Page 37 of Keeping Katie

“Katie-baby, sit up.” His voice is deeper this time. Sterner. Sexier. My clit does a little dance. Then he adds, “Do I need to count to three, Little girl?”

Both of my eyes pop open, and I glare at him. “You’re not being very nice. I was resting, which you always seem to be encouraging me to do.”

He chuckles and sits on the edge of the bed. “So, my girl gets sassy after she’s freshly fucked, huh?”

My cheeks heat so much they could probably pop popcorn.

“While I do want you to rest, you need some hydration. If sitting up to have some water is too difficult for you, I can bring it in a baby bottle next time, and you can drink it that way.”

Say what now?

“I can sit up,” I blurt out.

The corners of his mouth twitch as he holds one of my pink cups to my lips. “Then show Daddy what a good girl you can be and take some drinks.”

I watch him as I gulp down the freezing cold water. He’s right. I do need this. My throat is raw from all the screaming.

Finally, I pull away and sigh. “Thank you.”

This was definitely not how I planned the night to go. Grady here, naked, stopping me from getting anything done. I also can’t believe how relaxed I am about it all. I have so much to do. A cake to bake. Accounting to catch up on. But what I’m doing right now feels so right.

He studies me closely, his gaze penetrating and serious. “Let me take care of you, princess.”

A lump slides up my throat. All my life, I’ve taken care of others. I haven’t had much of a choice in the matter. I don’t regret the time I spent caring for my parents. But I used to wonder what it would be like to be the one on the receiving end.

And here is Grady. Offering me just that.

It sounds like heaven. Like everything I could hope for. But what happens when he moves on from me? Surely, he’s not the kind of man to settle down. And with a girl like me who thinks a night in with coffee and a book sounds like the best time ever? Yeah, no. He’d be bored as hell. It wouldn’t take long. Then what? I’d be back to where I am now.

Passing up a chance to spend time with a man like Grady would be tragic, though. I think I’d always regret it. If anything, this might be the exciting part of my life that I tell stories about when I’m old and gray. Besides, if he keeps giving orgasms like he did a little while ago, it will be well worth the heartbreak that follows.

“I’d like that,” I whisper, my fingers smoothing over Pancake’s fur.

He slowly reaches out and cups my chin, giving me a feather-light kiss on the lips. “I know you’re afraid, Katie. I am, too, but probably for other reasons. We both need to take a leap of faith and see what happens because I’m fairly certain this thing between us is going to be the most beautiful thing in the world.”

What reason would he have to be scared? He has everything. Money. Power. Lots of guns and possibly even some grenades. He’s right, though. I’m terrified.

Take a leap of faith.

My parents always used to say that. Hearing it from Grady is like hearing their voices again, reminding me. Maybe it’s a sign, or maybe I’m sex-high and hearing things, but I’m going to choose to take the chance.

I nod and lean forward so my head rests on his shoulder. “Okay.”

He twists, plucking me up from my spot on the bed and sitting me on his lap. At least I have a T-shirt on. He’s completely naked, and his cock is hard again, pressing into my ass.

“We need to go over some rules,” he says firmly.

Rules? What is it with these men and rules? It seems like they’re handing them out all the time. Declan added a rule to Cali’s list last night over dinner. It was the most interesting thing to watch as they discussed it, and she finally agreed. No one at the table even seemed to blink an eye.

“I don’t need rules.”

His chest rumbles, and his cock twitches, sending a rush of excitement through me. Unable to resist, I grind against him, then yelp when he swats my thigh.

“This is serious, Little one. You do need rules, and you will follow them, or you will find yourself in trouble. Almost all your rules will be for your safety and health, which I will take very seriously. A few will be for my own personal pleasure. You’re not dating a normal man, baby.”

I grin. “Are you actually a robot?”

He pauses and narrows his eyes, but the corners of his lips twitch upward. “Very funny, Little girl.”

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