Page 35 of Mister Daddy

“No really, sweetheart, I mean it. You’re absolutely gorgeous and I wouldn’t trade you in for anyone.”

“Not even hot supermodels who get paid billions of dollars to stand around and look pretty?”

He shakes his head.

“Nope, not even them.”

“Not even for a beautiful princess like Kate Middleton with lush brown hair and big brown eyes?”

He looks down at me, pretending to think.

“Well, maybe for her,” he drawls.

I giggle, slapping him on his chest lightly. Ow! His muscles are as hard as oak and I titter again.

“Please, Kate Middleton is married already. You can’t have her.”

He grins.

“No, I was just thinking sweetheart. You look a lot like Kate Middleton, with your curly brown hair and sweet caramel eyes. She has nothing on you,” he declares.

I giggle again.

“Yeah, except she wears diamond tiaras every night and has three kids already.”

He grins at me, his blue eyes gleaming.

“Well, you know I’m worth a lot of money, sweetheart. I can get you a diamond tiara if you want. And also three kids if you’re game.”

My mouth drops practically to the floor.

“Are you serious? You can’t be. Who wears diamond tiaras?”

His eyebrows waggle.

“Well, like you mentioned, Kate Middleton does, but if you want to wear one for me, I’d be more than happy to get you one. Let’s see, you’d look especially amazing completely nude with crystal heels and a diamond tiara on those gorgeous curls, baby girl. I can see it already. I’ll come back from work, tired and weary, and you’ll greet me on my bed with nothing but that tiara and some skyscraper heels on. It’ll be amazing.”

This time, I start to giggle again.

“Oh you,” I say playfully, swatting him on the arm this time. Wow, even his forearm feels as hard as oak. This guy has muscles all over, and it turns me on.

But then Carter grows serious.

“No, I mean it, baby girl. We have a jewelry store on-board. Why don’t you let me take you there, and get you a little something? I don’t think they stock tiaras, but maybe a ring or a necklace? A bracelet? Would you like that?”

I can’t help but to stare at him. Is this man insane?

“Um no, I’m okay,” I say, my cheeks flushing. “I have plenty of jewelry already.”

Carter’s brow goes up quizzically.

“But surely, a girl can always use more jewelry? Especially diamond jewelry?” he adds, one corner of his mouth quirked. “Because I’d love to see you draped in gemstones, sweetheart. You’d look so good wearing that and nothing else.”

Now, my cheeks are as hot as a flame, and I blush all over, grabbing the sheet to me. But Carter won’t be stopped. He leans forward and drops a kiss to my nose.

“I wasn’t kidding about the kids part either. If you want me to give you three babies like Kate Middleton has, I’d be more than happy.”

That makes me sit upright because all this talk about jewelry was frivolous and fun, but the talk about children makes me grow serious all of a sudden.