wet body, and very naked one because yes, I decided, the modifier was entirely appropriate.
When I blinked, I was sitting on a stool, wrapped up in a very fluffy pink towel. Which struck me as odd. Gideon didn’t seem the kind of man to buy pink anything.
“You’re wet,” I said, then I struggled for oxygen as he peeled his shirt off, revealing the most gorgeous chest and super-strong shoulders I’d ever seen. Not that I’d run a study or anything. My experience of naked men’s chests was generally limited to passing building sites and seeing them from the bus.
And eww. Some I wished I’d never seen.
Not Gideon’s chest though. That was a work of art.
“I’m glad you like it, baby girl.” I gazed at him in consternation as he shucked his pants down right in front of me, but then giggled because not only had I said that out loud, but I was also being treated to an impromptu floor show.
I pouted when he wrapped a towel around his waist before he worked his briefs down. He’d seen me. How come I didn’t get a show? Catching the steamy look in his eyes, I worried I might have said that out loud as well.
But he didn’t reply, so I took an easier breath. Looking down, I knew I ought to get dry, except it hadn’t been the soap that had made me slip, it had been my shaky legs. I kept my gaze on the floor, feeling stupid and wracked by indecision.
“Abby?” I looked up to see Gideon hunkered down in front of me. “Will you trust me to help you get dry and warm? I don’t want to leave you to go get some food until you’re safely in bed.”
I tried to swallow around the tightness in my throat because the way he spoke to me in that gentle voice was something I hadn’t heard in a long time. How could I possibly say no to that? “Please, D—”
Panic flared and I fisted my hands in the towel, my pulse leaping to my throat. Oh nuggets , I’d nearly called him the D word. But he simply stood and kissed my head again. My face felt like it was on fire.
“Good girl,” and the praise eased my racing heart. He was careful to keep me mostly covered and helped me stand so I could dry my lady bits, as I’d heard one of the daycare moms call them. I thought the term was really cute.
Then he helped me into one of his shirts and I melted again. Really, just call me a puddle and have done with it. It smelled clean and like whatever he used in his laundry. It smelled like him . I didn’t bother protesting when he scooped me up and walked into the bedroom. I gaped a little at its size. It had to be the size of my entire apartment, but the heavy, dark-brown furniture and the classy but not showy wall sconces screamed Gideon. He laid me on the bed, already turned down with pillows to support my back, and bent to kiss me again. Just as my arms were creeping up to touch him, he drew back. “Stay there. I’m going to get us a snack. I doubt if you’ll stay awake long enough to eat a full meal.”
He wasn’t wrong, but in a few moments, I felt his arm slide around me and then I was on his lap. Sighing in contentment, I shut my eyes, but he teased my lips with a small cube of cheese until I opened them, and he popped it in. This was followed by a little piece of salty cracker, then a piece of apple. He kept telling me what a good girl I was, and I doubted if I’d ever been as happy or felt as well cared for in my entire life.
Sometimes he followed the bites of apple with his lips and he tasted just as yummy. When I’d emptied the plate, instead of lifting me off his lap, which I expected, he just snuggled down a little and pressed my cheek to his chest, cradling me close. The last thing I remembered was the delicious scratchiness of the hairs on his skin as I nuzzled against it.
I was having the best dream of my life. This gorgeous Daddy hunk had bathed me, hand fed me, and I’d fallen asleep in his arms. Now I was lying on my side with his arm clamped around me as if he didn’t want to let me go, ever, and even better, I could feel his hard cock almost nestled between my ass cheeks as if it belonged there and I was keeping it warm. I wriggled a little because it was wonderful and sighed happily when my dream Daddy’s warm breath gusted against the back of my neck. Delicious bumps skittered down my arms. I wanted more. This was a dream, right? I could have exactly what I wanted.
“Baby girl,” Dream Daddy almost groaned the word out, but he moved behind me, his length becoming slippery as the tip teased my crack. I moaned, wanting more, wanting faster, harder. His second strangled moan made him lie very still and clamp my hips to keep them from moving.
This wasn’t how the dream was supposed to go. I sighed a little and ‘fessed up to myself. I’d known I wasn’t really dreaming about three seconds after I woke up .
“That was a very needy little sigh, baby,” Gideon said and then relaxed a little now that I was still. He took the shell of my ear between his teeth, nipping, then licking it better. “I think because you were a good girl and ate all your snacks before you had a nap, you get to choose what to do.”
My breath caught and I felt an unwelcome thread of panic wrap around me, tightening and digging in. I hated choices. I went from zero choices in some families to knowing whatever choice I picked would be wrong in others. Gideon paused a little, then I felt the scrape of his chin as he seemed to nod to himself.
“Do you think you can be a really good girl and just lie there?” I nodded eagerly. I could do that. “Because Daddy would very much like to give you special touches.” Quickly deciding oxygen was unnecessary, Gideon, no Daddy —he’d just called himself Daddy, I hadn’t imagined it—booped me on the nose and told me to breathe. “Abby, all you have to do is let me play with your body, with just my fingers.” He trailed them over my bare hip. “Can you do that? Do I have permission? If you want me to stop I will immediately.”
“Yes,” I almost squeaked out, because his fingers were driving me crazy and I wanted nothing more than to feel them everywhere. He carried on brushing kisses on my cheek and neck but let his fingers wander. I squeezed my legs together desperately every time his hand trailed higher, but not because I was afraid of him, simply afraid I was going to spontaneously orgasm.
And in that secret place in my heart, I knew I didn’t want to do that until Daddy gave me permission.
“Bend your knees, poppet.” My throat produced a breathless moan both at the order and the new nickname, and I bent my knees, bringing them higher. Then I gasped as I realized why. Daddy’s fingers trailed over my ass and straight to where I was hot and slick, parting my folds and rubbing his finger between them. I groaned, needy for more, and my body seemed to want to push back against his finger, for a crazy moment wishing it was something else. Then he stretched his thumb and because his hand was so big, his thumb reached another hole.
A forbidden one.
But then I felt the scrape of his nail and everything inside me tightened. I’d used toys but nothing there and toys didn’t whisper in your ear and call you a good girl. My clit throbbed urgently every time his finger passed over it until it seemed like my entire body was coiled tight. At his next touch, I whined helplessly and tried to push against his hand some more. I wanted more but I was nearly at my limit and didn’t know what to do.
But then Daddy hummed approvingly, bent, and whispered, “Come, my baby girl, come for Daddy,” and he rubbed my clit harder, and that was all it took.
I cried out, gasping for breath as pleasure seemed to erupt from my clit, sending wave after wave of bliss outwards, reaching every cell in my body. I shook and cried, but he held me tight through it all so I couldn’t fly away.
He gave me a long moment to stop shaking, then turned me in his arms and held me close. I could feel he was hard and reached out my fingers, but he caught them. “Not yet, baby girl. We’re going to go downstairs, fill your tummy, then we’ll talk about you moving in.”
I heard the words, but it was a full ten seconds before I absorbed them. Wait. What? Moving in? What did he mean, moving in ?