Page 50 of Dandelions and Smoke

“Isn’t that right”—I pause deliberately—“Daddy?”

I barely hear Nora’s gasp. It’s drowned out by my heart hammering in my ears and the deep rumble of Chief’s laughter. I lean in, kissing him right in front of her. What’s only meant to be a taunting kiss to prove a point quickly becomes something more as the world beyond us disappears.

Chief’s hands tighten around my thighs, pulling me in while I squeeze them further, anchoring myself to him. Threading my fingers through his hair, our lips crash together with an almost painful level of desire, a heavy, desperate pressure building between us. It’s only when people start to whistle that we break apart, breathless, and when he puts me down, I realize Nora is nowhere to be found.

We both laugh as we hurry back to the truck. He opens my door and helps me in, kissing me one more time before closing it and moving to his side. Before pulling away, he stops to look at me. His shoulders drop, and he grabs the side of his head before his fingers slide down, resting on his cheek. He chuckles and rests his elbow on the wheel.

“What’s so funny?” I ask, a nervous and excited energy causing a small laugh to bubble out of me.

The look of awe on his face while he takes me in doesn’t falter as he shakes his head. “That was amazing,” he states, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. He waves his hand toward me with an open palm. “You’re amazing.”

“What?” I ask on impulse, a reaction more than a question.

I let the compliment linger between us, unsure of what to say. He watches me like he doesn’t understand me, but wants to, and the sincerity of it settles deep within me. He leans in, grabbing my face and pulling me toward him as his hand slides to the back of my head. He kisses me until I’m breathless, unable to come up for air until he pulls away. He leans back, calm and composed, though his pupils dilate, nearly eclipsing the baby blue. His gaze deepens, turning heavy with unspoken thoughts. I sit transfixed in my seat as we leave the drive-in, the air between us filled with the sort of anticipation that only comes from knowing what happens next.

The ache of wanting him is almost too much. He doesn’t look at me as we drive in silence, but his fingers are running rhythmic patterns down my thigh and back up to my center, driving me absolutely crazy. If he isn’t careful, I’m going to come undone from the sheer intensity of my desire for him to touch me. A low, rhythmic pulse thrums through my body, a sharp, heavy ache settling deep within.

“What are you thinking?” I ask, my voice dropping an octave without my permission.

A sharp breath catches in Chief’s chest. His fingers flex against my thigh, tightening almost imperceptibly before easing. His eyes find mine for the briefest moment, then slide back to the road.

“I’m thinking that I want to bend you over my headboard and fuck you until you’re screaming my name.” Dropping into a low, gravelly register, the words fall from his lips with a calm and casual precision that leaves me dizzy from the sheer boldness of it.

“I-I think I’d like that… Daddy,” I murmur, flashing a cheeky grin.

The word leaves my lips, and I watch in real time as his cool composure evaporates entirely. In its place is a man driven by passion and desire. He parks the truck and is at my door before I’ve even managed to take my seatbelt off. Opening it, he spins me toward him, and an undeniable ache knots deep inside me as I swallow hard. I anticipate his next move and meet him in the middle, wrapping myself around him so he can carry me through the fire department and up the stairs to his door.

A small laugh leaves him before he dips his face closer.“What a good girl you are for me,” he praises, and my cheeks heat. “Do you trust me?” he asks, his voice low, as he closes the door behind him.

My heart stutters as he looks into my eyes with a deep intensity, searching for an answer. His pupils are all but blown. His heartbeat pounds against me, matching the fervor of my own, and yet he holds back, waiting for me. Something unreadable crosses his face, and his expression softens at the edges. I know at this moment, in my heart, that this man loves me.

But should he?

It’s illogical, irrational.

We’ve barely had the time to get to know one another, and yet I feel as though there isn’t anyone in the world who sees me as clearly as he does. While at the same time, I realize there’s no one he shows himself to the way he does me.

Do I trust him?

Finally, this is one question I don’t have to overthink. The answer is obvious, and like it only does when I’m with him, my mind filters out every other distraction. Still in his arms, feeling weightless, I press my hand to his cheek, feeling the stubble from his trimmed beard beneath my fingers. Awareness sharpens every detail of this moment, and before he begins to wonder if I’ve forgotten the question, I smile.

“Yes, Garrett,” I answer, catching him off guard. “I’ve always trusted you.”

His smile slowly rises until it is pure, unmistakable mischief. His head tilts down and his brow hikes up as he walks us to his bed across the room.

“Good,” he says, placing me down gently and slowly removing his Henley to reveal his perfectly sculpted chest. “Then, before I follow through with bending you over that headboard, I want you to show me what else that smart mouth of yours can do.”

My breath hitches at his words, and the ache for him intensifies tenfold.

He removes his pants next until he’s standing bare in front of me, unabashedly. I take him in without shame. If I am his, then he’s certainly mine, and I will take my time admiring every part of him. The light filtering in from the windows paints his body in a warm glow, highlighting every curve, accentuating every shadow. My hands itch to reach out and touch him, and my pulse thunders in my ears as my gaze lowers. His cock is perfectly poised, at attention and ready for me, glistening at the tip.

Seeing how aroused the mere thought of my touch makes him pulls me from my reverie and encourages me to begin undressing. As my layers come off, he watches with a look of approval and appreciation, gripping himself to ease the strain of his erection while he murmurs soft words of admiration for my body.

By the time he sits on the bed and I kneel in front of him, he’s throbbing. I stare up at him, nervous and unsure. This isn’t something I’ve had a lot of practice in doing, but I’ve also never wanted someone the way I do him.

Sensing my hesitation, he leans forward, tipping my chin up to meet his gaze with his hand.

“I’ve dreamt of those perfect lips wrapped around this cock,” he rasps. “Of the way your tongue would feel sliding up and down my shaft, and…” He pauses, his hand caressing my cheek softly as he delivers his next words. “How the tip will feel as it hits the back of that pretty throat.”