Page 61 of Melt For Us, Daddy
Her footsteps faded down the hall and he sighed up at the ceiling. Even if he did defy her, she probably wouldn’t punish him, at least not the way she punished Ivy. She’d probably just look at him with disappointment shining in those green eyes. And the prospect of that look had him throwing off the covers and climbing out of bed to get dressed for the day.
As promised, Ivy was finishing up breakfast when he walked into the kitchen. Humming softly to herself, a gentle smile curving her lips as she flitted about the spacious room, and for a moment all he could do was stare.
She was beautiful. Different from Cordelia, not just in looks but personality. Softer, sweeter, but he’d gotten a couple glimpses at the fierce warrior beneath. All of it called to him, beckoned him to come curl up in her lap even though the logistics of that would be laughable. Still, just the sight of her was a comfort, one that made him ache much the same way Cordelia did, despite their differences.
What was wrong with him, that he was so attracted to not just one but two such worldly women? How had he fallen so far in such a short time?
But then Ivy turned, her soft gaze locking with his, and her smile widened. Just a fraction, small enough it might have even been his imagination, but that fraction was enough to have his heart tripping in his chest.
“Morning! I made pancakes and scrambled eggs. Feel free to help yourself.”
“Thanks. Can I help with anything?”
He definitely didn’t imagine her smile getting brighter that time. “That’s so sweet of you, but I’ve got it handled. I brewed some extra coffee in case you wanted some.”
“With milk and sugar today.” Cordelia’s smoky voice wrapped around him, squeezing those parts of him he was so desperately trying to avoid thinking about as she slipped past him to wrap her arms around Ivy. “Mmm. Breakfast looks amazing, baby. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Your coffee is on the table.”
“Such a good girl. Did you make your tea yet?”
“No, Ma’am.”
“Breakfast is cooked, everyone can serve themselves. Make your tea and sit for a minute.”
“Oh, but?—”
“Ivy Mae.” The steel in those words had Jacob biting back a groan as his forbidden parts throbbed yet again.
Sighing heavily, Ivy nodded. “Yes, Daddy.”
“Good girl.”
Daddy. It was still so odd to hear a woman call another woman Daddy. But he couldn’t deny that there was something about Cordelia that just seemed to fit the term. Especially when she pinned him with that steely stare, one eyebrow raised. “Eat, Jacob. We’ve got a busy day ahead of us.”
“We do?”
“We do.” As she piled a plate with pancakes and a scoop of eggs, she nodded to the fridge. “Yesterday we got to lie around and feel sorry for ourselves. But I know my Ivy does much better if she has a schedule to follow, and frankly, so do I. So we are going to have a little more structure to our days to help pass the time without being at each other’s throats.”
Crossing to the fridge, he scanned the paper she’d pinned there with a magnet.
* * *
7:00-7:30am - Wake up, morning routine
7:30-8:00am - Ivy makes breakfast
8:00-9:00am - Eat breakfast together, all of us
9:00-11:00am - School for Jacob
11:00-12:00 - Activity Time
12:00-1:00 - Lunch
1:00-2:00 - Free Time
2:00-3:00 - Exercise
