Page 46 of Cutter

“Emily. I know you’re there. Let me in.”

Oh, boy. His tone had hardened. She winced at the impatience. Hesitating, Emily blinked.

“Kitten… I swear to God. I’ll put you over my knee.”

Is that a growl?

Yep, she knew growls.

And that one sounded like a growl.

Biting the inside of her cheek, she grasped the doorknob. But now, nerves and a mug full of hot coffee conspired against her. Emily fumbled with the knob for what seemed to her like slow and eternal minutes. By the time it occurred to her to set the mug on a side table and free her hands to let him in, she’d broken into a cold sweat.

But when she opened the door and his blazing eyes consumed her, Emily’s mind went blank to everything except the big man before her. Cutter. Her Daddy.

“Hi,” she whispered, stepping out of the way for him.

“I thought you were going to leave me out there to melt.”

She didn’t know exactly how it happened or if the effect was her imagination, but as he entered, her modest living space wasn’t just hers anymore. He colored it, made it glow as he filled the air. Wherever she looked, Cutter’s masculine essence touched and rested on every surface.

“Kitten?”

“I’m sorry. When you walked in…”

He brushed a knuckle across her cheek. “Go on.”

“It’s hard to explain. After I broke up with my ex, I moved here. This has been my home since. Mine alone. Filled with my private thoughts and wishes. My spirit touched everything. But now…” She paused to admire him. Tall and lean, his muscular body was powerful perfection. He didn’t interrupt as she took in the glossy dark hair he’d pulled to the back of his head or stared at his full lips. The sexy lips she found so appealing and dreamed of kissing, licking, and tasting again and again until she embedded his flavor into her every cell.

When he was away, Emily’s heart beat faster just thinking of him. Now that he was here, it was racing out of control. Her body wanted him. Her mind craved him even more. She’d become addicted to Cutter.

“What’s happening now?” His question got her back on track.

“I see you in here. Your presence is everywhere I look…”

Palming her face, he leaned in and lightly kissed her lips. The caress was soft and tender. Barely there. Yet, flames surged in her.

He pulled back to ask, “Is that a bad thing? Am I ruining your place?”

“Not at all.” She clasped his wrist. “I like it. It’s reassuring to feel Daddy’s influence in my home. I feel protected and no longer alone.”

“That’s right, kitten.” He kissed her forehead. “You’re mine to protect and love. We’ll never be alone again. We belong to each other.”

Emily released a long sigh. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she melted against his solid chest. When he returned her embrace, she floated as joy and contentment filled her soul.

Funny how life worked after all the twists and turns destiny had put before her. Was this her reward for a life of loneliness?

Their time together had been short, but they’d known each other a long time. That fateful night after the fight between MC clubs, Emily’s heart had recognized its rightful master and Daddy. Sadly, while she privately prayed and hoped he’d come back to her, she’d tried with another, had stumbled, and failed.

No more.

She had no inhibitions with Cutter. He made her feel beautiful and wanted. His utter acceptance freed her, gave wings to the Middle she’d tucked away, and encouraged it to fly. The surprise tiara she’d found at her door after their first argument spoke volumes. Not only did the pretty crown complement her princess gown in color and style, it also showed he remembered what she liked and had taken the time to find the finishing touch. In Emily’s book, that was love.

He was the first to break the silence. “I like your PJ’s. They’re cute.”

She giggled against his chest.

“Having a good morning so far?”

---