I reach up to loosen my tie, because it’s hot as fuck outside, when a taxi pulls up.
When the door opens and I see her, black dress, short as fuck, with fuck-me heels on, I groan inwardly.
She doesn’t even look at me. She looks around, totally missing the fact that I’m right here.
A group of men are checking her out. Can’t say as I blame them, but also can’t say as my lack of impulse control isn’t about to rear its ugly head either.
“Hey, beautiful, no need to look any further,” one of the fucks says.
I’m about to pop off at the mouth when she does.
“Do I look like I came here to pick up a man?” She waves her hand over herself.
“Doesn’t matter; you found one. A real one. One who wouldn’t stand up a pretty little thing like you—”
I walk up to her, and she glances at me out of her peripheral. Then she does a double-take.
I like the way she looks at me.
I hold out my hand. “You ready, sweets?”
She takes it. “Sure am.”
I walk to the door and open it. “After you.”
“Why thank you.”
I let go of her hand and close the door. Then I turn back around and start toward the four assholes.
“When a woman tells you she’s got a fucking man—”
I feel soft skin and a tiny hand grabbing mine as she says, “Oh no, you don’t.”
I turn around and look down at her. “Sweets, please go inside—”
“If I can deal with her, you can handle walking away from them. No harm, no foul.”
“Disrespecting you—”
“You’re disrespecting my belly. Come on, I’m hungry.”
When we walk inside, the hostess looks at me. “Can I help you?”
“You can help us. Reservations under Taggant.”
I look at Bella. “Outside, under the palm trees, in the breeze, okay?”
She smiles and nods. “Yeah, perfect.”
With my hand on the bare skin of her lower back, we follow the hostess through the dimly lit restaurant and onto the deck.
Outside, the breeze blows perfectly, so the humidity isn’t that bad, even in this fucking suit. Well worth it, though, to see her eyes light up.
I pull out her chair, and she smiles over her shoulder at me as she sits.
God damn, I sigh to myself.
I take off my jacket and throw it over the back of the chair, push it closer to her, and sit.
She bites her lip and looks down as the waitress pours us water.
“Can I get you two anything to drink?”
“I’m good with water. My lady would like a glass of—”
“I’m good with water, too.”
The waitress smiles. “I’ll give you a few minutes to look over the menu.”
As soon as she walks away, Isabella looks around. “We’re a bit overdressed.”
“You’re overdressed in just a sheet.”
She smiles. “You look good in a suit.”
“I look good in you.”
She nods. “This is true.”
The waitress reappears and asks, “You all decide what you want?”
“I know exactly what I want. How about you, Isabella? Do you know what you want?”
She looks up at the waitress. “New York Strip, medium please.”
I can’t help laughing. “I’ll have the same.”
We watch the boats dock as we eat and, fuck, she can eat.
“You eat that steak like I’m gonna eat your pussy tonight.”
She laughs. “You think you bring me to dinner and you’re automatically going to get laid?”
“No, sweets, but I’m going to make dessert out of you.”
Fifteen
Vegas
Tags
Lying in bed next to a sleeping Isabella, I look out at the city lights.
Vegas.
I need to address some shit here. I need the papers signed.
When she skates her hand across my chest and sighs contently in her sleep, I’m thinking tequila, Elvis, and white wedding chapels, oddly placed throughout the city. Probably a good thing I’m legally hitched, or that tattoo would be the least of her worries.
Is it possible to look at someone and know you want them in your life permanently? Yes.
Can it last? I’m thinking I’m going to fuck my way through the next few months with her in my bed every night to make sure of it, and not for me—I already know—but for her.
She is … mine.
When my phone goes off, reality kicks me square in the balls and Isabella jumps up.
“The moon?”
“The sun.” I laugh as I kiss the top of her head and roll out of bed.
She’s up, sheet wrapped around her hot little bod, and then down on the floor.
“Get your fine ass back in bed. I’ll take the bathroom.”
“This is stupid.”
Over my shoulder, I tell her, “Don’t say that shit again.”
I hit the light in the bathroom then accept.
“The sun’s up, Daddy. Is the sun up there, too?”
“Not yet, Luna. We’re in a different time zone now.”
“For how long?” She seems a bit worried.
“Two weeks is all. But after Vegas, I have a whole week, remember?”
“You gonna work at Sisco’s?”
“Not if I’m still on the tour.”
“If you go to work at Sisco’s, can I go with you?”
“Not a great place for little Lunas.”
“But, Daddy,” she whines.
It’s not normal for her to whine.
“You tired, baby girl?”
She nods.
“Did you eat breakfast yet?”
She shakes her head.
“Well, you better fuel-up, get fired-up, and get crazy excited about learning something new.”
“We don’t learn anything; we clean the stupid classroom. And it’s hot and—”
“You love school, Luna. Some days aren’t going to be as fun as others. We take the good with the bad, and we bust behind to get to more good.”
She nods.
“So get through it to get to the good.”
“Like a box of cereal with a prize at the bottom?”
I smile. “Exactly like that.”
“You going to get a break?”
“If things go good, I may be able to get back for a few suns and moons. But it’s not a promise, okay?”
“Love you, Daddy.”
“Love you, too, Luna. Give the old lady a hug good morning.”
“Talk before bed?”
“How else would I know when the moon was ready to sleep?”
“Love you, Daddy.”
“Love you, Luna, all the way to the moon.”
“And back.” She smiles.
“Always back.”
When I walk out of the bathroom and into the room, she’s in bed with her back toward me, little spoon style.
“How old is she?”
“Almost four.” I slide in next to her and pull her tightly to me.
“Why is she already in school?” she asks on a yawn.