Page 23 of Stealing Daddy's Heart

Skylar

My pulse races in response,not to the bassline thundering in the room, but to him—the man standing in front of me who's fought so hard to keep a distance, and is now finally ready to break the rules.

The moment Garrett's lips claim mine, the world falls away, leaving just us—two forces colliding in the dark. The kiss is hot and fast, a spark meeting kindling. Everything we've been holding back comes rushing to the surface.

His hands grip my waist possessively, sending shivers down my spine. I clutch onto him like an anchor, unable and unwilling to let go. His hands slide up, one tangling in my hair, the other pressing against the small of my back, pulling me flush against him.

It's as if he needs to feel every inch of me—claim me in a way that no one else ever could.

It's electric. His kiss is demanding, desperate, urgent. The room fades away—the velvet ropes, the suspended model, the murmurs from the crowd—all of it blurs as Garrett becomes my entire universe.

When we finally pull back, both of us are breathing hard. His forehead touches mine, and for a moment, we just stand there, tethered by the aftermath of the kiss and the current of something even larger building between us.

“Garrett,” I breathe, his name a prayer and a plea on my lips.

His eyes are dark, filled with a storm of emotions. “This is complicated,” he mutters, almost to himself. “There are so many reasons why this is a terrible idea.”

I frown, my heart pounding in my chest, both from the kiss and from the uncertainty that swells around us like a rising tide.

“Complicated doesn't even begin to cover it,” I say. “But that doesn't mean it's wrong.”

Garrett's eyes flick up, his gaze sharp and conflicted. There's a storm brewing in those depths, a struggle between the protective, fiercely disciplined man I've always known and something else—something raw and vulnerable that he's been trying to keep at bay.

“If we go down this path, there's no turning back,” he says, his thumb grazing my cheek in a tender, almost possessive way that makes my knees weak. “Once we start, we can't stop.”

“I don't want to go back,” I say, each word laden with the truth that's been swelling inside me. “I want to see where this takes us. I want you, Garrett.”

I want to sass him, to see how far I can push before he snaps. But there's this other part of me. This part wants to be good for him.

To hear him say “good girl” in that deep voice of his. What would that be like? To surrender, to let him take control?

A shiver runs through me at the thought. I shouldn't want this so badly, but I do. I want him to be my Daddy, to take care of me in ways I've only dreamed about.

Garrett's eyes darken, and I can see the conflict raging behind them. “You don't know what you're asking for,” he says, his voice rough around the edges, as if he's barely holding onto his control.

His eyes darken. Garrett seems at war with himself, his grip tightening on me before he lets out a ragged breath. Why does he keep pushing me away? It can't just be about our age, can it?

My heart's pounding as I step closer. “Why do you keep pushing me away? Is it really just about our age difference?”

“You don't understand the stakes here,” he murmurs, his voice low, weighted with all the things he's not saying. “Everything about this, about us… it's dangerous. And not just because of?—”

“My father,” I finish for him, my voice tinged with sadness.

He nods grimly. “George would never?—”

He still doesn't get it. Or maybe he does, and he's scared too. Only one way to find out. I take another step, close enough to touch him now.

“I don't need his approval, Garrett,” I interrupt, my words leaving me with unrestrained honesty. “I'm not a little girl anymore. I know what I want. What if I want someone to take care of me, to guide me. To be my Daddy?”

God, that look. Garrett's eyes are burning into me, and my heart's going a mile a minute.

Garrett's jaw clenches. His eyes search mine. “Do you? Because, Skylar, this isn't a game. The moment we cross this line...” His voice cracks, and he's silent for a beat. “There's no going back.”

I reach out, tentatively placing my hand on his chest. His heart thunders under my palm, matching my own wild rhythm. “I know. And I don't want to.”

For the first time, I see something akin to surrender flicker across his face, as if every single one of his defenses is crumbling right in front of me. “I've been holding back because I thought you wouldn't want... this.” He gestures between us, indicating our chemistry.

Feeling more vulnerable than ever, I admit, “I've been pretending I don't need anyone for so long. But with you, it's different. I want to let go, Garrett. I want you to take care of me. I want you to take charge.”

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