Page 31 of Daddy Crush (Silver Fox Daddy)

I turned quickly to see none other than Duke standing there and wondered for a moment if I was losing my mind.

He was so tall and proud, with his hair neatly combed. He wore a faded flannel shirt and 501’s that were faded and worn, instead of being pressed to perfection. His boots bore scuff marks and his Carhart jacket had clearly kept him warm for years. He was a sight for sore eyes.

I didn’t need a knight in shining armor. Instead, this unpolished one was mine, wearing a worn battle suit that proved he knew how to fight and would keep me safe.

“Whoa there,” he said holding his hands up in mock surrender. “Ava called in sick. Thought you might need some help today.”

His examination of me grew cold with calculation as my terror became clear.

All I could do was point to the counter, where I’d left a guy burnt and bleeding on the floor.

He glanced behind the steel-encased glass, then back at me before stepping aside and motioning for me to go through the door. “Go on now.” He handed me the keys to his pickup, which was parked right out front. “Lock yourself inside.”

I nodded in thanks before dashing out onto the street to his truck.

It only took two minutes for the Briarville Police to arrive, and Duke came out to fetch me for my statement, after they’d cuffed Hoss and led him away. It might take them a while to prove a scary stalker case, but meanwhile, they held him for breaking and entering.

I felt safe in Duke’s arms as he carried me back out to his pickup and drove us to his ranch. All the chaotic events of that day were finally beginning to recede, like a wave ebbing away from the shore, and I realized I was exhausted.

His ranch and stables, gardens and pastures stretched into the horizon. I looked at the wraparound porch and felt a strange stirring beneath my breast.

Inside, the sturdy furniture welcomed me, and there was an inviting warmth which felt like home.

18

CLOVER

We stood in Duke’s foyer, looking at each other awkwardly, and I wanted to throw myself into his arms, but didn’t.

I cleared my throat, unsure how to break the silence.

He smiled warmly at me and said, “I’ve been imagining you here like this since the day you left.”

He stepped forward, closing the distance between us. My heart raced as he reached out and cupped my chin, lifting it to gaze into my eyes. Suddenly, the entire world faded away until I could only feel his presence around me, an ease that enveloped me like a comfy blanket.

Duke spoke. “My best friend called me. Said I had his blessing to court his daughter, and she’d convinced him I made her happy. Know anything about that?”

He leaned in close, and our lips met in a forgiving, lingering kiss that sent liquid fire through my veins. His powerful hands clutched my waist, and I melted into his embrace. Time stood still as we kissed, our breaths mingling, and the smell of him took over my senses. We pried apart slowly, like a saltwater taffy pull at the fair, both of us breathless from the intensity of our embrace.

“I may not be as old or as experienced as you, and there is still a lot to learn about life, but you’re the one I want to discover it with. Will you teach me how to love you right?” I asked. “Daddy?”

I put my arms around his neck and succumbed to the forceful domination of his lips, his tongue sliding softly across the seam of my mouth before he pulled away.

“I never want you to settle for second best, Clover. It’s only with your help that I realized I can’t live without spending every day trying to be the best man I can for you.” His hands traced the contours of my shoulders and ran them down my arms, before gripping my hands in his as he stared into my eyes. “Experience taught me, sometimes, things have to be completely ripped apart before we can mend them. Can you ever forgive me for hurting your heart, baby girl?”

I murmured before turning away, overwhelmed by a lingering tenderness I didn’t understand or know how to express, feelings too powerful for mere words.“So long as you promise to never, ever leave me again.”

He turned me around to face him and kissed the tip of my nose, my eyes, and finally, my mouth. Suddenly, he lifted me into the cradle of his arms and carried me to his bedroom. Gently laying me on the bed, he gave a peck to my forehead and whispered, “I want you to be mine forever. I love you, Clover.”

I buried my face against his throat and told him, “I love you, too.”

My skin felt hot and tingly with anticipation as he tugged at the buttons of my shirt one by one until it lay open. His lips sensuously made a trail across my neck before finding their way to the swell of my breasts. I gasped at the exquisite stir pulsing through me as his fingers slid along the fabric of my bra, pulling it down over my tortured nipples.

He undressed without hurry, revealing a body that was all hard muscle and perfect skin. Duke leaned over me and said, “Surrender yourself to me. Everything we do will be together from now on.”

I smiled up at him before responding, “Yes, Daddy.”

His piercing gaze locked on to mine, silently communicating his expectations, which he spoke next. “Have you been a good girl, Clover?”

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