AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I stare at his chest and think about how to answer him. They always say honesty is the best policy, but being truthful can also make you vulnerable. I was vulnerable with Dane once before, and he stomped on my teenaged heart. I may be an adult now, but my feelings for him haven’t wavered. If he rejects me again, I might never recover.
10
DANE
She’s battling herself in her head. I can see it and feel it in the way she’s holding herself. Instead of forcing her to answer me, I sit in silence and wait for her to talk. When she finally looks up at me, a glimmer of tears fills her eyes.
“I’m scared I’m going to fall in love with you.”
My throat constricts, and I stare at her in shock. I knew she cared for me. I knew she liked me. I did not know she felt something that deeply for me. Then again, my feelings for her go a lot deeper than I’ve ever been willing to admit out loud.
I feel like I’m constantly fighting this inner battle with myself when it comes to Summer. The desire to hold on to her and ask her to move back to Pine Hollow is so damn strong. But I also don’t ever want to be the person to hold her back. Her father held her back so many times when she was a kid. He tore her and her mother down. He hurt them with his words and actions. The only friend she had growing up was my sister. All the other girls at school were told to stay away from Murphy Pierce’s kid. His reputation for being the town drunk, the town thief, and the town gambler all affected Summer’s life here. How could I ever ask her to stay?
She’s having no trouble fitting in with people in this town now. Most of her classmates grew up and formed their own opinions about her. They seemed to figure out that just because her dad was a shitty human doesn’t mean she is. She’s made plenty of friends since she’s come home. But would she want to stay here for good? I don’t know if my pride would be able to handle it if I asked her to stay and she turned me down. Fucking pride. It’s a bitch.
Finally, I let out the breath I’ve been holding for much too long and nod. “I feel the same, baby.”
It’s the truth. Although, I’m already pretty head over heels for her. And she’s right. It’s fucking scary.
“We don’t have to decide anything right now. For the time being, we can explore this dynamic together. I think I can speak for both of us and say we’ve both thought about each other over the years and wondered what it would be like to be together. Who knows, you might decide I’m the last man you want as a Daddy.”
I’m trying to lighten the mood, but her wide eyes snap up to mine as if I’ve said the most absurd thing ever.
“No way. I already know you’re the best Daddy in the world.”
My heart practically explodes in my chest. I cup her face in my hands and lower my mouth to hers, needing to taste her. I might die if I don’t. She gasps in surprise but quickly melts into me, letting me in to explore. Our tongues dance together. She fists her hands in my shirt and sighs softly. My cock is so hard I’m afraid it might split my zipper. No one has ever turned me on like Summer does. She does things to me I’ve never experienced before with any other woman. It’s why I’ve never indulged in a long-term relationship. I never felt this kind of connection with anyone else.
Our kiss is filled with so much passion. It goes on and on until we’re breathless and panting for air. Her little hands rest against my chest, and I can’t stop wishing she’d trail them down my stomach and undo my jeans so she could wrap my cock in her delicate fingers. It’s too soon for that, though. I didn’t bring her here to fuck her. I brought her here so she could play and be Little. Sex hadn’t been part of the plan, but now I’m thinking I need to modify our plan. Soon.
“How about we take it one day at a time, okay?”
She licks her lips, still puffy from our kiss, and nods. “Okay. I like that idea.”
“Good. Do you have a safeword?”
She squirms against my lap. I groan at the friction and grip her hips to keep her from moving. I’d hate to explode in my jeans and completely embarrass myself. She’s going to kill me. Death by erection.
“The clubs I’ve gone to use the stop light system for safewords.”
I nod, trying to ignore the questions I want to ask about her experiences at those places. I don’t want to hear about other men touching her. Don’t even want to think about it. I’m not a violent man, but the thought of someone else worshipping her beautiful body and making her scream their name. It’s enough to make me want to do some bad shit.
“I like the stop light system. It’s easy to remember. Let’s use that.”
She studies my face for a few seconds, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. “Will I need to use them?”
“Not necessarily. They’re important to have, though, just in case. Don’t ever play with anyone who says you don’t need to have a safeword in place. Understand?”
What I want to say is don’t ever play with another man ever again. But I don’t. Because I can’t. It’s not my right to ask that of her.
“Yes.”
“Good girl.”
Her gaze travels over the toys, clothes, and supplies I picked up for her. “So, what now?”
My lips pull back in a wide smile. “Now, you play. Let’s grab some toys and take them into the living room so I can keep an eye on you while I make a snack.”
Together, we load our arms with stuff. When we’ve set everything down, she grabs a coloring book and crayons and sinks down to her bottom in front of the coffee table, then starts flipping through the pages. I can’t help the thrill I feel as I watch her.
