Page 14 of A Father's Bliss

I swear I almost fucking melt against him, my blood whooshing so fast I damn near get dizzy. But then the fish struggles again, and somehow,somehow,a miracle happens, and I’m able to push out a joke, hoping to distract us both. Or maybe to distract him from the fact I’m probably leaving a wet spot on his slacks.

“I was going to ask if that was another fishing pole in your pocket or if you were just excited about your catch.”

His low chuckle vibrates against my back. “And if I said it was neither?”

I’m quiet for a second, attempting to yet again downplay his words, but like before, it’s getting harder to do so. This time, because of the slack-clad cock pressed to my center. Still, I manage to provide some semblance of a retort. “Then I would ask how it feels to be God’s favorite.”

A thoughtfulhmmis all he gives me before his free hand wraps around mine and squeezes, prompting my attention back to the pole. “Perhaps I can tell you over dinner. Finish reeling him in.”

“Yes, sir.” The thick swallow does nothing to dislodge the lump in my throat as I stand.

Before I can fix my skirt, Marcus does it, tugging the bottom back into place. My breath catches when he runs a hand over myhips, his demeanor calm as a fucking clam as he stands next to me. Meanwhile, I’m wondering if it’s possible to self-implode.

Still, despite my thighs squeezing together tighter than a vice, I reel in the line. It only takes a few seconds before I pull the fish up over the railing to a waiting Marcus who immediately grabs it. And naturally, I discover that watching a man in business attire with his sleeves rolled up unhook a fish is a sight I never knew I needed to see, my rose, horny tinted glasses, only enhancing the visual.

I’m so fucked.

“This,” Marcus gestures to the catch that has finally stopped moving, “is roughly a five pound rainbow trout.”

I swear I’m trying to focus on the gray scaly thing dangling in front of me, but my eyes keep catching on to the thick veins in Marcus’ forearms as he moves it around. “Good catch.”

“It is. Ready to taste it?”

“Depends,” I say, setting the pole down across the chair. “Are you cooking it with butter and lemon?”

One side of his mouth curls in a devilishly delicious grin as he shifts and leads us to the sliding glass doors. “Guess we’ll see.”

“Okay, let me do a little recap.” Even with my phone on the lowest possible volume, Troy’s voice seems to echo in the bathroom. I snuck away while Marcus began descaling the fish, and after righting my cardigan and running my fingers through my hair, I called Troy.

I’m not one who has ever needed a pep talk but the circumstances have clearly gotten to me. Marcus isn’t just another guy I find attractive. He’s my ex’s dad, my father’s rival, and a coworker who I’ll have to work closely with every day. Themany reasons why this…this…attractionis such a bad idea are stacked against me and yet, I can’t ignore my body’s reactions to every word that slips past Marcus’s lips. Lips that I couldn’t stop staring at when he was walking me through how to skin a fish. Lips that I wondered what would look like parted with pleasure. Pleasure thatIgave him.

Fuck.

No part of me should be entertaining these dangerous thoughts but I’m only human, and a girl has needs. Needs that can only be satiated by this man I’ve wanted for so damn long.

“And now you’re hiding in a bathroom trying to convince yourself that being naked with him would be a bad thing.” Troy finishes parroting the cliff notes I gave him when I first called.

I scoff. “No, I’m in the bathroom on the phone soyoucan convince me that being naked with him would be a bad thing.”

Troy laughs into the receiver. “Then you have the wrong number, babe. You already know I’m going to tell you to let Mr. Finbois fuck you six ways to Sunday.”

I press my back to the door and run a hand through my hair again. Part of me knew this is exactly how this conversation would go, but I thought maybe, just maybe, Troy would be a voice of reason when I have none. “What about the aftermath?”

“It’s not like you have to marry him just because you fuck him.”

“I’m not saying that,” I hiss. “But I should feel some sort of moral obligation not to fuck my ex’s dad, shouldn’t I?”

“Sweets, that should give you all themorereason to fuck his dad. Harrison was a piece of shit and having a one night stand with his dad would be completely justified. Not to mention, you’ve had a thing for this man foryears, and despite what you think, vice versa. I’m pretty sure you both just need to get it out of your system.”

A sigh works from my lungs. “And what if we’re both wrong and I make a fool of myself?”

“Then coffee’s on me for the next month.”

“Because coffee will erase the embarrassment of being rejected.” I shake my head, but can admit with how the night’s going, free coffee is more than enough to make me want to take a chance. “Alright. Well, wish me luck.”

“You don’t need it, but will do. Text me tomorrow so I know you didn’t fall off the side of the boat and drown.”

I hang up and slip my phone back in my purse before wrapping my hand around the doorknob.

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