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Growling under my breath, I stalk over to look out of the window again. The silvery-gray SUV is full of all the latest amenities and safety features. It’s even got heated seats and auto start. I don’t even have to leave the house in the morning to clean the damn thing off. Just hit a button.
I’ve never had anything that nice. Never had anyone want to take care of me.
My parents died a long time ago. My mom got cancer and died right after I was born. My dad managed to make it to my eighteenth birthday but I swear he was just waiting for me to graduate before he joined her. He killed himself in the middle of the night after I left for college.
It hurt and I had to immediately turn around and go back home to clear up all the usual estate things. Selling the house gave me a little cushion but not much and the scholarship was essential to get me through school.
My shoulders slump and I shove my fingers in my hair, feeling the old, empty feeling creep over me. My stomach sinks and I groan.
It hurt when I realized that my father didn’t care enough about me to stay. When I knew that I wasn’t enough. I would never be enough for him.
My phone rings and I pick it up. Daffy’s soft voice makes me smile, at least for a minute.
“Hey.”
“Oh shit! What’s he done now?” She sighs through the phone and I have to giggle.
“How’d you know?”
“Because the man is stubborn as the day is long. There’s no way in hell that he gave up.”
“Well, I got a new car this morning. Whether I wanted it or not,” I grumble, taking a sip of my weak coffee. I love my extra extra creamer. Extra sugar, extra cream. I like my coffee to look like it’s just a shade off of the actual creamer.
“What!?” I hear her hollering in the background and the rich rumble of Harrison’s growly voice in the background. “What kind of car is it? What did you say? What did he say?”
“I said, no way I don’t want it. The guy said you can’t say no. It’s already signed and paid for. He said I could drive it off a cliff if I wanted to but it’s my problem now!”
“Wow! That’s dark,” she mutters. “What did you say to Max?”
A little tingle feathers out of my belly when I hear his name. That damn tingle has been getting bigger and more hard to control over the last week.
Ever since he stayed with Daisy while I taught that class. Every time I looked over there Harrison and Max were playing with my little daughter. One or the other of them was always picking her up and she was absolutely radiant. Smiling her little gummy smile and gnawing on her little fist like she couldn’t have been happier.
It was damn adorable and I swear to God, I think my ovaries combusted.
And then Daffy leaned over me, whispering in my ear, “I don’t know who the hell that guy is…but if you don’t lock him down, you’re a damn idiot.”
I glare at her. “You’ve got Harrison!”
She nods her blond head, her eyes soft on her husband, her palm caressing the little bump of her belly. “That’s how I recognize a keeper, girl. That man’s a keeper.”
“He’s too old.”
She snorts. “Ummm. So he’s a little older than you. I think he can still get the job done.” Her eyes sparkle.
“Try twenty years older than me, Daffy. And I’m telling Harrison what you said!”
“Pshaw! That’s fine.” Her blond brows lift and she waggles them suggestively. “He gives the best punishments!”
Crinkling up my nose, I stalk off and leave her to her dirty thoughts.
But I’ve spent every night since then picturing what kind of bad girl I could be and how Max might punish me.
Yikes! I didn’t realize that I have kinks but I’m thinking all kinds of things that I’ve never considered before.
“Hello, Stella! Yoo-hoo!” Daffy’s giggle brings me back and I clear my throat.
“Sorry. I haven’t had enough coffee this morning.”
