Page 146 of Daddy, Sir

“Exactly.”

Lola’s cheeks were flushed as she watched our exchange and she was biting her lip so hard I was afraid she might draw blood.

I glanced at my fellow club owners. I could see interest in their expressions, and amusement. They were all clearly hoping Lola said yes.

Zeke shook my hand. “I assure you, sir, nothing untoward would happen, and my behavior will be exemplary.”

I hadn’t asked or expected otherwise, but I just nodded my agreement. I’d never heard Zeke sound quite so formal. As he turned back to Lola, Lennon nudged me hard, an indication he was picking up on the same vibes I was. Zeke, our unflappable ex-military security guard, had it bad for Miss Lola. Interesting.

The scary part was, I wasn’t sure which one of them had met their match in the other one.

I turned my attention to the scene unfolding in front of me. Zeke was standing in front of Lola, his bulky body blocking her from my view.

“So, what do you say, Miss Lola? You gonna let me be your Rent-A-Daddy?”

Chapter One

Lola

Oh god, oh god, oh god… what had I done? I needed a time machine to go back and not ever have shown up on the Penthouse doorstep begging for a second chance.

I’d gotten it, alright. And then some.

It wasn’t that the Penthouse guys were pussies. They were all fit enough, strong- looking men. But Zeke… Zeke was twice their size. Pure rock-wall muscle. If he swatted my butt, I’d likely fly across the room, and I was a curvy girl.

I was pretty sure my therapist would say the forgiveness was all I really needed, anyway, that the accountability and the chance to do it right, the opportunity for full- circle redemption, were just meant to be the icing on the cake. She wouldn’t be disappointed if I walked away. I should walk away. I had every right, ample opportunity, and full autonomy.

But I couldn’t. There was something about the hopeful way Zeke was looking at me that I couldn’t pull myself away from. Something about a chance to have a real Daddy without feelinglike I had to give a piece of myself in return. I wanted to experience it, to know what it would be like.

My therapist would have said it was my inner child looking for a way to get all the validation, care, and nurturing she’d never had. I wasn’t so sure about all that. There was nothing childlike about the way I felt when Zeke looked at me like that.

Someone cleared their throat and I finally remembered that we weren’t alone. That an entire room full of people were waiting for my answer. Zeke looked like he’d just remembered, too.

He took a step forward and the closeness made it feel like all the air was being vacuumed from my lungs. I took a deep breath, and instead of getting air, seemed to just inhale his scent. It was earthy and minty combined with just a hint of citrus. Maybe it was because it had been a year since I’d sworn off all things dating and sex, but damn, it was intoxicating. I took a step back just as he reached out and gripped my elbow.

“Should we take this into the other room?” His voice, deep and full of passion, startled me. I looked from his deep green eyes to his hand on my elbow and back again.

I gulped. Taking it into the other room meant there was a conversation to be had still. Things to negotiate. If there was no official service, no money changing hands, would it count as close to dating—something I wasn’t supposed to do—in my therapist's eyes? I decided yes. I also decided I didn’t care.

“Yes, please.” My voice came out in a squeak, and I flushed hot, embarrassed. But it was worth it for the look of satisfaction and desire in Zeke’s eyes as he guided me out into the still-empty club.

Zeke

Trouble of any kind, including women, was usually something I avoided. It was one of the many rules I’d made for myself and lived by stringently.

A woman like Lola was trouble—there was no doubt about that. I should have let them tell her no, and have been done with it.

But the truth was, I’d been so shocked to see her standing there, all the old feelings of attraction I’d worked so hard to keep at bay had come rushing back. And when she’d so pitifully explained herself, her lower lip jutting out in the pout of a naughty girl who’d been disciplined by her Daddy, her eyes welling with tears like she’d just taken a hard spanking, I hadn’t been able to help myself. I’d imagined her over my knee, getting her ass roasted. I’d imagined me being the one to put that look on her face… and being the one to wipe it away as I dried her tears, hugged her tight, and put her to bed after reminding her what a good girl she really was.

And I’d been sunk. For the first time in many, many years, I’d acted on emotions rather than logic. And even though I recognized it, I was having a hell of a hard time regretting it.

Especially with her sitting across from me at a booth in the darkened club, blinking up at me with her big, blue eyes.

“So…” I started. The truth was, I didn’t have any clue where to begin. I mostly stayed out of the club’s business and happenings unless it was security related and something I needed to know.

“You don’t have to do this, you know,” Lola said, laying her tiny pale hand on mine. “I appreciate you offering, but I’ll be okay. It was a silly idea, anyway. Lots of adults go through life without having to be accountable to anyone but themselves.”

“It’s not silly.” My voice came out hard. “And sure, maybe a lot of people manage on their own, but just as many don’t.” I took a deep breath and allowed myself a moment of vulnerability. “If I hadn’t joined the military, I don’t know where I’d be. And that’s major accountability.”

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