Page 108 of Guardian Daddy

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All of her?

Would she ever let him see all of her? Could she?

Well, he’d definitely seen more than most. He’d even met her Little side.

So perhaps he knew more of her than he thought.

“Your brother won’t be happy if I take advantage of you.”

Cate made a scoffing noise. “You wouldn’t take advantage of me.”

“I don’t want to do that. But I do want to kiss you.”

Cate stared down at him, her heart racing. She rubbed her chest. “My heart is pounding.”

“Out of anxiety? Or anticipation?”

“I’m not sure. Are you really sure you want to kiss me?”

“I am. I want to taste your lips. I want to feel you pressed up against me.”

“T-taste me?”

“Yes, baby girl. I want to taste you. I bet you’re so sweet.”

“I don’t think I would be. I’ve been told I’m kind of sour.”

He scowled.

Shoot. What had she done to upset him? Cate didn’t like upsetting Ethan. He was so steady. When she was around him, she felt more settled. Soothed.

Sometimes it felt like she spent her entire life upsetting people. The only person who never got angry or upset with her was Rhodes.

But Ethan didn’t get upset at her either. He guided her. Told her when she was doing something he considered wrong or impolite. However, he never made fun of her. Or sneered at her.

Samantha and Kevin seemed to think she wasn’t very smart. She heard the comments they made when they thought no one was paying attention.

Cate did struggle with social cues. And she was certain that many of their insults didn’t register with her.

But that didn’t mean she missed all of them. Or that she didn’t notice how different they acted toward her when Rhodes was around.

However, she’d never once had that with Ethan. Or with Seth or Brody for that matter.

They’d all treated her just like they treated Rhodes.

“Do you also like the idea of me kissing you?”

“I’ve been kissed before,” she told him, straightening her shoulders.

He raised his eyebrows. “Have you?”

“Yes, I wanted to know what it felt like, I’d read about it in books and it sounded so . . . nice,” she finished lamely.

“Nice? I would hope that kissing would feel better than nice.”

She blinked. “Really? It can feel better than nice? I mean that was my bar . . .”

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