Page 257 of Mountain Daddy

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I let go of his forearm with one hand and reach up, catching a teardrop on my fingertip. “And even then.”

His mouth pulls into a devastatingly sweet smile. Then it crashes down against mine.

He tastes like tears.

I kiss him back.

He tastes like home.

I open for him.

He tastes like forever.

Chapter 157

Luther

She smiles against my lips.

My girl. My Kendra. My Baby.

She’s mine.

I slide a hand around to the back of her head, my fingers sliding through her hair.

She’s all mine.

Forever.

A throat clears loudly in the hallway.

Kendra’s smile grows.

I pull back just enough to look into her sparkling eyes. “Guess we should tell him.”

She gives me a tiny nod. “Guess we should.”

I keep my hold on her for another heartbeat. “I love you.”

Happiness radiates off my girl. “I love you too.”

I loosen my grip on her and let my hands slide over her shoulders and down her arms before I step back.

Then I take a deep breath and straighten my spine before I turn, keeping my body between Kendra and the door.

There’s a click as I turn the handle, releasing the lock. And I slowly pull the door open.

Joe is standing on the other side of the threshold in boxers and a white T-shirt, hair askew, arms crossed over his chest.

“Here’s the thing—” I start.

He steps forward and punches me in the chest. “That’s for… whatever you’ve done with my daughter.”

“Dad!” Kendra tries to step past me, but I catch her around the waist and shove her back behind me.

Joe punches me again. Landing this hit next to the first. “And that’s for keeping it from me.”

“Dad,” Kendra sighs.

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