Page 47 of Tinley's Daddy
Josh had set some pajamas outside the door. I grabbed them, changed, and went out to find him. I heard him talking on the phone. The sun had set, but the backyard was lit up with small lanterns around the back patio. I cracked the back door, and the cool air hit me. I shivered and shut it. A few coats were hung on hooks in the mudroom. I grabbed one. It smelled like Josh. I put it on and stepped outside to the back. Steam hovered over the pool. I squatted down and ran my hand in the water.
“Oh, wow.” The warmth was inviting. I looked around, shed the coat, and jumped in on impulse. It was heated like a bathtub. The cold air made it cozier. I dove under the water, sinking to the bottom. My mind quieted. I watched as bubbles floated to the top. A figure floated through the air and splashed above me. I pushed off to get away, but it grabbed me around the waist and hauled me toward the surface.
I opened my mouth to scream, but water rushed in. We breached the surface, and I sucked in a breath and coughed.
“I got you.” Josh splashed and swam toward the shallow end. “You’re okay.”
I continued to cough up pool water and finally my voice came back. “Josh! Let me go.”
He stopped. I pushed off him and swam back toward the steps on my own.
I gripped the railing and tried to get my heart to calm down.
“What the heck was that?” I said between coughs. “You trying to drown me?”
I shivered and slid back down a step to get my shoulders under the water.
“You’re okay?” He hadn’t moved. “I thought you fell in. I thought you were drowning.”
“I’m—” A coughing fit took my breath. When it subsided, Josh swam in front of me. “The water is so warm. I felt like taking a swim. I haven’t had a chance to do what I want in so long.” I ran my hands back and forth through the water.
“I’m sorry. I?—”
“Didn’t think I could swim.” She giggled.
“No, I thought you fell, hit your head, and had sunk to the bottom.” Josh sat next to me on the steps. He was fully dressed in the same button-down and slacks he wore all day.
I looked down into the water.
“You should have at least taken your shoes off.” I giggled. He joined me and pulled off his shoes and socks. He unbuttoned two buttons on his shirt and pulled it over his head. He set all the items on the side of the pool.
I pushed off and turned on my back and floated. “It’s so peaceful out here.” I heard mumbled sounds. “What?”
“Next time you want to take a swim, could you give me a heads-up?” He stood and climbed the steps. Water drippeddown his chiseled chest. I’d never seen him without a shirt on. His soaked slacks hung low on his hips. Josh Burroughs was fit. He headed toward the mudroom. I admired the curve of the top of his ass. A shiver ran through me. I spent most of last year numb, not trusting my bodily reactions. I’d been with men, and my body betrayed me. It played with my brain for a long time until I remembered sexual responses were hormonal. I had no control over my body, but my mind I could switch off. It was safer, and with no thoughts, I had no feeling and my body went numb. Anger definitely turned them on, and I didn’t want to do anything to help them get off.
With the one guy who didn’t have sex with me, just wanted a baby to take care of, I let my guard down a little. Enough for him to trust me. He wanted to keep me. When another man came and took me away from him, I had to start all over again. My own sexual responses were a trigger.
When I looked at Josh. When he touched me. When he held me, I willed my body to feel it. I didn’t want to be numb for him. I found my footing and swam over to the steps to climb out. Josh came back with a towel secured around his waist.
Heat filled my cheeks. He looked even sexier, if that was possible.
“Come on.” He held the towel out for me. “We both need some sleep.”
I let out a yawn and rolled my eyes at his ‘I told you so’ face. I grabbed the towel and followed him inside.
“Take the pajamas off and put them in the washer. I left you more pajamas in the bathroom.” He pointed to a door I hadn’t noticed before. I stepped into another bathroom. I jumped in the shower to rinse off and got dressed again.
I found Josh on the other side of the house, in one of four rooms off a large game room. He had turned down the huge white comforter and fluffed the pillows. The entire room wasdecorated in white, with accents of pale blue. I ran my hand along the quilt-covered headboard. My suitcase sat on a bench at the end of the bed.
“Hop in.” Josh nodded toward the bed. My gaze ran the perimeter of the room. The two windows were covered in gauzy floor-to-ceiling drapes, and the window blinds were closed. I sat on the side of the bed.
“Where are you sleeping?” I slid my feet in, and he covered me with the sheet and blanket. He tucked them around my legs but stopped when he got to my thighs.
“Sorry.” He huffed. “I’m Daddying you again.”
I giggled.
“It’s okay.” I took his hand. “You can’t help yourself.”
