Page 15 of Daddy's Game

The way he said my name, like he was caressing the syllables with his tongue, gave me as much of a shiver as the words he spoke.

“This is all kind of fast,” I said, light-headed and reeling. That fluttery feeling was back, magnified by a thousand times. Suddenly I was keenly aware of him as a man…and of how long it had been since I’d slept with anyone.

“Really? I feel like things aren’t moving quite fast enough.”

He reached down and took my hand. I opened my mouth to ask what he was doing, then I realized that I had only put on one of my earrings. The other remained gripped between thumb and forefinger.

Gently, he took the earring from me.

“Allow me,” he said in a tone that brooked no argument. “Move your head to the side, just a bit.”

I only hesitated a moment before I obeyed. His smile grew more sublime and molten at the same time.

“That’s it,” he said in a voice barely above a whisper as he moved to affix my earring. “Good girl.”

A sharp throb passed from my nether regions to cascade throughout my entire body. I felt embarrassed that his praise had such an effect on me. Then again, I’d never gotten much praise as a child. Not that my parents were cruel or unemotional, they just had seven of my siblings to deal with.

I was the ‘good’ kid, the one they didn’t have to worry about, so maybe I got left by the wayside in spite of their best intentions. Still, I found myself wanting to please Brock more.

I fought down the wave within me. I told myself he was just manipulating me so he could get my center. It didn’t help much, but I was able to think a little more clearly, and with the brain in my head instead of elsewhere.

Brock put the earring in with the utmost care, his confident hands not shaking in the slightest. He did it more gently than even I could have myself. Once the earring was in place he stood back and assessed the overall look.

“Simply lovely,” he said. “Though beauty such as yours deserves real diamonds, and not these facsimiles.”

He offered me his hand. I stared at it for a long moment, suspicion, doubt, and desire all vying for supremacy inside of me.

“Just take it,” he said with a gentle laugh. “I’m not proposing.”

I laughed, too, and wound up taking his hand. A smile stretched my face as we walked, hand in hand, down the hallway toward the stairs. Our strides were different, but he shortened his own and I lengthened mine without any preamble or trouble.

We synced up easily. Instantly my mind turned to dirty bedroom thoughts. I felt a flush of shame, almost as if I feared he could read my mind, as silly as it may seem.

When we reached the street below, he opened the door for me, waving off his driver. He held my hand until I got settled into the back seat. Then he slid in beside me. It was only my second time in a limo, ever, and yet I found myself far more distracted by Brock than by the luxurious surroundings.

“How was your day?”

I almost missed his question because I was so distracted. It took me a moment to register he’d even spoken.

“Ah, good,” I said. “Busy, but I was able to get a lot done.”

I knew I had to say the next bit, but it made me uncomfortable.

“Thanks to your donation,” I finished at last, speaking in a rush to get it over with as quickly as possible. “There were a ton of maintenance issues I had to deal with.”

“I’m happy to be of service.”

He slipped his arm around my shoulders. I fought the urge to lean away from him. I really didn’t want to, I just thought that I should. He was still the enemy.

“I’m not going to sell the center,” I said firmly.

“Okay.” He half laughed, and stroked a knuckle down my forearm. I fought off a shiver at his touch. “What brought that on all of the sudden?”

My lips tightened, and I felt strangled by the words wanting to come out of my mouth.

“Talk to me, Grace. You should never be afraid to tell me what’s on your mind.”

I let out an exasperated groan, and again had to turn away from his intense, dark-eyed gaze.

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