“Sweetheart, honest work is honest work, and I’m proud of you for not being afraid to get your hands dirty and scrub floors if need be. I’ve heard that café customers can be insanely demanding too, what with their complicated drink orders and entitled attitudes. Again, I’m proud of you. But I also want to reiterate that anytime you want to quit, go ahead, sweetheart. I’m more than happy to support you and you’re basically already living here 24/7.”
The young girl shoots me a shy smile.
“I am, aren’t I?” she murmurs, giving my hand a squeeze. “But the thing is that I want to make something of myself. I don’t want to be a mooch.”
I stare deeply into her eyes.
“You would never be a mooch, sweetheart. I’m happy to provide anything and everything you need, and that includes helping you find your career path if you want. You studied child psychology, right? I can talk to some people and see if we can get you an internship somewhere.”
Haley blinks at me.
“Really?” she whispers. “You’d do that for me?”
I squeeze her hand again before dropping a light kiss on those luscious lips. She’s soft, fragrant, and so fucking sexy that I want to push her to the ground and fuck the living daylights out of her right here on the kitchen floor. But instead, I nod seriously.
“Of course, baby girl. I’d do anything for you. What are you looking for? A position at a day care? Substitute teaching? Working as a school psychologist?”
“Oh, I’m not qualified to be a school psychologist yet,” Haley says quickly. “I’d need to go back to school for that and get a Masters in Social Work at the very least.”
I nod.
“Perfect. Do you want me to pull some strings over at St. Cloud State? Or Marymount? I know some folks there and we could get you admitted by next semester.”
Haley colors, looking surprised, before biting her lip.
“Well, maybe I’m not ready to be a student again,” she hedges. “Things are just moving so fast!”
I shrug and grin at her.
“Speak the word, baby girl, and I’ll make it happen.”
Haley smiles again, almost glowing with joy, and it makes me feel good to know that I made her happy. It feels right to do everything in my power to help this woman, and to support her in whichever direction she chooses to go. Haley is mine, and slowly but surely, she’s realizing it too.
But then she shoots me a questioning look.
“But Daddy, we’re not using protection when we’re intimate,” she says in a small voice. “You know I’m going to get pregnant soon if we don’t start using something.”
I drop another kiss on her bare shoulder.
“I know, baby girl, and I love that about you. I love knowing that you’re ripe and fertile, and that every time I come in you, you might conceive my child. It’s what I want – to see you grow big and swollen with my child in your belly.”
She blushes red.
“But what about all these career plans we just talked about? And school too?”
I shrug.
“You don’t have to do any of them, if you don’t want, sweetheart. Or you could do all of them, and we could find a nanny to help care for the baby while you go back for your degree. Two, or even three nannies, if that’s what it takes.”
Haley nods slowly.
“I see what you mean,” she murmurs. “But there are still too many unanswered questions, Chase. We need to address them before doing something as momentous as starting a family.”
I put my fork down and hold my hands out wide.
“Shoot, honey. I’m all ears.”
The young blonde pauses a moment, and then turns to me, her expression serious.
