Cressida approached as she finished buying a t-shirt with a sassy Little saying and unicorn on the front.
“I’ve been watching you today and you’ve done a great job. I can’t wait to see the pictures.”
Lacy smiled as her face heated from the praise. “Thanks. It was a lot of fun. I’ve also learned a lot.”
“I’d like to ask that you put us on your schedule for next year. I’d love for you to come back and be the event photographeragain. We can talk later about doing a contract and payment for your time and energy.”
“That would be great,” Lacy said, bouncing with excitement. “I’ll be in touch next week, with the pictures, and about setting up for next year.”
“Wonderful. Have a safe trip home,” Cressida said before wandering off again, responding to a volunteer’s call.
Lacy giggled at the news as she headed to the corner of the room where Drake had spent his afternoon. She needed to share this with her Daddy.
Approaching the table, she frowned when she saw him talking with a beautiful woman who kept touching him. The woman caressed his shoulders, his chest, and his arms, looking at him as if he were an ice-cream sundae and she was just coming off of a three-month sugar fast.
Lacy tried not to let it bother her, but when the woman pinched Drake’s ass as he was bent over the table signing something, Lacy’s jealous Little side surged forward, showing common sense out of its way.
Taking the half dozen steps between them quickly, she shoved the woman away from her man.
“What the fuck? Why did you do that?” the woman hollered as she struggled to maintain her footing.
“Keep your hands off,” Lacy said, planting her feet wide and slapping her hands on her hips. She had to bite the inside of her mouth to keep from declaring Drake to be her Daddy and no one, especially this woman in her too-tight clothes and too much makeup, had the right to molestherDaddy.
The woman looked at her like she was crazy. And the silence that was growing, Lacy knew she was causing a scene, but did not know how to stop herself. Drake deserved to do his job as a cover model without being touched unless he agreed to it. Lacywondered what the woman would do if someone came up to her at work and pinched her ass?
“Come with me, Lacy,” Drake said as he wrapped a hand around her upper arm. His voice was soft, low, and stern.
Was this his Daddy voice?
Was she in big trouble?
Would this fit of possessiveness in public drive him away?
Drake led her out of the ballroom through the closest door. He did not stop once they were in the hallway, but continued walking until they came to a supply closet. Opening the door, he steered her inside. Flipping on the light, he followed her inside and pulled the door closed behind him.
“I’m sorry,” Lacy said as tears filled her eyes. “I promised myself I wasn’t going to be jealous, but that … that … bitch just went too far.”
She was surprised when Drake pulled her in and wrapped his arms around her without saying a word. He held her in a tight but gentle embrace as she apologized again and again.
“Shh, Lacy-girl. Everything’s all right. And to be honest, I’m kind of glad you did step in. I wanted to slap her hand several times myself,” Drake said as he brushed a kiss on the top of her head. “This is the difficult part of being with a model, but you have to remember that no matter how many women I hug, or who pats my ass, you’re the woman I’ll be curling up with tonight. You’re the Little who holds my heart. You’re the one I love.”
Sniffing back tears of anger, Lacy tilted her head back to look at him. “I don’t have to like it, do I? Especially women like that.”
“No, baby, you don’t have to like it, but you do have to tolerate it to a point. Are you finished for the day?” Drake asked as he rubbed one hand up and down her back in a soothing motion.
“Yes. Oh, and Cressida asked me to come back next year and be the official photographer again.”
“That’s great. You deserve it.” Drake gave her another squeeze. “I can see that you’re exhausted. Why don’t you go up to our room and lie down for a bit. I’ll be up as soon as the signing is over and then we can get some dinner and spend the rest of the night snuggling.”
Lacy nodded with a sigh she really was exhausted. “Okay, Daddy.”
Drake returned to the ballroom and finished his model duties. He ignored questions and speculations from the women who were shopping until the last minute. He would not discuss Lacy or his relationship with her.
And they did have a relationship, though he was still unsure what the future would hold for its health.
Once the room cleared out of readers, Drake stayed long enough to make sure the author he’d spent the afternoon with could pack up and load what was left of her wares back to her room.
Leaving as quickly as he could, he bypassed the long line of authors and assistants waiting for the elevator and found the emergency staircase, using it to walk up two flights to the floor where his Little girl waited.
