She turns to face me, and I lean up, stealing a kiss.
That sweet peck turns into a long sensuous kiss in about five seconds.
Eliza climbs over me without breaking the kiss. Her knees squeeze my sides and she releases my lips, drawing in a slow breath as she straddles me.
Goddamn, do I love this position.
Her tits hang in front of my face so easily it feels criminal not to suck them. I flick my tongue across her nipple, gently nibbling as I devour her.
揙hh,?she moans. 揅ole...?
She nudges her wetness against my length, always so ready for me.
I grasp her hips, drunk on sex, pulsing so hard I feel like I抣l explode if I抦 not inside her in the next two seconds.
With a heavy look, she presses herself over me inch by inch.
I grasp her hips, desperate to hold her eyes as I sink into her eager little pussy again. 揕ook at me. Don抰 you dare look away when I fuck you.?
Her bottom lip disappears against her teeth.
She抯 so much more than I deserve.
So completely bad for me.
Tangled together, we ride through a second intense round of fuckery that ends in fireworks, still clinging to each other when it抯 over.
搼Let抯 hit the shower,?I mutter, grabbing her leg.
We抳e become that inseparable. In a matter of weeks, it feels weird to scrub myself down without having her breasts to massage or her little mouth to swallow my come.
We take our usual thirty-minute shower, and when we come out, Destiny is blasting Olivia Rodrigo music from the kitchen so loudly it bleeds through the ceiling. The only good news about that damn clock app is that it抯 catapulted some underrated musicians to success.
If only Dess didn抰 hijack my speakers and amp up the volume so much they can hear it on the moon.
That抯 also when I meet Eliza抯 eyes with an awkward realization.
揝hit. I抦 sorry. I need you to hide in here until棓
揇ad! Where are you? Should I leave without you? I抦 going to be late and Mrs. Werner is a beast.?
Eliza covers her mouth, suppressing a giggle.
揟hat抯 the lady who oversees the summer internships at the aquarium. I need to drive her,?I tell Eliza. 揂s soon as we抮e out of here, I抣l have my driver pick you up. You can go to the lab or go home. Take your time; the car will wait while you get ready.?
She nods.
Before I rush out, I lean down and steal another kiss. 揇oubt I抣l see you at the office today梞ore sourcing shit on the agenda with Troy梑ut I抣l see you for dinner.?I turn toward the door.
揅ole,?she whispers.
I pivot around, waiting.
With a smile that damn near sparkles, she rises up on her toes and adjusts my tie. I wait, frozen, until she kisses me again.
揑t was just a little crooked. Now go.?
Damn, this woman.
I never had a problem before with getting my girl to school on time. Now, I抎 rather crawl into a cave of wasps than leave this room.
I head downstairs reluctantly, fumbling with my phone on the way to shut off that music before my eardrums burst.
It flicks off just a second before I round the corner.
Destiny stands in front of the breakfast bar, her backpack slung over one shoulder and her arms crossed.
揧ou could抳e let the song finish. Jeez.?
揥e抣l be late. Are you ready??I ask.
揑抳e been ready, Dad.?She studies me a little too hard, this odd flicker in her eyes.
Shit.
What is it she抯 sensing?
I rub my neck, tugging up my collar.
What? Do I have a fucking hickey? Maybe, because she抯 still staring.
揑 don抰 say this enough, but...I抦 proud of you.?
I stare at her as she points at my neck.
揊irst time in forever I don抰 have to adjust your tie. It抯 always crooked when you抮e in a hurry.?
I sigh with relief.
揚retty sure I抣l be late. They expect me to work, Dad, not just stare at cute otters all day. We totally won抰 beat the morning traffic unless you bought jetpacks,?she says, finger-combing her hair.
揗y fault. I抣l write you a note.?
She squints at me. 揧ou know, you seem different, ever since Hawaii. Do you still have jet lag or something? You抮e kinda old.?
揗outh off again about my age, and I抣l find that jetpack and send you on a one-way trip,?I say with a snort. 揑抦 fine, Destiny.?
揙kay? So why do you keep acting like you抳e got a bug up your棓
揑抦 fine. Let抯 go, before we抮e even later.?
What the hell? Since when does my daughter parent me?
After I finally get to work after fighting our way through traffic and letting her off at the Seattle Aquarium, I抦 slammed with meetings the whole day.
When I come up for air, I text Eliza. Hey, I抦 sorry about this morning. Also, I need to delay our dinner plans by a couple of days.
She responds immediately. No big. I抦 down in the basement like usual, helping Gina with the pumpkin drinks for fall. It抯 a fun break from the campfire stuff.
I smile. It抯 been several months and she still hasn抰 lost a bit of her passion for this job.
I抦 a lucky man in more ways than one.
Cole: Will I see you tonight?
Eliza: Mayhaps. Fair warning, I抦 exhausted.
Cole: I抣l let you sleep. Promise.
I may be crossing my fingers as I hit send.
Eliza: Ha, I抦 not sure I can let you sleep without a goodnight romp. Or three.
My cock shifts in my pants, instantly jolted to attention.
I just hate that I had to postpone our first real date.
I expected her to be pissed. She抯 almost too chill.
Why?
After three more back-to-back meetings, I expect to open my phone to belated texts asking why I抦 postponing again. But they never come.
Katelyn comes into my office while I抦 still up in my own head. 揑抦 going for a lunch run, bossman. Do you want your steak salad or a sandwich or something??
揑抎 like that. Where are you going??
揟he deli down the street.?
揗ake it a club. With chips.?I pause. 揂nd Katelyn??
揧es??
I hesitate until I see the impatience creeping into her face. 揕isten, if a man asked you out and then postponed it, would you be mad??
揘o, but my husband would be pretty pissed.?She folds her arms. 揑f I were single, I might not be mad. I抎 just friendzone him.?
Friendzone?
That sounds as fun as licking sandpaper.
Shit, what if that抯 what Eliza抯 thinking with her non-responses?
Kate grins, undoubtedly loving the stricken look on my face.
揑抦 glad you抮e moving on, Mr. Lancaster. You抮e a billionaire with a decent bod梐nd that抯 not me saying it, but every red-blooded woman on the planet. It抎 be pretty hard to exile you to the zone. So, your lady抯 either very understanding or playing hard to get.?
I nod slowly. There抯 no point in denying my hapless ass needs the help.
Only, why does her smile look so wicked?
揃etween you and me, if you already took her out in a place like梠h, let抯 say Kona桰抦 sure it抯 not really a first date to her. And if it isn抰, you can expect her to be more accommodating.?
Fuck.
Busted.
揑 didn抰 say anything about Hawaii,?I bite off.
揃oss...you抮e blushing.?
揑 don抰 blush.?
揙kay. I抦 off to lunch. Whenever you finally make it to dinner, tell Eliza 慼i?for me.?
I stiffen in my seat, wondering how much gossip is already darting around the office.
揧ou can抰 say anything. I haven抰 had the discussion with HR yet.?Or anyone else like a certain teenage daughter with a sixth sense for drama, I don抰 add.
Kate抯 mouth forms an O.
揝o you抮e her sneaky link. Juicy.?
揕unch now,?I say, gently thumping my fist on the desk. 揃efore you抮e fired.?
揕ike hell,?she says as she goes flouncing out the door.
Her laugh echoes back at me and I bury my face in my hands.
What the hell is a sneaky link, anyway?
And why is every woman in my life so goddamned annoying?
If Katelyn ever retires, I decide right now my next assistant is going to be a workaholic gay man.
A couple days later, I check my suit in the mirror and notice a smudge on my cufflinks.
Frowning, I comb my hair for the third time.
Destiny appears in the doorway.
揥hat? Too much cologne??I grind out.
揘o.?
揘ot enough??My eyebrows go up.
揈w, Dad. No. And believe me, I have zero desire to sniff you.?