Page 166 of Giddy Up, Daddy

“Kennedy–”

“No. What do I need to do? Write a freaking handwritten invitation in silver ink with a calligraphy pen?”

Alden withdrew his fingers from my pussy. That wasn’t what I wanted at all. He slapped my inner thighs several times in a row until the tears I didn’t know I was holding inside poured down my cheeks. I squeezed my eyes shut and dropped my legs from his shoulders.

“I knew there was something bothering you, Kennedy. You’re lashing out instead of talking to me.”

Reluctantly opening my eyes and seeing his gorgeous blue ones studying mine made my dilemma worse.

“This was dumb, Alden. We can’t be in a relationship. The three of us? It’ll never work.”

“Why not?”

“You’re older than me.”

“Oh, no. You are not tossing a half-assed excuse at me and hightailing it. Tell me what’s on your mind, sweetheart.”

It was true but it was not a legitimate reason. Five years between us was not a huge gap. I couldn’t let him find out the real problem. I couldn’t explain out loud all of the mounting issues building inside my head. As badly as I wanted to givein and let Alden pleasure me, I had serious doubts. The truth glaring at me was that I didn’t trust Wyatt. He wasn’t Daddy material. It would leave Alden shouldering my crap as well as Wyatt’s, plus his own. That wasn’t fair to any of us.

“I can’t be in a relationship with both of you. I just can’t.”

“Give me the truth.”

“I wanted a quick fuck. You obviously want more.”

“Whoa. Hey, now.” He spoke to me like he was trying to approach a spooked horse.

“Thanks for taking care of me. I’m going home.” Every word sputtering out of my mouth held more snark than the last. I knew he wouldn’t accept it, but I forced distance between us.

“You’re lying through your pretty little teeth.”

Alden knew me better than most. He’d been my biggest supporter through my divorce. Alden always supported me. What was my problem now? Why couldn’t I accept the thing I’d been wanting for so long? Determined to get out of his bed, and his house, I gathered my stuff. Avoiding the conversation would be better than trying to explain myself. I knew somehow, he wouldn’t let me walk away. But I wasn’t going to keep begging for a release he wouldn’t indulge.

Alden

Staring at Kennedy as she grabbed her strewn clothing gave me pause. Something had shifted her stance on a relationship, though I hadn’t a clue what changed her mind.

“Do you know what happens after a Little girl lies to her Daddy?”

“He probably tells her to go home.”

I wrapped an arm around her waist. “Is that what you believe? Don’t lie to me twice.”

“Yup. He might tell her that she’s too much. Since she can’t listen and isn’t truthful, then her Daddy would have no other choice. Besides, I’m not your Little girl.”

I had to handle this another way. Helping her get dressed allowed me time to think of a way to fix this. We were not done, not by a long shot. And regardless of what she believed, Little or not, she was mine.

“So, let’s say Emma lied to Luke. Do you think he’d simply send her away?”

Kennedy gave an exasperated huff. “Emma would never lie! At least not on purpose.”

“But you still believe Luke would tell her to go away? That he didn’t want to be her Daddy anymore because she was having a hard time being honest?”

“I’m not Emma and you’re not Luke.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, and allowed a pregnant pause. She never acted quite like this. Worse than her actions, I couldn’t determine what made her spiral. Glancing along her body, I dropped my hand.

“You’re not pushing me away anymore. I should have dived deeper into your issues this past summer rather than allowing–”

---