Page 43 of Don't Call Me Daddy
“Just because you—” I start to argue, but he shakes his head, his thumb brushing back over my lips to silence me.
He leans down and whispers, “Careful, or I’ll forbid you from pleasuring yourself altogether. And then you’ll really be in a bind, won’t you?”
It’s a rare thing for me to be stunned speechless, but when I open my mouth to argue or press him on how he’d prevent me from touching myself, I’m quickly distracted by the rush of arousal pulsing between my legs.
I look up, seeing a pained expression behind his dark eyes, like he’s torn between leaning into this side of himself and bolting to get as far away from me as he can.
Before I can think twice, I act on impulse and bite his thumb. Hard.
“Ow. Fuck.”
He yanks his hand away in surprise as I flash him my teeth, giving him a challenging grin.
“You’re a fucking brat, you know that?” He doesn’t wait for me to answer. “Get dressed. We’re leaving in five.”
He grabs a yellow sundress that’s strewn across my bed and tears the tag off before tossing it at me. “And don’t even think about acting out tonight, or I swear on everything I will make you regret it.” His voice is all gravelly and laced with warningand does nothing to stifle my curiosity that’s growing bigger by the second.
I don’twantto know what he means … Ineedto know.
Looks like my little plan of temptation backfired, and I’ll be the one with blue balls tonight.
But this is far from over. Leo Kingsley doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.
CHAPTER NINE
Ivy
I gnaw on my bottom lip and stare out the window, replaying our argument over and over in my head, trying to make sense of what happened back there.
My plan was to antagonize him, get under his skin by giving him a little something to fantasize about. I knew he’d be annoyed—it’s not exactly a difficult feat to annoy him—but I didn’t expect him to take it from me, to threaten me.
And more than that, I didn’t expect to like it.
I can’t explain it, but there’s something so exhilarating about pushing his buttons, like I’ve finally found the rush I’ve been chasing all these months. Being around him makes me feel alive, like I’m breathing pure oxygen after surviving my whole life off polluted air.
The rush of not knowing how he’ll react feels like a drug that I’m quickly becoming addicted to. It’s like I’m catching glimpses of the real Leo through the cracks in his armor every time I push back.
I sit back with a huff and prop my feet on the dash. It seems that I underestimated him before. Looks like I’m going to have to try a new angle next time.
“What did I tell you about putting your feet on the dash?” Leo scolds, breaking through the silence.
I jerk my gaze from the window and narrow my eyes. “You’re literally pulling into the driveway. I think I’ll take my chances.”
“It’s not about that. It’s a bad habit, a dangerous habit, that you need to break. I’m not always going to be around to remind you,” he says as he taps my leg with the back of his hand, his touch sending a jolt of electricity in its wake.
“Yes, Daddy,” I tease, rolling my eyes as I pull my legs down.
He doesn’t say anything, but I can see the slight twitch of the muscle in his jaw and the way his grip tightens on the steering wheel. The man’s clearly on edge, and I wonder if he’s thinking about what happened back there, just like me.
But before I can ask him, he puts the car in park and spins to face me. “I’ll do most of the talking. I just need you to smile and look pretty. I think you’ve already taken enough creative liberties for the day with your little stunt this afternoon.” His jaw muscle spasms, and his eyes darken as he stares at me like he’s waiting for his words to sink in. His voice drops lower. “Do you think you can manage that, Ivy?”
Oh, hell no. Who does this guy think he is right now?
I force a fake sweet smile. “What’s wrong, Leo? Are you scared that I’ll act like a brat and embarrass you because you took my new toy?”
I lean toward him and run my fingers through his styled waves, not missing the way his eyes drift shut for only a moment before he catches himself.
He grabs my hand and places it in my lap a little more forcefully than I’d expect. “Just save it for when we’re alone, will you? We can fight until we’re both blue in the face behind closeddoors, but I’ve got a reputation to uphold. There’s a lot at stake here for me. Remember that I’m helping you here just as much as you’re helping me.” He lifts his brow in challenge.
