“Princess,” he stops in the sand and looks down at me, his massive frame blocking out the light of the sun, “I’m buying you dinner, I’m taking care of you, and you’re going to let me.”
“Okay,” I whisper, pussy throbbing.
Did he just call me princess?
Seriously, I need a replay on that.
He clears his throat and looks into the distance as though he’s gaining composure before meeting my gaze again.Maybe he did call me princess, but why? Why would he ever call me princess?
“You like pizza, right?”
I nod.
“Good.” He tucks his hand behind my back and we step forward again. “Then it’s a plan. You’re a princess tonight. Feet up or else.”
“Or else what?” I hold my gaze on him as the pulse of something warm and electric pushes between us that’s impossible to ignore.
He growls low and rough, a sound that feels like a warning to himself. “Or else you’re in trouble.”
Trouble? I can feel a mischievous grin spreading across my face. I’ve never wanted trouble more!
Chapter Four
Cash
Violet sits on the edge of the tub, her soaking wet bathing suit still in place as I clean out the cut on her back. It’s a two-inch slice, shallow but angry looking.
What kind of fucking firefighter would think she needed a hospital for this? Andrew is a fucking douchebag.
She sucks in air through her teeth as I dab around the wound with antiseptic. I shouldn’t relish the small touches, brushing my hand over her soft skin, breathing her in. I shouldn’t be memorizing the way her body responds to my touch, or the sounds she makes with each breath.
It’s sick. I’m here to help her, not ogle and fondle. And yet, my cock doesn’t get the memo. He springs to life and taunts me to untie her bikini, to lean her back, to take away her pain.
“Okay,” I exhale loudly, forcing myself to stop touching her. “Band-Aids.” I reach on the counter where I thought I left them, but they’re gone. “Cora, I need your help!”
I hear her feet before I see her pigtails bounce into my vision. “Yeah, Dad?”
“Can you grab me the Band-Aids under the sink? I forgot to get them.”
She squats down like a frog and opens the cupboard. “Do you want unicorns, ponies, trucks, or… pineapples?” She tosses them all out onto the floor.
“I want the big, plain bandages in the back, please.”
Her eyes narrow inward dramatically as she stares up at Violet. “That’s not what Ms. V wants. Ms. V wants unicorns!”
I can’t help but smile. Cora’s been so much happier since Violet got here. Sure, despite everything, she’s always been a happy kid, but having Violet here has brought out parts of her I didn’t even know existed.
“I think I need the unicorn Band-Aids too!” Violet says. “I mean, who doesn’t love unicorns?”
“Exactly,” Cora cheers, handing a handful of unicorn Band-Aids to Violet.
“Actually,” I say, thinking this cut is going to need the larger Band-Aids in the back, “can you reach the big ones for me, Cora?”
“But, Dad,” she whines, “Violet really needs to use the unicorn ones.”
“I know, sweetheart, but she has a big cut on her back, and we need the big Band-Aids. Can you get those for me?”
“How about this?” Violet says softly. “We put the unicorn Band-Aids on top of the big Band-Aid.”
