Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 29556 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 148(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29556 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 148(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
I flew down the hallway with a wild grin on my face. Dad turned as I entered the living room. Squealing, I threw my arms around his neck and inhaled his clean scent, soap plus a familiar masculine fragrance that was entirely his own. He hugged me back, squeezing me so tight that I could hardly breathe as he lifted me off my feet.
My heart swelled in my chest. Having my dad here with us felt like completion, a missing piece sliding into place. I was finally back with the two people who meant the world to me, even if it was just for one day.
He held me for a long time before lowering me to my feet, stepping back with his hands on my shoulders. He scanned me up and down. “God, I’ve missed you, Hailee.”
“I missed you, too.”
“We brought you some clothes,” said Uncle Logan. “Thought you might want to feel like a human for a change.”
“I left them out on the bed,” I added, gesturing in the direction of the bedroom.
My dad left to get changed, and I stayed in the kitchen. I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and watched as Uncle Logan put the steaks into a large pan with butter to sear them. The smell of beef cooking filled the air and made my stomach grumble. I’d been too excited earlier today to eat much of my lunch.
“He looks good, doesn’t he?” I said quietly.
“I don’t know. He’s not really my type.” Uncle Logan winked at me.
I rolled my eyes and slapped his arm playfully. “You know what I mean.”
He laughed. “Yeah, he seems happy to be here. I think reconnecting with you has been good for him. And for you.”
I set my water aside and moved closer to him so I could hug him from behind. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“For what?”
“For being okay with this. I know I’m being kind of extra about this whole thing.”
“He’s your dad, Hails. Of course you’re excited to see him.”
“I just don’t want you to feel left out.”
He turned around and cupped my cheek in his big, warm hand. “I appreciate you worrying about me, but you really don’t need to. Graham and I figured out how to share you a long time ago. That part isn’t new for either of us. So relax, okay?”
“Okay.” I felt my shoulder muscles start to loosen, slowly at first and then all at once, like untying a knot.
He kissed my lips before returning his attention to our meal.
Dad sauntered into the kitchen a few minutes later, dressed in the clothes I’d picked out for him: jeans, a black T-shirt, and an open button-up shirt.
“What do you think?” he asked. “Do I clean up good?”
“I think you look great,” I said. Seeing him in regular clothes, in a more-or-less regular setting, made the arrangement we found ourselves in seem that much more real.
“Help yourself to anything in the fridge,” Uncle Logan said. “They wouldn’t let us bring beer, so I packed soda.”
“Those steaks smell so good, I don’t even mind staying sober,” Dad said, cracking open a soft drink.
The dinner turned out delicious, not that anyone was surprised. Dad couldn’t stop mmm-ing with pleasure after every bite. Our conversation flowed so easily that it almost felt like nothing had changed between us. But that sense of comfort wasn’t the whole story. Our easy rapport had contorted into something new and complex; simple touches weren’t so simple anymore.
By the time we laid down our silverware, the sexual tension in the air felt thick enough to slice up and serve on a platter. I was hyperaware of every move I made, and the attention drawn by my actions, like how my uncle’s hands grew restless whenever I swept my hair back from my neck.
“So, what’s the plan for tonight?” my dad asked. It was an innocent question, and yet everything inside me tightened at the sensual undertone.
“Hails and I were thinking we could watch a movie,” Uncle Logan said. “The three of us on the couch together, just like old times.”
Hopefully, not exactly like old times.
“Sounds perfect,” said Dad.
We left the dishes in the sink to deal with later and moved into the living area. The cozy space included an armchair in addition to the couch, but both men chose the couch, settling in on either side of me. The fit was tight; my dad and Uncle Logan weren’t small people, and neither was I. My dress rode up as I made myself comfortable.
Uncle Logan picked up the TV remote. “Let’s see what we’ve got to work with.”
The TV had a few built-in streaming services. Uncle Logan logged us into one of them and began scrolling through the options. We landed on an action movie that none of us had seen before. But it didn’t matter what was on the screen. I couldn’t focus on the movie with their thighs touching mine, warming me, even through their pants.