Page 201 of Daddy, Sir

Greyson smirked. “Always.”

After grabbing her coat and bag, Carly practically dragged Greyson out of the door, her excitement filling his cup to the brim. It was good to be home.

As they got into his Bronco, she turned to him with a wide grin. “So, tell me everything. And I meaneverything. Don’t leave out any details.”

Greyson laughed as he pulled onto the road. “You really want the full report of my time in Iraq, surrounded by a bunch of smelly, sweaty, disgusting men?”

“Yes,” she said, rolling her eyes. “And maybe go into all the details about the sweaty part. Were they shirtless?”

“Jesus. I guess we won’t be telling your Daddy that.” He shook his head with a smile. “All right, but you have to promise not to interrupt every five seconds.”

“No promises,” she quipped, leaning back in her seat, the happiness in her eyes undeniable. “But I’ll try.”

And just like that, the siblings fell into easy conversation, filling in the gaps that time and distance had put between them. As expected, Carly interrupted him repeatedly, but he didn’t mind. He was exactly where he wanted to be with the person he loved the most.

Chapter Two

Lily

Lily sat across from her friend Sasha in a small café, stirring her coffee absentmindedly as she listened. Sasha, bright-eyed and glowing, was gushing about her new Daddy, her words spilling out in excited waves.

“He just gets me, you know? Like, he makes me feel safe, but, still like, I can be playful and vulnerable. I never thought I’d find someone like this,” Sasha said, sighing happily.

Lily forced a smile, nodding. “That’s amazing. I’m really happy for you.”

And she was. Truly. But deep inside, a familiar pang settled in her chest, a whispering voice she tried to ignore. She felt too old, too heavy, too… unlovable for something like that. The idea of someone wanting to take care of her as she craved, to cherish her that way, seemed impossible.

Sasha tilted her head. “What about you? Have you thought about trying to find someone again? It’s been a year since your last date.”

Lily shrugged, shaking her head. “Me? I don’t think that’s in the cards for me.”

“Why not?”

Lily hesitated, then huffed. “I just don’t think I’m what anyone is looking for.”

Sasha reached across the table, squeezing Lily’s hand. “Lily… you deserve love, too. You’re incredible. Any Daddy would be lucky to have you as his little girl.”

Lily’s throat tightened as specific memories played through her mind, but she smiled anyway. “Thanks, Sasha. Maybe someday.”

But deep down, she wasn’t so sure. She’d tried to find a Daddy over the years. And she’d even dated a few nice men. They just weren’t the Daddy she needed.

As they left the restaurant, Lily pushed open the heavy glass door and stepped into the crisp morning air with Sasha by her side. She had a lot on her mind from their conversation, including one person in particular. So, when she glanced ahead, she couldn’t believe her eyes.

She saw him before he saw her.

Greyson.

His name hit her like a sudden gust of wind, knocking the air from her lungs. He was walking right toward her, hands in his pockets, broad shoulders filling out his dark wool coat as he spoke with a woman skipping along next to him. The years had been good to him even with the lines at the corners of his mouth, and the silver threading through his thick hair. Despite that, his presence was the same. Commanding. Unshakable. Breathtaking.

More memories surged through her, but these were all good. His voice, deep and patient, calling herhis good girl. The way his hands had guided her, cared for her, punished her. The sharp sting of his palm against her bare skin when she’d misbehaved.Then, the soft kisses that had followed, soothing and possessive all at once.

Her stomach tightened. It had been nearly twenty years. Twenty years of keeping her distance, of pretending she was over him, but in a single moment, she knew she’d been lying to herself the entire time.

Greyson turned his head to face her, and their eyes met.

He paused mid-step, and she braced herself for their reunion, for meeting whoever this woman was. She hadn’t even looked at his companion, but out of her peripheral, she could see curly hair and a much smaller frame than Lily’s. Before Lily could find a way to guard herself, he stepped forward and pulled her into his arms without hesitation. Like it was the most natural thing in the world.

The second his arms wrapped around her, she feltit. That spark. That unshakable sense of belonging she hadn’t felt since the day he walked away from their life together.

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