Chapter 9

Chapter

Nine

BEAUTY

I'm frozen to the spot, caught once more in the mystery Daddy's mesmerizing gray stare.

I feel like I've been caught in my sleep, laid out perfectly for this man to do what he wishes. I can't seem to tear my gaze away. But he's not saying a word as he watches me. It's like he's toying with me, or… or something.

I can't quite figure it out, but I feel like I'm in a game of cat-and-mouse.

Sparks are shooting straight down the back of my neck to my stomach. Every inch of my skin is tingling, straight to the tips of my fingers and toes. I'm glowing so hard I can barely even pay attention to the sudden tightness in my pants.

I feel so… so alive. And it's all thanks to this Daddy whose name I don't even know.

He gave me the wakeup call that changed everything. And then, last night, I finally made a decision of my own. I chose Prince. I invited him in, and I did it because I didn't like the feeling of not going after what I want.

Robby's chair scrapes the floor as he stands up.

Shit. Robby cares about me, but can be overprotective, and twice as thorny when he doesn't know what's happening.

"Stop." I put a hand on Robby's forearm, and he glances at me with surprise. "I—um… I want to talk to him."

Robby gently pries his forearm out of my grip. "So do I," he tells me with a crooked grin that makes me relax. "I wasn't getting up to punch him."

"Oh." I let go sheepishly. "I wasn't sure."

Robby considers that for a second and then gives me a fair enough shrug. He steps clear of his chair, shoving his hands in his hoodie pockets as he awkwardly approaches my mystery Daddy. "I was a dick last night. I'm sorry."

"Thank you," the man tells Robby. His voice is hoarser than I remember it being, but a nice, familiar kind of warm that makes me relax. "You were. But it takes a lot to apologize, especially in front of your friends, so I appreciate it."

A shiver of surprised delight runs down my spine. It's the perfectly-balanced response: gentle-sharp, embarrassing Robby without tormenting him, accepting it while letting him marinate the appropriate amount.

Spoken like a true Daddy.

Robby doesn't seem to know what to do about that. "Cool," he finally says and retreats to sit down again, rubbing the back of his neck.

The Daddy nudges his friend and nods at the counter, and he heads off to order coffee for them both.

Then he walks straight for me.

Fuck. I'm beginning to think this man really is a fairy. He's sure showing up at all the right moments.

Be cool, be cool, be cool…

Fuck. I didn't plan for this. I know I need to apologize… but I haven't planned what to tell him. Or what I can say in front of my friends, who are grinning at me like a pack of Cheshire cats.

I shoot them a sideways glare. Throats clear and pages shuffle as they look down at their books again, pretending not to listen.

"Hello, Beauty," the Daddy says softly as he stands next to my chair, putting a hand on the back.

Oh my god. It's almost like he has an arm around me, but not quite. I can feel the heat of his forearm just behind my shoulder. He smells familiar, in a way that makes my hairs stand on end.

My blush crawls up the back of my neck, and the Daddy chuckles under his breath. He knows exactly how much he's teasing me.

"Enjoyed your twenty-first birthday?"

I look so far up at him that I almost crick my neck.

"Yeah." I can't help smiling back at him, biting back a grin. I really, really wish I could tell him just how much. "But, uh… there is one thing."

"Oh?"

I swallow hard. Better get this out of the way with. "I'm sorry, too. That I didn't stand up for you." He stares at me with surprise as I lace my fingers together nervously against my thigh, under the table. "I wanted you at my party."

His smile turns soft and gentle as he dips his head slightly. "Thank you. But no need to apologize. I know what I'm getting into, Beauty."

Shit. It's weird hearing him say that name again.

Now all I can think about is Prince moaning that name into my ear as my skin glows with a sheen of sweat, and our bodies move as one in the darkness…

"Is—Is it that easy to read me?" I stutter, my cheeks hot as hell.

His eyes crinkle with far too much amusement. "Yes," he says. "And, seeing as we're all apologizing… I'm sorry for what I said. It was a little harsh."

"Don't be," I tell him without even thinking about it. "You were right. I need to do what I want to do."

The older man gives me an amused shrug. "It was still harsh. But I suppose every curse is a blessing in disguise, if you know how to look at it."

"Yeah." I swallow back the lump in my throat as I smile up at him. "And every bad dream can become a good one."

Without him, I wouldn't have been brave enough to talk to Prince Charming, to invite him inside… to wake up and smell the roses.

"But you can't just dream forever. Sometimes you gotta wake up and make those dreams come true."

"Good advice," says the Daddy's friend from near the door. He's holding a cup of coffee in each hand. He smiles at me and raises an eyebrow at his friend. "Ready to go?"

The mysterious stranger jerks his chin as if to say, Give me a minute , and his friend shrugs.

When he looks back down at me, my heart just about pounds right out of my damn chest. I'm frozen, waiting to see what he'll do.

Is he going to touch me? Kiss me? Introduce himself? Give me his phone number?

Nothing. The seconds tick by, and he does nothing. But his smile is growing.

Oh. Ohhhh, shit.

He wants me to take the first step. And he doesn't know that I did exactly that last night—and then I promised Prince I'd wait for him.

Shit. Don't get me wrong, this Daddy is hot. I like him a lot. But I promised Prince I'd wait for him.

Who could believe this is my life? All this time living in my own fantasy world, and I'm suddenly entangled with two hot older men. One brings me to the light, while the other meets me in the dark. Both of them make me feel things I've never felt before. And none of us know each other's names.

I have to find a way to let him down, and quickly. So I call up the memory of Prince's hand on my back, his lips on the side of my neck, his gentle touch as he tucked me in last night… and, at last, I tear my gaze away and stare down at my homework.

"Anyway," I mumble, trying to act like my heart isn't leaping out of my mouth. "Thanks. I'll see you around, yeah?"

Damn it. I couldn't be less graceful if I tried. I hope that didn't hurt his feelings.

But the Daddy just smiles crookedly, like he was expecting it, and heads for the door. "See you around, Beauty."

The Daddy strides right out of the shop, grabbing his coffee from his friend along the way. Just before the door closes, he breaks into a cheery little whistle that catches me by surprise.

The second the coffee shop door swings closed and his whistle fades away, the table breaks out in chaos.

"You're into Daddies?" Robby's jaw drops. "You? Daddies?"

"Jesus, Briar!" Kurt laughs. "You kept that a secret."

"I told you guys he'd be into something !" Theo exclaims.

"Dude, dude," Robby says, gently shaking me by the shoulder. "Tell me you already got his number and you didn't just blank him."

I grab his arm before he can get up to chase after the guy on my behalf. "No. But it's okay," I promise him, and his eyebrows fly up almost into his hairline. "Really," I add, laughing at the confusion on his face.

Robby slowly sinks into his chair again. "So what the hell was all of that?"

Like I know.

Under the weight of their expectant stares, all I can do is shrug. "Maybe a sign?" I grin sheepishly, reaching down to fidget with the pages of my textbooks. "Or maybe it's just confirmation bias."

Everyone snorts with laughter, and Robby rolls his eyes. "Well, that is a sign of something. Maybe you won't fail the test."

My heart lurches as I press my palms together. "From your lips to?—"

"—Daddy's dick?" Theo interrupts, ducking as I threaten to throw a fistful of napkins at him.

Everyone's laughing, and I just know they're never going to let me live this down… but at least my big secret is still safe.

What they don't know—or hear creeping into my room late at night—won't hurt anyone.