Page 87 of Saving Sophia

“I’ve worn it every day since. He’s never even noticed. Now I wear it as … a reminder … that it doesn’t matter what I do. I’ll never be the daughter he wanted. I’ll never be enough.” She let out a tiny snort. “At least, it reminds me I don’t have to keep trying anymore.”

My fingers twitched with the urge to jerk that chain off her neck and throw the damn thing in the water, but that wasn’t my wound to heal.

“I’m not your father, Sophie.” I used the name no one else ever called her. No one but me. “He sounds like a fucking fool. I am your Daddy. And I’m here to tell you, you will always be enough.”

* * *

Sleep took us, until sometime in the middle of the night, when she stirred against me. I’d been dreaming of her, and I was half-hard even before the awareness of her hand resting on my lower abdomen finished the job.

“Daddy,” she whispered.

“Yes, baby girl,” I said into the silky luxury of her hair.

“You said something … before,” she started, then paused.

I chuckled, trying and failing to keep my dick from twitching toward her hand. “I said a lot of things.”

“But … you said … this one something, and I was wondering if you meant it, or if it was … the sex-frenzy”—her hand fluttered on my stomach— “which is fine if it was, I understand?—”

“Sex-frenzy?” I tried hard not to show my amusement. She was being serious, so I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

“Sex-frenzy. Where you want to do it really bad, so you say whatever it takes?—”

“No,” I interrupted her, rolling half onto my side so I could see her face. “I don’t just say whatever it takes. Honesty, remember?” I kissed her forehead then nuzzled into her ear, whispering, “Even when I want to do it really bad.” She giggled and moved closer, one luscious leg draping over mine, completely unaware of the torture she was inflicting on my overeager dick.

“You said …” Her voice dropped and she hesitated, her foot wiggling nervously against the back of my thigh. I waited, listening to the low hum of the yacht’s engine and the sound of the water rushing against the side of the boat. “You said … you wanted me … for real.”

“I did.”

Sex-frenzy indeed. I hadn’t set this little pirate adventure up intending to make any declarations, but I had zero regret. We could take our time or we could charge forward. It didn’t matter to me, so long as I got her.

I didn’t want to spook her though.

“So … what does that mean?” She gasped out the question like she was afraid to let it loose into the world but couldn’t hold it back.

I paused, choosing my words carefully. “Why did you dress up for me?”

“Callie said you’d like it.”

“And I did.” I kissed the apple of her cheek, drawing my nose along her skin till I found the edge of her jaw and planted another kiss there. “Did it turn you on?”

She puffed out a little breath. “Yes.”

“What about when I spanked you?”

“Oh, yes.”

“And exploring the stuff you saw at that store?”

“Mm-hmm.” She wiggled against me, making it hard to stay focused.

“I’m a Daddy, that’s who I am and what I want.” I dragged my tongue against her neck, kissing her earlobe. She tilted her head back, giving me access, goosebumps lifting the tiny hairs on her body. Her reactions were exquisite.

“You’re fucking incredible. So sweet. My perfect little girl.” My hand found the curve of her hip and traced it down to her thigh. Her hand tucked between our bodies, directly next to my dick, and when her fingers tentatively curled around me, I couldn’t resist a groan.

After a moment, I took a deep breath and continued. “I was in a relationship before.”

She opened those deep brown eyes to me, wariness flickering there. I hated to put it there, hated to mention another woman when all I wanted was her, but I needed to be honest too.

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