by Lee Savino
He collapsed on top of me and I held him tight, running my hands all over his sweaty back.
Too soon, he pulled away and eased out of me, keeping hold of the condom as he did. “No babies,” he said with a wry smile.
There was blood on the condom. And on the bed sheet. Quite a lot of it. I wasn’t too surprised, but it was kind of embarrassing. “Sorry,” I said.
“Nothing to apologize for,” he replied, and flashed me a sexy, slightly cocky smile. He cleaned up, then he handed me some tissues and I cleaned up, too. Then he took all the mess away and climbed back into the bed, taking me in his arms.
“I’m sorry if I hurt you, babygirl,” he murmured, stroking my cheek.
“It didn’t hurt so much. Not compared to how good you made me feel.”
His face lit with pleasure as he lowered his head and kissed me tenderly. “I’m so glad to hear that,” he said.
“I’m so sleepy,” I muttered a moment later as I felt myself starting to doze.
“Then go to sleep in my arms,” he whispered, and I did.
Chapter 11
Steele
I overslept. For the first time in twenty years, my internal body clock didn’t wake me, and it was light outside when I opened my eyes. Confusion blanketed my thoughts.
Then I remembered.
Carrie was asleep beside me. We’d drifted apart during the night and she was lying on her side, arms crossed over her pert little breasts, and her long eyelashes pillowed on her cheeks. She looked like a little blonde angel. I could have stayed there for hours, watching her sleep.
I had never felt this way before. I’d resisted letting Carrie into my heart—into my bed—because of Victoria. Now I wanted this moment to last forever.
But I needed to feed the animals. I crept out of bed, so I didn’t wake her, and got dressed quietly.
Outside, the animals were going crazy. They thrived on routine, and when things changed, they couldn’t comprehend it. I milked the cow, then I mucked out the horses. They were skittish and impatient, and it took longer than usual. My mind, my body, were all full of last night.
Of Carrie.
Taking her virginity had been even more precious than I’d imagined. Being inside her for the first time—where no one had been before. It was the best night of my life. I couldn’t believe how small and tight she was. But how wet she was as well; how her little muscles had gripped my cock eagerly, welcoming me in. That look of determination on her face, even though I knew I was hurting her. God knew I didn’t want to hurt her—I wanted her first time to be the best it could be. But she was so small that it was inevitable.
Then the surprise and ecstasy on her face as she orgasmed around me. The flush on her cheeks; the feeling of her pussy spasming around my cock was something I knew I’d remember, always.
She was mine now. I’d claimed her. And nothing would come between us again.
I’d been holding out on her, because I was worried I’d lose myself.
But the truth was, I was already lost in this wild girl who wanted to call me Daddy.
Daddy.
Every time she said that word, a bolt of yearning went through my body, my cock the lightning conductor. I’d never wanted this for myself before—never thought about it. But now it was happening, it felt so right. As if my soul had been looking for it all my life. Maybe that was why I’d stayed single so long after Victoria, lived out here in isolation, waiting for the right one to come along, like a stroke of fate.
I took Rex out for a run on the rein. He was as wild as ever, but I didn’t care. I had so much vigor running through me that I was equal to his feral ways, and eventually, he calmed. Maybe he sensed an affinity between us.
When I’d gotten him back in his stall, I went inside, showered, then prepared breakfast for Carrie and me. I put it on a tray and for the first time in my life, I carried it through to the bedroom.
Another one of my rules broken. I laughed to myself. If I wasn’t very careful, instead of me training Carrie, she was gonna wind up converting me to her messy ways.
She stirred as I entered the room. When I set the tray down on the nightstand, her eyes fluttered open. She pulled herself up on her elbows, adorably blurred and sleepy.
Then her eyes opened wide, her face a picture of horror. “I overslept!” she exclaimed. “I’m so sorry, Steele. I don’t know what happened.”
I chuckled. “Don’t worry, so did I.”
She frowned. “I thought you said your body clock never fails you?”
“Guess something drained its batteries last night.” I grinned.
She looked at me suspiciously. “You’re not going to punish me for this?”
“I can hardly punish you when I did the same thing myself, can I?”
Her face filled with mischief. Then her gaze floated over to the nightstand. “Something smells real good.”
“Brought you breakfast in bed to celebrate.”
“Celebrate,” she repeated, a shy smile tugging at her lips.
I plumped up the pillows behind her, and put the tray on her lap. Then I sat beside her and we dug in.
“Pancakes and bacon—my favorite,” she said happily.
“I know, little one. I pay attention to these things.”
We munched contentedly for a few minutes.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t very good, you know, last night,” she said suddenly.
I stilled, my heart just about shattering in my chest. “Good? Of course you were. You were… perfect.”
She pursed her lips like she didn’t quite believe me.
“That was the most special night of my life. It means we’re really together now. And nothing will ever change that,” I told her.
“Really?” she whispered, and her face lit with hope.
“Really.” I took her small hand and kissed it. “And this makes me happier than you can imagine.”
“Me too. I want to be your little one, always,” she said, and waves of warmth and tenderness rolled through me.
Carrie
Steele and I worked outside all day, mainly on the cows. I felt blissed out, and giddy around him. I kept replaying what he’d said to me this morning about us really being together. It all seemed too perfect to be true. I kept thinking I’d wake up and discover I was still sleeping in a ditch—or, even worse, be back in my mom’s house, with Enzo leering at me.
Was Steele really going to be my daddy forever? I was scared to get too attached to him, in case this was all just a game for him, and he got bored of me one day. But I was already getting in deep. I got butterflies every time he looked at me. I yearned to be touching him, kissing him, in his arms. I started having stupid little daydreams about our future together.
Steele and I checked on the newborns. He kept a note of the pregnancies and the births he was expecting, and said he thought there were only three more to come this season. The little calves were adorable. If they were born during the night, they had trouble standing up by themselves. Steele sprayed some disinfectant on their umbilical cords, then he rubbed them down, stood them up on their feet, and off they went to their mothers, like magic.
We also ran a sweep of the guest quarters to make sure that everything was in order. The rooms were beautiful—rustic, but real classy. When Steele told me how much it cost to stay there each night, my eyes about popped out of my head.
He laughed. “Seems crazy to me, too. Paying so much for what I do every day. But for tourists, it’s an experience they can’t get anywhere else.”
We went through to the kitchen and checked that all the fittings functioned as they should.
“When’s your brother coming back?” I asked him.
He sighed. “When he feels like it. He’s in the city at the moment. Who knows, he might stay there all winter.”
“The city?”
“Oh—Vancouver. Guess it doesn’t mean a lot to you, huh?”
I shrugged. “I passed it on the way up here, I think.”
“Folks like it. But that’s because they haven’t heard of Ashcroft,” Steele replied with a wry smile.
“My hometown is real small,” I said. “I’ve never really been anywhere else. Well, until… you know.”
“Must’ve been a shock to see the world.”
“If I’d had time to think about it, it would have freaked me out. But the only thing on my mind was getting as far away from Texas as I could.”
“I’ll take you to Vancouver one day,” he said. “I think you’ll like it.” Then he frowned.
“What is it?”
“Maybe you’ll like it too much and I’ll lose you to the big city.”
I grinned. “No chance. Where I am is just about perfect.”
Impulsively, he took my hand, and didn’t let it go until we got back to the horses. I loved the way my hand got enveloped in his big, thick fingers. Loved the masculine roughness of his skin.
I felt stupidly happy. Still scared, but I decided to quit worrying and take him at his word.
My body was sore from yesterday—inside and out—but I couldn’t wait for him to fuck me again. To make me his.
In the early evening, I’d just finished showering when Steele said, “Go up to the barn and bring down that dress of yours, and your new shoes.”
I opened my mouth to ask why.
“Just do it,” he said. He seemed restless, a little wired.
Was this a new game of his? I wondered as I brought the pretty pink dress, shoes and pantyhose down from the loft.
“Go put them on,” he said, “and make your hair look nice.”
I went into the bedroom and got dressed up and brushed my hair so it sat neatly on my shoulders. Wispy as it was, there wasn’t a whole lot I could do with it. Whether I blow-dried it or let it dry naturally, it just hung around my face.
I looked at my reflection in the closet mirror and did a double take.
The dress looked the same as when I’d tried it on in the store, but somehow, I looked different. I scrutinized my face. Something in my eyes, maybe. They seemed to have a new sparkle.
And then I remembered, and my stomach gave a little jump.
Maybe it was because I was no longer a virgin. Because Steele had made love to me for the first time. I took a deep breath in and out, waves of bliss flowing through me.
My daddy had made me his. And we’d always be together. I wouldn’t be alone or scared anymore. My heart lit up like it was wrapped in fairy lights.
I skipped back to the kitchen to see what Steele had in mind.
He emerged from the bathroom, wearing just a towel. He smelled of aqua cologne, and the sight of his bare torso filled me with yearning.
As he took me in, his eyes glowed with pleasure. “Even prettier than I remember,” he said. “Give me a twirl.”
Obediently, I held my hands out to the sides and spun around, like a little girl.
His eyes crinkled at the corners. “What a little princess you are,” he said.
And in that moment, I did feel like a princess.
“Just hang here a second,” he called, and headed to the bedroom.
In a couple of minutes he was back, in a pair of blue denim jeans and a crisp, blue-and-white striped button-down. He looked more handsome than ever. He’s mine—my daddy, I thought, and my heart flipped.
He took hold of both my hands. “Ready to go?”
I frowned. “Go where?
“Out to dinner, of course.”
Now my heart leaped like a bounding rabbit. He was taking me out for dinner—on a real date. I’d never been on a grown-up date before. Dating at high school usually meant hanging out by the bleachers or at the mall. But this was an official date, with a grown-up man.
Steele always had great manners, but I felt like he was making a special effort to act like a gentleman tonight. He opened the truck door for me, and when we arrived at the restaurant, he took my hand and helped me step down onto the sidewalk. I felt like a princess in a beautiful fairytale, hand in hand with her daddy.
The restaurant looked fancy, with white tablecloths and candles. As we entered, I felt stiff, worried I was going to do something dumb and embarrass myself.
As if sensing my discomfort, Steele stroked my palm in soothing circles, and I instantly calmed.
He’d reserved a table by the window. It was beautiful and so romantic. The candle flickered between us, highlighting the planes of Steele’s handsome face, and glowing in his eyes—eyes that were looking at me with approval and desire. I felt light-headed and giggly with all the emotions welling up inside me.
But just as we’d settled at the table, someone called Steele’s name. He got up and looked around. The voice was coming from a couple sitting at the table behind us.
“Hi, guys!” Steele replied. Then he took my hand and led me over. “I’d like to introduce you to my date, Carrie. Carrie, meet two dear friends of mine, Barbara and Tom.”
The couple got up and shook my hand enthusiastically. They were around Steele’s age, or maybe a couple of years younger. Tom had a cowboy style, and an open, friendly face, and Barbara was pretty and outdoorsy looking, with curly brown hair. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Carrie,” she said, her eyes sparkling.
“You too,” I replied shyly, still choking at the words my date. It was official.
“Come join us here,” Tom said. “There’s enough space at the table for two more chairs.”
“Oh no, I’ll get out of you folks’ hair,” Steele replied.
I looked at him, sensing he was being kind.
“Let’s join them,” I said. “It’ll be fun.”
His brow furrowed. “Are you sure?”
“Of course.”
Steele touched my back in a little gesture of gratitude. “Okay, great,” he said.
Practical as ever, he grabbed two chairs from a nearby table and set them out for us, then the server came over to take our drinks order. Right away, I ordered a Coke. Then Tom asked if everyone wanted to split a bottle of wine, and I felt like a kid. But the truth was, I didn’t really like the taste of alcohol.
“You have what you want, honey,” Steele murmured close to my ear.
I flashed him a grateful smile, and my stomach gave a little jump. I no longer found it eerie that he often guessed my thoughts—he was my daddy, so of course he knew what was on my mind.
I tasted the wine when it came. It was just as sour as I’d expected. Steele laughed at my attempts not to make a face, and threw me an indulgent look. I pushed the glass away, glad to stick with my cola.
Once we’d ordered the starter and entrées, Barbara launched into conversation. She was very talkative, and drew me into her life on the farm she and Tom ran together. It turned out they were Steele’s neighbors, two ranches away, and they bred show horses. She said people came from all over Canada to buy them.
“Drop by and see them any time,” she told me. “I always love company.” I soon felt like I’d known her for years. Tom wasn’t as talkative, but he had a mischievous sense of humor.
Barbara asked what had brought me to Canada. Thinking fast, I told them I was a trainee cowgirl and I’d gotten bored of the heat in the South. They seem to accept what I was saying without question.
“It’s so great to meet you, Carrie,” Barbara told me halfway through the starter. “I’m always saying to Steele it’s high time he got himself a wife.”
Wife?
A judder of electricity went through me. I opened my mouth and closed it again. Could a man be a daddy and husband at the same time? It was all so new and confusing. I decided it was something I’d have to ask about later.
Tom jabbed his index finger at Steele. “Y’know, Steele likes acting out the whole lone cowboy thing, but he’s really a sociable guy,” he told me. “Always thought it was a shame you’ve been isolating yourself from the world at that old ranch of yours.”
Steele laughed. “I’d hardly call it isolation. Half the year, I’ve got guests and employees
coming out my ears.”
Barbara fixed him with a serious look. “You know what he means, Steele.” She turned her attention to me. “And I’ve never seen him so happy, my dear.” This time, there was a twinkle in her eye.
A little glow lit in my chest. Was that really true? I’d been focusing on what Steele was doing to take care of me. But was my presence in his life really bringing him happiness? I sure hoped so. Under the table, I reached for his thigh and squeezed it. He laid his hand on top of mine, and flashed me a secret smile. Yes, it meant. And my heart opened right up, like a blooming flower.
The food was delicious. We all had steaks for entrée, and when the dessert list came, I really wanted ice cream, but was worried they’d think it was immature so I ordered crème caramel instead.
At the end of the meal, we left with warm goodbyes and plans to meet up the following week.
Outside, Steele slipped his arm around my shoulders. “Thank you,” he said in a low voice.
“For what?”
“For sacrificing our date to meet my friends.”
“I had fun with them,” I told him.
He chuckled and dabbed the tip of my nose. “They had fun too, I could tell.”
“They liked me?”
“Of course they did.”
“They didn’t think of me as just a kid?”
“No, you acted real grown up. You were a credit to me, babygirl.”
As I climbed into the car, I gave a little skip of joy.
The truth was, I’d always enjoyed the company of older people. I found my schoolmates kind of immature. The way they were obsessed with their images, the way they never put their phones down, and made stupid jokes about sex.
I liked feeling little when it was just me and Steele, but in public, it was much better being a grown-up—as long as I had Steele to take care of me.
When we got home, Steele started to undress me.
“Daddy, I’m not sure if I can. I’m kind of sore—” I began, but he shushed me.
“We’re just going to bathe you today, and tomorrow we’ll see how things are,” he reassured me.