Eventually, my resolve to keep it slow and steady frayed, and I grabbed her waist to hold her still as I fucked up into her wanting pussy with quick, hard strokes. She gripped my forearms and gasped, eyes closed as her inner muscles fluttered around me as she reached her climax. We came together—me with a loud groan as my release blasted down my spine and her with a strangled cry before she leaned down and sank her teeth into my shoulder. The sharp bite mingled with my pleasure, leaving me a jangled mess of pain and ecstasy as I shuddered through my orgasm.
“Well, that didn’t takethatlong,” Marcie panted as she sagged against my chest.
“No, I guess not,” I said, managing a soft chuckle as I wrapped my arms around her. “Remind me to unpack boxes with you more often.”
We took a quick shared shower and got back to work—this time with me on the stepladder while Marcie stood on the floor and told me where to hammer. It was nice. Great, even—I hadn’t had this kind of cozy domesticity in years, and never in anticipation of a new baby. I loved everything about it—working on the house, the wild afternoon sex, the gentle shared laughter as we cleaned up and Marcie bossing me around as she turned my bland, boring condo intoourhome.
Everything about it felt soright.
“I called my dad again,” she suddenly said.
We were in the middle of unwrapping some knickknacks and placing them on a shelf, and I tried to keep my face neutral. “Did he answer?”
Marcie shook her head. “No. I left another voicemail.” She took a deep breath. “It’s been four weeks.”
I placed a vase on the shelf and wound an arm around her waist to pull her close. “Don’t take this out on yourself, okay? He’s not being a good dad right now.”
She sniffled and I wiped away the single tear that spilled down her cheek. “I know, Denton. It’s just…I want our baby to have a grandfather. And my dad doesn’t even know I’m pregnant. I hate this chasm between us.”
She sighed and buried her face against my chest, breathing in the scent of my t-shirt like she always did as I stroked a palm down her silky, wavy hair.
“I love you so much,” she said, her voice muffled against my chest. “But this isn’t everything I need. I need my dad, too. My mom’s been gone for so long, and I just need him.”
“I know, baby.” Swallowing the knot gathering in my throat, I tightened my arms around her while regret stabbed at my heart. I wished I could take her pain for myself. The pain of losing my closest friend was nothing compared to being ignored by a parent.
In her pocket, her phone vibrated, and she pulled away to yank it out. When she saw the screen, her eyes went wide. She looked up at me, shock written across her features.”
“Look,” she said as she turned the phone toward me. “It’s Dad.”
Chapter Seventeen
Marcie
“It’s Dad,” I said with an immense amount of hope as I held the phone up to show Denton. He stared at the little buzzing device, his own surprise written across his features.
He gave me a nod to answer the call before it went to voicemail.
With shaking fingers, I hitACCEPTand held the phone up to my ear.
“Daddy?” My voice shook, and I took a deep breath to steady my frazzled nerves.
“Hey, Marcie,” he said, his voice soft and hesitant. It felt so good to hear him say my name that something inside me relaxed, and relief crashed through me. “How are you doing?”
“I’m okay, Daddy.” I stepped over to the couch and sank down into the soft cushions. Denton sat down next to me and grabbed my free hand in his. I gripped him tightly, like he was the only thing keeping me anchored to the earth. “It’s really good to hear your voice.”
On the other end of the line, I heard him take a deep breath. “It’s good to hear yours too, pumpkin,” he said. “I missed you.”
“I called so many times.” My voice shook, and I sucked in a deep breath to keep myself together. “Why didn’t you answer?”
He paused. “Let’s not do this over the phone,” he said. “I’m…I’m in Seattle now. Can you come see me?”
I ran a hand through my hair and scrubbed at my stinging eyes. “Yes. Of course. Are you at the Pacific Heights?”
“Yeah. I can meet you at the restaurant in…forty-five minutes if you want.”
I looked over at Denton. He looked tense, his gaze wide and watchful. Like he was worried I would walk away if my dad offered me an olive branch.
No chance of that.