Chapter 3

Three

WINTER

B en freezes in the doorway, a palm hanging on the frame as if he’s stopping himself from bolting inside. I strategically left it wide open for him, like I thought he’d done for me in his bathroom. Seeing him stroke himself and explode by saying my name let me know I was on his mind. Just as much as he’s been on mine.

We’re supposed to be together.

His broad chest rises as he gasps. “Baby…” There’s a warning tone underneath a sense of awe. The sternness of his daddy voice makes me desperate for him. He seems stunned as his eyes focus on my exposed core. With my plaid skirt shoved up around my waist, my fingers delve between my spread thighs.

“Daddy, will you help me?”

Tension eases in his shoulders, and his foot takes one step across the threshold. Who knew Ben would be so nervous around me?

“Wha-what do you need help with, baby?”

“I-I’m kind of embarrassed. I don’t know how to, um… I don’t think I’ve had an orgasm before.”

Some of his brown locks fall across his forehead, darker from being wet. His blue eyes continue to stare at my fingers, which dance across my throbbing clit underneath my panties. The way he watches me, and the forming tent in his sweatpants, makes me even hotter between my legs.

“Baby, I… I’m your godfather . I can’t be?—”

“No, you’re Ben . And I’m Winter.” Taking one wet finger out from beneath the polka dot thong, I press it to my lips and give him some sultry eyes. Or I hope they are. My lower lip quivers as I beg him, “ Please , Daddy.”

“Fuck! You’re a naughty little girl. You know that? Absolutely irresistible.” He strides to the bed and points. “Slide your panties off.”

The gruffness of his commands makes my pussy throb with need. I don’t think I’ve ever been this soaked before. Peeling off my wet underwear, I toss them aside as he climbs on the bed behind me.

Tingles shoot down my spine as his soft murmur tickles my ear. “Lay back on my chest, baby.” I do, and he takes each of my thighs and spreads them wide over his own. The climbing rate of my pulse pounds with the feel of his warm body against mine. Involuntarily, my lower back arches with some discomfort.

“I need help.” It comes out as a whisper, but the sentiment of desperation is there. I need Ben , my daddy. The only father figure I’ve ever had.

His hands gather my long hair and place it gently over to one side. The shoulder of my sweater slides off, and it tickles when his stubble brushes against it. I press back into his chest just to feel more of him around me. Formidable arms surround me until my entire body relaxes in his hold. When his fingers brush against my knees, I jolt, a sharp breath passing my parted lips.

“No one’s ever touched you before?” Sliding his smooth palm up my thigh, his deep voice sends sparks straight to my needy core.

“No, no one.”

The deep groan he makes rumbles through my ribcage. With every inch his hand conquers, my arousal escalates to an unbearable proportion. My breath comes out ragged and shallow. By the time his finger hovers over where I need it most, he pauses. “You want your daddy to touch you here?”

“Yes, I need it.”

One firm pad of his long digit presses into the sensitive area and my insides jostle so much, it feels like a tense cramp. When he adds a second to my apex, my hips thrust into his hand, trying to chase the ecstasy it holds.

“Baby, you’re doing so good. Just like that. Have you ever put one inside?”

His lips are so close to mine when I turn to face him. Both of our cheeks flush with a fervent fever I don’t want the cure for. “N-no. Will you?”

My entire head buzzes when he places his mouth against my temple, then dips the tip of his finger just at my entrance. Heat simmers in my veins as I writhe against him hard, trying to fit more where I need it most. Sensing my urgency, he shoves in deep, forcing a moan from my throat. Before I know it, the sound drowns into his open mouth.

His free hand clutches the back of my neck as we collide. I’ve kissed a few boys in high school, but this feels so different. Those didn’t give me a twisted, tingly feeling in my belly. Ben’s jaw is so strong as it works over my mouth, then his tongue slides between my lips to part them and we meet.

As his finger thrusts in and out of my pussy, the sound it makes is obscene. The heel of his palm rubs my clit in just the way I need it to, but his kiss… it’s the most sensual thing about him. Domineering and possessive. He tastes like home.

I’m kissing my daddy.

Pressure builds inside me until I reach the point where I usually stop.

Breaking apart with a pant into my open mouth, he presses his forehead to mine. “You feel close, baby.”

“I-I can’t… I’m scared.”

“It’s okay, baby. I’ve got you. Just give yourself to Daddy.”

Knowing he cares for me and has so much more experience, I do. I let him take control of my body and hand over all my trust to the man surrounding me now. With just a few more plunges, that raging urgency becomes a violent fire that consumes me until I explode with pleasure.

“Daddy!” My back arches off his firm chest as I erupt, locked in a blissful state.

“Shh, yes, baby. There you go. Such a good girl.” His mouth moves to my neck and presses a soft kiss, then sucks some on my skin as I come down from the high in waves. Nerves jolt as I do, my body shaking with the intensity of my experience.

Ben pulls his hand from my center and lifts a sopping finger, showing me the evidence of our experience together. Then he slowly places it on my bottom lip. “Lick this, baby. Taste yourself on your daddy.”

Parting my mouth open, I use my tongue to surround the wet digit, getting a sense of the musky flavor of me mixed with his skin. A choked sigh sputters out of his mouth, and his cock surges once against my back. Then he grips my chin and pulls me to him for another kiss. The taste he had given me, I swap to his tongue.

This is it! We’re together! I knew if I was with him, it wouldn’t take long.

He pulls back, his hands gripping my waist to sit me up. “Baby… You’re too young. You’re my goddaughter, and I’m not sure how Sherry would have felt about this. This is so wrong and I’m sorry to confuse you.” The bed dips as he stands, but I shove my skirt down, then grab his forearm before he walks away.

“No, Ben. It’s okay. I’m not too young! And we aren’t related ! It’s-it’s not bad.”

A look of sadness coats his blue eyes. His fingers brush back some of my hair as my gaze catches on the tent in his sweatpants. “We shouldn’t do this. You have your whole life ahead of you, and you need a father figure, a friend. I shouldn’t have… It was wrong of me to take advantage of you. I should know better.”

He steps away from me, and I feel so cold.

Keeping his focus on my face, he pauses at the doorway and says, “I’m going to make us some dinner and we can talk about my mistake more, if you need. Then I thought we could go pick out a Christmas tree to decorate together tonight. Would you like that?”

The fabric of my sweater scratches my hands as I try to straighten it. Everything felt so right until just this moment. Now, it’s like he’s eager to run from me. From us .

It’s difficult, but I force a swallow, then give him a small nod as he hurriedly leaves.

What seemed to be a happy moment was just ruined by his fear. If he still thinks of me as his best friend’s daughter, I can’t help that. I mean, they were best friends before my mother married Rowan and they drifted apart.

But if he thinks I’m too young, I could show him how much I’ve matured now. I can’t give up. I’m completely in love with Ben Stone.

After cleaning up in my bathroom, I pull on some lined black leggings and top it with a tunic festive sweater. Slicking on a swath of red lipstick, I give my hair a once-over with the brush, then pile it into a high ponytail. My mascara has run a bit, so I tidy it up off my cheeks and apply some more. Underneath a pair of tall rubber boots, I slip into warm wool socks.

Cold weather clothing fills my suitcase, and my mind travels to the boxes I packed up at home. Ready to be shipped here as soon as Ben says I can move in permanently.

But a distant fear lines my thoughts that he won’t agree because of what just happened. Now I’m nervous to approach him and have never felt that way before.

By the time I reach the kitchen, the smell of steaks fills the downstairs. Ben plays some jazzy Christmas music on his phone attached to a speaker sitting on a counter. His worried eyes scan my body as I step off the last step and wander near the island.

“Want to help, baby?” Nodding, I slide around to the other side, where he points to some asparagus. “Steam that in the pot there. And grab the potatoes out of the oven when it goes off. These steaks may be about done.”

As I stand next to him at the stove, his eyes lower to glance down at my face. To lighten my glum mood, he bumps my hip with his, which makes me smile. “Remember, you used to hate corn, but loved asparagus?”

“Ha, yes. And you’d yell, ‘What kid?—’”

“What kid likes asparagus? My bright baby, that’s who.” He laughs as he finishes the sentence, but it makes me feel worse inside.

If he’s still reminiscing about me as a child, then he’ll never be open to us being more. The timer goes off and I grab the potatoes while Ben sets the table. A heavy silence takes over until we sit down together and dig in.

“I’m so sorry, baby. I made this awkward.”

“No, you didn’t. Not at all. I asked you to help, and you did. I just don’t understand…”

Chewing his bite of steak, he trains his gaze on my eyes. “Understand what?”

“You’re attracted to me, too . You want me, too.”

The clang of his fork dropping on his plate makes me flinch, especially with how fast his hand moves to grab mine. “Baby. This is why I’m saying things are confusing. I’m so attracted to you. Who wouldn’t be? You’re breathtaking. Gorgeous. But you’re also eighteen, and I’m… not . Over twenty years older than you. Not to mention, Sherry trusted in me enough to make me your godfather. Do-do you understand? I want you, but we can’t do this. I don’t want to mess up your life.”

A protest rises through me with a dramatic shake of my head. “You wouldn’t?—”

“I would. Why do you think I never married? I loved your mom. But I was always away with my work. I couldn’t devote the time I needed to nurture a proper relationship with anyone, even my best friend. And you’re so brilliant, have such a big future ahead of you, no matter what you choose to do. I would only stand in the way of that. I want…” He stops and drops my hand, then resumes eating as if he didn’t just leave me hanging.

“Want what?”

Tightness settles around his neck as he swallows, then stares straight ahead, out through the window to his backyard and the frozen lake beyond. It’s too dark now to make out, but I know it’s there. So many joyous days spent playing on it years ago. The feel of this place gives me some comfort despite the harshness of his words. A taut smile forms on his lips. “I want you to finish your dinner so we can pick out a perfect tree and grab hot chocolate from the resort. Then we can stop by and talk to Jake about you working there.”

My mind races, trying to formulate any plan to get my daddy back. Racier outfits? Darker lipstick? Maybe walk into his shower with him? Slip into his bed? What could I do?

On our way to get a tree, I slide my hand into his, and he glances at it, but doesn’t release his grip on me. So, that’s something… He wants me. He just doesn’t know how to go about it.

His phone rings and the car’s screen lights up with the name Cindy . My stomach falls out of my body seeing it. Ben’s eyes grow wide as he clears his throat, then presses the answer button.

A woman’s saccharine voice fills the cabin of the car. “Hey, hot stuff! I’m going to be in town tomorrow. We still on for Jake’s holiday party?”

“Yeah, um. I can meet you there. Remember, I have Winter with me now.”

“Oh, right! I’ll be at the front around eight. Tell Winter that I can’t wait to meet her!”

His eyes dart to mine as he nods. “Okay, see you then.” Quickly, he ends the call, and I wonder if that was to avoid saying ‘I love you’ or if they are even on those terms. Waiting patiently, I stare at the side of his face as he pulls up to the tree lot.

“That was, uh, my friend, Cindy. We hang out when we’re both in town.” Squeezing my hand, he says, “It’s not serious.”

I place a sweet smile on my face, then lean across the seats to peck his cheek. “I can’t wait for the party.”

Because it will be goodbye to Cindy.