Page 30 of R for Rough

I smiled. “For what it’s worth, you were a very hot asshole.”

He let out a chuckle and shook his head. “Thank you, baby.”

Gah, I loved it when he called me baby.

Thank goodness we had work today, because I wasn’t ready to part ways.

“How’s your bottom?” he asked.

“The best kind of sore.” I beamed and bit into a piece of bacon, and I wasn’t surprised it was beyond delicious. “That’s why I slept so well. You gave me the best cry ever. Works better than Xanax.”

He grinned at that. “Music to my ears.”

I scooted closer ’cause I wanted to. “So, um, I don’t wanna be too clingy, but can we be together until we go to work?”

He furrowed his brow and chewed around a mouthful of eggs and bacon. “First of all, especially in the beginning, you can’t be too clingy. It’s an uncertain time in any dynamic, and I wanna give you all the reassurance you need. Second—” He pausedto scoop up more eggs, and I was already smiling ear-to-ear, because he was saying the best things! “Second, Daddy might get clingy too. You’re gonna have to be patient with me. I come from a long line of crashed relationships that never felt right, and now that my feelings are terrifyin’ me just a bit, I’m gonna struggle just to go home and change clothes.”

The best, best things! Oh my gosh, we could be clingy together!

I cleared my throat and sat straighter. “In that case, I think our best course of action is for one of us to pack an overnight bag—and that’s a three-night minimum, according to federal law—so we don’t have to say goodbye until never.”

He smiled with his eyes, and I liked that. He was happy. “You know, I think I read that law. We should always follow the law.”

Totally!

We actually went into work way earlier than necessary, because I admitted I wanted to see him in action and have fun in the kitchen, which seemed to make him very happy. I couldn’t help it. Food was my life, and since it was his too, I figured, let’s spend our time in a proper kitchen!

When we arrived, I found an upbeat playlist and cranked up the volume.

Veggie prep was something we could do on autopilot;Icould do it on autopilot and eye-fuck my Daddy, ’cause he was so hot with his knives. I bobbed my head to the beat and side-eyed him as he started to julienne bell peppers for our fajita barbecue wrap. It was very popular.

“Do you like this music, Daddy?” My job was less fun, but those onions needed to be chopped.

“Not at all.” He smirked to himself, then sent me a quick wink. “But I like seeing you shake your cute butt. Bein’ ear-raped by club music is a small price to pay.”

I laughed at his silliness—and I shook my cute butt.

To be fair, it wasn’t exactly club music. It was a club-friendlyremix of a country song, so that was totally different.

Over the next couple of hours, I felt like my whole future became a sealed deal. Griffin and I found a rhythm and suddenly worked like a well-oiled machine, and I loved, loved, loved seeing him smiling so much. He was practically a new man.

We prepared the onions, the bell peppers, the breading for the zucchini fries, said zucchini strips, tomatoes, pickle spears, marinades, lettuce, and the dry rub for Adam’s garlic chicken. Griffin also prepped his chili marinade for his signature shrimp dish, and I was treated to a live porn show the whole time.

Oh, we also talked.

He wanted to cover some concerns about tomorrow’s Primal Pursuit, and I assured him I’d read Mister Madigan’s email about the terrain. Lots of soft moss, which could feel great, but it posed extra risks too, because the moss could conceal sharp rocks and branches. I promised I’d be careful when I ran through the woods. I knew the area fairly well, having hiked plenty up in Westslope.

We’d technically be on Master Ryan’s land, just in case we needed medical assistance. His cabin would be close, and his brother-in-law was a field medic or something like that. Apparently, they were neighbors. Additionally, his property was fenced off, because wildlife was a thing, and between Master Ryan’s family and his brother’s family, they had several children and animals.

“Have you decided what you’re gonna wear?” Daddy asked.

Griffin! This is work, dude! You don’t wanna slip in front of the others!

“Yes, Chef,” I answered. “Sorry, I just have to get into work mode. Otherwise, I’ll be hollering for Daddy when I come out with tickets.”

He rumbled a laugh and gave my cheek a smooch as he walked by. “That’s fair.”

“Jeans, hoodie, and sneakers made for trekking,” I replied. “I bought them because it’s practically impossible to slip. And also, I have wrist guards because I can’t injure these babies.” I flashed my hands.

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