Page 22 of Beauty Sleep

Sparks are shooting straight down the back of my neck to my stomach. Every inch of my skin is tingling, straight to the tips of my fingers and toes. I’m glowing so hard I can barely even pay attention to the sudden tightness in my pants.

I feel so… so alive. And it’s all thanks to this Daddy whose name I don’t even know.

He gave me the wakeup call that changed everything. And then, last night, I finally made a decision of my own. I chose Prince. I invited him in, and I did it because I didn’t like the feeling of not going after what I want.

Robby’s chair scrapes the floor as he stands up.

Shit.Robby cares about me, but can be overprotective, and twice as thorny when he doesn’t know what’s happening.

“Stop.” I put a hand on Robby’s forearm, and he glances at me with surprise. “I—um… Iwantto talk to him.”

Robby gently pries his forearm out of my grip. “So do I,” he tells me with a crooked grin that makes me relax. “I wasn’t getting up to punch him.”

“Oh.” I let go sheepishly. “I wasn’t sure.”

Robby considers that for a second and then gives me afair enoughshrug. He steps clear of his chair, shoving his hands in his hoodie pockets as he awkwardly approaches my mystery Daddy. “I was a dick last night. I’m sorry.”

“Thank you,” the man tells Robby. His voice is hoarser than I remember it being, but a nice, familiar kind of warm that makes me relax. “You were. But it takes a lot to apologize, especially in front of your friends, so I appreciate it.”

A shiver of surprised delight runs down my spine. It’s the perfectly-balanced response: gentle-sharp, embarrassing Robby without tormenting him, accepting it while letting him marinate the appropriate amount.

Spoken like a true Daddy.

Robby doesn’t seem to know what to do about that. “Cool,” he finally says and retreats to sit down again, rubbing the back of his neck.

The Daddy nudges his friend and nods at the counter, and he heads off to order coffee for them both.

Then he walks straight for me.

Fuck. I’m beginning to think this man reallyisa fairy. He’s sure showing up at all the right moments.

Be cool, be cool, be cool…

Fuck. I didn’t plan for this. I know I need to apologize… but I haven’t planned what to tell him. Or what I can say in front of my friends, who are grinning at me like a pack of Cheshire cats.

I shoot them a sideways glare. Throats clear and pages shuffle as they look down at their books again, pretending not to listen.

“Hello, Beauty,” the Daddy says softly as he stands next to my chair, putting a hand on the back.

Oh my god. It’s almost like he has an arm around me, but not quite. I can feel the heat of his forearm just behind my shoulder. He smells familiar, in a way that makes my hairs stand on end.

My blush crawls up the back of my neck, and the Daddy chuckles under his breath. He knows exactly how much he’s teasing me.

“Enjoyed your twenty-first birthday?”

I look so far up at him that I almost crick my neck.

“Yeah.” I can’t help smiling back at him, biting back a grin. I really,reallywish I could tell him just how much. “But, uh… there is one thing.”

“Oh?”

I swallow hard. Better get this out of the way with. “I’m sorry, too. That I didn’t stand up for you.” He stares at me with surprise as I lace my fingers together nervously against my thigh, under the table. “I wanted you at my party.”

His smile turns soft and gentle as he dips his head slightly. “Thank you. But no need to apologize. I know what I’m getting into, Beauty.”

Shit. It’s weird hearing him say that name again.

Now all I can think about is Prince moaning that name into my ear as my skin glows with a sheen of sweat, and our bodies move as one in the darkness…

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