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“Dave.” I mimicked his deep sultry tone. Instead of looking annoyed, he smirked and looked at me like he thought I was cute. The nerve of the guy. Quietly, and with the utmost care, he slipped his hoodie on me. Not only did the thing surround me with his heat and scent, his big, oversized hoodie made me feel safe.

“Better?” he asked, and all I could do was swallow and nod. I couldn’t even trust my own voice at that moment. “Good.” He nodded. His hand rose like he was going to touch me, but halfway up it dropped like he’d changed his mind for some reason. I wasn’t going to overthink why it felt like a loss. Liar, a little voice in my head whispered.

“I’ll see you tonight.”

“I have to study.” I sighed.

“Then get it done before you have to come to me. You owe me double now,” he reminded me.

There was no bakery job like my roommate and cousin thought there was. I left at three in the morning and headed to the bakery, sure. But Ferguson had a loft upstairs, where he made me meet him almost daily unless he was at an away game. A place where these dirty fantasies in my head would manifest and get dirtier and filthier with every passing day, making me yearn to call him something in particular.

“I never agreed to that,” I argued weakly. He leaned forward, and this time, his hand didn’t stop halfway.

Fergie cupped the side of my face, tilting it up to make me look at him. Not forcefully but with a dominance that left me a little speechless.

“Be daddy’s good girl and follow his rules.” I blinked as his words buffered in my brain to make sense. Be daddy’s good girl. Be daddy’s good girl. Shit! How did he know that part of me? The one that was aching to hand over control and let someone else take the reins behind closed doors.

“Or what?” The attitude-laced words slipped past my lips before I could stop them. Jesus, maybe Dave was right? Maybe I am a brat?

“Break one and find out,” he challenged. My nipples tightened behind his huge hoodie. Why did I like that? The certainty in his voice. The authority in it. Why did I want to see just how mad I could get Dave Ferguson? Would he really punish me? Make me call him daddy and go through with every delicious-sounding threat he’d made the last couple of months?

And if that was the case, why did I want to be his bad girl?

“Whatever. Fine,” I muttered. “See you at three.” I wasn’t brave enough to poke the bear further.

“Midnight,” he changed his mind, and I looked up at him.

“Excuse me?”

“Midnight. I’ll pick you up from the library.”

“Why from⁠—“

“That’s where you’re headed right now, isn’t it?” Shit. How does he know that? I frowned and blinked.

“Dave—“ I started to say, but the words died on my tongue. He leaned forward, tipping my head up with his calloused hands.

“Daddy’s been patient.” His whisper sounded rough, jagged. “Time’s up, honey bun. Don’t test me,” he warned. Before I could process what he’d just said and the way he’d done it, he leaned forward, and naturally, my eyes fluttered shut. My heart pounded in my chest almost painfully.

Positive this was it! This was when he would finally kiss me. And until that moment, I hadn’t realized how badly I’d wanted it. Instead, my heart skipped a beat when he pressed his lips against my forehead. He lingered for a moment before pulling away.

“Midnight,” he repeated, and I stood there, too stunned to find something smart to say as I watched him walk away.

FOUR

DAVE

The library, or the corner where Roxie liked to study, was oddly and unusually empty despite the late hour. I hadn’t been able to help myself and stayed away as long as I should have and showed up early.

Not that my girl noticed.

My girl.

I’d come to the realization I couldn’t stop denying what my heart and body already knew. I wasn’t sure when it happened, or why, but this little game with Roxanne hadn’t played out the way I’d thought it would. She’d not only wormed herself under my skin without knowing it, she’d embedded herself there.

All without even kissing her.

Keeping my hands to myself like a gentleman I knew didn’t exist was killing me. Especially with the monster underneath that was clawing and fighting his way out, ready to burst out and take control. The daddy in me didn’t have an ounce of patience left. He needed her more than he needed to breathe, and I was done fighting it.