Page 22

Things I might like?

Would the bed be covered in lingerie? Scraps of flimsy material for me to be comfortable in?

“Okay,” I agreed because I wanted this. I wanted him. I liked him. If I was honest, I might even more than like Dave.

“I’ll get the popcorn ready,” he said before stepping back, and even though he didn’t say it, I knew it was hard for him to put that space between us.

I forced my feet to move and hurried to his room, and when I shut the door, I leaned against it and took a deep breath. Wait, what had he said? Go to our room? Our room? I pushed off the door, and just as I was going to move towards the bed, my feet stopped at what I saw there.

My lips twitched.

I’d been sure he’d have some kind of lingerie waiting for me, silky lacy things that bared all, but he didn’t. There were honest to goodness pajamas on the edge of bed waiting for me.

Two sets.

One, a pair of shorts with a tank top with a design of my favorite book series. How did he know that? The other, a night shirt that probably hit my knees with… were those pockets? Both were totally something I’d buy for myself to be comfortable. He actually meant it? I moved closer, and I could have sworn I’d actually looked at these sets the last time I’d gone to the mall with Callie.

But there was no way he would have known that they’d called my interest. Right? That’s when a thought struck. What if all the time I’d been busy observing my cousin stalk Cal, Dave had been watching me?

“No.” I giggled, trying to cough it away. There was no way a guy like Dave, who could literally have any girl on campus or off it, would have been following me around the mall two weeks ago! They guy had a life.

This was all just… a happy coincidence.

I picked the shorts and tank set, and when I got undressed, I pulled my panties off. There was no harm in going commando. Or maybe that was my bratty side coming out and ready to play?

Once I was all changed, I walked out just as he was heading to the room.

“You look cute,” Daddy complimented as he took me in his arms and hugged me, an embrace so sweet and warm and cozy I couldn’t help the way I melted into him.

“Go pick out a movie. I’ll be right out,” he mumbled, kissing the top of my head, a gesture so innocent yet somehow more intimate than anything I’d ever done with someone else.

I was aware of the way I was frowning as I headed to the couch, grabbing the remote. Plopping onto the couch, I pushed the power button on the television, and my eyes caught on the coffee table.

And all the snack on it.

All my favorite snacks

I laughed and quickly covered my lips with my fingers.

Dave did this? For me?

The questions piled up, one after another, the biggest being how did he know what I liked? Another happy coincidence? I wondered to myself as I took a long, deep breath. No. There’s no way.

When I heard him in the room, probably changing, I decided to go with it and not overthink. At least not yet. Pulling one of the throw pillows onto my lap, I scrolled around until I found a movie I remembered Dave had mentioned wanting to watch.

“Hey,” he said, walking over to me. I looked over my shoulder and blinked.

“Are those⁠—“

“Matching pj pants with my girl? Yes, yes, they are,” he said proudly. Taking in the sight of him wearing black and gold dragons printed all over soft cotton pants and a muscle tank that did nothing to hide the seriously ripped body beneath made my hands itch to touch him and rub all the contours of his body.

“You got us matching pj’s?” I asked as he sat on the far end of the couch I was on, pulling my feet to his lap.

“Of course, I did.”

“For the aesthetic?” I teased, but he shook his head.

“It’s what a good daddy does.” He shrugged. I shook my head, biting away a grin.