Cats In the Cradle

5. Daniel

She made me breakfast the next morning.

Then stayed and helped me and Diego clean up after the giant party I didn't plan or attend.

Diego was surprisingly chipper and not hungover as usual, and I found out why when a girl stumbled out of his room. He smiled at me proudly as we watched her fumble around the kitchen, clearly looking for a coffee mug.

Diego sat at the little dining room table, longingly staring at her ample ass that was barely covered by one of his t-shirts. Sienna was also staring, but her nose was wrinkled in disgust. The girl looked like she was hungover, and she was having a hard time figuring out our espresso machine.

I guess everyone is just going to keep staring and not help her get a fucking cup of coffee.

I sighed before walking over to help her make a cup. She blinked up at me blearily, then suddenly smoothed her hair down and seemed to snap out of her hungover daze.

"Holy shit. Where were you last night?" She breathed, looking up at me in awe.

I smiled politely, then put some distance between us. I glanced back at the table, and I could see both Diego and Sienna glaring at me.

"He was with me last night, sweetie." Sienna announced coldly.

Jesus Christ.

"Maybe you should take your coffee to go." She said again, still glaring. She stood up and walked over to me, possessively wrapping her hand around my arm. She gently tugged me back to the table, and kept her arm on my thigh even after I sat down.

"Here, baby, try the eggs. My mom is a chef, and she taught me how to make them super creamy."

I glanced at Diego, who had apparently forgotten that his girl had just hit on me. He was back to staring at her ass longingly.

"Kayla, it's ok. Come eat breakfast with us. Everyone, this is my friend, Kayla. Kayla, everyone," Diego said cheerfully, clearly hoping to diffuse the tension.

Likely hoping to butter Kayla up for another round before she took off.

He wasn't tall or muscular, but he wasn't unattractive. He just kind of had a generic, blonde frat guy appearance. And just enough charm to not have too much difficulty getting girls to spend the night with him.

But this wouldn't be the first time that one of the girls who'd stayed the night with him had hit on me the next morning.

It was awkward.

But decidedly more awkward with Sienna glaring daggers at Kayla.

On some level, I felt a tiny swell of pride that Sienna was already claiming me. Maybe she was actually interested in something more serious.

But on the other hand, we just met yesterday. And despite us having sex one time and her telling me she might be in love with me...I hadn't said it back.

It was kind of...weird.

I sighed before pushing my chair away from the table, then stood up. I reached down and grabbed Sienna's arm.

"Come with me." I told her, not really waiting for her to decide if she wanted to. She kind of tripped, trying to keep up with me as I practically dragged her back into my bedroom.

The second the door was shut, I let her arm go and backed away from her.

"What the fuck is happening right now?" I asked her, seriously perplexed. The jealous act was kind of hot, but mostly concerning.

"I literally just met you. I fucked you one time. We're not dating. We're not even friends. I don't even know you." I scolded her, suddenly realizing how weird this could get if she was secretly insane.

She was avoiding my eyes, staring at the floor in shame.

"I know. I'm sorry. That was weird." She whispered, still staring at the floor.

Glad we agree on that.

She looked up at me nervously. "And I know I probably freaked you out last night. Saying I think I'm falling in love with you. I know we just met." I nodded, giving her a look that told her that I definitely was not going to argue with any of that.

"But I don't know. I feel like... I feel like we have this connection. Like a soul tie." She said earnestly, taking a careful step closer to me.

"It's like you just knew exactly what I needed last night, without me having to really say anything. I've never felt that with anyone else before. I think... I think there's something here that we need to explore. Something real... Please tell me you feel it? Tell me I'm not insane." She pleaded, taking another step closer.

I bit my lip hesitantly, thinking carefully about what she said.

I couldn't deny that the sex was incredible last night. Despite my exhaustion and terrible mood, I don't think I'd ever felt so alive.

Naomi loved it when I bossed her around and when I spanked her. Lots of girls were into that. Not all, but I'd gotten pretty good at sniffing out the ones who wanted someone to order them around and the ones who needed me to be gentle. The ones who were into handcuffs and biting and a little bit of pain, and the ones who were into slow, steady, and sensual.

But Sienna...she had this wild, crazed hunger. I'd never seen anything like it.

I'd never felt anything like it.

Like I could just be myself, completely. I didn't have to be gentle with her. I didn't have to be nice. I didn't have to pretend that I wasn't grouchy, and I didn't need to cuddle with her after blowing her back out. She didn't want that.

She wanted all my angst and anger and irritation.

She wanted me to hurt her, if I needed to hurt her.

It was kind of a rush, if I was being honest.

Was it future wife and mother material? Maybe, maybe not...

But she was right. There was something here. Something worth exploring. Maybe even something magical.

So I finally nodded, and my face spread into a slow smile.

"Ok." I said finally, and she beamed at me. I stepped closer to her, and she wrapped her arms around my waist. The way she looked up at me made me feel like a goddamn superhero.

"Let's try this. See where it goes. But that means you're mine, ok? Just mine. No flirting with other guys or fucking around. And when you're in my bed, you do as I say. No more of that begging for raw sex bullshit. Got it?" I told her, trying to sound stern and look serious, but failing miserably. We both kept smiling at each other.

"Got it. You're the boss." She whispered happily.

She stood up on her tip toes, going in for a kiss. I bent down to meet her lips.

And then we quickly found ourselves back in my bed.

By the end of the day, after talking and laughing, ordering take out, and fucking her on every surface in my room...I started to think that maybe I was falling in love with her, too.