Page 8 of Wicked Wishes
“I think so. And I think you are too,” I admit, unable to stop once we go to this place, “got two of the most beautiful girls in town on my arm tonight,” I whisper, kissing at her ear as I curl my hand around her hip to bring her back against my chest.
Her little gasp makes me smile and I dip my face down to press it against her skin.Her ass shimmies against my cock and I grunt, letting her rub against me. I press my mouth to her throat and feel her shake. I think I might be shaking too. I havetouchedher before because sometimes, I can't help myself, but never like this. I can’t imagine not touching her this way now that I have gone and done it.
Her soft sigh lets me know she will let me do this however I need to. I don’t know what the hell I am thinking, but it’s too late. I said a slice of pizza to meet my daughter. Test the waters, so to speak. Hanna is a woman who dives right in though, and I don’t care anymore. I’ll buy them any pizza in the joint, play every sticky game, and even dance to the jukebox full of music older than them both of they want.
When she rubs her ass against my dick, I grunt and slap her sweet cheeks playfully. I crossed one of my own lines in the dirt and now I am trapped here with her and I fucking like it. Paying for dinner, I keep Hanna close to me and take Hope’s little hand in mine to lead us to a table. My daughter slides into our favorite corner booth and keeps sliding, making sure Hanna and I can sit together. Grinning at me, she plays with her hair and bounces on her knees, sure signs she is up to no good.
“Tell me everything about you, little monster,” Hanna demands gently, sitting forward and focusing her gaze on my little one.
Irony is not lost on me—I always call Hope my little monster because she likes creepy, crawly, dark things. No way for Hanna to know that. But as she grins up at me with a wink, I think she chose that little name on her own. Hope glances at me, her bright eyes big and her little mouth puckers. She caught it too and she grins big and wide, letting me know she likes it.
Our pizza is delivered, and the two girls talk non-stop about scary movies, Halloween haunts, and everything dark and magical. I sit back and watch them, my chest filling up with something dangerous. I wanted my daughter to like Hanna because I do. Not that I know what the hell to do about it. But, no, my daughter does nothing little or lightly, I should have known better. She might adore the little spitfire beside me more than I do.
“Daddy does not like Halloween,” she says with a big bite of mushroom pizza in her mouth, “he takes me trick or treating because he likes me, though,” she reasons as if that makes it okay I don’t care about the holiday.
“Well, I love it enough for the both of us,” Hanna confirms with a laugh.
Beneath the table, my hand is on her thigh, and I walk my fingers over her silky skin.Because I already bought my ticket toruin, I am giving myself a pass tonight. I have done it but good. I kept my distance—and my secret—as long as I could stand to. Staying away from her feels as impossible is giving up oxygen.
Sitting there with these two girls, I feel almost whole. In a way I have not felt in a very long time. I don’t know if I get to keep this feeling for long or if I deserve it, but tonight I am taking it.
They laugh together, and Hanna even takes her to play Whack-a-Mole and Frog Hop. My little girl is lit up brighter than the whole arcade and I then I am hit with that guilt. Not for being here with Hanna tonight. And not for laughing with her, touching her, and wanting a hundred more nights just like this with her. Guilt because to protect myself and a vow I kept until my wife left this earth, I denied my daughter nights like this.
“What a lucky guy you are,” Hanna declares as we watch my little girl dance to songs no one else would ever dance to.
“A lot of people say otherwise, but you got it right,” I say with a grin as I watch Hope twirl to the music, “I lost a hell of a lot, but I got plenty when I got her. Not sure I would have survived without her. Knowing I had to take care of her, had to be there for her, and be the best father I could be, it sometimes is all that keeps me going. I don’t know why I never told you about her,” I gruff, ashamed for a moment that I kept it a secret from her.
“Oh, I do,” she replies with a smirk as she spins to face me, “you knew I would want to meet her. You knew I would want to become her friend. Like I wanted to be your friend. But you know I wantmorefrom you than just being the neighbor next door you can borrow some sugar from, don’t you, Harley?”
Heat sparks in her eyes as I reach out, curving my hand over her hip and grabbing hold of her softness. Grunting, I nod and give her a tug. Her face lights up, her eyes darken, and I watch her wet her bottom lip, her pink tongue glistening in the darkness of the pizza joint.
“You should not talk to men that way, sweets,” I warn, my words hot against her mouth.
“Oh, I don’t. At least not other men, Harley,” she taunts as she flicks her gaze up to meet mine, “only talk to you this way,” she assures me.
“Tell me....do you only look at me the way you got those pretty eyes on me right now?” my voice is so rough it feels as if I can barely get the words out.
Her hand comes up to brush over my beard and with her eyes locked on mine, she shakes her head. Just once. Just a clear-cut answer without words. I want to beat my chest and throw her over my shoulder to carry her off to my den when she looks at me that way. Good thing for her she saves that look for me.
Just as I start to tell her what she does to me—not that she can’t feel it nudging between her legs—I spot my little monster watching us. I start to back away, but she lets out a loud laugh and tells me to keep dancing with Hanna. And so, not wanting to let either of my girls down, I do.
We dance for a few songs, not really dancing at all. I just hold her and let her hold me. Her softness fits just right against me, and I never want to let her go. Hope twirls around us, laughing and singing so loud I am sure we will get thrown out—but no one seems to mind us enjoying our night.
It is a cool night when I carry a zonked-out Hope from the pizza place, cradling her to me as I keep an arm around Hanna. I walk her to her car, and we linger there longer than we ought to. I want to kiss her so badly I brush my lips over her temple to give me something to hold onto until maybe I can kiss her proper. Because tonight, I decidedI willbe kissing her properly.
“Goodnight, sweets,” I husk as I start to back away, just to move closer when she tips her head back to gaze up at me.
In the moonlight, she is so beautiful that my chest aches. Her skin glows and her eyes sparkle and I know I wasted the last few months I could have had with her. I am still scared, and I will still go slowly, but I can’t stop this now. And when she presses close and burrows her face into my chest, her arms squeezing me tight, I know she won’t let me if I try to.
“See you tomorrow? Do you need me to sit with her?”
“Yeah, yeah, I do,” my voice is rough as I answer, “got a job over in Crystal Cove. Used to take her along but I don’t want to keep dragging her after me. Now that I have you,” I don’t miss the meaning behind my words and by her sharp intake of breath, I doubt she does either, “I know she can stay home where she wants to be, bake cookies, watch scary movies, you know, things girls like you like to do.”
“You have me now,” she whispers the words, her eyes bright in the dark of night.
“I do. I trust you to take care of the most important thing in my life, Hanna.”
“Promise you, you won’t ever regret it,” she breathes before she presses a soft kiss to my cheek, so close to my mouth I almost taste her. She dips her head and kisses the side of Hope’s head, grinning downat her sleeping face.
