Page 87 of Daddy Down Under

Ocean pushed his chair back from the table and patted his lap. “Sit.”

The word “Daddy” trembled on my lips again as I settled onto his strong thighs. His arms came around me, and I melted against his chest.

“There you go,” he murmured, one hand sliding up to massage my neck. “Just let go for me. I’ve got you.”

He did…and I closed my eyes and let go.

“Yes, Daddy.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

In which Ocean proves to me once again that he truly is my Daddy and I soak it all up like a sponge.

When he spoke again,his voice was thick with emotion.

“I’ve wanted this so much,” he murmured, one hand sliding up to cradle the back of my head. “Wanted to take care of you, to be your safe harbor. From that first moment in Melbourne, when I saw how hard you work to stay in control, I knew.” His other hand traced patterns on my back, each touch filled with reverence. “Knew you needed someone to catch you when you fall, to hold you when it gets too much.”

I closed my eyes, overwhelmed by the depth of feeling in his voice. His lips brushed my temple, impossibly gentle.

“Thank you for trusting me with this,” he whispered against my skin. “For letting me be your Daddy. I promise I’ll never take it for granted.” His voice cracked on the last word. “Never thought I’d find someone who fits so perfectly in my arms, who needs exactly what I want to give.”

The emotion in his voice broke something loose inside me. My tears spilled over, hot against my cheeks as I buried my face in his neck. “I love you,” I whispered, the words flowing naturally, inevitably, like a river finding its way to the sea. “God, Ocean, I love you so much.”

His breath hitched, and his arms tightened around me. “I love you too, baby boy.” His voice was thick with emotion. “So fucking much.”

The words broke something loose inside me, and I was overwhelmed by the depth of emotion coursing through me. “I love you so much it scares me sometimes.”

“Don’t be scared.” Ocean pressed soft kisses to my tear-stained cheeks. “I’ve got you. Always.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“We should talk about the future,” I said after a while, voicing the thought that had been niggling at the back of my mind. “About how this works with you pursuing your surfing career and me here.”

“Surfing is not a career. It’s a hobby. A passion.”

I raised my head from where it rested against Ocean’s chest. “Don’t do that. Don’t minimize it. I’ve seen how alive you are out there, how it lights you up from the inside. That’s not a hobby or even just a passion. It’s part of who you are.”

Ocean’s arms tightened around me, and I felt him swallow hard. “You really see me, don’t you?”

“I try to.” I traced patterns on his chest through his shirt. “And that’s why I’m worried. You need to be near the ocean, near good waves. New York’s not exactly known for its surfing.”

“Cash.” Ocean’s voice held that gentle authority that made everything inside me settle. “Look at me, baby boy.”

I lifted my head, meeting those eyes that seemed to see straight into my soul. “Do you think I haven’t thought about this? Yeah, I need the ocean. But I also need you. And guess what? New York’s got beaches. Maybe not the best waves, but good enough to keep me happy. Plus, you can travel for work, right? The beauty of you being the boss is that you can work from anywhere, so we can split our time. Winter in warmer places, summer here. We’ll make it work.”

The certainty in his voice made hope bloom in my chest. “You’ve really thought about this.”

“Of course I have.” His fingers carded through my hair, sending shivers down my spine. “I’m in this for the long haul, remember? That means figuring out how to blend our lives, not hoping it’ll magically work out.”

I hadn’t thought of it that way. “I suppose I could work remotely more often.”

“See?” He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “We’ll make it work, baby. Trust Daddy.”

His certainty wrapped around me like a blanket. “You make it sound so simple.”

“Because it is. When you love someone, you find a way. And I love you, Cash Sullivan.”

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