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This man is an absolute Silver Fox and my libido that’s been slumbering in hibernation for the last decade just woke the fuck up.
This is her. It has to be her. Pretty green eyes blink up at me through long dark lashes and she’s… I take a deep inhale. She’s fucking stunning. Beautiful. Perfect.
“Baby Doll, I need you to answer me. Are you Maddie?” Baby Doll? What the fuck is this girl doing to me? I never use pet names. Her lips part, and I feel myself holding my breath. “Yes, sir.” Christ.
There’s something about this guy that makes me feel oddly safe, but that might just be some sex-starved hormonal bullshit and a girl should always keep a close eye on her drink.
“If you don’t know that you’re pretty, then you’re dating all the wrong guys.” His voice is so deep, I swear I feel the vibrations bounce against my chest. I force my eyes to meet his. “Thank you.”
“Don’t you dare be sad over this.” One hand lets go of mine and I watch as he brings it up to my face. The pad of his thumb lightly rubbing against my lower lip. “Stop biting your lip like that. If you hurt yourself over this, I’ll have to go lay a world of hurt on Brian. And I don’t want to do that.” Doing as told, I release my bite, “You don’t?” “No.” “Why not?” I whisper the question. His thumb rubs once more over my now free lip, “Because Brian is my son.”
I’m too old for this girl. Too jaded. Too weathered. But my body doesn’t give two fucks about any of that, and my brain is desperately trying to figure out how I can steal her from my own kid without feeling like a total piece of shit.
“Any man that makes you wait, is not worth your time.”
Because I want to know that there’s someone – anyone – that might love me the way I want to be loved.
I want to tell her that I’ll go to the wedding with her. That I’ll drive her anywhere she needs to go. But I’m all fucking wrong for her. She’s looking for someone to start a life with, not some old man whose kid stood her up.
A man could suffocate himself in her body. And what a glorious way to go that would be.
“I know this probably sounds stupid,” she starts, “but I like having you here.” Biting her lip, she glances away. “You make me feel safe.”
And if this thing works out between us, we’ll have to decide if you should call me mom or sister because I call Axel Daddy, too.”
“You fucking hugged me.” My eyes sting. My throat feels tight. Axel says it like me hugging him was monumental. And my heart clenches, because it was monumental for me too. His face turns until his lips are brushing my cheek. “And I want more. Of everything.” He’s so imposing. Taking up all the space around me that I should feel trapped. Vulnerable. Something. But all I feel is his presence. “Tell me,” Axel demands. “Tell me you feel this too.”
“I feel it, too.” Emboldened, I stretch up onto my tippy toes until my lips are against his ear. “And I want to do more than… rub myself… all over your dick.”
“I can’t believe you remembered.” “I remember every word you said.” He says it so simply. So matter of fact. And that’s all the convincing I need. I blink rapidly and swallow against the growing tightness in my throat. “Take me home.”
“Do you feel that?” I ask, “Do you feel what you do to me?” “Y-yes.” “You think a little bit of soft skin is gonna make this go away?” My dick jumps as she starts to stroke the length. “Your cute little tummy is not gonna be a problem for me. It’s not gonna be a problem for you either. Because you’re perfect. And if you need me to come all over that pretty body of yours to prove it to you, consider the task accepted.” “Axel…” “Now sit on your hands and spread your legs.”
This fucking society we live in is such bullshit. Trying to trick women like Maddie into believing that they need to change. Why would I give a single shit about a tummy?
“I’m too old for you. You’re too damn pretty for me. Too fucking sweet and beautiful.” Axel huffs out a breath that rustles my hair, “And you were supposed to be on a date with my son.”
“I’ve been fighting with the guilt of feeling like I stole you all week. But the thought of anyone else putting their hands on you,” his lips press against my forehead again, “I don’t like it.”
“I’m still a little surprised you like hugs,” she mumbles. I squeeze her tighter. “I like your hugs.” She makes a humming sound, “No one else’s?” “Nah. No one else hugs me, Baby Girl.” Her arms do their best to squeeze around me. “No one else hugs me either.” It takes a moment for Maddie’s words to sink in. “No one?” I think about the photos on the mantle. “What about your parents?” I feel her body tense against mine, but when I go to pull back, she hugs me tighter. Her parents look like huggers. My mom’s still around, but she’s never been a cuddly woman, waving her hellos and goodbyes. But
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“My parents-” she takes another deep breath, “they passed away a long time ago.”
“Fuck, Baby.” I barely know this girl in my arms, but my heart is shredding for her. For 18-year-old Maddie. For 31-year-old Maddie. And for every year in-between.
Glancing up, I see his eyes are moving around the store, so I quick delete ‘Maddie’ and type ‘Baby Doll’ instead. I don’t know why I like it so much when he calls me that. But I also don’t know how to tell him I like it without expiring of embarrassment on the spot.
– nods to Axel, “We can do that.” Dan is obviously under the impression that Axel’s in charge, and I don’t feel even the smallest urge to correct him. It’s nice to have someone else in command for once. I’ve been doing everything on my own for so long it’s become second nature. There’s no one else for me to fall back on. No one I can ask to help me, aside from Elouise. But I don’t want to be that friend, the one that’s constantly a burden.
It’s not the money. Him spending money buying my phone case – or maybe my whole new phone – isn’t what has my heart folding in on itself. It’s the act. The fact that he wants to protect me. The fact that he even cares at all. Not wanting to make a fool of myself inside the dumb phone store, I nod my head and hold out my hand for Axel.
“What do you want to know?” My eyes move back up to meet his. “Huh?” He turns in his seat to face me more, the hand on my thigh sliding higher. “What do you want to know about me, Maddie? Because I can promise you that the conversations we’ve had,” he dips his head towards me, “have covered more than I’ve shared with anyone in a long time.” “Oh.”
“I’m not saying this to sound like an asshole, but I have money. Plenty of money to buy you a little fucking phone. So if I want to, I’m going to. And if, for some reason,” he growls those last three words, “you decide you don’t want to go out with me again, the phone has nothing to do with it. It’s yours. You owe me nothing.” His hand moves a little higher, his ring finger brushing over my shorts now. “But you better have a damn good reason if you want to be done with me, because I’m not gonna go quietly.”
“I clearly didn’t do a good job explaining what I like last night,” Axel grits out, his hand dragging a path across my thighs and up my stomach. “Because all that jiggling, that’s what I fucking crave, Baby Doll. If you’re not bouncing around, I’m not doing it right.”
“Maddie.” Axel locks eyes with me. “Come here.” I shuffle closer, until my knees are bumping into his. “Taste this,” he lifts the mug. “Wh-why?” I ask, slowly pulling my hands out of my pockets. Before I touch the mug, he turns it, so I’ll be pressing my lips against the same spot where his had been. “Because this is maybe the best drink I’ve ever had, and I need you to feel as proud of it, as I feel proud of you.” Oh. Oh, my damn heart.
“I’m serious,” I tell him. “I don’t know what it is about you, Axel Davis, but you always know the exact right thing to say at the exact right time.” He shifts in
It’s been… years. Years and years since I’ve been with anybody. And even longer since anyone has attempted to kiss me there. But I trust Axel. I trust him with my body. And with so much more.
“Thought you might be hungry.” My jaw literally drops. No one has brought me lunch since… ever. No one has ever brought me lunch. This handsome, sweet-as-hell man is gonna be the end of me.
“Here’s your latte, Darling.” I start to step away, but Axel’s hand darts out, catching me by the hip. The small contact is enough to send my heart into a stuttering gallop. “I like you calling me that,” his voice is low, but I feel the rumble roll down my spine. My stomach tightens. Not with dread but with need. “Darling?” I whisper. He nods.
“I thought you liked when… I called you something else.” His eyes darken and I know he knows what I’m talking about. Axel’s fingers dig into the flesh at the top of my ass, pulling me closer. His voice quiet enough so only I can hear. “You can call me Darling in public, but it’s Daddy in the bedroom.”
I lifted a shoulder, burying the lingering guilt I still feel over kinda stealing his girl. Except that’s not fair to Maddie. Because she was never his. And she’s perfect for me. Me. And no one else.
“Just so we’re on the same page,” Brian slides the pizza into the oven, “if you two get married, I’m not gonna call her mom.” My laugh turns into a choke halfway up my throat. “Jesus, kid.” “What? I’m just saying,” he snickers. “She’s not even old enough to be your mom,” I mumble, while I pick my wallet up off the island. “Damnnn,” Brian drags the word out, a huge grin on his face. “Nicely done. Maybe instead of me calling her mom, she can call you Daddy.”
“You might be good for her.” I take a drink and admit the truth, “She’s too good for me.” Tony barks out a laugh, “Of course she is, but that’s the burden we bear as men surrounded by amazing women. Just treat her well. I’d hate to have to burn your shop down.”
Parting ways seems to get harder every time we do it, but when he promises he’ll see me for lunch tomorrow, the slight twisting in my gut loosens.
I’m falling way too hard for this man and I have no intention of pulling back.
“Hey, Doll.” “Hey, Darling.” A small smile breaks through my bad mood. I love when she calls me that. “You on your way back from your appointments?” I ask, since it sounds like she’s driving. “Um, yeah.”
one knee on the ground. “Maddison Faye Richards, you can come with me willingly or I can haul you out of here like the brat you are.” His fingers snag
