Page 20 of Daddy's Naughty Author

“Come inside,” I say. “Let’s figure it out together.”

His lips twitch into something almost like a smile, and he steps over the threshold.

For the first time, it feels like we’re on the same page.

CHAPTER 9

Ididn’t expect it to be this way. Yesterday, after his confession, KC and I spent the rest of the day and night together. We talked about everything and nothing and we made love for the first time. All the other times we’d simply fucked or had sex, last night, it was different. He’d told me he wanted me to be his girlfriend and everything it entailed and then made slow, sweet love to me. This morning he’d gotten a phone call and left in a hurry, and I hadn’t heard from him since.

I drift over to the window, hands shoved into the pockets of my oversized hoodie, his hoodie actually, still holding traces of his cologne. Outside, the mountain view spreads out, all majestic and picturesque, the kind of scenery people slap on postcards with 'Wish you were here!' printed on them. But there's no comfort in it now, just an echoing vastness that mirrors the hollow feeling in my chest.

There was something wrong. His face had been scrunched up and he’d hurried out of the house, over to his and peeled off within a few minutes… and I hadn’t heard a thing from him since. And in the short amount of time he’d been gone,I’m already missing him and I’m worried. Worried about what happened. Where had he gone? Was he in some form of trouble?

"Call him. Don't call him." The indecision is maddening. If he was busy, he wouldn’t want me to call. I picked up my phone and checked my text messages. Nothing. "Fine," I say with a resigned sigh, the word surrendering to the thick silence around me. My thumb presses down, initiating the call, and I brace myself for the familiar gravelly tone that might just unravel me a bit more.

The phone rings once, twice, and the tension coils tighter with each echo. It's like waiting for a thunderclap after a flash of lightning—anticipation laced with a dash of dread. I saw his face this morning, heard the tone in his voice. I was just about to hang up when he answered.

“Hey baby girl, sorry for rushing out on you this morning.”

“KC are you okay?”

“Yes. We will talk about the nuances of my job at a later time, but sometimes it’ll be like this morning where I just leave. I’m okay.” KC's voice rumbles through the line, gruff as a bear but oddly soothing, like a weighted blanket for my nerves. “Are you behaving yourself?”

"Who me?" I scoff into the phone, my heart doing this weird jitterbug in my chest. "I'll have you know, I'm the picture of decorum. Been behaving so well, I might just need a cookie."

"Is that right?" There's a smile in his voice, a smirk I can practically see. "Because last time I checked, you had a unique talent for finding trouble. I know I’ve only been gone for a few hours but a few hours with you could lead to any number of disasters."

"Unique talent, huh?" I quip. "I prefer to think of it as adding excitement to life. Keeps things spicy, you know?"

"Spicy," he repeats, and I can hear the fond exasperation, the warmth that doesn't quite hide concern. "Just don't burn down the house or go outside in the cold naked while I'm gone, okay?"

"Scout's honor," I promise, crossing my fingers behind my back because, let's face it, I was never a scout. But he doesn't need to know that. "How long are you going to be gone? I mean, will you be home tonight or…"

“No baby girl, I most definitely will not be home tonight. It’ll likely be a few days… I can’t say for sure. Something’s come up. I need you to know something, no news is good news. Can you repeat that for me?”

“What do you mean? No news is good news?”

“I texted my mom your number. If something were to happen, she’ll get in contact with you. But, no news is good news. If you don’t hear from me, or my mom, just know I am busy at work and I’m fine, okay?”

“Okay?” I can’t keep the question out of my tone. Was it okay? It didn’t feel okay. Was he going into combat? Did we even have combat going on anywhere?

"We've been prepping for months. We’re ready. It’s going to be fine,” KC reassures me.

"Sounds intense," I reply, trying to keep my tone light, but there's a weight in my chest that wasn't there before. "You make it sound like you're headed to the grocery store."

"Comes with the job," he answers, and there's a faint hint of pride in his voice that's hard to miss. He's committed, all right; dedicated to the bone, and I respect him for it. But that doesn't make the reality any less daunting.

I press my lips together, swallowing the lump of emotions that's suddenly lodged in my throat.

"Just, be careful, okay?" The words slip out laced with more emotion than I intended. "I know you're Superman and all, but even he has his kryptonite."

There's a pause, one that stretches long enough for me to hear my own breath hitching. It's filled with everything we're not saying—fears, hopes, the precarious balance we've struckbetween us. I want to fill it with jokes, with teasing banter that'll bridge the gap, but my tongue feels heavy.

"I'm always careful," he finally breaks the silence, his voice softer now, almost like he's right here with me instead of miles away. "You don't need to worry about me. Besides, now I have someone to come home to."

"Too late for that," I whisper, my gaze drifting to the fading light outside. “You know, I was just thinking."

"About?"

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