Daddy's little princess (Daddy 2)

Chapter 6

A few hours later, she sighed and pushed back the covers. Even as tired as she was, she knew sleep wouldn’t come for a while, and the worst thing she could do was lie there and stew. She opened her bedroom door and listened for any sound. Then she crept down the hallway when she determined Gage was asleep.

Brylee moved over to the windows, wrapped her arms around her waist, and stared out at the city. She knew it had to be two or three o’clock in the morning, but she still saw several cars on the roads, making her feel not so alone.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

Brylee gasped and spun around to see Gage standing across the room in a pair of long silky pants.

“I … I just couldn’t sleep.”

He moved farther into the room. “Why?”

“I have trouble falling asleep, especially in strange places. In fact, the only place I sleep well is at Darian’s.”

“Why?”

She shrugged. “Because I feel safe, I guess.”

“And you don’t feel safe here with me?”

“I…,” she stammered.

No.” He held up a hand and smiled. “Of course, you don’t. You don’t know me yet.”

She bit down on her lip and nodded.

“I get that. How about if we find a movie to watch? Would you like that?”

Brylee’s shoulders relaxed. “Yes, I’d like that very much.”

Gage nodded. “All right.” He sat on the sofa and picked up the remote. Then he patted the cushion next to him. “Come sit.”

Brylee tore her gaze from his muscular, bare chest and walked to him and sat. There were a few feet between them, but she could still feel the heat from his body and smell the masculine scent that made her mouth water.

Gage laid his arm over the back of the sofa behind her and turned on the TV. He scanned the channels. “What would you like? Comedy, thriller, scary?”

“Not scary. I don’t like horror movies at all.”

“I’m not thrilled with them myself.” He stopped on a channel. “Here’s a Tom Hanks movie.”

“Oh, I really like him.”

Gage set the remote to the side and relaxed back into the cushion.

A few minutes into the movie, he noticed her shiver. He pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa. “Come here, baby. Sit next to me, and I’ll put the blanket over you. You’ll be warm in no time.”

Brylee hesitated for a brief moment but then moved over and plastered herself against his side. She moaned as the heat seeped through the shirt and into her pores.

He tucked the blanket around her and pulled her tighter against his side. “Better?”

Brylee nodded. “Much. Thank you.” She had the strongest urge to move her head to the side and kiss and taste the chest that was inches from her. She’d noticed the small patch of hair in the middle and wanted to run her fingers through it. The hills and valleys of his muscles made her fingertips tingle with the need to feel the difference between his body and hers. She wanted to learn and touch every part of his thoroughly masculine physique.

She turned her attention to the movie and tried to concentrate on the characters and not on the man beside her.

Within minutes, she felt sleep starting to pull her down, making her relax against Gage and lay her head against his side. Her eyelids drooped. She sighed and fell asleep against the man who was quickly changing her life. She had yet to determine if it was for the best or not.

****

Gage grinned when she slumped against him and closed her eyes. He waited until he was sure she was sleeping deeply before maneuvering them both until they lay down on the sofa, clicked off the TV, and then covered them both with the blanket. He cuddled her against his chest and closed his eyes. A grin crossed his face as he felt sleep drag him down.

It was the most perfect feeling in the world, holding her against him. He felt whole. What bothered him a bit was that he hadn’t thought he was missing anything until that moment. It made him more determined to have her.