Chapter 16 Harrison #2
"Can I have ranch?" She asked hopefully, tilting her head in a way she probably thought was irresistible. "I like them better when they're submerged in ranch."
Harrison chuckled, standing up to grab the bottle from the fridge. "Just a little bit. I want you actually eating the vegetable, not just the dressing." He poured a small dollop on the side of her plate.
She dunked a carrot stick with exaggerated focus and took a bite, nodding as if the ranch had solved all the world's problems. When the plates were empty, Kelsey instinctively reached for hers, intent on clearing the table.
"I can take these to the sink," she said, starting to rise.
"Stop," Harrison said, his voice firm but not unkind. "Sit back down. Daddy will take care of the dishes."
Kelsey paused, her hands still hovering over the ceramic. "I’m not helpless, you know. I can do the dishes."
Harrison stood and walked around the table, stopping behind her chair.
He leaned down, placing his hands on her shoulders and pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.
"I know you’re capable, Kelsey. I know you can do a million things on your own.
But when you’re with me, I want to be the one who takes care of you. Let me do this for you. Okay?"
Kelsey felt her heart do a slow, gooey melt in her chest. The tension she’d carried for years—the feeling that she had to do everything herself—simply evaporated. "Okay, Daddy," she whispered, leaning her head back against him.
The energy in the house shifted into a slow, languid blur of domestic intimacy as they drifted into the living room.
Harrison settled into the corner of the sectional, a contract he needed to review resting on his lap.
Kelsey curled up next to him, tucking her legs beneath her and resting her head against his shoulder.
She pulled her phone from her pocket, finally checking the notifications she’d ignored during her nap.
Harrison’s hand dropped down, his fingers idly combing through the golden tangles of her hair.
"Kelsey," he said, his voice a low, relaxed rumble.
"Hmm?"
"You might want to shoot Savannah a text," he said, his thumb tracing a slow circle over her temple. "Barrett mentioned she was getting a little anxious because she hadn't heard from you in a few hours. Better to check in now before she drives him up a wall and he decides to make it my problem."
Kelsey’s eyes went wide, her thumbs hovering over the screen. "Oh, no. I completely forgot to let her know I stayed here last night. She is probably so mad at me.”
"I doubt that. She knows you're safe," Harrison murmured, a hint of a smile in his voice as he looked back down at his documents. "Just let her know you're fine. I’m going to be buried in this for another hour or so anyway, so feel free to scroll or do whatever you need to do."
"Okay, Daddy," she whispered, her face heating up as she quickly typed out a reassuring message to her friend.
Once the text was sent, she stayed right where she was, scrolling through her feed, her shoulder pressed firmly against his. Harrison rewarded her presence by shifting his hand from her hair to the back of her neck, his palm warm and possessive even as he focused on the work in front of him.
The next few hours passed in a comfortable, heavy silence.
Every so often, Harrison’s hand would drop down to stroke her shoulder or graze the sensitive skin behind her ear, his touch grounding her.
Kelsey stayed tucked against his side, her thumb moving rhythmically over her screen, occasionally turning her head to press a soft, lingering kiss to the top of his hand.
There were moments where the domesticity sharpened into something more heated.
At one point, Harrison set his papers aside, reached down, and pulled her fully into his lap just to hold her.
He didn't speak, simply burying his face in the crook of her neck and breathing her in.
Kelsey melted into him, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt, the memory of the morning's discipline making her feel small and cherished.
He kissed her then—a slow, deep, demanding kiss that left her breathless and clinging to him—before he gently nudged her back to her spot so he could finish his work.
Eventually, the room began to dim as the day wore on. The reality of the night ahead at Oasis started to settle in, and Harrison felt the familiar mental shift from the domestic peace of the afternoon back to the professional focus required for the club.
It's getting late," Harrison said, his voice dropping an octave as he checked his watch. "I want you to go ahead and jump in the shower here. You can get ready in my guest suite, and I’ll drop you off at Seven Stones on my way to the club."
Kelsey chewed her lip, looking toward the window. "I really should just go home, Daddy. All my stuff is at my apartment—my makeup, my hair tools, and the clothes I need for work. I'll feel rushed if I try to do half of it here and then finish there."
Harrison frowned, the thought of her leaving his space already grating on him.
He liked her here. He liked knowing exactly where she was.
The idea of her spending the next several hours at the restaurant, surrounded by strangers and out of his reach, was a bitter pill to swallow after the progress they’d made this morning.
Internally, he was already cataloging what he needed to do to fix this fragmentation.
He needed to stock a bathroom with her specific products and fill a closet with her clothes—anything to ensure she never had a practical reason to be anywhere else.
"Fine," he finally agreed, though his jaw remained tight. "We’ll go to your place now. I'm not having you rush through traffic."
The drive back to her apartment was quieter than the afternoon had been.
The radio played a low, soulful jazz station, the saxophone notes filling the cabin of Harrison’s SUV.
They talked briefly about their respective nights—his private party on the balcony at Oasis and her shift with Savannah.
Harrison kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other firmly on Kelsey’s thigh, his thumb occasionally rubbing small circles against her skin, a silent, grounding presence.
"When am I seeing you again?" Kelsey asked softly, looking out at the passing city lights as they neared her building.
Harrison pulled the SUV to the curb and put it in park, turning in his seat to look at her. The intensity in his dark eyes was absolute, even if his voice remained calm. He didn't want to play games; he simply wanted her back.
"The very second your shift is over," he said. "I don't like the idea of you being across town without me for the night. You’re going to be a perfect girl for me at work, and then you’re coming right back to me. Understand?"
Kelsey smiled, a soft, thrilled glow in her eyes. "Yes, Daddy. Understood."
"Good." He climbed out and walked her into the building, following her up to her door.
In the quiet of the apartment hallway, he pulled her into his arms, his hands settling low on her hips. He kissed her—a deep, slow kiss that claimed her attention entirely. When he pulled back, he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, his gaze lingering on her face.
"Get ready. Be beautiful," he whispered. "And remember who you're coming home to."
"I will. Bye, Daddy," she said, her voice a soft caress as she reached for her keys.
Harrison watched her go inside and heard the deadbolt click. As he walked back to his SUV to head toward Oasis, he was already counting down the hours until he could have her back where she belonged.