Page 9 of Stay Baby Stay

Chapter Four

Holly

It’s a struggle to disentangle myself from Jack’s embrace. Not because he won’t let me, but because part of me wishes he wouldn’t let me go. My chest flutters at the longing in his gaze as I glance over my shoulder at him. He must be able to feel it, the string that tethers us, even as I make my way across the room.

At the bar, Kenzie wraps her arm around my shoulders.

“You two looked cozy,” she says with a grin. “What was that about?”

“He was nice.” I shrug. I don’t know why I let myself get so close to Jack, but I know I’m not ready to dissect my reasoning now.

“Most of them seem pretty okay. You’ve just got to lean into your daddy issues.”

“Gross,” I say, hoping she doesn’t notice the shiver of arousal that scampers through me.

Kenzie likes to use the word daddy ironically, or so she claims.

Check out at that daddy by the slushie machine.

Know what we need, Hollywood? A couple of sugar daddies.

Part of me wonders if it doesn’t turn her on a little to say it. It turns me on to think it to myself, though I’d never admit it out loud.

When it comes down to it, who wouldn’t want someone to rock them to sleep at night? To kiss their brow and read them bedtime stories. Protect and care for them like they’re precious.

Daddy kink is a fantasy I rarely allow myself, but it’s one that always does the job when I have a chance to touch myself.

As much as I try not to think about it, Kenzie might be on to something about the whole daddy issue thing. Neither of us remember our dads fondly, if we remember them at all.

I bet Jack would make a wonderful daddy...

I check to see if he’s still watching me, and sure enough he is. He hasn’t moved an inch from the chair where I left him. As soon as Kenzie and I are done here, I’m going straight back there. Back into his arms.

“Listen,” Kenzie says, handing me a fresh glass of champagne. “Steph says there’s a man who wants to get to know me in private.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know, but she says he’ll pay me a thousand dollars just for the pleasure of my company. Athousanddollars, Hollywood. On top of the two hundred.”

I tear my gaze from Jack’s to look at her.

“What do you have to do?”

“I don’t know yet,” she says. “But there isn’t a lot I wouldn’t do for that kind of money. I want you to meet him, too.”

“What, why?”

“If he’s willing to drop a grand on me, he might pay two for both of us.”

“Kenzie, come on—”

“Hollywood.” Her expression turns grave. “I got fired from the bar two nights ago.”

My stomach seizes. “What for?”

“My boss’s wife accused me of stealing tips.”

I don’t have to ask her if she did it; Kenzie and I have lifted our share of food and clothes over the years, but she would never steal from her co-workers.

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