“Yes, but…” She tucks some deep brown hair behind her ear, fidgets for a moment. “Yes, but…I-I’m not just asking for the story any more.”
The pace of my pulse kicks up. “That right?”
“I’m asking for me, too.” She ducks her head, crosses her arms over her breasts. “I want to know about you just for myself.”
I almost tackle her into the sheets. “Ask away, baby,” I rasp.
Her gorgeous eyes lift to mine. “Have…you tried finding your birth parents?”
I’m surprised it took her this long to ask, actually. Once she found out I was a foster kid, I knew this had to be circling around her intelligent brain. “Yeah. I did place the inquiry, but it has to go both ways and…I guess they didn’t want to be found.”
“I’m sorry,” she murmurs, her eyes soft. Gentle. “Do you wonder if it’s for the best?”
I nod. “Hard to judge someone’s intentions when there’s money involved. I’ve got a lot of the stuff. That uncertainty about people’s motives is why I mostly keep to myself.”
“You worry that people will take advantage of your money.”
“I don’t worry about it. I know they will. It’s human nature to want an easy handout. A comfortable life without having to put in the work for it.” I notice her flinch a little and curse under my breath. “I’m not talking about you and the article, Pippa.”
“It would be okay if you were.” Her swallow is audible. “I came here with a motive.”
“Yeah, but here’s the thing.” I push aside the tray and move closer to Pippa, pulling her into my lap, stroking the side of her face. “I’m a sucker when it comes to you, baby. Take advantage of me. Use my name to get ahead. Sell my story. I’ll allow it as long as you stick around.”
“Stick around?” Her gaze leaps to mine. “Are you sure that’s what you want? Even after…”
I raise an eyebrow. “After what?”
“After we…” A flush climbs her cheeks. “Did it,” she finishes in a whisper.
There’s no way to hide my incredulity. “Being inside you, baby? That only made me need you more. It made me need forever. I thought you knew, Pippa. I don’t just kidnap women from locker rooms, bring them home and feed them sandwiches in my bed.” I bring my mouth to her ear and say fiercely, “I definitely wouldn’t call anyone my little girl but you.”
Almost shyly, she bites her lip. “You like me like me.”
“Like you?” I push her down onto the bed and climb on top of her luscious body, my beast out of its cage. “Pippa, I’m in love with you.” I search her wide eyes. “I know you might not feel the same way yet. Just give me the chance to get you there. I’ll—”
Pippa claps a hand over my mouth. Breathes in and out. “From now on, Cort…”
When she trails off, I prompt her with an eager tilt of my head.
She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, opening them again to reveal they’re coated in a fine sheen. “No one can replace your foster father,” she whispers. “But there will be someone in the stands who cares from now on.”
My heart booms anxiously in my chest. “You?”
Her nod is slow, solemn. “Yes.”
This girl cares about me. She’s baring that truth, not even trying to hide it. And hell, we only met this afternoon. I have no right being disappointed that she is going to take a little longer to love me back. This amazing girl cares about me and that’s a lot more than I had when I woke up this morning. I’ll spoil her, fuck her right and make sure she’s protected. Secure. I’ll be patient as possible and hope over time she feels the same way. As long as she stays.
I start to lower my mouth to hers, but she shakes her head.
“Ah.” I drop my head forward. “You haven’t asked your three questions yet.”
“No. It’s not that,” she whispers. And then she pushes at my shoulders, adorably using all of her strength to roll me over onto my back. “No more questions tonight. I just want to…”
My brows draw together. “What?”
Biting her lip in concentration, she straddles my hips, dragging her fingertips up and back through my chest hair. “I want to…” Her voice falls to a whisper. “Please you.”
There is something almost obedient about the way she’s looking at me. I’ve never had a relationship like this. I’ve never had a relationship period. So I’m going on pure intuition and this sense of power she gives me. As if she needs to give it to me.
As if she wants to be instructed.
Pulse thickening with anticipation, I reach up into her hair and wind it around my fist. “You want to take care of your Daddy’s needs.”
A shudder passes through her and she nods eagerly. “Yes.”