Page 14 of Dad Bod Secret Santa

He lowers his head to my chest, tracing the top of my breasts with his hot tongue. I raise my hand to my mouth and bite down because I know the girls willdefinitelyhear us if I don't. Hank looks up at me, his eyes filled with raw lust, and I feel myself falling for him. He gently undoes the top buttons of my blouse, then deftly reaches behind my back and unhooks my bra.

“Oh!” I exclaim softly, thinking once again that it feels like we’re teenagers, running around, taking whatever moments we can, and hoping we’re not caught.

Hank’s hands roam my body with increasing urgency, and I press closer, wanting more. His mouth teases my nipple, and my skin clenches. I grab a pillow and groan into it.

“You’re so goddamn beautiful,” Hank murmurs, staring at my breasts and then licking and sucking on the other. I swear I might come from this heady mixture of gentleness and raw passion he’s lavishing on me. I’m so wet and turned on, I can smell my musk floating in the air around us. “You are so perfect.”

I’m reaching for Hank’s jeans because, girls in the next room or not, I can’t stop what we’re starting here.

“Dad!”

We both freeze, and then we’re in a frenzy of standing and smoothing our clothes. I grab a cardigan from the side chair and slip into it quickly, despite the lust burning through my body like a hot flash.

“We’ll finish this later,” Hank promises, giving me a lingering kiss before getting up to see what Vivian needs.

I could get used to this.

CHAPTER 8

HANK

Vivian comes padding into the kitchen, her hair sticking up at odd angles, wearing the old, oversized hoodie I bought her years ago. She stretches, yawns, and gives me a sleepy smile.

“Smells amazing, Dad,” she says, eyeing the bacon. I can see her weighing the odds of grabbing a slice without me noticing.

“Hands off,” I warn her, though I smile fondly. She may be an aspiring bacon thief, but she’s a better kid than I thought possible, and I love her more than words can express. “Breakfast is for everyone. Let’s be patient, alright?”

She scrunches her nose at me, but I break off the smallest piece and hand it to her anyway. She grins and pops it into her mouth, quick as a flash.

“Thanks,” she mumbles, leaning against the counter to watch me cook. Her gaze lingers on the stovetop, watching the food cook, but I can tell there’s something on her mind. Vivian usually speaks her mind. “What’s with the breakfast spread?”

“It’s the weekend and almost Christmas, so I thought I’d go all out.” What I don’t say is that I’m deeply invested in impressing Maggie. I know she’s still holding back, but I want to show her I’m invested—and right now, that means cooking enough food for all the men on this mountain.

Vivian straightens, rubbing her hands together like she’s working herself up to say something. “Dad,” she begins, her voice soft, “I’ve liked having Wendy and her mom here.” She looks at me from the corner of her eye. I can tell she thinks she’s on uncertain ground.

Her words hang in the air, and my heart clenches in a way I haven’t felt in years. I clear my throat and ignore the sudden tightness in my chest. “Yeah? I guess it has been a nice change,” I say, trying to keep my tone light.

“Not justnice, Dad,” she insists, her voice edging toward her annoyed tone. “Wendy’s like a sister, you know? We stay up talking about things I don’t usually get to talk about.”

I turn off the burner and set the spatula down, giving her my full attention. She’s watching me now, her eyes big and serious. My little girl—well, not so little anymore, but still so full of an openness that I hope she never loses with me.

It’s been so long since her mom was around that sometimes I forget there are things I can’t parent her on or provide the kind of insight she wants. Hell, insights she probablyneeds.Yet she rarely talks about her mom—or even wants to—so it’s not something I think about too much. But maybe I should.

“Yeah?” I manage, my voice coming out gruffer than I intended. “You really feel that way?”

Vivian nods, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “I mean…it’s natural having them here. Like we’re a normal family, you know?”

The words send a pang through me. I look away, trying to mask the surge of emotion threatening to spill over. I want to tell her I’ve felt it, too—that having Maggie and Wendy around has filled this house with a warmth I didn’t think we’d have again. But I keep my voice steady, even though my heart is pounding.

“I’m glad you feel that way,” I finally say. “I am.”

Vivian tilts her head, giving me that searching look she has when she thinks I’m holding back. “Do you… I mean, do you miss Mom?”

The question catches me off guard, and I pause before I answer. She hasn’t asked me anything like this in years. It’s been just us for so long that I sometimes forget there’s a whole history she barely remembers. But I can’t lie to her.

“Honestly?” I clear my throat, buying a second to gather my thoughts. “No, Viv. I don’t miss having your mom around. Not in that way, at least. But…the way things have been with Maggie these last few days? You were too young to remember, but that’s not how it was with your mom. She always had this energy, like nothing and no one could tie her down. Your mom is nothing like Maggie.”

I smile, and my mind slips back to last night, with Maggie in my arms as we fooled around in front of the fireplace, trying to keep quiet so we didn’t disturb the girls. When Maggie lets her guard down, she’s the sexiest, most electrifying woman I’ve ever met. From the moment our girls became friends, I knew Maggie wasspecial. But after getting to know her better and getting close to her? She’s more incredible than I ever imagined.

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