The Single Dad (The Dalton Family, #3)

by Marni Mann

“Hey, hey,” I whispered into her face. The heat from her crying thick like steam. “I know you don’t know my voice or the feel of my arms, but I’m going to tell you something.” I pressed my lips against her forehead, breathing her in, her scent so clean and powdery. “I’m never going to let anything happen to you.” I held my lips there, my eyes closing, my heart pounding away. “I promise.”

She was all warmth and fire. Two things I wanted to feel. Two things I wanted to taste.

“Do you know what I see when I look at him?” “I can’t wait to hear this.” She squeezed my shoulder. “Handcuffs. Dirty sex. Waking up in the morning with his face between your legs.” She lowered her voice, finally whispering, “That man has dominance written all over him.” I wondered

power had a sound, it’s you.” He was sitting between both tables but chose to lean his elbow on the one closest to me. “My voice isn’t where I hold my power, Sydney. At least, not in my personal life. But I’ll tell you, it wasn’t a bad guess.”

“What I’m thinking about is your mouth.” He ran his thumb over my bottom lip and then the top. “What it would taste like. What it would feel like.” His gaze was there, on the spot he was speaking about, making those same lips part. “And I don’t know how much longer I can wait to find out.”

There was a thin bra strap, lacy material holding her tits in place. Her nipples hard and poking, dying for me to lick. Bite. My cock fucking throbbed.

Sydney’s fingers were on my stomach, rubbing the outline of my abs, causing my cock to fucking pound against my zipper. I would do anything to be inside her pussy right now, to feel her naked body pressed against mine, to have her moans filling my ears.

“In less than three minutes, I’m going to taste how wet you are.”

“You have no idea how gorgeous you are.”

“I want to devour you.” “Ford, you have my permission.”

I backed up a few inches, needing to take in this view. “Man”—I shook my head—“I’m one lucky motherfucker.”

There was nothing hotter than making a woman feel so good that she couldn’t hold it in. And there was no better feeling than giving her that kind of pleasure.

“To new memories, starting with this …” He leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine.

“I was enticed long before I knew you could make my favorite kind of cheesecake.” “But it helps?” Now, it was my turn to laugh. “It certainly doesn’t hurt.”

“Have you changed your mind about coming up?” I lifted her hand off her lap and moved it over to mine, resting her fingers on top of my hard-on. “This is what you do to me. All through dinner. The entire ride here.” My gaze lowered to her mouth. “I can’t stop thinking about you. So, fuck no, I haven’t changed my mind.”

“I want you to think of this moment every time you sit down for breakfast,” I said and plunged inside her. “I want you to think of my fucking cock when you’re drinking coffee here.”

“Your pussy …” I shook my head. “Fuck, Sydney.” I pressed our foreheads together, our breaths mixing. “What I wouldn’t give to taste you again in the morning.” “Mmm.” She smiled. “Sounds like you’re promising a second date.” I kissed her.

know you have to go, but I have something for you to take home.” “A present?” I ground my lip with my teeth. “You mean, you have more for me?” She nodded. “I made homemade brownies.”

“The but is that I’ve been inside your body. I’ve made you come.” He glanced down my body, making me feel as though I were completely naked, as though he were inside me again. “I’m doing everything I can not to reach across this desk and make you come again.”

“Then, what’s the problem?” Jenner said. “Because you always put Eve first, you’ll keep your dick in your pants. You’ll have the perfect nanny for your daughter. Life will be all good.” Me. I’m the goddamn problem.

“We didn’t set a date, but I was definitely going to see her again.” Jenner looked at Dominick and then back at me. “Now, I know why

you’re sucking down that scotch like it’s water.” “Right … fuck me,” I sighed. “My advice,” Jenner said, “skip the glass and just start drinking from the fucking bottle.”

The two of them couldn’t be any more beautiful together, and her having my baby in her arms was certainly a sight I could get used to.

“Your daddy gives you good advice.” Daddy. That fucking word. From Sydney’s mouth. Jesus. I looked away from her and started to guzzle.

When he eventually looked up, his eyes glued to mine, his mouth slowly parting. “She needs you.” His hand ran across his beard. “Hannah’s wonderful—I don’t mean she isn’t—but what you taught her in the little time you two were together was so impressive. You were patient with her, and you tested her, pushed her. She had no idea she was in the middle of a lesson; she thought she was just having fun, and that was the best part about it.”

“Maybe not to just anyone, but your voice changes when you drink.” She quieted as she said, “I know that tone by now and how it gets grittier with each glass of red wine—or in tonight’s case, scotch.”

“When I say to you that Uncle D and Kendall are boyfriend and girlfriend, do you know what that means?” I appreciated his patience, how he was trying to break this down in the best possible way. Everly responded by shrugging again. “Gonna kiss like Anna and Kristoff?” Of course she would recite the characters from Frozen, her favorite movie. That was an adorable comparison.

I was so grateful for this moment, the way she had accepted me into their lives from the very beginning. How she was accepting me now. Those feelings only increased when I heard, “Love you, Syd.” Oh God. My heart swelled to the point that my eyes squinted, fighting back the tears that wanted to form. “I love you too, Everly.”

“Fuck …” I pressed our noses together, needing her to feel my words as I said, “I love you.” And then I kissed her. Harder this time. Emptying my chest. Emotionally surrendering. “I love you,” she breathed back.

But I nodded and replied, “When Rebecca placed her in my arms and I finally made my way inside my house and it all hit me”—I swallowed and tried to take a breath, the emotion returning—“I knew only one thing. Ever and ever—that was how long she’d be mine.”

“Everly, I think you have something you want to say to Sydney, don’t you?” She nodded so hard that her hat almost fell off. But she held it on tightly and said, “Syd, Daddy and I want you to be our ever and ever.” She held out her hand, and a diamond ring was on her thumb.

The round stone was surrounded by two diamonds. My Everly and I came as a pair. Sydney’s fingers went over her mouth, her eyes wide and teary as she looked at me. She hadn’t realized I’d gotten on my knee. That I was holding out my hand. That I was asking, “Be my wife?” “And my mommy,” Everly chimed in.

I slipped my other arm around Everly, glancing at my daughter as I added, “Be ours.” I took the ring from Everly, and I positioned it over Sydney’s finger. Waiting. It took only seconds for Sydney to reply, “Yes.” Once the ring was on her finger, she bent down and threw her arms around us. “Forever and ever.”