Page 15 of Spooking the Mountain Man
"Okay," she whispers.
"Okay?"
"Yes. I want you to take care of me."
The trust in her voice makes my chest tight. "Good girl."
Kelly practically melts at the praise. I lean down to kiss her, cupping her face with both hands.
"Can I..." she starts, then stops.
"Can you what, baby?"
"Can I call you... what I called you last night?" Her cheeks are red. "Or was that just a heat of the moment thing?"
"You can call me whatever feels right," I tell her. "Callum. Sir. Daddy. All of it. Whatever you need in the moment."
"Daddy," she tests the word, and I can see her processing how it makes her feel. "It sounds weird saying it in daylight."
"Does it feel weird?"
She considers. "No. Just... new. Good new, though."
"Then don't overthink it." I kiss her forehead. "We're figuring this out as we go, remember? There's no rulebook."
"What if I'm bad at it?"
"At what?"
"This. Being... yours. What if I don't know how to be a good—" she stumbles over the word, "—good girl?"
I can't help but smile at her earnestness. "Baby, you already are. You think too much. That's the whole point – you let me do the thinking."
"That's going to take practice."
"Then we'll practice." I roll her onto her back again, settling between her thighs. "Starting now."
"Now?" Kelly's breath catches.
"Now. Open your legs for me."
She obeys without hesitation, and I grin. "See? You're already doing great."
I'm just lowering my head when the sound of a car door slamming outside makes us both freeze.
Kelly's eyes go wide with panic. "Is that—"
"Tyler," I finish grimly, recognizing the sound of his truck.
Shit.
I move to the window and peer through the curtains. A familiar red pickup truck is parked in the driveway, and Tyler is walking toward the front door with his duffel bag slung over his shoulder.
"Yeah, that's Tyler."
Kelly sits up quickly, clutching the sheet to her chest. "What's he doing back? He said three weeks!"
"Job must have finished early," I say, grabbing my jeans from the floor. "Get dressed. Quickly."
