"And if I can't?"
"Then I respect that too."
"Daddy?" Lyndsay had moved to my side while I was lost in thought.
I turned and ran my hands down her tiny arms. "Yeah, baby?"
"What are you thinking about? You're being a weirdo today."
I laughed, the spell officially broken. I pulled her into my lap and wrapped my arms around her. "I was actually thinking about this pretty girl that I used to date when I was young."
"Like me?" Lyndsay's eyes widened.
"Well, not as young as you, but a little older." I squeezed her. "She came back into town, and I like seeing her."
"I want to see her." She turned her face up to me. "Is she the girl Mimi showed me pictures of?"
I rolled my eyes and released her. "Back to your side of the table, trouble."
"Trouble! It wasn't me. It was Mimi." She skipped back to her side of the table and got back up in her chair. "Daddy. Was that her? Cause she is very pretty."
I smiled. "Her name is Terra."
She picked up her chocolate milk and took a long drink as she motioned for me with her other hand to keep going. I chuckled, unable to help myself. Little people always made common things seem more precious.
"She has long red hair and really white skin." I wasn't doing Terra a bit of justice, but hopefully, it was good enough for my six-year-old across the table from me.
"Oh yes." She put her glass down and licked her lips. "And really big green eyes."
I nodded as my voice softened. "Yeah. She's beautiful, right?"
"So pretty. Like Ariel from the ocean." She pressed her chin into her hands and continued to lick at her little mouth.
"You're pretty like that too." I pulled my napkin from my lap and leaned over to wipe her mouth carefully. "No, you're beautiful, but you knew that, right, Peanut?"
She nodded and crinkled her nose again. "Only cause you tell me, Daddy."
"Good. Let's get over to Mimi and PawPaw's house. I want to spend a little bit of time with them before I go on my date."
"Can I go?" She bounced in her seat. "Oh, please, Daddy? I want to meet Ariel."
I laughed and stood up to pull a twenty from my wallet. "Not this time, but you'll get to meet Terra soon. I promise."
"Alright. Fine." She got off her chair and balled her little hands into fists. She reminded me so much of Jannie when she pouted. Beautiful and dangerous.
I tossed the twenty on the table and reached down to scoop her up. "No pouting. It makes you too pretty." I munched at her tummy as she thrashed and giggled. An older couple held the door for us, smiling at me as I walked out to the truck with her. She wanted to ride on the back of the bike and asked all the damn time, but she was still way too tiny for that.
"Daddy! Stop. I'm going to tell Mimi!"
"Alright. Fair enough." I put her down on her side of the truck and opened the door before bowing a little. "Princess Lyndsay."
"Dad. I'm Ana today." I helped her into the truck as she gave me a look.
"And tomorrow?"
"I don't know. Tomorrow isn't here yet." She smiled so big I thought it might crack her cute little face.
"Very true." I closed the door and walked to my side, feeling the way I always did when I took a break from life and spent time with Peanut - renewed.
"So." My mom stood at the edge of the living room with her hand on her hip. "Lyndsay just said that you have a date tonight with a princess."
I laughed and shook my head. "And you're the one that showed her said princess's picture from what I heard."
Mom shrugged and walked in to sit next to me. "She wanted to know about when you were a kid, so I told her the stories. Terra is just a big part of those times. It's hard not to include her."
"I get it." I leaned back and reached for her hand. "What's going on with Dad?"
She shrugged and glanced down at our hands. "I don't know. You know he's as stubborn as a mule. He wouldn't go to the doctor today even though he still feels a little weak."
"Did he do something to make him feel out of it?"
She turned her attention back to me. "No. Not that I know of."
"I'm going to go check on him." I stood.
"Just don't baby him. You know he gets crazy about that." She got up and followed me down the hall.
I knocked on their bedroom door and poked my head in the room. "Dad?"
"Yeah. I'm up. Just reading the paper. Come on in, Dan." He sat up on the bed and scooted his butt back against the pillows to prop himself up. He patted the bed beside him. "Where's peanut?"
I walked in and mom followed me. "She's playing with some new dolls mom got her."
My father rolled his eyes. "Dolls. Ugh. We need to get that girl started on throwing a ball or at least catching one."
I smiled and sat down, making room for my mother. "I'm pretty sure she's going to be a little more like Jannie than me, Dad."
"That's not such a bad trade-off." He reached out and patted my hand. "Stop looking worried. I had some spicy food and it fu- jacked up my system. Nothing to be worried about. It wasn't my heart. The EKG machine showed that I was fine."
"Those things don't work all the time." My mom leaned in a little.
"I'm fine, baby. I promise." My dad offered a forced smile. "I am a little thirsty though."
"I'll get you something. Coffee? Water?" She stood back up. "Daniel, you want something too?"
"Water," my dad responded.
"No. Thanks." I turned to face him.
His eyes followed her all the way out of the room. He turned back to me and offered a tired smile. "Look. I'm pretty sure I'm okay, but if something happens to me, you know that your mother is your responsibility."
I nodded, hating this same old talk. "Dad. I think maybe you should just go visit your heart doctor and make sure-"
"No. I said that I'm fine and I am. I just need to know that you're going to take care of your momma and Lyndsay when I do pass. It's going to happen one day."
"Yeah, but not today." I reached out and gripped the top of his hand. "And I'll always take care of them."
His shoulder rolled in a little as he let out a long breath. "I knew you would. You're a good man, son."
"I need something from you too." I moved my eyes back up to focus on him.
"Sure. If I have it, it's yours."
"I love Terra, Dad. I always have." I waited for him to rant and rail on me, but when he didn't, I continued, "and I know her and I have some shit in our pasts, but she's a good woman. So much better than I deserve."
He nodded. "I'm not sure I agree with that, but if you're asking for my blessing, then you have it. Your life is yours to orchestrate, Dan. Do what you think is best, just remember there's a little girl in there that is affected by everything you do."
I nodded. "I know. I think Terra would be a great mother to Lyndsay."
"Maybe so, but go slow with her. Heartache takes time to heal, son. And if you think it's healed just because of seeing each other again, you're wrong. You're just pulling off the old Band-Aids. Give the wound some air and then see where you are."
"Alright. I still think you need to go to the doctor."
He smirked. "That's your opinion, and last time I checked, you were a baseball playboy, not a doctor."
"Does it count that I play a doctor at the bar on occasion?" I lifted my eyebrows as he laughed.
"Daniel! Gross." My mom walked in and gave me a look.
My father and I shared a long laugh, making my confession all worth it.
22
Terra
"What are you nervous about?" Niki's voice blared from the phone sitting on my bathroom counter.
"I don't know. I just want the night to go good. You know Danny and I blow up at each other at the drop of a hat." I pulled the straps to a dark blue cotton dress over my shoulders. It barely hit the top of my knees but was conservative. After taking it in the ass from him in the players’ locker room shower the other day, I felt
the need to remind him that I wasn't the slut I played on TV, or so it felt.
"So, what? That's a passionate relationship, Terra. People who don't fight have peace, yeah, but how much passion is there? Seriously?"
"I don't know." I reached back and zipped up my dress. "What do you know about Jannie's little girl? I've been here for a few weeks, and I've yet to meet her."
"I'm sure Danny is super protective over her, which is a good thing. No kid needs to be subject to a million hopeful exchanges with potential moms or dads." She sighed. "It's the reason why I haven't dated very often. I don't want Benji getting the hope in his head that some dude I bring home is going to turn into his new daddy." I could hear the strain in her voice and it hurt me.
I picked up the phone and smiled down at her. "He deserves a daddy, Niki, and you deserve a good man.
She shrugged and kept her head down, chin to her chest. "I'm not sure that's in the cards for us."
"Why? That makes no sense to me." I tapped the phone as if I could reach out and touch her. "Hey. Look at me."
She glanced up. "Because. I'm a stripper in New York." She laughed sardonically. "I'm not a prime candidate for winning over a man, and even if I were, there's no way in hell he's taking me home to meet his momma."
"Then quit. You're brilliant and capable of-"
"Okay. Back to you." She smiled and lifted one eyebrow, challenging me. "I'm good where I am, but you... you need a breakthrough with Danny. I think tonight should definitely be the night."
"What night?" I put the phone back down and picked up a tube of lipstick. She wasn't going to give up stripping until some strong, handsome guy made her. Then she might figure out another path for her life. Maybe. Doubtful.
"The night you give up the old V-card, and I want to hear every wicked hot detail when it's over." Her voice grew sexy.
I tried to talk while putting on my lipstick, which didn't go well at all. "I'm pretty sure losing your virginity is only hot to the guy taking it. From what I've heard it's painful and gross."
"The first few minutes are, but you'll move past that. With the experience Danny McAdams has? Oh man, you're most likely in for a treat."
"You're too much." I leaned over and smiled down at her as my hair curtained around my face. A knock at the door caused me to jump. "Shit. He's early."
"Good! Have fun and just go with whatever feels right, but please, for God sakes, don't get in a fight and walk away from each other again. This is date night. Make it a good one!"
I smiled. "Okay. Love you. I'll call tomorrow."
"With dirty details?"
I rolled my eyes. "Yes. Sure. Bye!"
A giggle rolled around in my chest as I half-walked, half-skipped to the front door. Danny was my high school sweetheart, the boy that got away. The very idea of having a real chance with him left me wanting to throw my arms out and spin in a circle. Love was powerful. Scarily so.
"You're early." I pulled the door open and moved back. My heart leaped in my chest at the sight of him. Dark jeans and boots, a black button-down shirt and an expression that told me that tonight was, in fact, the night.
"I would have come this morning if I thought you'd let me." He handed me a bouquet of red, yellow and white roses. "For you."
"Wow." I took them and moved them toward my face as I breathed in deeply. "Do you always try and outdo the boy before you?"
He laughed and walked into the house. "I usually pretend like there was no boy before me."
It was my turn to laugh. I turned and walked to the kitchen. "Hey, how is your dad doing? Did you get to see him today?" I put the roses in a vase and stepped back to admire them.
"I did. He's doing okay." He moved up behind me in the kitchen and slid his hand down my arms as he pressed his chest to my back. "You know he's as stubborn-"
"As a mule. I know. My dad was too." I pressed against him and closed my eyes. "Are we staying together tonight?"
He leaned down and moved my hair off my shoulder before kissing the side of my neck. "I want to. That's completely up to you."
I nodded. "I should get some clothes to sleep over in."
"You don't need clothes." He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and gripped my breasts with one of his hands. "I sleep naked. You should too."
I laughed softly. "We need to go, or we're going to end up sleeping over here instead."
"Somehow I'm not thinking that's a bad idea." He moved back, and I turned and slid my hands up his strong chest.
"Where's Lyndsay tonight?" I was worried about staying over if the little girl was there. I didn't want to give her the wrong impression as my first impression with her.
"She's with my mom and dad. I thought she'd be with us, but dad refuses to go to the heart doc." He cupped the top of my ass and pulled me closer. "Let's try and get through dinner and then go back to my place for the night."
"Or we could change into t-shirts and jeans and have dinner at your place instead." I lifted to my toes, wanting to taste his lips.
He didn't hesitate, but moved in and kissed me with a passion I'd grown used to doing without. I moaned and opened up for him as one naughty fantasy after the next rolled through my mind's eye.
"God, you're hot." I pulled back and licked my lips. "I don't think I could sit through dinner across the table from you and actually have a decent conversation."
He laughed. "Fine. Let's grab some stuff to make dinner at the grocery store and spend the night doing whatever the fuck we wanna do."
I nodded and pulled out of his arms. "Alright. Anything in particular you want?" I picked up my purse and walked to the door, suddenly worried that he might have the bike.
"You namely, but whatever else we have is good to me." He pointed to the bedroom as I glanced back. "Jeans and a t-shirt woman. I have the bike with me."
I smiled and handed him my purse. "Hold that."
He rolled his eyes. "Domesticating me already, I see."
"Never. I like you wild and unruly. Just make sure it's only with me." I walked to the back as his voice carried down the hall with me.
"That's not something you have to worry about, Ter. You're the only woman I want. It's just a struggle to make sure I don't let the caveman side of me out where you're concerned."
I realized his voice wasn't getting any softer. He was following me back to the bedroom.
"I like the caveman." I turned to face him and unzipped my dress. "What are you doing?"
"Watching you. Like I always have." He leaned against the door frame, my purse dangling from his fingers.
It was hard to believe the moment was real. I'd yearned for our friendship and so much more since the moment I lost all of it. How stupid we were to let each other go all those years before. What we had was intense and felt so fucking right it almost stole my breath.
"Don't blink." I offered him a sexy smile. "You might miss something."
"Don't worry. I won't." He ran his hand down his chest as I pulled my dress from the front of my body. The white lace panties and bra I had on didn't leave anything to the imagination.
"You like it?" I ran my hands down my sides, feeling far more beautiful than I did self-conscious in front of him, and that was because of him. He never failed to tell me how beautiful I was when we were younger and all the other guys wanted models. He didn't. He wanted me. Thick hips, big thighs, and breasts I thought were too small.
"It?" He brushed his hand over the growing bulge at the front of his jeans. "You? Fuck yes. You're beyond sexy, Ter. Turn around and let’s see my ass."
I chuckled and turned, glancing over my shoulder. The G-string was probably lost somewhere in my ass, but it didn't matter. As long as he was turned on, that's all I cared about.
"Goddammit, woman."
I yelped as he crashed into me, picking me up and pressing me onto the bed. His big, hard body pressed against the back of mine, and his hands were everywhere. A whimper left me as he pushed up on one arm and ran his fingers over the front of my thro
at, holding me softly, but reminding me just how dominant he was.
The press of his erected cock against the center of my ass had me wanting to roll my hips, but he was too strong, too big for me to gain any traction.
"Dinner?" I whispered roughly.
"Not a fucking chance."
Tonight was the night, and I was more than ready.
23
Daniel
She felt so far beyond good beneath me. I wanted to take things slow for her first time, but there was no way to force myself into obedience. Something wild and unrestrained pulsed deep inside of me. It was something I'd never experienced before, and something told me that I wouldn't ever again.
"You know how long I've waited to feel your body against mine, Terra? How many nights I've fucked myself thinking about you?" I tightened my hold on her throat and pulled a little.
She whimpered, the sound delicious. To have such a strong woman trapped beneath me, yearning for me to make her mine was heady. "As long as I've waited?"
"Exactly." I kissed the side of her face and moved off the bed. "Turn over and watch me."
"Be careful with me tonight." She rolled onto her back and crab-crawled up the bed. The movement made the top of her ample breasts jiggle, and my cock twitched with anticipation.
"I'm gonna try, baby girl." I unbuttoned my shirt slowly as I watched her. "Slip your hand in your panties and fuck yourself a little for me. Get your body primed for what's about to happen. I'm a big guy. Your first time would be a tight fit with a smaller man. Open yourself up for me."
Her eyes widened a little, but the naughty girl from my teenage years quickly took the reins. "I should tell you no."
"But you won't." I pulled my shirt off my arms and reached for the button on my jeans, pausing. "Will you?"
"No. I won't." She slid her hand down into her see through panties and arched her back as a moan ripped through the room around us. I almost felt outta my league, but there was no way in hell I was letting her know that. Tonight was about her feeling safe and loved enough to explore herself and every inch of me. It's a night I'd dreamt about since I watched her walk out of my life. I wasn't missing a second of it.
Captain Hotness: A Single Father Bad Boy Novel Page 42