Page 18 of Running into Trouble

God damn, that's sexy as fuck.

Which is all I can think about with each soft press of his lips against my burning skin. Now, a hundred degrees hotter from the desire bubbling up from my core.

I’m in fucking trouble here. There’s no way he means it the way I’m taking it. I’ve never looked or felt less sexy in my life than I do right now. Sitting here in my whites, not showing a lick of skin.

His kisses are nothing more than a kind gesture. A father kissing a daughter's boo-boo to make it feel better. Which, age-wise, could be true between us.

I try to let that little realization put out the fire in my belly but instead heat surges lower. Between my legs.

Get yourself together, girl.

"This might sting a little." Daniel holds out a dollop of burn cream on the end of his finger.

I can’t help imagining that it’s actually frosting or whipped cream. If it was I’d have leaned in and sucked it off.

Shit. Why is it everything Daniel does makes me so damn hot? I sweat less craned over an open flame in the kitchen for hours on end.

"All better?” he asks, after wrapping my fingers. Again, like he’s addressing a child but not belittling or condescending. If I didn't know better, I’d say there’s a hint of playfulness in his tone and his sparkling green eyes.

I play along. “Yes, daddy.” But the shock that replaces the sparkle in Daniel's eyes has me desperate to take it back. "Oh, my God. I'm so sorry. I don't know why I said that." All the heat in my core rushes to my cheeks. And instead of wanting to stay and see where the night will take us, I just want to run. Hide.

“Thanks for the, umm…” I wave my bandaged hand as I spring out of the chair, slip past Daniel, and back out the door. “You have a lovely studio.”

“Riley.”

“It’s so late. I shouldn’t keep you any longer.”

He calls my name again as I sprint toward the door but I can’t bring myself to stop and listen to whatever he has to say. Probably chastise me for how horribly I just acted. How it’s best we don’t see each other again because I’m an immature little girl who makes inappropriate jokes in mixed company.

If he never wants to see me again, I’ll understand because after what I just did, I’m not sure I can look myself in the eye again.

∞∞∞

DANIEL

I take off after Riley but my football-damaged knees can’t keep up with her.

“What the fuck just happened?”

Don’t be stupid.

She called me daddy. And not in an affectionate, friend-of-my-daughter’s-and-a-daughter-of-mine-by-proxy sort of way. In a naughty, let-me-put-on-a-school-girl-uniform-and-let’s-role-play sort of way.

And strike me dead if it didn’t get me harder than I already shouldn’t be.

“What the fuck is wrong with me?”

I step back inside the shop. I want to leave the door unlocked, in case she comes back but I know I’ll never see her again.

It’s for the best.

We’re incompatible. Judging by the way she sprinted out of here, she’s an athlete. Which would make us a fantastic pair if we were the same age. Playing ball and running for fun had been my favorite things to do at one point in time. Now, it takes everything in me to stay in the shape I’m in. And I only work as hard as I do, to keep my weight down and undue stress off my knees.

I can only imagine the other things she does I can’t keep up with anymore. And wonder how long it would take her to get bored and leave me like my wife did.

Putting my self-pity aside, I go to my window display and put everything back exactly the way it was before.

Some things are better left alone.

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