Page 7 of Daddy Crush (Silver Fox Daddy)

“Not at all.” With a firm sense of conviction that I’d grown to recognize as his character, he explained, “Alcohol will always be a trigger for me, but I have a solid recovery foundation and years of sobriety behind me. I appreciate your asking, though, Clover. Not everyone would think to do so.”

Next, my crush ordered half a dozen oysters on the half shell for starters and asked, “You’re twenty-eight, and you’ve really never had them?”

When I remarked, “No,” he shook his head.

I blushed, feeling like an awkward country bumpkin.

The waiter placed them in front of me, and I forced myself to swallow one of the slimy morsels, trying not to look disgusted. Duke watched with amusement as I choked it down.Newsflash: It was gross.

And I didn’t need the side effect people purported them to deliver—feeling plenty horny without the added aphrodisiac, thank you very much.

“What did you think?” he asked.

“I’ve had nothing like it,” I said, and his smile widened in approval.

His dark eyes glittered as he replied, “I like that. Giving you your first.”

My pulse quickened, and suddenly I was tripping on the oyster’s after-effect. I wanted to lean in and kiss him, but I knew it was wrong. Clearly, my thoughts about him had nothing to do with reason.

“Duke, I think you should know...” I said quietly, refusing to look at him for fear I’d lose my courage. “The way I feel about you... it’s not normal.”

Our server returned, taking up the appetizer plate and setting my fried chicken and his New York steak on the table while we sat stiffly staring at one another across the fine china, cutlery, and white tablecloth.

The waiter departed, and Duke shook his head, leaning over the table, his voice soft but unyielding. “If there is one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s that there is no such thing as ‘normal’. All that matters is that we respect each other and acknowledge our feelings.” He paused for a moment before continuing. “And I would do nothing to hurt you or make you feel uncomfortable. You or your father.”

I finally looked up at him, my expression one of surprise and disbelief. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. Then I managed to whisper, “But I might. Maybe I have to do it for the both of us if you won’t. Because I can’t help thinking that maybe this could be something special.”

Duke rubbed a hand over his closely cropped beard and shifted his weight, discomfort etching the lines around his mouth. “It’s wrong, if I understand what you’re saying to me. I need you to respect that I’m trying my hardest here, Clover,” he said, voice gruff with emotion. “Your father asked me to do him a favor by taking you in, and I can’t break that trust.”

The half glass of wine under my belt boosted my bravery, and I declared, “It’s not wrong if I want you to. And I do.”

4

DUKE

Igazed at her, certain my inner turmoil was visible, as I deliberated whether to disclose my cravings to her. If I revealed my dominant side, would she back away in fear, as I suspected? Or would it intrigue her?

Good judgment wasn’t a factor when I took that risk. It had flown out the window the moment she came down the stairs wearing that dress, all soft, glowing skin and tempting curves. I had to wonder, was she a bigger test of my willpower than alcohol itself, or was she teaching me to battle for what my instincts knew was mine?

“Clover, I want to be honest with you about something,” I began. A novel hoarseness lingered in my voice, and I cleared my throat.

She looked up at me; her stare intense, so full of candid admiration and infatuation. It made my heart swell in my chest. Next, my shoulders hunched in shame for being the one about to shatter that girlish adoration.

“I’m not like most men. I have... desires that are different. That’s one reason I’m hesitant to acknowledge this thing between us,” I said, trying to keep a light tone in my voice. “Not to mention the fact that you’re half my age and the daughter of my best friend.”

Clover’s face softened, and she leaned forward, her hand gently clasping mine. “So, you admit there is a thing? I’m interested in learning more,” she said, her voice gentle yet bold. “I trust you, and I know you’d never do anything to hurt me. Besides...” She looked across the dining room to gather her thoughts and twisted her napkin in her hands before peering into my eyes again. “Maybe I have a few confessions of my own.”

That statement made me pull back on my mental reins, my mind desperate to control my cock, which betrayed me, stiffening further and pointing right at the young woman sitting across from me.

Her expression grew serious. “You go first.”

I knew it was easier to avoid temptation than to resist it, and perhaps I should have known better than to ask her out to dinner. To sit across from her while she wore that stunning dress of hers that made all the blood in my body rush to my groin, while discreetly engrossing me in the way her breasts were perfect, perky handfuls rising slightly above the top of her neckline.

The air between us suddenly electrified. I didn’t know if I was making the correct decision, but I knew it was the only one that felt right, so I took a deep breath and braced myself for what might follow.

“Clover,” I murmured, “I’m a dom.”

Her brows knit together, and she cocked her head to the side, a pretty picture of confusion. She regarded me with curiosity, not saying a word, patiently waiting for me to explain myself.

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