“I’m not making any excuses for the idiot, but he was young—I can only imagine what it must be like to have women throwing themselves at youon a daily basis and how hard it is to resist. But you’re old enough to know better. Treat her right and we won’t ever have an issue, understood?”
“I have no intentions of hurting your daughter, sir.”
Russ shrugged. “No one ever plans on hurting the people they love, but sometimes it happens anyway. My daughter’s got a big heart. She loves hard. I don’t want to see her living life on the run after another man promises her the world and then snatches it away. So, when times get tough—and don’t you dare try to tell me they won’t because life doesn’t work that way—you make sure to fight for her.”
If only he knew how hard I already had fought to earn a spot in Bristol’s life.
“That’s solid advice. Thank you, Russ.”
He grunted, turning back to the TV screen, and didn’t utter another word to me until the ladies called us in for dinner.
“I think your dad likes me,” I whispered in the dark, lying beside Bristol in bed.
She turned onto her side, bringing her hand to rest over my bare chest. “What tipped you off? That he’s letting you have a sleepover in my room?”
“That was a nice surprise.” My arm slid down her back, teasing the curve of her ass where the T-shirt she’d stolen from me had ridden up. “But I think he gave me the ‘dad’ speech.”
The moonlight filtered over her face as she peered up at me, her brows drawn down. “What’s the ‘dad’ speech?”
“You know, the one where it’s all ‘marriage is hard; don’t give up on each other’.” I blew out a breath. “There was definitely a ‘don’t hurt my daughter, or I’ll hunt you down and kill you’ thrown in there for good measure.”
“And this is why I don’t bring guys home,” Bristol grumbled.
I tickled her side, and she squirmed away. “He already thought you might be pregnant. Would it really be better if we showed up one day, married with a kid, because you were too afraid I’d spook if you brought me home sooner? I don’t mind it. He’s only looking out for you like a good father should.”
“Hmm. How about we circle back to you always bringing the conversation around to marriage and kids?”
Turning on my side so we were facing each other, I tucked my arm beneath my head. “Sure, I’d love to talk about marriage and kids with you.”
Bristol raised her eyes to the ceiling in annoyance. “That’s not what I meant. You’re jumping, like, twenty steps. I just got out of a long-term, not-really-a-relationship kinda situation. And while Idolove you, I don’t want anyone to think it’s me rebounding.”
“I don’t give a damn what anyone else thinks. It’s our life.”
“I know. And I can appreciate that your head’s already in that place. I can’t tell you how to feel. But I need you to respect that mine’s not there yet. Okay?”
She made a good point. It was asking too much to discuss long-term plans when she was fresh out of a bad relationship. No matter how strong my feelings for her.
“Okay,” I agreed. “We’ll table that convo for now.”
“Thank you.”
Bristol lay back in bed, resting her hands behind her head. The position left her legs splayed, with her shirt riding up enough to showcase that she wasn’t wearing any panties.
My hand teased over the bare skin of her inner thigh, skimming higher until I brushed against her warm center. Shifting my body closer, I said in her ear, “You make an excellent point, though. Not sure I’m ready to give up having you all to myself.”
With that, I dipped between her thighs, relishing the soft moan that slipped from her lips as I circled two fingers over her clit.
Even though her hips bucked, searching for more contact, she protested breathlessly, “We probably shouldn’t. These walls are thin. Could make for a very awkward situation around the breakfast table tomorrow if we’re overheard.”
I nibbled on her earlobe, complaining, “But I haven’t had a proper taste of my pussy since last night.”
That earned me a giggle that transitioned into a moan as I picked up the pace of my fingers working her over. She began to shift restlessly on the bed, chasing her pleasure.
“Just a taste,” I promised, slinking down the bed, ducking beneath the thigh closest to me.
Suddenly, Bristol tensed above me. “You can’t!” she whisper-shouted.
I froze. Up to that point, everything had been playful, but the shift in her tone told me she was serious.
