Page 62 of Under Daddy's Spell

“Whoa,” the same voice uttered as hands encircled her waist and kept her from falling. “I tried not to startle you, but you seemed miles away.”

She didn’t have to look down to know who held her. “You’re home early.”

“Actually, I never left. With storms across the southeast last night, they canceled everything. That didn’t keep me from spending half the night at the airport until they did.”

He hadn’t released her, and she didn’t want him to. Since he had her firmly secured, she laid her palms against his scruffy cheeks as he gazed up at her. “You must be exhausted. Did you sleep at all?”

“I grabbed a few hours this morning.” His hold shifted to her hips as he took a step back. “Although I like the view from where I’m standing, come on down here so we can talk face-to-face.”

He didn’t release her until she found solid ground. Three inches shorter in sandals and another sundress, she had to tilt her sharply to meet his gaze.

“Not exactly face-to-face,” she said with a shrug.

He tugged on a loose curl. “I like this new look, little bit.”

Her eyes tipped to the ceiling before returning to his handsome face. “Now you know why I wear skirts and heels. No short jokes, please.”

“I wouldn’t ever,” he assured her, but when his mouth kicked up on one side, she wasn’t sure if she believed him. “Can you get away for an early lunch?”

She glanced at her still-full cart. If she left it in the aisle, customers would pick from it, and she’d have to sort it again. “Give me a minute. I was kind of in the middle of something.”

“Take your time. Since I wasn’t supposed to be here today, I have nowhere to rush off to for once.”

“At least get comfortable while you wait.” She took his hand for a change and led him to the best seat in her reading nook, an overstuffed armchair with a matching ottoman. While he settled in, she got him a cup of coffee—black, his preference.

“I don’t know if this is a good idea,” he said, grabbing her hand as he looked up at her. “I may fall asleep if you leave me here too long.”

“I won’t be long, but a power nap might do you good.”

She left him, pushed her cart into the storage room out of the way, and secured her ladder. Stopping by the restroom, she checked her hair, which hadn’t frizzed too much. Her new conditioner from the Beauty Warehouse did wonders even with all the rain. She reapplied a layer of nude lipstick then smoothed down her dress—a cool, summer-weight cotton with string ties at the shoulders and a square neck. The top was loose, but the stretchy fabric at the waist gave way to a tiered skirt. In pale yellow and white with a small floral pattern throughout, it was without a doubt the most comfortable thing she’d ever worn to work.

She turned from side to side, assessing it with a critical eye. The look leaned more toward Daddy’s girl and away from the confident businesswoman persona she wanted to portray at work. He’d noticed it and liked it. For ten bucks on clearance at the women’s boutique down the strip, she’d gotten her money’s worth. As long as no one else called herlittle bitor the heels were coming back.

Without other beauty magic available to her, she went up front to collect him.

Instead of his shiny black truck, he led her to a charcoal-gray sports car. Decadence was the word that came to mind as she sank into the plush seat and ran her hands over the interior. Several others came to mind when she inhaled: leather, masculine, sexy, and Jordan.

When he slid in behind the wheel, she asked, “Did you trade in your truck?”

“Never. I’m forever hauling something between locations.” He picked up her hand and brought it to his lips. “But I like to have a car for special occasions, like when I’m taking the prettiest girl in town to lunch.”

“No fibbing, remember, Daddy.”

He squeezed her fingers. “I like that, baby girl. The daddy part, at least. Implying that you’re not beautiful with your hair loose around your bare shoulders wearing that sweet yellow dress, which is also sexy as fuck since I know you can’t possibly be wearing a bra under it, will get you more of what you got Friday night.”

Was he talking about the oral sex, the double orgasm, or the spanking?

His hand curled behind her neck, pulling her close as he leaned in.

“And by that, I mean a spanking,” he clarified, as if reading her thoughts. When she blinked in surprise, he slowly shook his head. “Haven’t you seen the looks men give you when you walk by? Or the jealous glares the women shoot your way? It’s not only the hair, green eyes, and dazzling smile. Granted, the great ass and fantastic tits are real head-turners—”

“Daddy!”

The half-smile was back. “What I’m saying, baby girl, is you’re the full package. We’ll have to figure out why you don’t think so. I know your house has mirrors ’cause I’ve seen them. But, bottom line, anyone hinting or implying or like a blind fool saying you aren’t gorgeous, even you, isn’t something I’ll tolerate. Got it?”

“I got it,” she whispered.

One blond brow arched as he held her gaze.

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