“You’re probably ashamed because of my beliefs, honey, but your boyfriend was right. It shouldn’t matter. When you love a person, you love who they are on the inside, and you have to trust that the decisions they’re making are the best ones for them. He made me see that my turning you away for doing this webcast was the same as if you’d turned me away for not having the same beliefs as you. But you didn’t throw our relationship away, peanut. You kept coming back. I was the idiot. I was the one who messed up.”
Lizzie wiped tears from her cheeks. “So, you’re not mad?”
“Mad? No. A little embarrassed that I couldn’t provide for my daughters and monumentally ashamed of myself for how I’ve treated you, but now that I see things more clearly, I’m proud that you could do what I was unable to. I was wrong to say you weren’t the daughter I raised. You’re a hundred times stronger than the person I thought I raised, because you stand true to your convictions even at the cost of losing others—and you did it not just for yourself but for your younger sister. That, Elizabeth, makes you a stronger person than anyone I have ever known. I was just too wrapped up in my own beliefs to see it.”
Lizzie could barely push air through her throat. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she forced her voice to work. “Thank you, Daddy.”
“Don’t thank me. I’m an old fool, and it took me way too long to come around. Thank that boyfriend of yours, who I didn’t even know existed until he showed up at the inn. I’m sure that’s another one of my failings. If you feel like you can’t tell me things, well, I’ll work on that, too, peanut. I only hope that it’s not too late for you to forgive me.”
He opened his arms and she walked right in.
“I forgive you.”
“That boyfriend of yours…”
“Blue, Daddy. His name is Blue.” And I love him so much. She didn’t want to keep silent anymore about anything. She’d seen what hurt that could cause. “I love him, Dad. I love him so much.”
“I saw it in your eyes, baby girl. But I have to ask, what kind of a name is Blue?”
“Dad!” She tried to pull out of his arms, and he held her too tightly for her to escape.
“I’m kidding.” His laughter stitched up the tear in her heart. “He…Blue told me how hard of a time he had with your videos, too, and how his love for you gave him the strength to overcome his own insecurities. It takes a strong man to admit his weaknesses.”
“You’re seeing crooked again, Dad. Those are his strengths.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
BLUE HEARD THE front door close and knew Lizzie had finally made it home. He tugged on the bottom of the apron he was wearing and glanced at the kitchen, where he’d worked all afternoon.
“Blue?” she called as she passed by the door to the basement.
“Down here,” he called up. His stomach dipped as he walked to the bottom of the stairs, nervously putting one hand on his hip. Then, feeling ridiculously self-conscious, he shook it out, only to put both hands on his hips again as she came into view.
Her jaw gaped and her eyes nearly bugged out of her head, but the appreciative smile and the heat that pinked her cheeks made it all worthwhile.
“You’re wearing my apron.” She descended the steps, staring hungrily at his bare legs.
“Yup.”
She circled him, and knowing she’d see his bare ass turned him on, but when she grabbed his ass, it sent a bolt of desire straight to his groin and there was no hiding his arousal.
“You’re not wearing any underwear.”
“Nope.” He laughed.
She finished circling him and stepped in close, running her hand up his thigh, beneath his apron, and lightly stroking over his cock. “I like this welcome-home attire.”
“Apparently so do I,” he said.
She wrapped her fingers around his hard length as he lowered his lips to brush over hers and said, “Better stop doing that. We have a show to tape.”
Her hand froze. “What?”
“Your apron’s in the bathroom. I suggest you go change before I strip you bare and have my way with you, because once I do that, I promise you, you’re not getting back up to film a damn thing.”
She shuddered against him.
“How can we do that with…?” She lowered her gaze to his tented apron.
“Angles, baby. It’s all in the angles.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to play first, tape later?”
Hell yeah, I want to play first. “Nope. Work, then pleasure. My girl taught me that.”
She made that sexy-as-hell pouty face that made him want to forget what he had planned. He forced himself to point to the bathroom. “Go.”
She came out of the bathroom wearing heels and her apron, without the flesh-colored thong she normally wore.
“Damn, you’re sexy.” He pulled her in close again, and this time he sealed his lips over hers, soaking in the feel of her hot, wet mouth, her tongue tangling with his. He backed her up against the wall, holding her hands above her head as he devoured her mouth, pressing his hips to hers.