Page 7 of Hayes

She giggled. “Okay, Daddy.” The tone of her sweet laughter made him nearly forget himself. Fuck it. He wanted to rip this dress off her, flip her onto all fours, and fuck her clear into tomorrow.

Control. He needed to find some.

“During your transitional phase, we’ll have sex several times. You’ll feel a desperation to do so. I will, too.”

“Will it hurt?” Her voice wobbled.

“Only for a moment the first time. After that, it will never hurt again. Nothing but pleasure.”

She gave him a definitive nod.

“Also during your transition, I’ll feed you bottles of formula several times. You’ll need the calories and the fluids. After you shift, you’ll be exhausted, and you’ll sleep for a long time.”

“Okay, Daddy.” She squirmed as if to ask what he was waiting for.

Damn, she was precious.

Chapter Four

Rylee couldn’t begin to understand what she was feeling. It was so foreign to her. All she knew was now that they were inside his home, the scent she’d been breathing in had multiplied by a hundred. Before, she’d simply been scenting him in a space that wasn’t his. While they’d been outside, it hadn’t been as powerful. But now that she was in his space…

She hadn’t known for sure if mates got naked to have sex. Her mother hadn’t mentioned that. She’d only vaguely given her a quick lesson about spreading her legs so her mate could enter her with his erection. Not nearly enough details.

She was good with naked. It seemed totally natural. Frankly she was good with anything he suggested as long as he didn’t make her wait any longer.

“Are you sure you’re ready, Rylee? There’s no rush.”

“I’m ready,” she told him. He had an inquisitive look on his face as if what she was feeling wasn’t quite the norm. He’d said as much, too.

Hayes climbed off the edge of the bed and straddled her with his hands. “I want you to know that you’re stunning in this dress, Little one. Absolutely gorgeous. Never doubt that. But after Itake this off, you will never wear something this concealing again.”

She frowned, unsure what he meant.

“Unlike women in the valley, mates of Alpha Protectors do not dress so modestly. I have a closet full of dresses ready for you. They’re short. You won’t wear shifts underneath. They have thin sleeves, too. In the future, when we want to have sex, we won’t be hindered by all these layers and the trouble of getting you out of a cumbersome dress.”

She grinned. The idea appealed to her. “Good. I like this dress, but I’ve been frustrated with it from the moment we were left alone in that room. I’m crawling out of my skin.”

He chuckled as he grabbed her around the waist and flipped her onto her stomach. “Let’s get it off.”

She giggled as he went to work on the million buttons that extended from her neck to her bottom. “Maybe you have scissors?” she teased.

“Not a chance, Little one. Half the fun is unwrapping the gift.”

She sighed dramatically and forced herself to sink into the mattress. All she could do was wait for him to finish with the buttons. When he was finally done, he’d revealed nothing. After all, he’d only managed to uncover her shifts.

Before helping her rise, he tugged on the end of her sleeves and pulled the delicate lace down her arms. “Beware of your mark, Little one. I’m not kidding when I say that pressing it against me or touching mine will drive both of us to heights we can’t begin to grasp.”

“That seems impossible,” she grumbled as she shrugged out of the sleeves and pushed onto all fours. She scrambled to turn around so she could finish getting out of the obnoxiously modest ceremonial garment. Whose idea had it been to send women totheir mating ceremony wearing something they couldn’t easily get out of?

Hayes…Daddy…stepped back and took off his suit jacket before reaching for the buttons on the front of his dress shirt.

Rylee slid off the side of the bed, let the dress fall to the floor, and reached up to help him. She boldly swatted his hands out of the way. “Let me.”

He didn’t make it easy for her, not when he grabbed her bottom with both hands through the layers of shifts and jerked her closer. His lips came to her neck, and he kissed behind her ear before whispering, “Maybe we should get the scissors after all.”

She giggled. “No way. I’m having fun.” She pushed against him with her palms. “Give me space. I can’t see.” Her body was on fire for him. Her nipples felt sensitive as they rubbed against the front of her inner shift. Her panties were damp, and she knew it was from something leaking out of her sex.

Hayes humored her, letting her work down the buttons. She could feel his gaze on her the entire time. Penetrating. Making her tremble.