Chandra poked her head out the door a few moments later, her eyes scanning the bedroom for Sam. She found him on the other side, checking his phone. She cleared her throat. “Err, Sam?”
Sam raised his head, his eyes bright and a smile plastered on his lips. “Hmm?”
Chan licked her lips, blushing profusely. “I was wondering if you have a spare shirt and pants I could borrow. My dress is all wet and not quite…”
Sam understood. He chuckled. “Sure.”
“Really? Thanks.”
“No problem,” he said and headed over to the walk-in closet.
Still hiding behind the bathroom door, with only her head peeping out, Chan clutched the towel tightly against her body as she watched Sam retrieve what looked like a man’s shirt. His shirt.
She blinked. No, no, no. That wasn’t what she meant. She wanted a female shirt and pants. Not his shirt.
But it was too late. He came over and handed her one of his casual T-shirts. She stared at it, not knowing what to do.
“I don’t think my pants will fit you,” he said. Just wear this for the time being. I’ll put your dress in the washing machine for you. It won’t take long. Stay for breakfast.”
Chan couldn’t help but feel delight at the invitation. She was hungry after all.
She grabbed the shirt and said softly, “Thanks. I’ll put my clothes into the wash myself. You just need to show me where the laundry is.”
“Sure,” he said.
Chan closed the door again. Alone, she sighed, her heart racing. Then she turned her attention to the gray shirt.
A few moments later, with Sam’s shirt on, she stared at herself in the mirror. She wanted to cry. The cotton material did nothing to hide her slender form, not to mention the shape of her breasts and nipples. Shit! She couldn’t go out looking like this, could she? No. Of course not. Not like this. Especially not when she wasn’t wearing any underwear because they were all dirty and wet and needed to be washed along with her dress.
She sighed. Reluctantly, she turned to the door and poked her head out again.
“Err, Sam?”
Standing on the other side, checking his email on his smartphone, Sam hid a smile. Her hesitation in calling out to him didn’t put a doubt in his mind she was requesting another shirt. Perhaps one that wasn’t too thin. He knew that particular one he’d given her would look amazing on her, showing off her slender figure and tantalizing his wild imagination. That had been why he’d chosen it in the first place.
He raised his head. “What do you need?”
“Another shirt, maybe? This one is…” Chan frowned. How could she tell him it was showing too much?
“Too big?” He finished off for her.
Chan licked her lips. “No, it’s not that. It’s just that it’s too thin. Do you have a thicker one?”
“Yes. Just wait a minute,” he said, heading over to the closet again.
What he handed her this time was more decent, Chan decided. It was one of his work shirts. Pale gray with white stripes. It smelled nice, too.
“Thanks,” she said and then went back into the bathroom.
When she put on the newly offered shirt, she felt much better. The sleeves were a bit too long, but it was all right when she rolled them up to rest on her forearms. The hem of the shirt was long, too, reaching all the way to just above her knees, which was perfect.
All done and with her hair still wet and un-brushed, she bunched up her dress and underwear within the wet towel and then headed out the door.
Sam’s pupils dilated with interest the moment he saw her walking out the bathroom door. To say she was beautiful was an understatement. The woman was gorgeous, with her long, dark hair wet and un-brushed. Her face was flushed pink, and her eyes were bright. What added the icing on that delicious and very desirable cake was his work shirt. It draped about her body like a lover, and Sam was elated. So elated she was wearing his favorite shirt, a part of him.
He smiled as she came toward him. “Are you done?”
Chan clutched the towel against her chest as she nodded. “The laundry?”
He chuckled. Of course, he couldn’t help himself. He wanted to touch her, and he did. He cupped her face with one hand and caressed her cheek with his thumb.
Chan felt a tingle of warmth within her chest as she raised her eyes to him.
“You look so young without your makeup,” he said.
“Is that a problem?” she asked.
He shook his head. “No. You just look so innocent and vulnerable.”
He wasn’t lying. At that moment, she looked much younger than her age, and it awed him as well as inspired this intense need within him to protect her.
Vulnerable. He hit the nail on the head right there. Chan was indeed vulnerable. Deep inside. Scared. So scared, in fact, she thought she’d go insane. But she had convinced herself all was well now. Nothing bad was going to happen. The past was far, far away from her and her sisters now.
The feeling of warm, firm lips pressed against her own drew her thoughts back from the dark side. Instantly, she groaned and felt Sam’s tongue slip between her lips into her mouth.
“Mmm…” she groaned.
Sam knew he was going nuts for this woman. She was so soft under his touch. Thus, he kissed her passionately, his tongue wild in her mouth, dancing with her and caressing her.
When he finally drew back, he noted she was breathless and shaking.
He couldn’t help himself, and he trailed his hand down to her breast. There he cupped the flesh and then molded the shaped in his hand.
Chan gasped and bit her lip. “Sam,” she whispered softly against him. “I don’t know…”
Her words drew him back to the present, to reality. He immediately removed his hand from her soft breast and stroked her hair instead. “I’m sorry. I got carried away.”
“That’s all right. I was just… I don’t know if I’m ready…”
“I understand. I’m coming on too quick.”
Chan shook her head. “No, that’s not it. I…”
She took a deep breath. How could she tell him kissing him was fine? That she wanted him so badly to go further, right to the final step, but at the same time, she was scared of the journey there, afraid of that route to the top. So afraid. Had been afraid, in fact, since she’d been fifteen, when Dave had started sexually molesting her, had taken her virginity after she’d turned sixteen and threatened her ever since.
She took a deep breath and told herself to calm down. The past was the past. Now she’d met this wonderful man who was like the sun to her, warming her and making her feel so glorious. Yes, he was the sun to her, and she desperately didn’t want to disappoint him. But at the same time, she was lost and confused.
Sam drew her into his arms and hugged her tight. She felt good in his arms. The darkness and the fear and the pain suddenly disappeared. She sighed and inhaled his manly scent. He felt so good.
She felt him kiss her on her forehead, and tears brewed in her eyes. She nuzzled her face against his bare chest, and her body shook.
“Hey, what’s up?” he asked, chuckling. “Want to tell me something?”
His question stopped her short. She gathered her inner strength and made herself stop wallowing in her past. She sniffed a little and drew herself back from him.
“No. Nothing. The laundry?”
Sam didn’t miss her changed in mood or the fact there was something holding her back. Once again, he’d felt that darkness within her, a secret she held close to her chest. He felt the fear within her, too. What could she be afraid of?
Damn! He really wanted to protect her from whatever it was that scared the freaking daylights out of her.
“This way,” he said, leading her out the door.
They came into the laundry room a few moments later, and Chan began putting her clothes in. She was hoping Sam would leave her to do whatever he was going to do, but he didn’t. He even helped her put in the washing powder and then
start the machine. Of course, she didn’t need help with any of that, but it was very considerate of him.
They headed back out together and were on the landing of the second floor when Lilly came running out her bedroom door.
“Daddy!” she greeted with delight.
Sam took the little girl into his arms and said, “Good morning, sweetheart. What do you want for breakfast today?”
“Pancakes!” Lilly said excitedly. “Chan wants to have pancakes, too, right?”
Chan chuckled. “Why not?”
Sam put Lilly back down and said, “Then you two darlings go and wait downstairs. I’ll just quickly clean myself up.”
“Okay,” Lilly said, taking Chan’s hand.
Once again, Chan was delighted he referred her as one of his darlings. She smiled as Lilly led her down the stairs.
The two didn’t have to wait long. There must be a secret to being a man in getting himself ready. Sam returned ten minutes later wearing a pair of jeans that fit his toned, muscular legs to perfection and a casual T-shirt that showed off his hot body.
Chan felt desire coursing through her being as she eyed him walking around the bench-top to the kitchen area.
“Are you sure you don’t want any help?” she asked.
Sam shook his head. “Breakfast is my specialty,” he said and winked at her.
Chan felt her heart skip a beat in reaction. God! He was handsome.
“You made us that wonderful satay yesterday, and now it’s my turn to make you some pancakes.” His smile was bright.
Chan felt like she wanted to throw herself into his arms and kiss him silly. Of course, that notion was indeed stupid, and she cleared her throat.
Lilly said, “Daddy makes the most awesome-est pancakes.”
Chan laughed. “The most awesome-est, eh? Wow!”
On that note, Sam proceeded to show his pancakes were indeed the most awesome-est ever as Chan and Lilly watched him.
It was some twenty minutes later when the three sat around a table on the veranda and began their breakfast of pancakes with grilled bananas and crispy bacon, topped off with golden syrup.
“Mmm… Delicious,” Lilly said.
Chan took a bite and smiled. “Wow! I should call you the pancake king.”
Sam chuckled. “Why, thank you. Hear that, Lilly? Chan gave me a title. I’m the pancake king.”
Lilly clasped her hands together with delight. “You’re the pancake king, Daddy. You’re awesome!”
Chan laughed. She really enjoyed her breakfast with Sam and Lilly, and the view of the ocean was indeed spectacular. It was an ideal setting, them sitting around a table under the morning glow of the sun, the ocean breeze dancing about them, and breakfast itself was delicious.
Chan took a sip of her juice when she felt a hot, intense gaze on her person. She raised her head and saw Sam watching her, his eyes dark with desire. She caught her breath at the back of her throat in response. Her body shook just a little as she placed the glass of juice back on the table. Then she licked her lips and tugged her hair behind her ear.
Sam couldn’t help himself. He leaned forward, buried his fingers in the thickness of her hair, and brushed his lips against hers.
Chan sighed in delight. He was gentle but firm, and when she opened her mouth for him, he plunged his tongue in. Her body squirmed deliciously as he explored her. He tasted wonderful, too, of pancake and golden syrup mixed with… Sam, and she was in heaven.
Sam was going insane, and he wondered how he was going to hold himself back the closer he got to her. He was about to go all out kissing the woman who had captured his interest since he’d first met her, when he held himself in check. They were with Lilly, after all, and he didn’t want to do anything that wasn’t child friendly.
When he terminated the kiss and drew back, he noted Chan was blushing intensely and her eyes were bright.
“Daddy?” Lilly’s voice reached him. “Are you doing a date with Chan?”
Sam couldn’t help himself and laughed. “Why do you ask?”
“‘Cause you’re kissing Chan,” Lilly said. “You’re only allowed to do that when you’re on a date. Uncle Jeremy said so.”
Chan subconsciously licked her lips and tasted the sweetness of the golden syrup from Sam. Suddenly, she felt the urge to kiss him some more.
Sam didn’t miss the small tongue licking her luscious lips either. Shit! He wanted more. But not now. Now Lilly was present. Maybe later when they had the chance to be alone.
Lilly’s next question made Chan want to run and hide.
“Did Uncle Jeremy kiss you when he did a date with you?”
Chan flicked her gaze to Sam and saw him watching her intensely. Oh dear! What should she say? The truth was Jeremy really did kiss her, but she didn’t feel anything.
“Hmm…” She began, tugging her hair behind her ear, her eyes on the table.
“Lilly, sweetheart.” Sam intervened. “That’s a personal question.”
“I’m sorry, Chan,” Lilly said. “If he didn’t kiss you, maybe he doesn’t like you as much, not like Daddy. He kissed you and you look real happy about it.”
Chan’s blush intensified, and Sam laughed.
When he managed to stop, he said, “Lilly, that’s enough teasing Chan.”
Lilly pursed her lips. “But I didn’t kiss you on our date yesterday, either.”
“That’s all right, Lilly,” Chan said. “I kissed you.”
Lilly’s eyes were large. “You did? When?”
“You were half asleep and asked for a cuddle and a kiss.”
Still, Lilly wasn’t satisfied with that answer. “But I still haven’t kissed you… so I’m going to kiss you like Daddy kissed you.”
Chan was a little shocked at that proclamation. “Lilly, you don’t have to.”
Lilly shook her head. “But I want to kiss you, because otherwise, you’ll think I don’t like you as much.”
Sam watched with interest at the scene unfolding before him, a smile on his face. Chan, on the other hand, could tell he found her precarious situation amusing and he was enjoying the moment tremendously.
Lilly leaned forward and got ahold of Chan’s face in both her small hands, which surprised Chan. Then the little girl planted a hard kiss on Chan’s lips. She stayed in that position for a little while. Then once she was satisfied, she moved back.
“There,” she stated. “Now you know I really like you.” She turned to her father. “Isn’t that right, Daddy?”
Sam nodded in approval. “That’s right, sweetheart.” He tousled his daughter’s hair fondly.
Chan sat there, dazed. She couldn’t believe today of all days she was being ravished by both father and daughter. It was weird yet surprisingly wonderful.
* * * * *
CHAPTER 32