Ruled by her Daddies (Harem of Daddies)

“I was still learning to swim when she drowned,” she whispered. “I mean, I guess I might remember how once I get back in the water. But it’s been a long time. But afterward . . . after I found her . . . the water terrified me. For years I wouldn’t even take a bath. My father, he didn’t care. I had a nanny who tried to force me into swimming lessons, but I screamed and fought her. After I saw a therapist, I was able to start taking baths. The therapist helped me a lot with my mom’s death. But there wasn’t anyone who I trusted to teach me to swim.”

“Jelly bean, you need to learn to swim. It’s not safe for you otherwise.”

“I can’t,” she whispered.

“You can. I’m going to help you.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think I can do it.”

Grasping hold of her chin, he gave her a firm look. “You can do this, jelly bean. Because you’re not alone. I’ll be with you. If you need them to, Aleki and Wolfe will come in the pool too. We’ll all get you through this. We’ll all support you. If you want to talk to someone again, we can do that too. But, baby, what I can’t do is stand by knowing that you’re living with this fear. Okay?”

“Okay,” she whispered. She was silent for a long moment. “I think maybe I could try.”

He kissed her gently. “That’s my brave girl. Even if you just get part of the way in. Even if it’s just your toes, that’s enough. All right?”

“All right,” she whispered.

“Good girl. Put your swimming suit on and meet me out by the pool.”

* * *

She could do this. It wasn’t like she hadn’t been around swimming pools and the ocean all her life. It was just that she never got into the water.

Nerves battered her insides, making her feel black and blue. She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly.

All she had to do was put her toes in. If she couldn’t go any further then that was fine.

She took a last look at herself in the mirror. She was kind of shocked that Wolfe had bought her something as revealing as this bikini. It was red and simple. For the top, there were just two pieces of red string securing the cups to each other at the front. The bottom part covered her, but only just. Two bows at the sides secured the front and back pieces together.

Honestly, it was more like sexy lingerie than swimwear.

She looked in the closet and found a sarong which she pulled around her, tying it in the middle of her chest. Then grabbing Piggles, she made her way out to the swimming pool.

“Piggles, Daddy’s taking us for a swim. Piggles, we might need to hide from him.”

Caleb was waiting for her by the pool, dressed in a pair of blue swimming trunks. Damn, that was a gorgeous sight. How was he so beautiful with his pale skin, blond hair and those blue eyes?

“You going to come closer?” he asked with a smirk on his face, as though he knew she’d been checking him out.

She slowly moved towards him, her gaze going to the pool in trepidation.

“I have a few ideas of things that might help. But today, we’re just taking it easy, want to lose the sarong?”

“I’m not going that far in!” she protested.

“No, it’s kind of long, though. It might get wet.”

Oh. Fine. She undid the top and slid it off, throwing it away.

“Holy. Shit. What are you wearing?” he demanded.

She looked down at herself then up to him.

“It’s what was in my closet.”

“Wolfe bought you that?” he asked.

“You don’t like it?” It was far more risqué than anything she’d ever worn before, but she didn’t think it looked bad.