Page 39 of Daddy Down Under

“Holy shit,” I whispered, my eyes wide. “This is incredible.”

Ocean chuckled softly as his hand found mine again, his fingers intertwining with my own. The simple touch sent a jolt through my body. “Told you it was worth the trip. Look,”—he pointed with his other hand—“you can see all the way to Port Phillip Bay from here.”

I followed his gesture, marveling at the glittering expanse of water in the distance. As the sun descended, the sky transformed into a canvas of oranges and pinks, painting the city in a warm glow.

“It’s like the whole city’s on fire,” I said, transfixed by the view.

“Yeah, it’s pretty special. Kinda makes you feel small, doesn’t it?”

I nodded, acutely aware of his presence across from me. The beauty of the moment, combined with Ocean’s closeness, stirred something deep within me. A mix of excitement and fear coursed through my veins.

“You okay?” Ocean asked, his eyes searching mine.

I swallowed hard. “Yeah, I’m just… It’s a lot to take in.”

Ocean’s thumb traced circles on the back of my hand. “That’s what I love about views like this. They remind you how big the world is, how many possibilities are out there.”

I turned to look at him, struck by the intensity in his expression. “And what possibilities do you see?”

His lips curved into a smile that made my heart skip a beat. “Right now? I see a whole lot of potential right here in front of me.”

I swallowed thickly. “That doesn’t sound like something a casual fling would say.”

“I suppose not.”

“So what does it mean?”

Ocean brought my hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it. “Why don’t we take things one day at a time, hmm? Our first week isn’t even over yet, so we have over three more weeks to figure everything out.”

I couldn’t look away from Ocean’s eyes that seemed to see right through me, past all the carefully constructed walls I’d built over the years. It terrified me.

“Cash,” Ocean said softly, his hand squeezing mine gently. “You don’t have to be afraid. I’ve got you.”

With that, he proved again how well he could read me, which should make me even more scared but somehow reassured me. “It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this way.”

Ocean’s free hand came up to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing lightly across my stubble. “Like what?”

“Safe,” I whispered, leaning into his touch. “Accepted. Like I can be…me.”

The last rays of sunlight painted Ocean’s face in warm hues, highlighting the curve of his jaw and the fullness of his lips. God, he was beautiful. And not just physically—there was a depth to him, a strength that both intimidated and attracted me.

“You can always be yourself with me, Cash,” Ocean murmured, his eyes never leaving mine. “No masks, no pretenses. Just you.”

Just me.

God, I wanted that. I craved it.

But did I dare let go?

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

In which I assure Oliver that Ocean is nothing more than a summer fling. Riiiiight.

The weekend was amazing,but inevitably, Monday arrived. I’d never looked less forward to a working week than now, which was a new experience for me. Alas, duty called, and I was on my way to the Krause Group for another meeting with James, their CFO. I’d poured over the detailed reports he’d sent me and had some more questions.

The soft hum of the engine vibrated beneath me as I leaned into the buttery leather seats of my private car. My fingers absently tapped my phone screen, scrolling through messages without really seeing them. I had the hardest time concentrating on work. My mind kept drifting back to the past few days in Melbourne—to Ocean.

I’d never met anyone who made me so at ease yet so uncomfortable at the same time. He made me want to be myself, which explained that contradictory feeling when I was with him. Submitting to him came so naturally. I wanted to make him happy, to do what he asked of me—even if it was cleaning myself for him, which I now did every morning.

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