Page 25 of Seducing Daddy

Jolene

Oh, God, I was in trouble.

If I thought his minuscule scolding was hot, when he turned on his Daddy-dom mode, the waterworks were even worse, and I don’t mean tears. I meant the wetlands down below.

“There have to be some rules between us. Every healthy couple has shared understandings. Those become even clearer when stated as rules,” he said in a low voice.

It was hard to remain coherent when so close to him, but I remembered what he said about paying attention and did my best. “Are we a couple?” I asked. My mind refused to believe the significance of his words.

“This storm has been a blessing in disguise, our chance to get together and give each other a trial run. I don’t just want to be with you; I want to own you. I never considered myself a jealous man, but no woman has ever made me feel this way. Like I’d hurt the man who tried to get with you or paid you too close attention.”

Oddly, the bridled anger in his voice didn’t frighten me.

The furthest thing from my mind was attaching myself to another male after my experiment with marriage had gone so horribly wrong. But now, here I was, feeling ready to try.

“I’m sorry if that scares you,” he continued. “Something about you brings out my protective instincts. It’s not only you I want to keep safe, but also your heart. And I’m curious about you and hope someday you will let me in all the way.”

Could I ever handle that? Could I ever be enough for him?

I might be at ease around him, but I wasn’t exactly relaxed at the moment.

“I want to touch you again, Jolene, but sometimes it seems as though I ought to allow you to take the lead,” he said.

Searching for a plausible explanation, I explained, “I’m sorry. I know I can appear standoffish or skittish. It’s not you; it’s me.” I shrugged my shoulders in a weak attempt at humor.

His laughter was rich and deep. “The only problem with needing to give you space,” he said, “is that I want to show you who’s in charge.”

I licked the last remnants of jam from my lips, and his stare was intense. I needed to let him know I was ready to try. “I thought I’d be more afraid of you, and I’m surprised how you telling me what to do affects me.”

His breathing became noticeably more ragged. “In a good way, I hope.”

This time, there was no hesitation in my response. “With utmost certainty,” I replied.

He placed both his hands on the counter, leaning into them and stretching his feet out behind. “Well, that’s a relief,” he breathed. “The last thing I want to do is bring back bad memories for you.”

I put my hand on his rigid and muscled forearm. “There’s no way in a million years you could ever remind me of that man, Rex. You’re too good of a listener.”

His classically handsome features, combined with the clean, fresh scent of him, made me want a taste. “I guess I’ll take that as a compliment,” he said, allowing several beats of silence to pass between us while I stroked his arm. “So, how about we get back to my bossing you around?”

“I’m listening,” I murmured.

“Remind me again so I know you remember. What will you say if you want me to stop?”

“Santa baby.” I could feel my smile on the inside. Only instead of that tune, it was Rex’s voice serenading me on the main street of Briarville after the craft fair that filled my head. “Oh, the weather outside is frightful.” And the fire he stoked inside me was delightful.

His hot hand clasped mine and led me to the guest bedroom, where he slept last night. He ripped off the comforter, leaving the bed bare except for the pillows and the fitted sheet. Next thing I knew, those same feverish hands roamed my body as they removed one article of clothing after the other and dropped them onto the floor. “Hey, those are your mom’s.”

“Trust me, she won’t mind,” he said. “Be a good girl and lie on your stomach for Daddy.”

There was a hint of fire in his eyes, almost like a dare. I decided I was tired of being in charge of myself. So far, the only thing it had gotten me in the peen department was Slim, and I knew now what a poor substitute my electronic boyfriend was for Rex’s mouth and fingers. Looking back on that, I crawled to the center of the bed and planted my face on a pillow.

“That’s not exactly the position I had in mind,” said his voice from behind, which had dropped in tone and held more of an authoritative zing to it than the words he so gently spoke to me in the kitchen.

You’re safe, I reminded myself. This man would never hurt you on purpose. Just as I finished the thought, he wrapped his heated fingers around my ankles and yanked me to the edge of the bed so that my toes rested on the floor.

“Now, that is a beautiful sight,” he admired. “I have a feeling it’s going to be even prettier when I spank it nice and rosy.”

Oh, my.

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