“Yeah,” I find myself saying, and I realize I didn’t know I wanted that until I said it out loud. To my astonishment, this seems answer enough for Julie because her frown morphs into a smile. She leaps off her chair, rounds the table, and hugs me. I wrap my arms tightly around her.
“You should finish your breakfast,” I tell her after she pulls away.
“I’m not hungry anymore. Can I go to my room and finish the homework for my design class until Pippa arrives?”
“Of course, but only after we clean the table.”
She doesn’t object; instead, she dutifully brings her plate to the kitchen. Ms. Blackwell is free today, so it’s the two of us until Pippa arrives. She’s been over at our place a couple of times lately, and I like having her here.
***
Pippa arrives around lunchtime, holding a box of sweets in her hands. This woman’s smile is contagious. I can laugh just seeing her laugh, and that is perfectly fine by me.
“Hello, stranger,” she says. “Long time no see.”
“C’mere.” I pull her inside the house, closing the door, and give her a smooch.
“Eric, won’t Julie see us?”
“She’s working on something on her computer. The house could collapse and she wouldn’t notice.”
I press her against the door, planning to kiss her thoroughly.
“Watch it.” She holds the box above her head with so much care you’d think she had diamonds inside. “You’ll ruin the cupcakes.”
I take the box out of her hands, placing it on the nearby table, then resume pinning her against the door. This time, I grab her wrists with my hand and hold them above her head.
I drag the knuckles of my free hand down her cheeks, cupping her jaw. “Cupcakes. Somehow, I feel like I’m not a priority for you.”
“That is absolutely not true. You have a tiny, dirty secret that’ll always make you a priority.”
“And that is?”
She pushes her knee gently between my legs, smiling coyly.
“I can’t believe you called my dick tiny. He’s offended.”
“I can’t believe you talked about your penis in the third person.”
“He deserves an apology and some love,” I continue.
Pippa grins, grinding her hips against me, the little vixen. “Fine, I’ll do that later. I’ll whisper my apology to him.”
“Why whisper?”
“Because it’s between him and me. You’re not allowed in on our secret conversation.”
I eye her for a brief second, then kiss her hard. She gives in to my kiss, sighing in my mouth. She tastes like sugar, and I smile as I realize she probably ate one of the cupcakes on the way. She’s fucking adorable.
After we pull apart, I kiss her cheek and the tip of her nose. That’s when I notice the vulnerable look in her eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“Nothing. I love spending time with you. You make me feel like a pampered princess, even when you’re not trying.”
I take advantage of this brief moment of vulnerability, caressing the side of her neck. “That’s the way it should be, Pippa. You deserve nothing less.”
“Dad,” Julie’s voice resounds from the bedroom. “Is that Pippa? I heard the door.”