Chapter nine
Laney
Daddy Around Town Vibes
“Laney?”Deecallsasshe storms inside. I texted her the equivalent of a novel when Miguel all but shoved me into my bedroom to get undressed.
The man’s touch is so confusing. It’s comforting like a six foot four, dark haired, dark eyed, thigh tatted weighted blanket.
But it’s also brief and fleeting, like when you pick up a mozzarella stick and it’s too hot so you drop it on your plate and then immediately try to pick it up again because you want it.
You know it’s going to burn if you take a bite. You know you’re in for pain.
But you can’t stop yourself.
Miguel is a mozzarella stick.
“In here.” I mumble through my S’mores Pop-Tart.
“Are you okay?” She asks as she barrels through the door sending a wave of air across my body. “Where’s Miguel?”
“He went to get the bikes. He’s going to bring mine back here I think.”
“Okay, do you need me to do anything?” Dee asks.
“Nope, just be here. Be a buffer between Miguel and I.”
Dee’s eyes blow wide and her smile follows.
“It’s not like that.” I tell her.Yet.I add in my head.
“Sure it’s not. Tell me, just how much help in this little bath did you need from yourcoach?”
“Shut up.”
“Ohmygods he bathed you?!” Dee slumps down onto the toilet. She realizes too late the lid isn’t down and she quickly stands, drops it, and then sits again.
“No, not quite, but he did help with my hair.”
“Holy fuck you had a man brush your hair?”
“Yeah.” I sigh wistfully. I wanted to tie my hair in actual knots to keep him at his task. The light tug of the roots was incredibly soothing. Each brush of his fingertips along my back as he repositioned my hair was like being petted by lightning. Exhilarating and comforting all at once.
“I’m so glad I came back from work for this.” Dee says as she watches me. “This is like stuff from a teen drama where the parents get after it too.”
“Hardly.” I scoff.
“Oh, it totally is. He’s way older than you so it’s like a friend’s dad tension.”
“It’s thirteen years, he’s not old enough to be my dad.”
“Fine, maybe not friend’s dad, but like, older daddy around town vibes for sure.”
I roll my eyes.
“Thenyou practically drown and he saves you?!” Dee gasps incredulously.
“Not exactly what happened.”
