Once Upon a Daddy: A Romance Anthology

by Kelli Callahan

  “Since now,” I growled under my breath. “End of discussion.”

  Deana and Ben had a lot more questions to ask, but they didn’t—I guess the look on my face was enough to bottle their curiosity up. I logged into my computer, and the first thing I did was send a bouquet of flowers to Faith, along with a request for a second date. After that, I met with the IT team to see where we were with the hacker situation. The attacks had slowed down, a few security improvements had helped, and the authorities were still investigating. I doubted they would find the ones that were responsible, but at least they were trying.

  I met with Dave to let him know what the new plan was. He was nervous, but excited for the opportunity to do more—I also let him know that there was going to be a raise and a new title to go along with it. He deserved it. He had been at Hawkins Capital since the beginning and would have been a fierce competitor if he wasn’t working for me. I delegated a few more responsibilities to others on my team, but my need to have the final say was too strong for me to turn over all of the decisions to them. It was going to be an interesting week—I would either have to pick up the pieces when they failed or find a way to run Hawkins Capital that didn’t make it impossible to have a life outside of the building.

  Around lunch time, my phone lit up with a text message from a number I didn’t recognize. I assumed it was from Faith since I included my number in the card I sent with the flowers.

  Faith: Thank you for the beautiful flowers. How did you know I liked carnations?

  Alexio: I didn’t. What do light red carnations mean?

  Faith: I have no idea…

  Alexio: Look it up.

  I wasn’t the type of guy that memorized every kind of flower and what they stood for. It was just happenstance. I bought a company named Carnation Endeavors once—they were an online florist that was trying to compete with the big named companies and struggling. Their pitch outlined a marketing strategy which was aimed at bringing awareness to a flower that wasn’t as well respected as roses. The light red ones I sent to Faith symbolized admiration and the beginning of something that could blossom. The fact that she didn’t know that, meant the advertising campaign wasn’t very successful—then again, it wasn’t a great investment, to begin with, but at least I learned something that proved to be useful down the road.

  Faith: That’s sweet.

  Alexio: Sweet enough for you to agree to a second date?

  Faith: Maybe… You realize I’m never going to be the kind of woman you want me to be, right?

  Alexio: Why don’t we talk about that tonight? Can I pick you up at five?

  Faith: I’ll have to check my schedule…

  Alexio: Your schedule is clear. Even if you have an interview today, nobody interviews that late in the day.

  Faith: Maybe I was planning to stay home and wash my hair…

  Alexio: You’ve got plenty of time to do that before five o’clock.

  Faith: True.

  Alexio: See you then. Meet me outside.

  There wasn’t much that required my immediate attention at Hawkins Capital, so I checked my calendar for the following day, set up some meetings with the people who were going to be handling most of the important stuff that didn’t require my direct approval, and took off for the day. Deana wasn’t pleased with that, but she held her tongue. I made reservations at a restaurant, arranged for a car to pick us up, and then went back to my house so I could get ready for the date. I was actually a little nervous—and I hadn’t been nervous about a date with anyone in a very long time. I got a call from Ms. Reynolds right before it was time to go—she was still trying to reschedule the interview that I thought I was going to have when Faith walked through the door. I had to tell her that the interview was off—and I didn’t need her to arrange any others for me. I didn’t tell her why, but I was pretty sure she could figure it out.

  Now I have to figure out if I can even remember how to actually date someone…

  Later that day

  The car pulled up outside of Faith’s apartment building ten minutes before it was time to pick her up. Those ten minutes passed, and there was no sign of her. I glanced at my watch several times as several more minutes ticked by. I was just about to get out of the car and go knock on her door when she finally appeared—nearly seven minutes late. She was wearing a beautiful red dress that hung on every one of her gorgeous curves, and the sight of her practically took my breath away. I stepped out of the car and held the door for her when she approached—then I hit the privacy shield so that the driver couldn’t see us once we were seated.

  “I’m sorry that I’m late.” She leaned forward to adjust her heel. “I haven’t worn these shoes in a while, and they got lost in the back of my closet.”

  “That’s fine. I won’t spank you unless they give our table away because we don’t make our reservation in time.” I looked over at her and smiled.

  “You’re never going to spank me.” She gave me a sideways glance and scoffed.

  “You said that we’d never go on a date either.” I chuckled under my breath. “Yet here we are—on our second one.”

  “It’s going to end a lot quicker than the first one if you threaten to spank me again!” She narrowed her eyes.

  “It’s only a matter of time before you end up over my knee.” I put my hand on her leg. “You know that as well as I do.”

  “Negative.” She pushed my hand away.

  “We’ll see…” I chuckled under my breath again.

  She could fight it with her words, but there was too much curiosity in her pale-blue eyes for me to believe what she was saying. I saw it when I told her what a Daddy Dom was—I felt the atmosphere in the room change—and she would have never let me kiss her unless that curiosity was already boiling inside her head. She would eventually give in to me, and it would be a lot sweeter than pushing for it when she was still confused. Watching the first taste of submission flourish in those beautiful eyes was going to be a glorious sight. I could feel the need getting stronger inside of me as well—I wanted her on her knees—begging for everything she was going to get—and I would have it when the time was right.

  “You’re in luck. It doesn’t look like the restaurant is very busy tonight.” I turned towards the door once the car came to a stop.

  Dinner was fairly uneventful. She told me about the places she was interviewing at; I gave her a few pointers based on the people that she was going to be sitting down across from. I had faced off against most of them at some point or another, and while they were worthy adversaries, I didn’t consider them enemies. I was always fine with competition if it was healthy and respectable—I loved to win when it was a fair fight. The competitors that didn’t play by the rules were the ones that felt my wrath—and that was better for the industry as a whole. There weren’t many companies like mine that relied so heavily on acquisitions to grow their fund. Most of the ones she was interviewing with took the standard path of just investing in stocks to turn a profit. It was a safe way of doing business, but it was still profitable.

  “So, where are you taking me after this? Are you going to end it after we finish eating like last night?” Faith tilted her head inquisitively.

  “No, I think we had too much—tension last night.” I smiled. “I got us tickets for a comedy show. Laughter is good for the soul.”

  “That could be fun.” She nodded.

  Laughing wasn’t something I got the opportunity to do often. I was usually too busy with work to make time for any form of stress relief except the gym. The comedy club had a two drink minimum, and none of the selections were that intriguing. I decided on a whiskey that was water down—she got a glass of wine that appeared to be rather bitter based on the way her nose wrinkled after the first sip. Thankfully, we were there for the show instead of the cocktails. The opening act wasn’t very funny, but the main guy had a dark sense of humor and twisted a lot of vulgarity into his act. I thought it was hilarious—even if it was a little crude. Faith
blushed a few times, but she didn’t stop laughing.

  “I think I need a glass of water after trying to drink that wine.” Faith smacked her lips together a few times after we walked outside of the comedy club.

  “You should have tried the whiskey.” I chuckled. “It was mostly water.”

  “I do still have most of that bottle you opened last night…” She turned towards me and smiled.

  “Do you really think it’s a good idea for us to go back to your place?” I tilted my head.

  “Why not?” She bit down on her bottom lip. “You don’t want to kiss me again?”

  “I want to do a whole lot more than that.” I narrowed my eyes.

  “Not tonight—but I’d still like to have one more drink with you.” She turned and started walking towards the car.

  I’d like that too.

  I kissed Faith as soon as we got in the car—and our lips stayed together most of the way back to her place. Not tonight was going to be difficult—especially when I tasted the hunger on her breath. I resisted the urge to push things further—and to let my hands explore those gorgeous curves. I took her hand on the elevator ride to her floor, and she didn’t pull away—she even leaned against me right before the elevator doors opened. I could have had her if I tried—but I didn’t want a hint of hesitation when I claimed her for the very first time. I was going to have everything I wanted or nothing at all. It was the only way that our relationship could survive past one night of passion.

  “Let me grab a couple of wine glasses. The bottle is still in the living room.” Faith walked towards the kitchen, and my eyes stayed on her entrancing figure until she turned the corner.

  “At least you knew not to put it in the refrigerator.” I chuckled and walked into the living room.

  “My roommate has given me a pretty good education on red wine.” She laughed and walked into the living room behind me.

  “Where is your roommate, anyway?” I turned towards her.

  “She’s staying with her mother right now.” The smile faded from Faith’s face. “They’re having some problems right now.”

  Yeah, I know—but if I tell her that, I will have to admit that we were digging for dirt before she agreed not to tell anyone about the interview.

  “That doesn’t sound good.” I reached for the wine, and when I moved it, I noticed something else on the table underneath a stack of papers—an eviction notice. “Neither does this…”

  “Yeah.” She sighed when she realized I had seen it. “Another problem I’m dealing with right now…”

  “Do you need help with your rent or something?” I sat down on the couch and started pouring the wine.

  “It’s a little more complicated than that—my roommate’s mother helped us get this place, and the deal has fallen through.” She picked up the eviction notice. “When the owner realizes I haven’t vacated the premises tomorrow, he’ll file a lawsuit so he can have me thrown out.”

  “Where will you go?” I lifted the glass of wine to my lips.

  “I’m not sure.” She looked down at the eviction notice. “My roommate’s mother lives in San Diego—she offered to let me stay there for a little while. I may have to take her up on that, even though I really want to stay in Los Angeles so I can get a job here.”

  “You’re about to be homeless, and you still wouldn’t take money from me?” I blinked in surprise. “That’s a terrible business decision.”

  “That’s how you see the world isn’t it?” She lifted the glass of wine to her lips. “It’s just one big transaction…”

  “Not always.” I shook my head back and forth. “But this is one of those times when you have to think about yourself. What if you get one of the jobs you interviewed for?”

  “It’s a two hour commute.” She shrugged. “I could do it if I had to.”

  “A two hour commute if traffic is good—and it never is. Plus, you’re going to hit it in Los Angeles and San Diego. It might three or four hours…” I sipped my wine. “Driving your car back and forth to work will be a second job…”

  “That would be a nightmare.” She exhaled sharply.

  “Let me help you.” I reached out and put my hand on hers. “If you don’t want a handout, it can be a loan.”

  “A loan? What’s the interest rate?” She narrowed her eyes.

  “Affordable.” I grinned. “But if you miss a payment, I’m going to give you a spanking every day until you pay what you owe.”

  “Those aren’t very good terms…” She shook her head back and forth. “I told you that this date was going to end if you kept threatening to spank me.”

  “You’re not trying to show me the door right now…” I leaned closer. “Are you?”

  “No…” She sighed and bit down on her bottom lip.

  Then we’re making progress.

  Nine

  Faith

  Alexio was good at twisting me around his desires—and I was falling headfirst into them so fast it was making my head spin. Every time he kissed me, it was like the air was sucked out of my lungs, and I just wanted him to suffocate me instead of stop. He made me feel butterflies, fireworks, and euphoria at the same time. He was more intoxicating than all of the wine in the world, and I was a drunk chasing that next fix the instant his lips left mine. I knew what he wanted, but I didn’t know if I could give myself to him like that—I didn’t know if I could be the kind of girl that submitted to a Daddy Dom, even if my resolve was wavering faster than his lips made my panties wet with an overwhelming craving for his touch.

  “Let me help you.” He leaned back from our kiss and reached for his glass of wine.

  “I don’t want your money…” I exhaled sharply.

  “It’ll be your money—an advance on all of your paychecks until it’s paid off.” He took a sip of his wine and nodded.

  It wasn’t like I could walk into a bank and take out a loan without any collateral. My parents weren’t in any sort of position to help more than they already had—I wouldn’t even think of asking them. Alexio did make a good point about the commute. It sounded good in my head as a possibility, but it would be extremely difficult to do that every day. It would take a lot longer to get my own place if I had to pay for a tank of gas every couple of days. I didn’t really want to move in with Jennifer’s mother, especially with everything they were going through.

  “Okay.” I nodded. “I have a few days to figure it out. Once the eviction lawsuit is filed, there will be a hearing.”

  “Are you going to get a lawyer?” He tilted his head slightly.

  “I can’t afford a lawyer,” I chuckled and shook my head.

  “Then let me at least take care of that—I have several on retainer. They get paid whether I ask them to do anything or not.” He narrowed his eyes. “What kind of deal did you have on this place anyway?”

  I opened up to him about Jennifer’s mother, who she was, and how she helped us get the apartment. Alexio knew her by name and was aware of the charges—he had also bought a building from her at some point. Luckily, that was the end of their business dealings—considering the charges she was facing. Alexio didn’t think the owner of the building had a case, which surprised me. I thought the moral clause would surely give him the right to serve the eviction notice since Jennifer’s mother helped us get the apartment. Alexio was convinced that the names on the lease would be the only ones that mattered—and whatever deal the owner made outside of that wouldn’t directly impact the agreement we signed. Talking through the situation with Alexio actually made me feel better about it, and I agreed to let him assign one of his lawyers to my case. He thought a sternly worded letter from a high powered firm would show the owner that we weren’t going down without a fight and it might convince him not to file the lawsuit in the first place.

  “It would be nice to keep this place.” I looked around the apartment. “I would have never been able to afford an apartment like this on my own—and it’ll probably be a long time before I’m able to ag
ain.”

  “Are you going to be able to cover things by yourself if your roommate stays in San Diego?” He tilted his head inquisitively.

  “Yeah.” I nodded. “I took out extra student loans, and I’ve been really careful with my money. I would have a hard time getting a new apartment, especially if I don’t have a job—but I’m fine here for a couple of months until I find one.”

  “Okay, well if you need help, my offer is open. Just let me know.” He leaned forward. “That was a stressful discussion—I think we need to distract ourselves with something else.”

  “I agree.” I bit down on my bottom lip and smiled.

  I had no idea how he managed to make my body react to his kiss like he did, but there was no way for me to deny the primal hunger that grew every time his lips found mine. His kisses always started gentle, but they grew with intensity as our lips seared together until he was practically devouring me. I loved every second—and the instant they pulled away—I yearned for their return. Every time I realized he was just taking a moment to breathe; I chased that next kiss with a ferocity that matched his. He pushed me back towards the couch, and I sank back into the cushions. His hands moved along my dress until he found the exposed skin below the hem—then his hand started moving underneath it. His touch felt like fire against my flesh, and I struggled as he moved along my inner thigh. I didn’t want him to stop—I wanted him—but I was still filled with so much hesitation it terrified me.

  “You’re so tense.” He lifted up and stared into my eyes. “I’m not going to do anything that you’re not comfortable with.”

  “I know—I’m just scared.” I felt a lump rising in my throat, and I tried to swallow it.

  “I won’t do more than touch.” He slid his hand further, and the tips of his fingers grazed against the top of my inner thigh.

  “Okay…” I sighed and tried to relax.

  The tips of his fingers teased my skin while his lips crashed into mine. I hesitated again when I felt his fingers move from my skin to my panties, but I tried to stay calm. His touch was lighting a fire that was beginning to blaze. It didn’t feel like a lit match inside me—it felt like an inferno. The tips of his finger moved dangerously close to my clit, and I started to tremble. It felt incredible, but I knew what would happen if he started to touch me there. He slid his finger in a wide circle—it was gentle and grazing, but each rotation brought him closer to my clit. I tried to close my legs, but I couldn’t find the strength. I craved his touch so much—and my body was surging with so much lust I didn’t want him to stop. His lips moved away from mine—down to my neck—then he kissed his way up to my ear.