Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Kenny, it’s really yummy,” Blakely tells her once again with her mouth full.
“It’s Kennedy,” I remind my daughter at the same time Kennedy says, “Mouth closed, cutie,” tapping my daughter on the nose.
Blakely swallows. “And there’s cake. You hafta eat it all gone to get cake. Right, Daddy?” She turns to look at me.
“That’s right.”
“Well, we better get started.” Kennedy holds her hand up for a high five, and Blakely doesn’t leave her hanging. They both start to eat, all while carrying on a conversation. They’re talking as if they are the best of friends. Blakely soaks up the attention, and it appears that Kennedy is fine with giving all of hers to my daughter.
Realizing that I’m staring, I start to eat, listening to their conversation. Blakely reaches for her juice box, and I go to hand it to her, but Kennedy beats me to it. I sit back in my chair and watch them. No one outside of my family ever steps in to help her. Sure, Palmer, Piper, and Jade do, but they’re close with Ramsey, and Jade and Palmer are family now. It’s only a matter of time until Orrin proposes.
So this woman, she’s an anomaly in my world. She’s beautiful and kind, and she treats my daughter like the amazing little girl that she is. She’s not kissing her ass to try to get to me. She hasn’t even looked at me. She’s all eyes on my little girl.
I don’t know what to do with that.
“Daddy, you’s got to eat, or you don’t get cake.”
I shake out of my thoughts. Leaning over, I kiss Blakely on the cheek. “I’m eating.”
“No, yous were doing this.” She makes her impression of me, blank-faced and staring off into space. I laugh, as does Kennedy.
“Funny girl.” I tap her nose.
She turns to Kennedy and shakes her head. “Daddys are weird,” she says, making Kennedy laugh again, which in turn causes Blakely to crack up laughing as well.
“What’s going on over here?” Archer takes a seat in the chair across the table from me.
“Uncle Arch, did you eat your food all gone so you could have cake?” Blakely asks.
He grins and pats his flat stomach. “Yep.”
My little girl nods her approval and dives back into the small scoop of potato salad I put on her plate.
“Kennedy, it’s good to see you again.” Archer winks at her.
“Archer,” Kennedy replies. I can hear the humor in her voice.
“You’re going to save me a dance, right?” he asks. “Maybe at midnight?” He wags his eyebrows, and I kick his shin under the table. “OW. What the f-freak was that for?” he asks, reaching beneath the table to rub at his leg.
“I’m not even supposed to be eating, let alone dancing. Your brother insisted,” she tells him. I don’t have to look at her to know she’s smiling. She’s just giving me shit, and we both know it.
“Is that right?” Archer loses his scowl for a grin.
“Daddy made her a plate.” Blakely spills the details.
“That was nice of your daddy,” Archer tells her.
“He’s nice. He made mine too,” she tells him.
“So about that dance?” Archer turns his attention toward Kennedy.
“Her dance card is full,” I answer for her. I can feel her eyes on me, but I don’t dare look. I might as well just piss a circle around her at this point. I don’t know what’s gotten into me.
“And how would you know?” Archer challenges me.
“Because it’s got my name all over it.” I pop the last bite of my roll into my mouth and hold his stare as I chew.
Archer grins and taps the table with his hand. “My work here is done.” He pushes back in his chair and stands. “Blake, you and me, dance floor as soon as you get your cake.”
“You’re on,” she readily agrees.
I watch as my meddling little brother walks away, and I know I’m going to have to explain myself. I don’t have an explanation, not one that I want to reveal. My reasoning is that I don’t want anyone’s hands on her but mine. I can’t tell her that, so I need to think of something fast.
“Declan?” Her soft voice has my gaze snapping to hers. She’s sitting back in her chair, peering at me behind Blakely.
“He’s like a dog with a bone,” I tell her. “I didn’t want you to feel pressured.” It’s lame as far as excuses go, but outside of the truth, it’s the best that I’ve got.
“He’s harmless.” The glint in her eyes tells me that she sees right through my line of bull shit.
She’s right. He is harmless, which makes my reaction to him asking her to dance even worse. I know it. She knows it. However, neither one of us mentions it. Blakely’s mom was the last woman I touched. That was the night she got pregnant. No one has gotten close to piquing my interest until now. I feel like I’m a fifteen-year-old all over again. The only difference is I now know what it feels like to be inside a woman. I know what it’s like to run my hands over every inch of their skin as their pussy milks my cock.