She bit into her lip, trying to shake off the need consuming her. She was worried she wouldn’t be able to pay close enough attention to anything he showed her or said with her heart racing out of control and her body longing to be beneath him in the manner he’d described.
He walked her forward, keeping his legs outside of hers. It was silly and awkward, but it lightened the thickness in the air and made her smile.
She couldn’t focus on anything except the feel of him wrapped around her. As he took a step forward, his muscular chest pressed into her back, his huge hands slid down her arms until he threaded their fingers together, and he leaned over so she could feel the puffs of air against her neck every time he breathed.
Panting, she stopped moving her feet. “You have to let me go, Daddy.”
He stiffened. “What do you mean?”
“Let me explore on my own. It’s the only way I’ll learn.”
She felt his emotions strongly. He wasn’t fond of the idea of releasing her. She turned in his arms and tipped her head backeven though she could make out very little. She didn’t need to see to know his brow was furrowed. “Where did you put my backpack?”
“It’s by the door, Baby girl. I’ll get it.”
She grabbed his forearms and squeezed. “No, Daddy. I will. Sit in the chair. Let me explore.”
His breath hitched. “I’d like to help.”
She planted her palms on his chest. “I know. But I need to do this on my own. I learn better that way, and I can’t focus when you’re touching me.”
He chuckled lightly. “That part I can understand.”
“Will you let me?”
“I’ll try, but the thought of you bumping into anything or getting hurt makes my heart race.”
“Sometimes I will run into things, Damon. It happens. You can’t protect me every moment of every day.”
“I can certainly try.”
She smoothed her palms up his dress shirt until she reached his tie. He had on a suit jacket, too. She knew it was dark and the shirt was probably white. The tie was dark, too. She slid her fingers over the silky length of it.
He slid his hands up her biceps. “I need you to understand something about Alpha Protectors. My overprotectiveness isn’t unique to me. All of the Alpha males are like this. We wait our entire lives to finally have our mates in our arms, and we’re extremely cautious when it comes to their safety and wellbeing. I doubt my brother Arion let his mate’s feet hit the floor for days after he claimed her. We don’t like to be separated. The bond is strong. It’s not just your vision that makes me overprotective, Little rebel.”
She giggled. “Surely you’re exaggerating.”
“Not a bit, but I love that sound. Do it again.” He kissed her forehead.
She gently pushed away from him. “Let me explore,” she insisted.
He sighed but released her. “I’ll lose years off my life if you get injured, Olivia. If I think you’re going to get hurt, I will be on you in a heartbeat.”
“I’ll be fine.” She turned around. “Am I facing my bag?”
“Yes.”
“How far away is it?”
“Eight feet.”
“Is there anything in my way?”
“No. There is nothing in the middle of the floor in the entire house. Except your backpack.”
“Thank you, Daddy.” She knew he softened when she called him Daddy. She could feel it in the air. She would do so often to help calm him.
Holding out her hands, she took several steps forward. She wasn’t overly tentative. There was no way he’d lied to her. When her fingers hit the front door, she knew she’d reached her first destination, and she squatted down to feel for her bag.
