Chapter 14 #2
Street didn’t hesitate. He reached over his shoulder to yank the material upward. Her hands urged the fabric over his head. Rosa’s nose wrinkled.
“You worked hard today.”
“Sorry, Rosa. The heat builds up in the warehouses when the doors are open. Let’s get you undressed and we can jump in the shower. You can help Daddy smell better.”
She nodded eagerly and reached for the bottom of her shirt.
“Daddy’s job,” Street reminded her and lifted her top up to reveal her petite breasts. Tossing the garment away, he cupped the small mounds and teased her nipples with his thumbs. “Such a pretty baby. I love unwrapping you. Best present ever.”
Quickly, he knelt in front of Rosa and drew her leggings down. He traced the words on her new panties he’d ordered. She needed to be surrounded by love, kisses, hugs, and Xs and Os. “Good girl. Have you enjoyed wearing these today?”
“They’re so soft, Daddy. It’s like a butt hug.”
He laughed, enjoying her enchanting sense of humor.
As she adjusted to understanding she was safe and no longer needed to struggle to survive, bits of her personality had emerged.
When she shifted in front of him, Street knew she was feeling uncomfortable about being mostly naked with him still half-dressed.
Quickly, he helped her step out of her clothes.
Before tossing the garments toward the hamper, Street lifted her panties to his nose and inhaled her sweet scent.
“Daddy!” she breathed. Need flashed across her features.
“You smell so much better than I do, Little girl.” Street rose to his feet and shucked the last of his clothing. He drew her toward the large walk-in shower and turned on the water to warm.
“I’ve enacted a toll for using the shower, Rosa.” Immediately, he could have kicked himself as despair replaced her happy expression.
“I don’t have any money, Daddy. Could I clean the garage tomorrow to earn my keep?”
Street dropped to one knee before her. “That was a stupid thing for me to say, Rosa. I was trying to be funny, but charging for something like getting clean isn’t amusing when the opportunity to shower wasn’t always available.
You don’t need to pay me anything—ever. Not even with the kisses, I was trying to steal. ”
“I should earn my keep. Maybe some of the guys need their cabins cleaned.”
“You aren’t going to clean cabins, Little girl. You’re going to rest and let that hand heal. Then, if you want to work, we can check at the warehouse or Inferno. I’m sorry I haven’t had time to do that yet.” Street kicked himself for not accomplishing this.
“Then I could pay for electricity and food.”
“Then, we’ll open a bank account for you to keep your money in until you decide to splurge on something. I’m guessing you don’t have an account now?”
“No. I kept my money in the seat cushion of the couch.” She hesitated a moment before adding, “As soon as I have a job, I could pay you back then. If you don’t mind, you could keep track on a piece of paper to let me know what I owe you. I don’t want to get too far into debt.”
Street hung his head for a moment. He’d handled her concerns so poorly. No wonder she’d made dinner. Rosa was trying to earn her keep. “This is not the conversation I meant to have with you naked. Come here.”
Street stood and lifted her into his arms. He walked to the vanity and set her bottom on the flat surface. As she gasped at the coolness below her, he leaned over her and pressed his hands to the edge on each side.
“Listen closely to my words, Rosa. You’re my Little girl.
I will take care of you. I’m not a millionaire, but I make good money at the warehouse.
Unless you drink champagne and eat caviar three times a day, I can afford to cover your expenses along with mine.
I will not track what I choose to spend on you, nor will I split rent, electricity, food, or any other costs with you. That’s bullshit.”
She blinked at him. “I’ve never tried caviar and don’t plan to eat fish eggs. Champagne is bitter. I’ll pass on both of those.”
“That settles it. If you choose to work to build up a nest egg, I’ll support and help you in any way possible. Your days of wondering where your next meal is coming from or if you have a safe place to sleep are over, Rosa.”
Tears poured from her eyes. She struggled to maintain eye contact as if she expected him to make a joke and prank her. “Really?”
His heart broke for all the tough times she’d survived. “I love you, Little girl, with all my heart. All I ask is that you allow me to be your Daddy. How does that sound?”
“You love me?” she asked, blinking. She cried harder.
Each fat tear that dropped stabbed Street through the heart. He’d fucked this up horribly. Pushing his self-blame away, Street focused on making this better.
“So much. You’ve already become my world. The guys have teased me incessantly since you got here because I’m a total grouch driving around on a forklift. I want to be here with you.”
“If I worked at the warehouse, we could see each other,” she whispered.
“We could.”
“I’d like that. I’d like to be with you as much as possible.”
“Then we have a plan. Heal. Dive into our future together. Enjoy having each other.”
Rosa nodded and drew a line across his shoulder. “Does that include shower sex?”
Street grinned at her cheekiness. Damn, he loved her! “I thought you’d never proposition me, Little girl.”
Rosa squealed as he slid his hands under her bottom to haul her into his arms. He headed for the shower with his delectable Little girl pressed against him and backed into the spray of water.
She tightened her arms around his neck to press her mouth to his.
Street pushed everything out of his mind to concentrate on Rosa.
He might have enough time between now and the MC gathering at two to sate his need for the delectable woman.