by Katy Kaylee
Annie had her father’s hair and his strong nose, but Ted insisted that she had my smile. A mixture of both of us, just like I had hoped. It was better than I could have dreamed up when I decided to have a child. Now Annie would know her father and be loved by him, and would grow up with him, instead of him being a stranger that I had picked. Now when I looked into her face and saw traces of a person that wasn’t me, it wasn’t somebody I had chosen out of a catalog. It was the man I loved.
The man himself was smiling at me as I took my place next to him. Ted had this way of staring at me like I was something spectacular, and it never failed to make me blush. He was forever telling me that I was the best thing that had ever happened to him, and sometimes I still feared that I wasn’t worthy of that. That someone so loving couldn’t possibly want me, especially after I had rejected him once.
But every day, it got easier to believe. Every day as he stayed. Every day as I did whatever I could to strengthen our bond and show him that I adored him just as much as he adored me.
Ted took my hands, squeezing them gently. “You look radiant,” he whispered, his voice full of awe, his eyes shining.
Chad and many others had often complimented me. Preston had been full of flattery. But I had never really believed any of them with their flowery praises. I hadn’t believed that they really thought what they were saying. It had all sounded like just another way to placate me, to get me to like them and do what they wanted.
When Ted said things like that, though… he said them with this tone of reverence that shook me to my core. How could I help but believe him when he said it like that? With wonder in his eyes like he couldn’t quite believe I was actually in front of him, choosing him?
“You’re not so bad yourself,” I replied. He did look unbearably handsome in his pale blue tux. I liked how Ted was a little unconventional with his colors, a little out there. It wasn’t the same color scheme or style as his punk days but it was still that part of him, that bit of rebel, peeking out.
The ocean waves crashed on the beach as the officiant began the ceremony. Ted kept staring into my eyes like there was nothing else in the world, like nothing existed but me. I’d been a bit… well, self-conscious, after giving birth. I had never really experienced body issues growing up. Sure, my mother would sometimes make comments that told me I had to stay skinny or no man would want me. The usual toxic fare. But she had also praised me constantly and told me I was lucky I had gotten her looks, and that a pretty girl like me would go far. I had never felt inadequate in the looks department.
But then - then my body went through so many changes while pregnant. I couldn’t see my feet. I couldn’t sleep properly. My hair got curlier, of all things. My appetite changed. Literally everything about my physical form was undergoing some sort of metamorphosis. And then, after it was all done, I still bore scars. Stretch marks, things that would never be the same. I couldn’t just deflate like a balloon and it would all go back to normal.
I had surprised myself with how scared I had been to look in the mirror.
But Ted - he always thought I was beautiful. He didn’t even have to say it, although he did, and frequently. It was in his eyes, how I caught him staring at me when he thought I couldn’t see. It was in the way that he kissed me and touched me, still eager and yearning. He embraced me as he always had, and my body’s changes were nothing to him. It helped me to accept myself.
The officiant finished up, and announced that we were now man and wife, and I found myself blinking back tears. I hadn’t expected to cry, honestly. I had done so much crying as I’d rebuilt my life and gotten away from Chad. But now tears of joy were welling up in my eyes and I couldn’t have stopped them if I’d tried.
I had never thought I’d get married again. I’d never thought that I would want to risk my heart. But this wasn’t risking my heart. It was never a risk with Ted. Jumping off a cliff wasn’t scary when you knew there was someone at the bottom to catch you, and Ted would always catch me.
He’d been catching me long before I could appreciate it.
And now I had this - the beautiful, intimate beach wedding, and it couldn’t be more perfect if I’d tried. I was just so unbelievably happy. This was the first day of the rest of our lives together. The first day with my official husband. Now we had a lifetime to keep building our little family, to keep building our happiness.
“You may kiss the bride,” the officiant added, as if realizing that we might want, perhaps, to do that. Ted grinned and pulled me in, his hands at my waist, kissing me until I was breathless. I could still kiss him for hours, just like when we were giddy teenagers, and I had no intention of wanting to stop that tradition any time soon.
David clapped Ted on the shoulder and Ted reluctantly pulled away from me, his arms still around me. David rolled his eyes fondly. “Save some of it for the wedding night.”
“Very funny.”
“I’m hilarious.”
I kissed Ted on the cheek. “Let’s break open the champagne,” I told him. “He’s right, you know.”
“Doesn’t mean I want to stop,” Ted growled, but he gave me a wink and let me lead him over to where we’d laid out dinner on the porch.
The officiant, a close friend of David’s mother, took some food to go before she headed back into town, leaving just the four of us and Annie for dinner.
We did, in fact, open up the champagne, and then David got up and raised his glass in a toast.
“When I met Ted, we shared a deep bond - we had both had our hearts broken. But as much as he’d tell me that he wasn’t ever going to find someone to spend his life with, I knew Ted was too damn great of a guy to remain single forever. I just never expected that the woman he’d finally land would be the same one who’d broken his heart.
“I gotta admit, when I heard about Roni, I was nervous. I didn’t say that to Ted, of course. I thought that one way or another he had to put Roni to rest, and the only way to do that was to try things with her. If they failed, then he could finally move on, but if they worked out… Well.” David grinned at us. “You see how that turned out. I’ve never been so glad to be proven wrong about someone. Veronica, you’re Ted’s heart and soul, and he’s yours, and it’s delightful. Kind of disgusting how cute you two get sometimes. I’ve no doubt you two are going to be happy, and I can’t tell you what a relief it is to know that my best friend, a brother to me, is going to get the person and the life he deserves. Here’s to you both.”
We all clinked our glasses together, and then David nudged Layla, who blushed. “I can’t,” I heard her whisper.
“Yeah, you can, it was really great. They’ll love it.” David took her by the elbow and gently raised her up. In a louder voice, he said, “Layla’s got a few lovely words for you two.”
Layla’s face was as red as the sunset behind us. “I… I just wanted to say that Veronica might not believe it, but she’s one of the bravest people I know. We tend to think about bravery as saving someone from a fire, but it takes a lot of courage to do little things, too. Sometimes I think it takes even more courage. You save someone from a fire you’re not… you’re not thinking you’re just… just doing, you know? I mean, who wouldn’t save a person’s life?”
“But, um, it takes a lot to step out from the kind of society - the kind of life - that you’ve always known. To say goodbye to your family and friends and even if you know you’re doing what’s right for you and you’re leaving somewhere toxic… it’s hard. And you’ve given me the courage to do that for myself, Veronica, so thank you. You deserve happiness, and I’ve never seen you be happier than with Ted. And thank you, Ted, for making her happy.” Layla smiled at us and we all clinked glasses again.
I felt full with happiness. I was glad that I had such good friends, that Ted had such good friends, who supported us. Who understood us.
After dinner, Layla and David took Annie with them back to their hotel nearby. I was a bit anxious - this would be the first night that Annie wasn
’t with us. But we had talked about it and we had decided that for our wedding night, we wanted one night to ourselves, without interruptions, a chance to be those honeymooning newlyweds without a care in the world.
We saw Layla, David, and our darling baby girl off, and then Ted scooped me up, making me shriek with laughter and surprise. “What are you doing?”
“Carrying my bride over the threshold,” Ted replied, suiting the action to the word. “What does it look like I’m doing?”
I laughed, holding onto him as we entered our house. Already the walls had pictures on them from Annie’s birth, our weekend adventures, and days out together. Ted kissed me, then bumped our noses together. “You okay?”
I nodded. “I will be, I’m just… it’s our first time away from her.”
“She’ll be fine.” He kissed my nose. “But I’m not surprised that you’re worrying. It’s natural.”
“Because I’m a worrywart?”
“Because you’re a fantastic mother,” Ted replied. “Just as I knew you would.”
“Flatterer.”
“I speak nothing but the truth.” He kissed me again. “Now, I think you mentioned something the other day about wanting a sibling for our daughter…”
“Oh, my, do you think we should get started on that?” I fluttered my eyelashes and Ted laughed, then kissed me a third time - this time passionately, and with no intention of stopping.
I kissed back, letting him carry me upstairs. Somehow, despite everything, I had managed it - all of the dreams that I hadn’t even dared to have had finally come true.
*** The End***
Forbidden Dad
Description
He’s hot.
Hard muscle, toned abs and the strongest, most irresistible arms…
But he’s 42 years old.
As if that age gap wasn’t enough…
He’s also my best friend’s dad!
I know… She’s going to kill me if she finds out.
But do I care?
Not really.
Her dad will always be my first love…
My only love.
I’ll just have to make up a story for my best friend.
Yeah, my secrets are definitely piling up.
But there’s one secret that’s going to be hard to keep
…because it’ll be out in the open in nine months!
Prologue
Paris – Friday
I walked down the concrete back hallway of The Pink Diamond, my heart thudding a million miles per minute. The distance from the dressing room to the backstage area wasn’t long, but it was long enough for me to wince as bolts of pain shot up my legs. The chunky Lucite platforms strapped to my feet felt alien to me, like I’d raided a stranger’s wardrobe, and I had a feeling that I was never going to be comfortable in just a skimpy bikini.
This is all my fault, I told myself, biting my lip and touching my hair with my hands. I hoped that I’d put in enough hairspray to keep it from going flat – the other girls had told me that being under the lights was a sweltering experience after only a few minutes.
The music boomed around me, so loud that I felt it in the cavity of my chest. As Ariana Grande sang about how much she wanted you to be her baby and I closed my eyes, leaning against the wall and taking a deep breath.
It was so hard to believe that just two weeks ago, my whole world had come crashing down.
“Ms. Malone, I don’t know what to tell you,” the college registrar, Angela, told me. Her voice was devoid of sympathy, and I tried to give her my warmest smile in an attempt to endear myself.
“It’s Paris, really,” I told her. “And are you sure? I thought that when I got the scholarship, it meant all four years would be covered ... not just the first three.”
Angela pressed her lips together and sighed. “That’s correct,” she said. “But that was predicated on the assumption you’d maintain a 3.5 GPA.”
I blinked at her, suddenly startled.
“You didn’t perform as well this past semester, and your scholarship has been revoked,” she added, narrowing her eyes at me like I was a petulant child. “Do you understand?”
“I ...” I trailed off awkwardly. This wasn’t going the way I wanted it to go – rather, the total opposite. “I was dealing with a lot.”
“Let me see,” Angela said, clearing her throat and turning her attention back to her computer. I waited in agonizing silence as she typed and clacked away at the keyboard, eyes darting across the screen. It seemed to take forever, and I began to wonder if she was deliberately messing with me.
“You earned a C- in Abnormal Psychology II,” Angela said. “It looks like that’s what dragged your overall GPA down.”
I swallowed hard. “I was sick,” I explained. “And I missed three classes.”
For the first time, Angela gave me a look that was even remotely sympathetic.
“Professor Connelly, right?”
I nodded.
“She’s tough,” Angela said. “I understand – my own daughter had the same thing happen to her, thanks to the flu. But you knew her policy going into the first class, right? It was explained on the syllabus.”
I had no choice but to nod again.
“Unfortunately, this doesn’t change anything,” Angela replied. “My hands are tied, Ms. Malone. I wish there was something I could do, but I suggest trying to work things out with Professor Connelly. Perhaps she could give you some sort of an extra assignment, to boost your overall cumulative GPA.”
I fought back tears, not wanting to admit that I’d already tried to go down that route ... and failed.
“Okay,” I said numbly. “Well. Thank you, I really appreciate you taking the time to see me.”
Once again brisk and businesslike, Angela turned back to her computer, all but signaling to me that I was dismissed.
Outside, in the crowded hallway, I stood rooted to the spot as my mind ran. What the hell was I going to do? I had one more year left at MontClaire University before graduating with a degree in Psychology – my lifelong ambition. I wanted to be a social worker or a counselor, someone who could really help people.
The way that other people in my life had helped me.
But now, knowing that I wouldn’t have my tuition and room and board covered, I was the one deeply in need of counseling and help. If I can’t manage to find a job – and soon – I’ll be royally screwed.
The sound of the music changing snapped me out of my head, and I looked up to see Madison Maxx, the most popular dancer at The Pink Diamond, passing me with an armload full of cash. I swallowed, hard, as I wondered if I’d be able to rake in that same amount. She flashed a sweaty grin at me as she passed by, and I took a deep breath.
This is it, Paris, I told myself. Go out there and get it.
Tossing my auburn hair back over my shoulders, I pasted what I hoped was a sultry smile on my face and walked out on stage. The other girls weren’t kidding about the lights – they were so bright that I was temporarily blinded, and my confidence faltered as I squinted. For a horrible moment, I froze in my tracks. But the familiar strains of the music blared over the speakers and I resumed walking to the center of the stage.
“Presenting for her debut at The Pink Diamond, Miss Harley Paige!”
The stripper name I chose didn’t sound too awful as the DJ’s voice boomed through the club, and a smattering of applause followed his announcement. I made my way to the pole, undulating and writhing my body in tune with the music. My heart pounded and my mouth went dry as I leaned against the pole, closing my eyes with a sexy flutter of my lashes.
I couldn’t believe that I was about to do something I’d never thought of doing before: take my clothes off for a room full of strange men. Despite my voluptuous figure, I was a virgin, and I’d never really explored my sexual side.
It can feel kind of sexy sometimes, Madison Maxx had told me when I’d gotten hired the day prior. Just go with it.
Standing with my
back to the pole now, it didn’t feel sexy at all. It felt cheap and tawdry and pathetic. After all, what kind of a man has to pay a woman to see her naked?
I didn’t want to think about that. The music crescendoed and I lifted my hands to the back of my neck, untying the strings that held my flimsy pink bikini top in place. The hot lights were making me sweat and I licked my lips, tasting salty brine, as I held the top in place.
Finally, my eyes adjusted to the lights and I scanned the room as subtly as I could. Dozens of men with drinks in their hands sat watching me, their eyes narrowed. They all looked the same to me, gross guys who couldn’t get a real girlfriend, and I felt another shudder of panic mixed with revulsion spread through my body.
Then, I saw him.
He was sitting alone at the bar, his face dark in the shadows of the stage lights.
It was Harrison Hendricks, and it was obvious that he wanted me. The look on his face filled me with desire and warmth, and I swallowed hard. The lighting was too dim to see the exact look in his blue eyes, but I could sense that he was hungry.
Hungry for me.
Harrison didn’t know it, but I had been in love with him since I was ten years old. Since he’d rescued me from a life of pain and abuse, saved me from a terrible fate. Ever since then, I’d wanted nothing more than to be his, all his, body and soul.
If he wasn’t twice my age, it could have been possible.
And if he wasn’t the father of my best friend, Hollie.
I couldn’t imagine what a man like Harrison would be doing in a strip club, especially a cheap place like The Pink Diamond. He was a kind man, a strong man, a compassionate man who was totally devoted to his job as a police detective.
The music blared louder and I realized where I was, what I had to be doing. I pushed all uncomfortable thoughts of my head and focused on the look in Harrison’s eyes, the hungry desire, and slowly lowered my pink bikini top down, exposing my voluptuous breasts.