Page 62 of Grace

“Were you scared of him?”

I shake my head. “I don’t believe it was fear, but more the need to be good and be seen for mygoodness.” I chuckle quietly. “I hope that makes sense.”

He nods. “It does.” He rubs his thumb over the top of my hand. “I’m so sorry you ever felt the need to hide your true self just to please others.”

“It’s okay, I’ve been trying to stop doing that,” I say with a smile.

“You never have to do it with me. You know that, right?”

Our touch breaks as our salads are placed in front of us. “Grace?” Daniel asks, and I swirl my fork in my salad.

“I don’t… do that with you.” I take a shaky breath. “It was hard in the beginning. But everything we did was because I wanted, and you helped me more than I thought you would.”

“How?”

“By letting me choose, giving me power to decide when you can… pleasure me. That I can’t do anything wrong in your eyes.” I pick a bit of salad on my fork. “Even when I think you’re being too nice.”

He laughs. “Too nice?”

“When I overslept, you should’ve scolded me or something. I messed up, not you, and still, you made me feel so safe and… loved.”

“Loved?”

“I don’t know how else to describe—”

“No, you’re right. Isn’t love, or showing love, to take care of someone, to make them feel safe and have this need to give them everything they need?”

I take a bite as I divert my gaze before answering. “Perhaps.”

We eat in silence, and it isn’t until we’re halfway through our steak when he clears his throat. “What happened between you and my son?”

My whole body tenses, and Daniel reaches for my hand. “Why did you tolerate him for so long? I’ve only heard some from him, but I want your view of things.”

I pause and carefully take his hand. “We don’t need to talk about that. It’s just… it’s not worth it,” I grumble.

“I don’t understand why he didn’t appreciate you, how he was so blind to everything you accomplish and who you are.”

I sigh. “Maybe he just knew me too well. But I thought we were fine. I mean, he asked me to do a lot. It always got to be more and more. I thought I loved him, so I did it, but then it was all about… sex. Why I wasn’t in the mood, why I didn’t initiate, why…” I trail off. “We shouldn’t talk about this.”

He smiles, softly and caring. “I won’t ask why you felt the way you did or made the decisions you did with my son… but you’re open with me. You certainly don’t back down.”

“I’m not… I don’t have experience with this. I couldn’t seduce anyone. It would just make them laugh. I know how I look. I’m little, I’m pretty flat all around, and… no one’s ever considered me sexy. It’s okay. I know I have other things to offer, things I’m decent at, but…” I just trail off again, not sure what else to say.

“You say decent, I say excellent. You’re astounding at work. The things you catch, the way you work, it’s sexy and entrancing,” he says, running his finger along my knuckles, “And you’re sexy with your perfect little curves, how easy you are to pick up, your gorgeous red hair, those intense green eyes. Every inch of your body is…sinfullyperfect.”

“Daniel,” I breathe.

His touch leaves, and he motions for the waiter to take our plates and orders some desert.

He grins and pats his thigh. “Come here.”

My breath hitches, my heart stammers, and heat rushes to my cheeks. I glance around and he shakes his head.

“Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks, Grace. If you want to be on my lap, put yourself there and if you—”

I don’t let him finish as I rise to my feet and move around the table and take my place on his lap. My eyes sweep around as from his position, with his back against the wall, we can see just a small portion of the restaurant. Daniel adjusts me so my back is against his chest as our desert is put in front of us. The vanilla ice cream and the dark chocolate calls me closer, but before I can grab the spoon, Daniel beats me to it and a playful smile tilts on my lips.

His lips brush my ear. “Let me feed you.”

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