I laughed and kissed him. “I’m sure you have, boy.”
19
PHOENIX
St.Loren’s lights glinted on the night-dark Lake Émeraude. I held my breath at the magical sight. Daddy put his arm around my shoulders, and I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, then tugged at my tank top nervously. We weren’t the only couple on the barge, about twenty others had thought an evening cruising on the lake was a good idea, but there was enough space between us and everyone else on the seats that I felt like I was alone with Daddy.
“You know, I’ve never done this,” he said with a chuckle.
I shrugged. “Me neither. I know it’s touristy and a little... well....”
“It’s perfect,” he whispered in my ear, and I closed my eyes as he kissed my cheek. I rested my head on his shoulder. My stomach was pleasantly full because we’d gone out to dinner together, and I was excited I’d managed to surprise Daddy with something fun. He hummed and rested his cheek on the top of my head.
“You know, my family has a boat,” he murmured, then kissed my cheek. “It’s much bigger than this and has a staff. Would you like to see it sometime?”
I froze but tried to relax when he let out a questioning sound. “I thought you were only trying to be involved with them when absolutely necessary?”
He shrugged, which knocked his chin against my head. “You already hang out with Mamma every week, and you’ve met a lot of my relatives. I... am fine living the way I do to keep up appearances with the church, but there is no reason you shouldn’t have access to everything else my family name brings. You should get the good along with the bad. Maybe I didn’t feel that way before, and I don’t think we need to move into a gaudy house in the Émeraude District, but we could use the boat.”
“Don’t do anything that will make you unhappy, Daddy.” I nuzzled against his neck and planted a secret kiss against his pulse point.
“Bug spray?” someone said near us.
I jumped and laughed as Daddy sat up straight and frowned. The grizzled old man with a white captain’s cap who owned the barge held out a green can of bug spray in my direction, and I dutifully stood when Daddy nudged me, closing my eyes. The smell hit my nose and I snickered. Daddy got to his feet, and the man blasted him before moving on to the next couple. Overhead, rosy LED lights blazed to life and the other people on the boat clapped and laughed. It was full dark out and the stars glittered brightly, reflecting in diamond pinpricks on the black water as we got farther out into the middle of the lake.
“Very romantic,” I said, rolling my eyes, and Daddy laughed, snagging my hand again.
“More romantic than scratching mosquito bites all night rather than doing better things.”
“I guess,” I mumbled, and he chuckled. A woman nearby stared at us when I sat back down at his side, and I got the feeling she might be someone who attended Daddy’s church.
“Maybe you shouldn’t hold me,” I mumbled, and a strange shame washed through me. I tried not to look at the woman again, but Daddy glanced around and purposefully laid his arm across my shoulders.
“Ah, Mrs. Larkin. If she wants to bring it up with me, she will. I don’t think I have it in me to pretend all the time. We’ll be proper at the church in front of people, but this is my life. I can’t step down... but I’m going to live with you.” He grinned at me. “As long as what we do is consensual, I doubt anyone above me will say anything. Someone would have to raise a huge stink about it, and I don’t think anyone has the time or energy, honestly.”
“If you’re sure?”
He drummed his fingers against my shoulder. “Absolutely.”
He gave me a smile, and the rose-colored lights caught in his brown eyes, making them gleam. As I stared, a serious expression passed over his face. “Are we okay?”
I snorted because Daddy almost never sounded unsure, not like this. “Yes, why?”
He held me close and put his mouth against my ear, and the heat of his breath had me resting my hands over my crotch to hide my reaction. “You haven’t ever brought up what happened at the church that day.”
Shivering, I snuggled against his side. “What should I say?” I asked softly. I thought about seeing Perry dead on the floor, and even though I’d been horrified.... “I’m not scared anymore. I wish that hadn’t happened, but I’m not sorry it did. I don’t know if that makes me a bad person or not, but you did it for me. You helped me. You kept your promise.”
He pressed a kiss to my temple. “And you don’t think I’m a monster?”
“No, Daddy.”
The smile that curved his lips warmed me from the inside out, and I dragged a finger along the stubble on his chin and loved the small scratching sensation. We didn’t talk much for the rest of the barge ride, simply enjoyed each other’s closeness, and it was nice. Other people conversed at top volume, and three couples were sharing alcohol from a rainbow skull bottle and got rowdy after a bit, but for about two hours I rested against Daddy’s side. I tried to hide the fact that every time his leg brushed mine, or his fingers tickled up under the strap of my tank top, my cock felt heavier.
“Daddy, what will we do when we get home?” I whispered to him.
He gave me a nearly evil smile. “You want your Daddy?” He sucked in a deep breath through his teeth, and I trembled inside because I knew what he was really asking—Do you want me to destroy your ass with my cock?Ever since that day at the church when Daddy had protected me... things had been different between us. It was as if he’d stopped holding back a part of himself. I nodded enthusiastically.
“Yes.”
