Ready For You, Daddy

nner and bathing her, H

of curly hair away from her cheek. The room smelled like lavender

's heart w

d the door softly behind her. The mom

er seemed to sleep-not really. He was up early with Harper, quiet in the mornings, sharp in the evenin

, she was starti

glass of water. But as she reached the bott

e was smooth and low, like a vel

bows, shirt open just enough to show the line of his collarbone. That shadowed, strong

ired. And d

id quickly. "Didn't

epped into the kitche

gered in the air between t

was the most casual thing in the world - as if she hadn't once walked

asked, if only t

y, though. That art project? She

e's so bright. She just n

ers. Something deeper passed betwee

with her," he

whispered. "She

" he said, b

le

them, neither of them movi

tense with a longing she couldn

breath. "

lli

ed her. Not lou

urned, he

hem. Space to make a better cho

dy didn't

, the way his jaw clenched like he was at war with h

n't ki

r behind her ear. His fingers lingered, barely touch

k with restraint. "But sometimes, when yo

e some things... were never me

er like she was the answer to a qu

because she wanted to, but bec

eeded her in