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SUMMER
Ifeel him tense from across the room, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, we work to get everything set up in silence. I probably shouldn’t have said it, but it’s the truth. I’ve tried to date over the years. I’ve even tried dating vanilla guys. But none of them were Dane. They didn’t have his manners. Or his signature scent. Or his passion. Or his good looks. Or any of the things I think of when I think of him. I’m in my late thirties and still have a crush on my neighbor.
“Okay, log into the app and check to make sure everything looks good. Is there anything else you can think of that we need to do for your mom before we go?”
My tummy does somersaults as I check the camera app. “No. I already gave her lunch, and she had her medication. I suggested she work on the blanket she’s been knitting, and she liked that idea. She likes to watch daytime shows, so she is usually pretty preoccupied in the afternoons.”
He nods and comes over to look at my phone. When we’re both satisfied with what we can see, he wraps his hand around the back of my neck and squeezes gently.
“Go grab anything you want to bring. Clothes, toys, whatever you have. Bring a hat, scarf, and gloves too.”
When I don’t move right away, he gives my bottom a soft swat to get me going. I yelp, then giggle as I make my way to my bedroom. As I pack some things into a backpack, I can hear Dane making small talk with my mom. I smile. He’s always been so kind to her. She always liked him too. When I was a teenager, she told me Dane was the kind of man I should marry because he’s the type of man who would rather cut off his own arm than hurt a woman.
Once I have everything, I head out to the living room. “I’m going to go out for a while, but if you need anything, my phone number is written down right here by the phone so you can call me. Okay?”
My mom looks up at me with a blank look that saddens me down to my bones and nods. “Okay, Janet. Don’t be too late or Mom will ground you.”
I swallow thickly and give her a weak smile. Dane comes to me and wraps his arm protectively around my waist.
“I’ll make sure to have her back early,” he reassures my mom.
“I’m sorry,” I say when we step out onto the porch.
He stops and turns toward me. “Don’t ever apologize. She can’t help it, and neither can you. We’ll figure it out, baby. Okay? You don’t have to do this all alone.”
The thick lump returns to my throat, so I nod and let him lead me over to his house. It’s warm and cozy when we walk in. I love it here. It’s always been a safe place for me. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett had even given me a key at one point when I was a teenager and told me if I ever needed to get away from my father, I could come over day or night without asking. I never used it, but the fact that they gave it to me meant everything at the time.
“I hope it’s okay, but I invited Jaxon, Leah, Greer, and Austin over so you girls can play in the snow for a bit.”
A smile spreads across my face as I look up at him. “You invited my friends over? To play?”
The way he looks a little unsure of himself melts me.
“Well, yeah. You said you wanted to play in the snow, and it’ll be a lot more fun with friends. Is that okay?”
Once again, I find myself throwing my arms around his waist. “It’s amazing. Thank you.”
He runs his hand down my back and chuckles. “Don’t thank me yet. There are going to be rules, Little girl. And if you don’t follow the rules, you’ll be in trouble.”
I tilt my head back to look up at him, a ghost of a smile pulling at my lips. “Will you spank me?”
His eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “It depends. Do you want that to be part of what we’re doing? If it is, I’ll follow through, and I will spank your bottom if you misbehave.”
I don’t have to think about my answer, so I nod. “Yes. I do. I want it all, Dane.”
He studies me for a moment. “Okay. Then, if you want it all, for now, you call me Daddy. You don’t have to call me that in front of your friends if you don’t want to, but when we’re in private, I’m Daddy.”
Maybe dreams do come true. Or maybe I’m actually dreaming. I reach down and pinch my thigh to check.
“Ouch!”
“Summer Avery, what the hell? Don’t pinch yourself. What are you doing?”
Whoops. How do I explain that?
Thankfully, there’s a knock at the front door.
“We’ll go over more rules in a bit. For now, though, if I tell you to do something, I expect you to obey. Are we clear?” he asks.
