Sweet and Sassy Daddies

by Natalie Ann

  “Blair also didn’t ask you to help and I know if I asked her she’d say yes.”

  “Then why didn’t you ask her?”

  “Because she’d say yes even if she didn’t want to. She is that kind of person. I don’t want to put her on the spot. You’ll see her again soon. We see her all the time, but she has a job like I do too.”

  “So I get to spend time with Carol for the next few weeks, right?”

  “Mrs. Shanahan,” he told her.

  “She said I could call her Carol when I saw her outside weeding her flowers. She said she was going to let me help her do that and she had all sorts of arts and crafts for me to do too. And she said we can bake cookies. I want to learn to do that.”

  Oh man, was he going to have to start learning that on top of the braids? Maybe Livi would get it out of her system with Carol…he hoped.

  “That sounds like a lot of fun.”

  And it would ease his mind knowing that Livi was having a good time while he was at work. He also liked that it was next door, saving him the time of having to get up earlier and rush around.

  When they got to his office, he parked and got his briefcase out while Livi put her backpack on. They made their way to his office.

  “It’s so big here,” Livi said.

  “It is. Maybe we can walk the campus if we’ve got time. I can show you around.”

  “Do they play sports here?” she asked.

  “They do. RPI has a good ice hockey team. This winter we will have to catch a game.”

  “I’ve never seen ice hockey before. Can Blair come with us?”

  Should he discourage Livi from asking about Blair all the time? If he should he didn’t because the truth was he wanted to spend more time with Blair too. That Livi enjoyed her company was a massive bonus.

  “When the time comes we can find out.”

  They’d been in his office for an hour while he was rearranging things again. He’d done it so fast the last time he was here that now he didn’t care for it.

  “Dr. Aire.”

  He turned to see Donna, his secretary standing there. Well, she helped most of the teachers if they needed it but she was really there for him too. He’d never had someone solely for him but knew he’d have to learn to delegate if he wanted to run the department and teach as many classes as he enjoyed doing.

  “Hi, Donna. And just Philip will do. This is my daughter, Livi.”

  “Hi,” Livi said. “I have to sit here and occupy myself while Daddy works.”

  Donna grinned and then looked at Philip. “You’re about the age of my granddaughter. What is it that you’re occupying yourself with?”

  “Just games,” she said, turning her tablet around. “I like to find words.”

  “That’s a fun game to play. And it’s a learning game too.”

  “We try to do a mixture of both,” Philip said.

  “Is there anything I can do for you while you’re here?” Donna asked. “I know everyone will be back next week and you’re setting up. I’ll be here the rest of the week myself organizing things.”

  “Actually,” he said. “I started making a list of handouts and labs for my classes. Many will be done online, but I want to be able to go over them in class too. If you could make some copies once I get it all together?”

  “Absolutely. That’s what I’m here for.”

  “Daddy, I’m thirsty,” Livi said. He hadn’t even thought to grab a water bottle before they left.

  “Why don’t I take you over to the cafeteria and you can get a drink,” Donna said. “It will give your dad a few minutes to move the table and chairs around that you are sitting at.”

  He smiled at Donna wondering how she’d know he was eyeing it all and figuring out the best way to set it up, but then he’d have to move Livi and she was behaving. Sometimes it wasn’t worth interrupting her.

  He pulled money out of his wallet and handed it over. “I would appreciate that. It will give Livi a little view of the campus too. Thanks.”

  “Not a problem. I like to walk and get some exercise myself.”

  It wasn’t even five minutes when Philip heard footsteps outside of his door again. “Philip.”

  He turned to see Chelsea there. “Hi,” he said. “Getting your office ready early? Or finishing up classes?”

  “Just the last of my grades from the summer session. I see you are getting settled.”

  “I am,” he said. “Or trying to.”

  She walked into the room, her eyes looking him over again and making him feel like he was on display. When she moved a little closer to him, he took a step back. He had personal space that he didn’t like too many people getting in the middle of.

  “So I’ve asked around about you,” she said.

  “You have?”

  “I think we are all curious. That is human nature. I’m sorry about your wife.”

  “Thank you,” he said and let it drop. It felt odd she’d say that unless she was looking for the fact that he was single. That was his guess and, based on her actions now and from the last visit, he was positive where her mind was drifting.

  “You moved here to get away?” she asked.

  “I did.” He didn’t want to get into it with her. Or anyone for that matter.

  “Why don’t I help you move this table,” she said. “It seems out of place in the center like this.”

  “I’ve got it,” he said. He was going to move it closer to the wall anyway.

  “I’m not doing anything. We can get it done faster together.”

  No use arguing with her. The sooner it was done, the sooner she’d be gone.

  He walked over to one end and lifted it, she lifted the other, and they moved it to the back where he wanted it. He grabbed two of the three chairs to push under it and she got the other. When he turned to move she was right there “bumping into him.”

  “Sorry,” she said, “didn’t mean to be so clumsy.”

  “No problem,” he said quickly and stepped to the side. She did the same thing and bumped into him again, then laughed.

  “Guess we were thinking the same move.”

  “Guess so.”

  This time he waited for her to move and then he went in the other direction. He wasn’t one for playing games. Especially of this kind.

  He had a woman he wanted to get to know better and couldn’t juggle women even if he wanted to.

  Perfect timing had Livi and Donna coming back in the room. “Daddy, I got a slushy.”

  “I see that,” he said when he saw her blue lips.

  “Sorry,” Donna said. “She told me it was okay to have one. That she had it before.”

  “It’s fine.”

  “So who’s this?” Chelsea asked.

  “I’m Livi. Who are you?”

  “My name is Chelsea and I work with your Daddy.”

  “She works for your Daddy,” Donna said, narrowing her eyes.

  He could see a battle of wills between the two ladies and the last thing he wanted was to be caught in the crossfire.

  “Same thing,” Chelsea said. “I’ll talk to you later, Philip.”

  Chelsea left and Livi said, “She smelled funny.”

  “Livi,” Philip said. “That is mean.”

  Donna laughed. “It’s not mean if it’s the truth. She didn’t say smelled bad, did she? Just funny. Like she dumped a bottle of perfume on her head.”

  “Yes,” Livi said. “Nothing like Blair. Blair smells pretty. She smells different all the time but always pretty.”

  “Blair, huh?” Donna asked him.

  Man, oh man. “A neighbor,” he said. “Thank you for taking Livi for a drink. We should get back to work so we can get out of here for the lunch I promised her.”

  Donna laughed and left, Philip glad he didn’t have to explain himself to anyone else.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Down a Path

  Another two weeks had gone by and Philip felt like he was walking on eggshells. Or pins and nee
dles. Anything and everything when he was around Blair.

  He was so worked up and needed a release and was positive she felt the same way.

  But he wasn’t sure how to broach this. They’d had dinner three times together this week. It was almost like it was expected more than it wasn’t. And he wasn’t an idiot; he was getting all sorts of signals and signs from her that maybe she wanted more.

  Not only that, but Livi seemed to want Blair around all the time. In his eyes that was blessing enough to move forward. And if Blair didn’t like that he had a child, he’d know that by now, but there were plenty of times that Blair and Livi did girly things while he was watching TV. Things that he’d always thought Mandy and Livi would do when Livi got older.

  He shouldn’t be thinking of the future with Blair. Or a family with Blair. But he couldn’t help it. His mind was going a hundred in a fifty-five zone with cops on his tail.

  He realized that he was falling in love with her and deep down he thought she might feel the same way. It was only logical to take the next step. He didn’t want a fling and maybe that was why he was holding back getting intimate with Blair.

  Hoping that she’d realize it too.

  Each night after dinner, he and Blair would sit out on the deck or in his living room once Livi was in bed. Some nights, Blair would go home first, then come back once he said Livi was sleeping.

  And tonight was going to be more of the same. He’d just put Livi to bed and expected her to be sleeping shortly. Thankfully Livi played so hard that when it came time for bed she was out minutes after the light was flicked off and sleeping deep and steadily through the night.

  It was a beautiful early August night, so he went out on the deck with a bottle of wine to wait for Blair. They didn’t always have a drink, but it was nice when they did.

  Relaxing and soothing and a ritual of sorts he was looking forward to. Pretty soon he’d be back to work full time and Livi would be starting school and he knew that these nights wouldn’t be as often.

  Or maybe they could start a new ritual. Maybe they could take the next step soon and then open the door for possibilities.

  Did he think they were moving fast? Yeah, he did, but he didn’t care. He’d felt something for Blair he didn’t think he’d feel for another woman ever again and he was ready to explore it.

  He loved Mandy but it was a young love from their college days that just grew. A comfortable one he was more than content to have the rest of his life.

  But that life was no more. And what he had with Blair was different. It wasn’t young but rather mature with a touch of excitement and anticipation built together.

  “Hey there,” she said when she walked back across his yard. She had a basket in her hand with a towel over it. He loved that she often brought food for him. Fresh baked goodies usually.

  “What do you have there?” he asked.

  “I just pulled out some cookies from the oven. Snickerdoodles and they are still warm.”

  He lifted the towel up and snuck his hand in to grab one, the smell of cinnamon and sugar hitting him hard. Then he leaned closer and took a sniff of her. “You smell almost as good as the cookies.”

  “I just took a shower and slathered lotion on. Vanilla, so it complements the cookies.”

  He took a bite of the cookie, then laid his lips to hers. “You complement me.”

  She smiled and a soft look came into her eyes. He was feeling more courage tonight. Enough to broach the subject of taking their relationship to the next level. And in his eyes it was a relationship.

  “That’s a sweet thing to say.”

  His lips were nuzzling her neck now. “I can be sweet. I can be a lot of things if you want me to be.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I want you to be just you. I want you to be who you are.”

  “Who I am wants to take you to my bed, but I’ve been afraid to bring it up.”

  “There has been no reason for you to be afraid to bring it up,” she said with her lips going to his neck now, her hands roaming over his back. “I’ve been waiting for you to ask since your body seems to bring it up enough.”

  He coughed out a laugh. “I don’t have a lot of control around you it seems.”

  “No one asked you to.”

  “Do you want to go inside? Livi is sound asleep. I checked on her before you came over. We’ll lock the door to make it more comfortable.”

  “That’s fine. Is that why you’ve waited to ask? Because you thought I’d be uncomfortable with Livi in the house?”

  “You’re the first woman I’ve been with since Mandy died. I haven’t even gone out on a date. I feel bad that you and I haven’t been out on a date ourselves, but I’m squaring away a babysitter and the minute it’s set I want to take you to dinner. Just the two of us alone.”

  “I’d like that, but I understand your situation too. Please don’t think I don’t.”

  “I know you do and I appreciate it.”

  “Then let’s go to your room and show how much we appreciate each other.”

  “Thank God,” he said and heard her giggle.

  He grabbed her hand, leaving the cookies and the wine on the deck, then pulled her through the house and up the stairs to his room.

  Once behind his closed and locked bedroom door at the opposite end of the house from Livi’s room, he pulled Blair into his arms and kissed her like a starving man. Like a man that was walking through the desert for days just waiting for a sip of water.

  He wasn’t just going to get a sip though. He was going to dip his head into the big pot of water waiting for him and he was going to gorge himself silly.

  “I know it’s been a long time for you, and though it hasn’t been as long for me, it’s been long enough. What do you say we get to the first one fast, then take our time on round two?”

  “I think that sounds like a marvelous idea,” he said, his hands going under her shirt, up her ribs and lifting it over her head. She was on the thin side but had curves in all the right places.

  Her hands did the same to him, under his shirt, then lifting it over his head. “Oh yeah. That’s what I’m talking about.” He’d never considered himself much of an athlete or a physically fit man, but he was in good shape. He was thin and had tone in the right spots, but he hardly had six pack abs and knew he’d never get them either.

  “I think we are wasting a lot of time talking when we can put our lips to better use.”

  “Smart words from a smart man,” she said, stepping back and shimmying out of her shorts.

  His eyes traveled the length of her long lean legs to see her standing there in a matching bra and panties. Lace. White. See through. “Did you plan this tonight?”

  “I’d hoped for it,” she said. “Now come on and remove those shorts of yours. You need to catch up.”

  He laughed and did as she said. “Do we remove the rest before we get on the bed?” he asked, not sure he knew what to do. Well, he knew what to do, but since this was the first time he’d been with someone in years, he was kind of out of practice.

  “Let’s drop it all,” she said, smiling. “No use dipping our toe in first at this point.”

  So they did, then dove for each other on the bed. He stopped quickly and grabbed a condom out of his bedside drawer. “I’m prepared,” he said. He’d bought a box a few weeks ago after their first kiss. Hoping and praying they’d get to this point.

  “Good to know.”

  “But I’m not ready to use them. I know you didn’t want to go slow, but I need to just touch and taste you a bit.”

  “I was hoping you would,” she said, lying on her back and giving him room to work. Her creamy skin almost glowing as she waited for him to do what he’d been dying to do.

  He started at her lips, then over her chest, stopping at each rose-colored nipple and pulling it into his mouth. He sucked. He nibbled. He lapped her up, not wanting to move away. Her moans were feeding him, like that bucket of water he’d been waiting for
through the desert trek. It wasn’t a mirage, but real and tasted better than anything his lips had ever touched before.

  There was more to come, he knew, and she wanted it. Her nails on his back and her hands urging his head to move told him so.

  Not wanting to disappoint her, he made his way down her body, stopping to kiss and lick as many places of her as possible.

  Then he found his target. Nice and neat and trimmed to perfection. Staring at him, telling him to dive right in. Like she’d said, no dipping of the toes, but going headfirst.

  He lowered his head. One swipe with his tongue up the full length of her. Yeah. She was sweet like honey. Like peaches. Like cream. Like every summer tasty treat and for the moment she was all his.

  “Oh, that’s nice,” she said, her voice a whisper, her hips rising a bit.

  So he did it again. Then one more time. There was her bud just staring right at him. The sweetest nectar of all, swollen and begging for his mouth. He had to give in. He had to give her what she really wanted.

  He closed his lips over her, pulled that nub into his mouth, and started to suck. She all but screamed and put her hand over her mouth to silence herself.

  His finger moved up and slid inside of her. Slick and tight, pulling him in and making him add another to the mix.

  Her muscles were starting to clench, her hips were lifting, so he increased the speed of his fingers and the suction of his mouth and sent her flying over the rainbow that he saw flashing before him. He’d never seen that before, but didn’t question it now.

  Not when she was pulsing and he was going to slip inside of her and feel it surrounding him.

  He put the condom on as fast as he could, then gathered her in his arms and moved into her wetness. Into her softness. Into a place he’d been dreaming of for weeks.

  “You feel so good,” he said, wondering how he had the energy to even voice those words. He’d barely started to move and felt drained. Then all of a sudden there was a burst of power he’d never felt before.

  His hips started to move, her legs came up and wrapped around him matching him thrust for thrust.

  The two of them were moving at a speed that told him she was going to come again. That she was going to make this night just as fabulous as he hoped.