The Daddy Box Set

by Claire Adams

  My mind raced with the possibility of what could have been if I slept over at Hunter’s. Would he have given me the bed? The couch? Access to his body… Fuck me, I wanted to lie down next to a brave, strong guy like him and let my worries go.

  On the way to my mother’s house, my head began to drift away to deep thoughts once again. My chest still beat fast, unable to process the things that happened today. Never did I think that things like this would happen.

  It was my first time talking to him really, and though it had been centered on the robbery, it was still a conversation. I had to think through what we might have in common, which didn’t seem like much. Maybe I would focus more on him, give him a chance to talk about what he loved? I didn’t give two shits about what we were talking about, just that we were in fact talking.

  I was in love with my neighbor, and if I was being honest with myself…I had been for a long, long time.

  Chapter Seven

  Hunter

  “Wake up, buddy. Let’s eat our breakfast.” I shook Vince’s leg, inviting him to join me in my early meal. He stretched and yawned, his tummy sticking out of his shirt. He seemed to have outgrown his clothes.

  He sat up while rubbing his eyes. I picked up him and kissed his cheek. “Good morning, buddy.”

  He wrapped his arms around my neck, resting his head on my chest. “Did the cops find anything last night at Miss Kylie’s house?”

  “No, buddy.” I pressed my cheek to his forehead and carried him to the living room.

  Despite the craziness of the night before, we’d had a blast together. The dark circles under my eyes were proof of our fun movie marathon. We stayed up until the wee hours of the morning with Vince falling asleep on the couch as we watched his favorite cartoon movies.

  He lifted his head up and sniffed. “I’m hungry, Daddy. What are we having for breakfast?”

  “I’ve made a pile of blueberry pancakes, and of course your favorite too.”

  “Bacon?” He untangled his hold on me and pushed at my chest, forcing me to put him down. He grinned and took off toward the kitchen.

  I walked in lazily to find him sitting in his favorite chair at the dining room table, swinging his feet merrily as he waited. I made it quickly and fixed myself on too before sitting down in front of him.

  “You like it?” I picked up a piece of bacon and took a bite as he tore into his food. The little guy wasn’t going to be little if he kept eating so much, and so fast

  “Love it. You’re a great cooker, Dad.” He licked his fingers and smiled, his innocence drawing me in deep.

  I ate my meal, hungered by last night’s tiring fun. I almost finished my plate when Vince spoke, asking about yesterday’s incident.

  “Dad, what happened yesterday? Why were there police officers at Miss Kylie’s house anyway? What were they looking for? Clues?” He took another bite of his food and watched me with wonderment.

  I wasn’t sure what to tell him, but the truth seemed like the best answer. He was too smart as it were. He’d figure that shit out on his own without me. “Bad guys broke into her house yesterday, Vince.”

  He looked at me with a worried look, putting the fork down on his plate. “Dad, are bad guys around here? Near our house? Will they come here too?” His eyes widened as he shrunk back in his chair.

  “No, buddy. Those bad guys won’t take a good boy like you. In case they come, I’ll wrestle them down and punish them hard. Nothing to worry about with your dad right here, okay?” I patted his hand and made sure he was okay.

  A smile replaced the skeptical look on his face, the little tike probably grateful to hear that he had protection he could count on. He took his fork and continued eating, speeding his pace up so he could help me clean around the house.

  Right after we finished the household chores, Vince and I prepped to go to the gun shop. It would be hard since Garren was out of town for the weekend, but we could handle it. I’d manned the shop a million times by myself over the years. After securing the lock, we left the house and drove off in the direction of the gun shop. I couldn’t help but glance back, not sure if I’d find Kylie’s car there or not.

  Nope. Good. She didn’t need to be alone for a few days. My stomach tightened at the thought of her coming to stay with us. She wouldn’t, but I sure as fuck wished she would. So beautiful. Perfect.

  I forced myself to focus on the road and made small talk with Vince as we drove the rest of the way up to the shop. He held my hand as we walked into the shop, and a big smile spread across his face as the bell above the door jingled.

  “I like this place.” He gave me a curt nod and took his backpack with some books, crayons, toys, and snacks in it and walked away. He sat on the desk as he watched me clean up, right before customers started pouring in. Weekends were always crazy.

  “Are you okay there, buddy?” I asked every now and then, making sure that Vince was occupied until the end of the shop hours.

  “Yeah, Daddy. I’m coloring this book until the last page today!” he exclaimed, excited to finish the book off. He was humming happily as he kept himself busy, behaving well while seated at my desk as I continued to work.

  As customers went in and out of the shop, I thought of Kylie. She said she would come today and buy a gun. The thought of seeing her left my pulse spiking. What was it about the woman? Had to be her unassuming attitude. Or maybe the fact that she was the only woman in town who didn’t throw herself at me.

  It left me wanting to test the theory that she was pure, untouched. How beautiful would it be to have her open herself up to me? To trust me with her body. With her heart.

  I served customers until I could not count, yet there was still no trace of her. Did she forget? Had she changed her mind? Why was I even thinking about her? I should focus on the work in front of me, not on her. It was a busy day, and getting sidetracked was doing nothing but slowing me down.

  Just when the sun was about to set, I spotted Kylie coming in. Unexplainable relief flowed in my veins, and my heart skipped a beat. It was a little disturbing. How long had I wanted to get to know this woman, my neighbor?

  The peace of mind I experienced was a little out of place, but I knew it was from the innate need to protect her. I kept telling myself that it was because I was a good guy. Besides, helping her get a gun was the best help I could offer, especially after the unknown break-in that happened the day before.

  “Hi.” She raised her hand, speaking in a shy tone. She looked nervous as hell. Was it because of all the guns around? Did she feel threatened instead of feeling safe? Or was it me?

  I leaned on the glass counter, greeting her back. “Hey.” I lost all thought and couldn’t remember what the fuck else I should have said. Her pretty face left me falling into silence. Those perfect blue eyes were deep, drawing me into her. Thank the heavens, she kept the conversation running.

  “So, as weird as it sounds, I think the break-in incident yesterday was a sign. I thought about it a million times, but I finally decided to do something. So, yeah, I’m finally buying a gun.” She smiled shyly, looking far too cute for her own good. She was bright and pretty, and I could not take my eyes off of her. That day when she caught me staring at her in their store was embarrassing, and yet I’d do it again a million times.

  “So, tell me then. How many guns have you had?” I kept my eyes on hers, still dazed by her beauty.

  She shook her head, her fair skin rosy on her cheeks as she answered my question. “I had never had one. Not even held one my entire life.” She bit her lip gently, looking down on the display of guns. She was avoiding my gaze.

  Heat raced up my chest and coated my cheeks and throat. She was so damn beautiful. My body hardened at the thought of pressing her to a bed beneath me. It had been a while since those feeling came around. It threw me off for a minute, but I found my voice and tried to play it cool.

  “Interesting. I will help you find a match.” I moved around, searching along the displays to show her som
e of the guns I would recommend.

  She followed my direction, looking at the displays as well, seeking the one gun which she would like to learn more about.

  “How about this one?” She pointed to the one .45 ACP semi-automatic pistol.

  I took it and held it before her, telling her more about her first pick’s features. “Good choice. Actually, this one is made for ladies. For self-defense. Although I doubt it is for new gun owners like you. Not the sort of gun that a beginner would pick for her first time.”

  She nodded, her lips parted into a little ‘O’ as I spoke. God, even her lips were divine. My thoughts turned naughty, and I had to pull myself back from a fantasy of watching her suck the head of my cock, drinking me down as I let myself go for her. Just her.

  “I guess that’s not the one for me then.” I put the gun back as she checked out the other guns on display. She stopped walking as she spotted one that seemed to capture her interest. She pointed to the sleek metal .357 caliber revolver that was on the front of the display.

  “Nice. This one’s pretty hardcore, but easy to handle. You can load six bullets in it though. Limited slots. Still, it is easy to use and, as you would imagine, quite effective,” I explained, keeping her amused with my words.

  She looked impressed, her eyes smiling at me. “Hardcore, hm?” Was that flirting? Fuck. It had been too long. I honestly couldn’t tell.

  I smirked at her, waiting for her further picks. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “What about you, Hunter? What would you recommend for me?” she asked, her voice playful. Flirting. Definitely flirting. Finally. Those natural red, sexy lips curved into a smile, matched by the deep blue eyes she possessed. She was catching me again, trapping me inside her charm and control.

  I licked my lips and glanced down at the case. “If I were asked, I would pick this.” I moved away, walking near the end of the case. I took the Glock 19 Gen4 (9 mm Luger) out, being the perfect fit for her soft, delicate hands. “This is perfect for you. Self-defense gun with a lightweight, easy to handle body. Also, you can use it without any problems with your left or right hand. The expanded magazines will allow you more bullets. Look at it.”

  I extended the gun over to her, allowing her to inspect and scrutinize the gun’s grip and aesthetics. She studied it with keen concentration, as if it were a precious artifact being examined. After a few more seconds, she gave it to me and smiled. “I’m taking it then.”

  I led the way toward the desk, where Vince was still busy coloring the few last pages of his book. He glanced up and smiled, standing up and walking around the counter. “Miss Kylie. How are you?”

  Her eyes brightened. “Good, Vince.” She knelt down. “How are you today?”

  “I’m great.” He reached out and touched her cheek. I went to scold him, but she put her hand over his and smiled. “I was worried about you last night.”

  “Well, thank you. I stayed with my mom.” She patted his hand and stood, turning back to me.

  “Kylie, I’m sorry,” I started, but she cut me off.

  “Don’t. I think it’s precious.” She glanced down at Vince and back to me. “How much is it? The gun,” she asked.

  I looked at her eyes and knew I was going to have to ask her out. I’d been pretending for a little bit too long that she didn’t matter, that I wasn’t totally turned on by her. Fuck me for waiting so long.

  “Never mind paying. It’s free. Take it as a gift from me. You needed it anyway, being the only help I could offer to your situation.” Words escaped my mouth before I could stop myself. It was a kind deed, something innate inside of me I couldn’t stop if I wanted to.

  Her cheeks were flushed again, colors of roses spreading on her fair skin. She looked enticing and innocent. She was one of a kind.

  “Thank you, Hunter. I can’t thank you enough.”

  “Of course.” Hearing my name on her lips made me smile. I handed over the papers secured in a brown envelope, plus the gun packed in a safe, sturdy kit. Seeing her struggle to carry the box, I took the initiative to offer a hand to her. “Lead the way.”

  She waved at Vince and turned to walk to the door, her hips swaying so subtly. Her ass looked good in her jeans: thick and big. More than enough for me to wrap my hands around and squeeze softly. So perfect. Every part of her. My cock was thick and hard by the time I walked out of the shop with her. Being a big guy, I knew she was going to be able to tell where my head was if I didn’t hide my shit.

  She unlocked the car door, directing me where to put the kit inside, and moved back.

  I laid the box on the passenger seat as she watched me remove the dust from my hands. “All right. Be safe, and if you need me…I’m right next door.” I smiled and turned to walk back to the shop.

  “Hunter,” she called after me. Chills rose on my skin thanks to the softness of her voice.

  “Yeah?” I glanced back but kept my body turned toward the door. Fucking hard- n.

  “I hope you won’t mind teaching a novice like me how to use this thing.” She looked beautiful. How could I deny the attraction I felt for her charm among other things?

  I smiled at her as I nodded. “With pleasure. You can come to hunt some filthy, stubborn hogs with me and Garren on Monday night to test run your gun.”

  She giggled. “Sounds fun.”

  I walked back into the shop but turned to watch her drive out of the parking lot. After I had lost track of her vehicle, I turned to find Vince sitting back at my desk, coloring the last page of his book. I stood beside him, watching his artistic prowess come to life.

  “Dad, Miss Kylie is kind and pretty. I like her a lot.” As he spoke, his eyes still darted on the cartoon he was coloring.

  I patted his shoulder gently, giving him a commendable praise for his hard work in coloring the book. “I like her too. She’s a good lady.”

  “How about you come hog hunting with us on Monday night? Miss Kylie is coming with us to practicing her shooting.” I offered my invite. “It’ll be dangerous, but I think between you, me, Kylie, and Garren, we should be safe.”

  He faced me, his green eyes sparkling. “Are you kidding me? We’re a team. We won't let anything get to Miss Kylie. Especially them pesky hogs!”

  Chapter Eight

  Kylie

  “So, you got a gun yesterday?” my mother asked, repeating the statement I just said uttered moments ago. Her hands were on her hips, her brows wrinkled in a questioning expression. She looked pissed. If I would enumerate the things on my list why I should not buy a gun, one of would be my mother’s objection to them.

  “Yeah, Mom. It’s for the best.” I tried to change her point of view, but it was useless.

  “Well, if that’s the case. I can’t do much about it.” She let her hands drop to her sides, retreating over our argument. She looked calm yet still peevish, but I knew I could handle her temper. Sort of.

  I reached out and took her hand, looking into her eyes, although she avoided my gaze on her. She was truly beautiful. Her golden blonde hair was tied in a neat bun. Although the wrinkles from her age spread on her face, she was still alluring. Why she hadn’t married again after Daddy died was a mystery to me.

  “Don’t worry, Mom. I will only use it for self defense. Nothing bad will happen. I have to be able to protect myself. Right?”

  “I guess so.” She squeezed my hand and gave me a small smile. “I’m just worried. You might be in danger by merely having a gun. I’m scared. That’s all.”

  I put my arms around her. “I thought about it all night. I think having one would give me protection, plus Hunter gave it to me for free as a gift, and I’m not sure if you know this, but I was raised to never reject a present, Mom.”

  She released my hold and covered her mouth in surprise, her eyes coming back to life. She was staring at me like I was nuts.

  “What? Really? So, that explains it. Hunter gave it to you. Enough said!” She pushed my shoulder lightly, teasing me.

  I could not help
my blush, but I managed to gather my confidence and tell her more. “Yeah. I’ll see him on Monday to learn to shoot the thing too.”

  The tables seemed to have turned. My mother was now the stunned one, speechless as to how to respond. She looked impressed by my news. As if I had finally found my courage. And I had. Sort of.

  “Wow, I can’t think of any word but wow,” she said. “But you got to keep your gun hidden. I’m serious, Kylie. You should be very careful from now on. My view about you owning a gun has not changed. I disapprove of it a lot, but I understand the need for you to protect yourself.”

  She pressed the topic, reminding me again and again of my responsibility. As we conversed, a customer at the front counter joined the conversation.

  “Your daughter is right, Mrs. Tomms. Having a gun nowadays is a necessity, especially the fugitives that are out of control. It’s always good to have protection. No one can tell when the need arises. Better safe than sorry.”

  I smiled at her as I checked her out, shooting my mom a knowing grin.

  “I told you so,” I whispered as I packed the woman’s items up. After giving her receipt and bags, I crossed my arms and faced my mother with a smirk.

  She rolled her eyes, turning her back to walk through the store. “Why don’t you stay at the store on Monday? I need some help around here. Also, we could eat dinner together at home. I will cook your favorite stuffed chicken if you want.” Her back was to me, but her voice resonated her worry. I knew her all too well. By the way she lured me to stay on Monday, she was hoping I would cancel with Hunter.

  Not a chance.

  “Mom, I already committed to Monday with Hunter. I’m not canceling on him. We’re going hog hunting that night. That will also give me the chance to train. Plus, his son is coming along.”

  “What? You shouldn’t go, Kylie. Who the hell goes hog hunting at nighttime? Practice shooting under the moonlight, when there is nothing but darkness around? And tugging a five-year-old kid along to watch the entire violent animal shooting? No way! You’re not going along.” She was decisive. Her fists were curled into a ball, her eyes ablaze. Telling her about Hunter’s plans was a big mistake. She was overreacting and had to be the most paranoid person I knew in life.