Page 42 of Daddy's Princess

“Okay, when it comes to my art, I’m always a perfectionist,” she admits. “Speaking of perfectionism, how is Barry doing with Wildwood? I heard through the grapevine that you went to the art department and raised Hell.”

I run a frustrated hand through my hair. “It’s a fucking disaster. I’m dreading showing the storyboards to my mother. She’s going to hate everything about them. I feel like I’ve let her down, and she’s not even seen them yet.”

“It’s not your fault,” Sugar says, reaching over to place her hand on top of mine this time. “You didn’t hire Barry and Leo. That was Jeff Thompson’s mistake.”

“I never should’ve trusted Jeff with the task of hiring new illustrators. Everything that happens at Titan-Rose is my responsibility. I dropped the ball big-time, and when my mother realizes how bad I screwed up, she’s going to be pissed.”

Sugar shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “I doubt that Eloise will be angry at you for this. You trusted the leader for your design department to hire the best of the best for Titan-Rose. You should be able to trust your managers to make the right choices. I kind of feel bad for the new hole Eloise is going to rip into Jeff.” She thinks it over for a minute before changing her mind. “You know what, I don’t feel bad. I’m kind of excited to see the new hole she rips into the jerk.”

I can’t help but smile at my sweet, sassy girl. She’s perfection.

“I’m super excited to see Eloise—” Sugar starts then groans. “Oh, God, how awkward!”

I frown at her sudden change of mood. “What is it?”

“Eloise is yourmom!”

“Yeah, so?” I say with a bit of confusion.

“Yeah, so! Don’t you see? I’m fucking her son! The son that happens to be my boss. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t her intention when she pushed me to apply for the internship at Titan-Rose.”

I can’t help but chuckle at the almost hysterical tone in her voice. Silly girl has nothing to worry about. “Babygirl, my mom will be thrilled to find out we are dating—”

“Dating?” She gives me a curious look. “Is that what we are doing?”

I don’t say it out loud, but my inner caveman is beating his chest saying ‘mine, mine, mine.’ I only use the term dating because I don’t want to scare Sugar with the intensity of my desire to keep her forever.

“Technically, we are more than dating, but I doubt you’d want me to tell mommy dearest how I’ve punished your naughty-girl bottom until you begged for daddy.” I raise a brow at her in question.

“Dating is good,” she squeaks out with a blush.

“Besides, with my estimation, this is our third date.”

Sugar chews her bottom lip as she mulls my words over. I’m pleasantly surprised when she doesn’t argue, but just nods. “Dating sounds… nice. But if your mom knows, then other people at Titan-Rose will find out.”

I reach across the table and grab her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We don’t have to tell anyone yet. Your pace, remember?”

The happy smile she bestows upon me at that reminder is worth all the frustration at not being able to publicly and loudly claim her as mine.

On the way back to the office, Sugar lays her head against my shoulder, melting against me when I run my fingers through her now loose hair. There was no fixing the mess I made of it in the elevator—not that I’m complaining. I love her gorgeous hair; it begs to be wrapped around my fist.

Sugar lets out a content sigh each time my fingers gently scratch over her scalp. “That feels so good, daddy. Thank you.”

I can’t help but wonder if she realizes how naturally she slips into calling me daddy. She’s not new to being a babygirl, but after her ex, I expected it to take time for her to slip into her role as my babygirl. Her fears are telling her to take things slow, and I don’t blame her one bit for that. However, her subconscious already trusts me. It warms my heart and gives me hope that she’ll realize how perfect we can be together sooner rather than later.

I lean over and press a kiss to the top of her head. “You’re welcome, babygirl.”

As soon as we enter Titan-Rose offices, Sugar pulls away physically. I hate the professional distance between us. Though the longing look she gives me reassures me, she hates the distance as much as I do. Before we part, we make plans for her to come over to my place for dinner later tonight. It makes it slightly easier to walk away, knowing that she’ll be back in my arms in just a few hours.

17

Sugar

I’m notsure how I managed to work at Titan-Rose for an entire month without running into Oliver because he seems to be everywhere. Or I’m just so in tune with him that I can’t help but sense whenever he is near. Every time he walks through the office, my eye is drawn straight to him. I try to keep my staring to a minimum, but I can’t be held responsible for what my eyes do when he’s within seeing distance. I could no more keep myself from drooling over a double chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting than keep myself from drooling over one sexier-than-sin Oliver Titan.

Which is why I’m at the office long after quitting time. I was so distracted that the boy fairy I was drawing in Fairyville looked suspiciously like Oliver. Every time my mind wandered, the characters would slowly morph into Oliver. It always started with the eyes, then the slope of his nose with his slightly bigger than the other nostril. Then the line of his jaw…

The loud trilling of my phone startles me out of my work. My back and shoulders ache from being hunched over my sketch for too long without a break. I smile when I see Oliver’s name on the screen.

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