Page 86 of For Her Own Good

She pops off to answer, lips swollen, but doesn’t let go with her hand. “In my mouth, Daddy, please. I don’t want to waste a drop.”

Not waiting for a response, she latches back on and works me over. The sparklers have turned into full-on fireworks now and I slide my hands into her hair, fisting them close to her scalp and showing her the speed that’s going to take me there. She hums when I do, a little noise of craving and pleasure, and that more than anything else is what finally sets me off.

“Get ready, little girl. Daddy’s coming.”

And I do, Christ, do I ever, my hips bucking and my bollocks emptying into her hot, wet mouth. It seems to go on forever as she milks my cock with her tongue and draws every last bit out as she said she would.

At last she stops and withdraws, resting her head against my hipbone, and spent as I am, my cock still twitches at the feel of her warm breath.

“Come on, Star, up you get. I need to lie down before I fall over. You did a real number on me, you know that?”

I settle into Starla’s bedclothes and she snuggles up next to me, chest to chest.

“You liked it?”

“Did I like it? I’ve nearly forgotten my own name, so yes, I’d say it was fecking brilliant.”

She laughs and cuddles closer, and I have to drop a kiss on the top of her head as I hold her. How in Christ’s name have I been blessed with this woman? I can’t ask too many questions because I don’t think the answers will ever satisfy, but for now, I’ll hold her and keep her close and try to be the kind of man a woman like her deserves.

Chapter 28

Starla

“Hello, this is Starla Patrick.”

“Ms. Patrick.”

The voice is low and rumbly, like it comes from inside a barrel.

“This is Jerome Garrett. We met once when you were small.”

I’ve been tweaking my ADHD resource list for Nora to include things that might speak to her more, like ADHD Alien and How to ADHD. Now my brain has to screech to a halt, back up on the freeway to half a dozen exits ago and then go into drive.

“I don’t remember that. I do remember you weren’t a great favorite of my father’s.”

That’s a nice way of putting it. My father loathed Jerome Garrett, talked about him as though he were the devil incarnate.

Garrett laughs, a huge hearty thing, and I try to picture him in my mind. Unlike my father who was a smaller, wiry man, Garrett’s always looked big in the press, larger than life: tall, broad, with a big gut.

I should probably feel threatened by him, but I don’t. Wary, sure, but not threatened.

“Oh, but your father was a great favorite of mine. I never would’ve accomplished half of what I have without him to compete with. Used to drive me up a fucking wall, but he was a savvy, ambitious man. ‘Like’ may be too strong a sentiment, but I always respected your father and I’m sorry for your loss.”

His candor is disarming and I have to remind myself that Garrett is the enemy. No one who wants to do a hostile takeover of my father’s life’s work is someone I should be charmed by.

“Thank you. Aside from belated condolences, is there a reason you’re calling?”

“As a matter of fact, there is. I have a business proposition to discuss with you.”

Which makes my blood run hot.

“Oh really? I thought you had other plans for taking over Patrick Enterprises whether I wanted you to or not. And now you want to talk about it? It’s a bit odd, don’t you think, to fill me in on your nefarious plot? I suppose you’d like to do it over whisky and cigars. Or perhaps a cask of amontillado.”

He laughs again, and I don’t know whether to be insulted or pleased.

“Feisty like your father, I like that. I suppose we could do that, although I was going to suggest dinner in the seaport. We could sic the lawyers on each other if that’s what you’d prefer, but I thought we might enjoy this more.”

His words could be construed as gross, but his tone isn’t insinuating or sexual, doesn’t make me feel like he’s a creeper. I still don’t trust him, but at least I don’t think he’s going to assault me or say heinous things that will make me want to toss a glass of perfectly good alcohol in his face.

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