by Eva Luxe
“I love the purple flowers!” Dahlia said as she picked one and gave it to me.
I knelt down and slid it over her ear into her hair.
“This is called Liliac, it’s pretty and smells really good. It even matches those cute light brown eyes.”
“You’re nice!” Dahlia giggled.
“How old are you Dahlia?”
I stood back up and walked back towards the house.
“I’m seven years old. Daddy says I’m mature for my age!”
I held her hand. “That you are.”
“Hey, wait.”
She slipped out of my hand and ran into some bushes. I looked, but the bushes covered her up and I didn’t see where she was going.
“Dahlia?”
She didn’t respond. Okay, I gave the kid a few seconds.
“Dahlia?”
Now I started to worry, anything could’ve happened. A bee could’ve stung her, a kidnapper may’ve grabbed her—then a flash of that night… When I heard that Ronald was in an accident.
I yelled, “Dahlia, this isn’t—”
She tackled my waist from behind and held her hands out with three huge strawberries inside of them.
I sighed. “You worried me, no running off like that unless I know where you’re going.”
“Sorry,” she said, pouting. She sure knew hot to put that pout on.
“Well, come on, it’s time for lunch!” I said, taking Dahlia’s hand and popping a strawberry in my mouth. “Let’s not disappear like that again, okay?” I reminded her.
“Okay, Ms. Willow!”
She skipped alongside me as we made our way back into the house.
Dahlia ran to her mini-playground and sat on some swings.
“Push me, please, Ms. Willow!” she requested.
I sighed and went over to push her. Looking after Dahlia was like a dream. She brought me peace during this time.
Maybe when Ronald wakes up, I could push him on the swings too. Yeah, he’d think I was corny, but I’d sit his ass right down here and push him.
Dahlia’s bright blond hair swayed in the wind as she went up and dipped back down.
Airy chuckles and laughs, they made my day. Darien had such a nice kid.
It made me wonder, would I ever be a mother one day?
I wasn’t paying attention, and when Dahlia came back towards me, I was knocked back.
“Agh!” I cried out. Oops, that was my bad.
“Ms. Emma!” Dahlia jumped off her swing and knelt down next to me. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I said, pulling myself up. Dahlia hung onto my arm and tried to help.
Sweet kid.
“Come on, after a fall like that, you need to eat. Daddy always said that if you ever get hurt, make sure you eat to regain your strength!” she sat her hands on her hips, confident in her father’s wisdom.
Dahlia brought me into the dining room, it looked like something out of a magazine that showcased expensive furniture for homes just like these.
It was insane. He had so many bedrooms, but it was only him and his daughter. Unless some of his workers lived here?
I sat down next to Dahlia, and she pointed at the seat at the end of the table.
“That’s where Daddy sits!” she said. “He’s like the king, and I’m the princess.”
“Definitely seems like something fit for royalty.”
The chefs came out with their plates of food and sat it down on the table in front of us.
Wow, I forgot real food smelled like this. With my busy lifestyle, all I’ve known to eat was a cheap hamburger and french fries.
I took up my fork and was ready to chow down until my phone rang and vibrated against my hip.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Hi, is this Ms. Reign?”
“Yes, who’s calling?” I asked.
“Hello, Ms. Reign, this is the Adventist Hospital, we’re calling to notify you that the expenses quoted to you were wrong. That was only applicable to insurance coverage.”
I straightened in my seat and moved the salad around on my plate while Dahlia chowed down.
“So does that mean it’s actually cheaper?”
“Um, actually it’s a twenty percent raise.”
I dropped my fork. “What?!”
…
This was insane. The numbers she rolled off a list on the phone, they were too much. I’d have to strip twenty four seven in order to bring that in…
And to add insult to injury, if they didn’t get the first payment of thirteen thousand dollars in two weeks, then they would be ‘forced’ to no longer be able to treat him.
They’d just let my brother die? Over money?
Chapter Four
Darien
I spent a good few minutes in my car, staring at my own front door as if I were afraid to go inside.
In a way, I was.
She was in there, Willow. I wanted what I knew I could not have. I was known too well for having the taste of dangerous things.
My little girl was in there, and I knew she missed me. So I got out and grabbed my metal briefcase. Before I could even get to the door, Dahlia came springing from the front door and smothered me in a hug.
“Daddy, you’re home! Welcome home!” she said. “Will Ms. Willow be staying? She’s so nice. We had so much fun together.”
“We’ll see. Ms. Willow is a wonderful person, isn’t she?”
I brought my eyes up to meet hers. She was still standing at the door with her hands together, waiting patiently.
I went up the stairs and smiled. “Hope things really went as smooth,” I said.
“Yes, Dahlia is the most well-mannered kid I’ve ever seen. How did you do it?”
We walked inside the entrance corridor, and Dahlia ran off, dressed in excitement.
“I’ll be in my play room, you two!”
“Okay, Dahlia princess!”
I folded my arms and glanced at Willow who looked at Dahlia with as much care as I did.
I didn’t want her to leave.
My eyes scanned the silhouette of her body.
It had been so long since I’ve made love. And even after that, it was still false. Here, in front of me, was a spring of youth.
I wanted to claim her, hard. Those forbidden sparks of skin I saw at that bar were still etched in my mind.
“Willow. I don’t want you dancing at that place again,” I said with a harsh authoritative tone.
She lifted an eyebrow and moved her mouth to the side. “Why?”
“You’re way too innocent and wholesome to be there. A place like that can ruin you.”
“I wish I didn’t have to. But I need the money.” She shrugged her shoulders. No, I wanted details.
“Why?”
“Because my family is… they’re struggling with my brother’s medical bills. And you know hospitals, they’ll just let him die if we don’t pay them.”
“Willow, stay…” Damn it, I was going too far now.
“What?” she said, stepping back with a sparkle in her eyes. “Stay? Here?”
“Let me pay you just as well. I love my little girl and spare no expense when she’s concerned. Tell me what you need.”
She was lost for words, then shook her head.
“I can’t let you do that, it’s entirely too much. I can do it by my—Woah! What’re you doing?!”
I scooped her up into my arms and marched upstairs fast enough so Dahlia didn’t see.
Once I got to a spare room, that was the closest to my bedroom of course, I sat her down in front of the door and opened it.
“This will be yours. I’ll pay you four thousand dollars a week. Is that enough? You can stay here—”
“No, I can’t!”
I pulled her in by her waist and she gasped. Her thin back against my hands… she fit me so perfectly.
“Please.”
I was on the verge of begging. Willow wasn’t leaving here.
She belonged here.
Staring me in the eyes, she sighed and relaxed her shoulders.
“Four thousand dollars… that’s a lot. Will I have time off so I can go check on my brother?” she asked.
“Of course. Weekends off and if I’m home, you’re free to have your privacy.”
She fiddled with her hands, I knew it, she was on the verge of saying…
“Sure, okay. Let’s see how this goes.”
“Good. Great, let me get you situated. Dahlia will be pleasantly surprised to know you’re going to be staying for a while.”
***
After getting Willow situated and telling Dahlia about the good news, I locked myself in my office and forced myself to do some work. Knowing that Willow was down the hall within arms reach was too much. The night had settled in and that was when times like these became trying.
I wanted to loom over her and watch her…
I rubbed my crotch and sighed. She brought all those heady feelings back to me. After Morgan, I thought I had lost all taste of ever loving another woman again. Much less sex.
But Willow? She made me burn.
My cock never experienced such visceral reactions before. Lust was one thing, but what I had with her was another.
Which was why I buried myself in emails and paper work.
Besides the point that I needed to get work done, I needed to get my mind off of burying myself deep inside her so I could hear her scream my name.
‘Darien…’
I grunted and shifted in my seat, opening more emails to answer to.
These people were going to think I had a bot go through and answer these emails. Rarely anyone got an email back from me. It was usually my assistants or if it was urgent enough, a phone call.
Knock, knock.
The soft little knocks on the double oak doors only could come from one precious person.
“Come in, Dahlia.”
I smiled as she opened the door and slipped in with her favorite teddy bear hugged close to her in her arms.
“What is it, darling? Can’t sleep?” I walked up to her and gave her a hug.
“I had a bad dream,” she sobbed.
I brought her over to the small leather sofa that I had in the office in case some of my clients came over to discuss a few things.
“What was it, princess?”
She hugged her bear and rocked herself side to side. “I had a dream that Mommy tried to take me away from you! I tried to run, but she was dragging me by the arm,” she cried softly. Her tear dusted eyelids fluttered as she looked up at me. “You’re not gonna let her do that, right? I don’t wanna live there, I wanna be with you Daddy!”
She leaned over and I hugged her.
This was why I couldn’t let my heat escape me. My daughter Dahlia needed me. I had to support her, save her from these nightmares that could become reality if I weren’t careful.
“No, Daddy will never let that happen.”
I rocked her in my arms until her tears had begun to stop and her breathing was more relaxed.
“Thank you, Daddy.” She looked back up at me. “I wish someone like Willow was my mommy. She’s nice, she even taught me how to do a back roll today.”
“Willow would be glad to hear that,” I said, standing up.
Dahlia stood and relaxed her grip on her teddy bear.
“I love you, Daddy. Tuck me in?” she asked, pouting.
I chuckled and gave her a piggy back ride to her room where I let her down.
“Let’s tuck you tight like a burrito!”
She giggled as I tucked her tight into her bed.
“Goodnight, Daddy!”
“Goodnight, princess.”
I left her door cracked open the way she liked and returned to my office.
Willow…
It wouldn’t have hurt to check on her.
So I went down to her room which was two doors away from Dahlia.
I knocked, most young women her age stayed up late. Though she was an exception, so she probably was asleep.
I drew my hand back in, willing it to not touch the door knob.
No, I couldn’t—I—fuck.
Quietly, I turned the knob to check and see if she were in her room. I wasn’t looking to get my cock off, only to see if there was a lump in the bed, an indication that she was safe and sound.
Her bed looked smooth, flat, from what I saw. So, I cracked it open some more and peeked all the way in.
She was gone.
“Willow?” I called out. “Willow, are you here?”
No response.
She was gone! It wasn’t like she had to have my permission to leave, but a part of me felt insulted, hurt that she left and it was already so late at night.
*Calm down, don’t worry. She can take care of herself well. But why didn’t she say something?*
I went back to my office and picked up my cell phone, she gave me her number and I programmed it to have her on a speed dial setting.
The phone rung a few times, then it dropped me straight into voice mail.
I called her another time, voice mail wasn’t going to cut it.
“Where are you, Willow?” I mumbled.
The clock on my desk said it was nearing eleven o’clock at night. Maybe she went to her home to go get some extra things to take back? No, she could’ve done that earlier.
I checked the right room.
Damn it. Despite Dahlia being asleep, I was worried that if I went to look for Willow, she’d wake up from another nightmare.
If I were gone, she’d panic.
I got out of my seat and went to check on Dahlia.
She was sleeping more peacefully. From what I saw, I had about an hour at least. Dahlia usually slept through the night. But her nightmares were ramping up recently, and I didn’t know why.
Now I had Willow to worry about. She didn’t drive, and I knew she didn’t use my car because it was till in its parking space when I looked out the window.
That was when I saw her, walking up the driveway, shivering.
She wasn’t even wearing a jacket. How irresponsible.
I ran over to my closet, took out one of my jackets and ran outside.
“Willow, why are you out here this time of night?” I asked running over to her.
“Oh, Mr. Thrilling—”
“Again, call me Darien, come inside, you’re going to catch a death of a cold being out here.”
I ushered her inside and rubbed her arms for her to get warm. The heat was on, but her skin was still chilly.
“Willow, please, if you’re going to be out late at night, please let me know where you’re going.”
She avoided looking at me. Something was up. “I’m sorry, I just had to visit my brother, make sure he was okay.”
She kept her head hanging low. Even in the dim light, I could see every curve of her, it teased me, taunted me.
She was untouchable, I was untouchable.
This whole situation could go to hell.
“Let me walk you to your room,” I said, bending out my elbow so she could hold onto it.
Fuck, what was I doing? Nevertheless, I kept it out, and she held onto it.
“Thank you, I actually forgot where it was.”
“Don’t worry, it can happen in a big house like this.”
Visiting her brother, hm.
Impossible, I knew hospital rules very well, especially the Adventist hospital.
They don’t let people visit and stay after nine o’clock.
It was nearing twelve now. And it didn’t take an hour to get there either.
We got to her door, and she still hung onto my arm.
“You didn’t walk there, did you?”
“Oh? Um, no, I had a ride…”
I sighed and crossed my arms. “Willow, the truth.”
“Fine, I took a taxi there, but walked back. It was only a thirty minute—”
“That’s dangerous, Willow.” My voice came off strong. “This road wasn’t built for pedestri
ans. I have a spare car—”
“No, I can’t do that. You’re already doing too much. Way too much,” she said shaking her head.
“I like doing a lot for you. It’s nothing really.”
I held her shoulders, and she flickered her gaze up at me, sending a warm, tingling feeling down to my cock.
Fuck.
Her presence, the cool soft touch of her skin was bulleting through my system like an illicit drug.
She opened her door and slipped inside.
“Why?” she asked, keeping her back to me. “The average person wouldn’t do this unless…”
“Unless what?” I cut in.
She grew shy. “Nevermind…”
A faint smell of alcohol wafted off of her. Was she out drinking?
“Goodnight,” she said turning around to close the door.
Her eyes, the need that soaked her soft big eyes.
I’ve already gone too far, might as well take it all the way.
I pushed her door open, grabbed her by that waist of hers and pulled her in for a kiss.
She grabbed my shirt, pulling at it with uncertainty.
But a few more seconds into the kiss, she relaxed, and pushed against me.
I broke the kiss. “Willow, I can’t deny this attraction to you. And even though it’s putting me in danger, I still want you.”
She pulled away from my grip.
“Danger?”
I ran up to her and pulled her back onto my crotch, I was beginning to feel the pressure of my cock against my slacks.
“Divorce.”
“You’re still married?” she asked, worry in her voice.
“No, separated. Been separated for two years and one month. I count each day because that’s when I’m granted the full divorce without any ramifications.”
“Then why would being with me be—”
I cut her off with another kiss. Glancing over my shoulder to check if the door was closed, I ripped open her blouse and lifted up her bra.
She gasped as her breathing steadily began to grow ragged and desperate.
Both of her light dusky pink nipples stood in attention, hardening under my gaze.
“You’re gorgeous,” I growled.
Willow tried to cover her tits, but I ripped her arms up above her head and sucked them.
Her body slammed into mine with a powerful arch. No wonder she could be a dancer with agility like that.
I slid my hand on the curvature of her back down to her ass as I flicked my hot tongue over her cold crinkled nipples.
