Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Hayes held her closer. “Rylee, talk to me, Little one. Tell me what’s bothering you now.”
“Someone’s going to see me,” she mumbled against her palm, not wanting to remove it. He was going to think she was the biggest freak on Earth any second.
“No one is going to see you, Little one. My brother’s home is the closest, and it’s almost a mile away. There are Alpha Protectors surrounding the area to keep us safe, but none of them are close enough to see you, either, Baby girl. I promise.”
She lifted her face from his neck and stared at him. Surely he was mistaken.
Hayes opened the back door, stepped inside, and closed them from the overpowering scent. “What did you smell, Rylee?”
She lowered her hand, trembling. Tears welled up in her eyes. She didn’t want to cry, but she hated to disappoint him.
He carried her to the island and set her bottom on the surface. Cupping her face with both hands, he held her gaze. “No need to cry, Baby girl. I’m not upset. I’m just trying to understand. Tell me what you smelled.”
He didn’t look angry at all. His brow was furrowed in concern, but his voice was calm and steady.
“Steak,” she whispered.
He kept one hand on her as he reached to grab his phone from the kitchen counter. After tapping the screen a few times, he brought it to his ear. “Hey, Isaac. Are you by chance grilling steaks?”
Rylee bit her lip while she waited. Surely Hayes was about to lose his patience with her. She was growing perplexed herself. She’d always had a strong nose for the scent of food, but nothing like this and nothing that people were cooking in another home let alone far away.
She listened to her Daddy as he said, “Thanks. That’s all. Yes. Apparently. Talk to you later.” He hung up and smiled as if the mysteries of the universe were solved in that one phone call.
“Isaac is indeed grilling steaks.”
“A mile away?” she asked, shaking.
“I assume you weren’t quite as affected by scents as you suddenly are today, huh?”
She shook her head. Definitely not.
“And you don’t like steak?” His brow was deeply furrowed.
She shrugged. “I don’t eat it, but I never minded the smell before.”
“Everything smells stronger to you today, doesn’t it, Little one?”
Rylee nodded slowly. “Is that…normal?”
He took a deep breath, keeping his hands on either side of her. “It’s normal for mates to be affected by each other’s scent. It’s normal for pheromones to drive us bonkers with the need to fuck over and over, especially during your transition. However, what you’re experiencing is outside the norm.”
She swallowed, unable to respond.
He grabbed her hips and pulled her to the edge of the island, stepping closer so he was between her legs. “I can smell your panic, Little one,” he said gently, “and there’s no need for it. The truth is that lately several new mates have found themselves having odd powers we’ve never seen before.”
Rylee’s breath hitched. “Powers?”
“Yep. I’ll tell you all about them later when you’re not feverish, but trust me when I say a strong sense of smell is not even remotely weird. I’m kind of relieved that your superpower is seemingly so inane.” He smiled broadly. “Wrap your legs around me.”
As soon as she did, he lifted her off the island and carried her over to the living room, where he set her on her feet next to the sofa. “Wait right here. I’m going to grab some supplies and shut the bedroom door. For the rest of the day and into the night, when you need me inside you, we’ll head for the bedroom. We can keep our sex in there and block off the overpowering scent by shutting the door. How’s that sound?”
For the first time in a while, she managed to smile. She didn’t understand what was happening to her, but Daddy didn’t seem to be worried about it, nor was he upset, so she wouldn’t fret over it for today either.
She threw her arms around his waist and hugged him. “Thank you, Daddy.”
Chapter Seven
Hayes hurried into the bedroom, grabbed several things he would need, and returned to find his Little girl right where he’d left her. She was calmer now that he’d alleviated some of her worries.
Fuck, but she was gorgeous. Standing in their living room, her long blond hair tousled from sex, her body… Damn. He stopped in his tracks to stare at her.
Her curves…
Her breasts…
Her pink nipples so hard…
Her bottom…
Fuck, he was lucky.
She suddenly shivered and crossed her arms.
“Don’t,” he said softly. “You’re so gorgeous.”
“Thank you,” she murmured, lowering her hands.
He came to her, set several things on the coffee table, and ran a hand up her spine to her neck. “Bend over, Little one. Put your hands on the table so I can take your temperature.”