Page 34 of The Live-In Temptation (Steele Brothers of Starlight Cove #2)
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
XANDER
Group text with Atlas, Xander, Declan, and Lincoln
Lincoln:
Hey, remember earlier tonight when Chloe called Xander “Daddy” at the table and I choked on my roll?
Declan:
unfortunately
Atlas:
It’s more info than I need to know about whatever’s going on over there, so I’ve blocked it out.
Lincoln:
idk how you can. It’s burned into my memory for all time. I’ll be telling my grandkids about this.
Xander:
You’re all jackasses. She was obviously talking about me to Emma.
Lincoln:
Was she, though? Because she looked RIGHT at you when she said it.
Atlas:
She did.
Xander:
I thought you were staying out of this?
Declan:
Xan froze like his whole mainframe was being rebooted
Lincoln:
Went into full statue mode while the proverbial record scratch could be heard on the other side of town. Mabel actually posted a Live asking if anyone knew what it was from.
Xander:
Are you done?
Lincoln:
Is that what Chloe says when you play Daddy at home?
Xander:
Shut the fuck up. I mean it, Linc.
Lincoln:
Uh oh. Daddy’s mad.
Atlas:
I’m drawing the line. Stop being shitheads. And do NOT call him that. It’s fucking weird.
Lincoln:
Too late. I’m having an apron made. BDE: Big Daddy Energy. It’ll go great with the I love DILFs mug I’m getting Chloe.
Xander:
I swear to god, if you make her feel uncomfortable at family dinner, it will become my personal mission to make your life a living hell. Starting with whatever the fuck was happening last night.
Declan:
What was happening last night?
Xander:
I’ll let Linc fill you in. I’m muting this chat for 72 hours so I don’t not-so-accidentally murder one of you.
Lincoln:
So Daddy’s putting himself in a time-out?
Declan:
You’re gonna pay for that
Lincoln:
Worth it
CHLOE
Group text with Chloe, Sutton, Luna, and Quinn
9:22 p.m.
Sutton:
Just so everyone’s on the same page, Chloe definitely called the Chief “Daddy” at family dinner over at Holly’s tonight.
Luna:
WAIT.
BACK UP.
**The Chief**?
As in Xander???
**Daddy** as in SEX DADDY???
Quinn:
Please tell me she moaned it by accident. PLEASE.
Chloe:
Oh my GOD
No one moaned anything!
It was just a reflex! I was talking to Emma about Xander. It wasn’t a big deal.
Sutton:
Uh-huh.
Quinn:
I hear the skepticism in that uh-huh
Sutton:
She looked Xander *dead in the eye* and said “Tell Daddy thanks.”
He froze for so long, I thought he short-circuited.
Silence descended on the table like we suddenly found ourselves in The Quiet Place.
Quinn:
Tell us he said something. Tell us he corrected you.
Luna:
Tell us he GROWLED.
Chloe:
He didn’t say anything because it’s not a big deal! I call him that all the time at home.
Luna:
Oh, I just bet you do…
Chloe:
OH MY GOD. NOT FOR SEX STUFF.
Luna:
But you DID actually call your hot firefighter boss Daddy at family dinner with his mom in attendance, yes?
Chloe:
Please stop talking about it. I’m begging you.
Quinn:
Where’s the fun in that?
Luna:
Hear me out…
What if you did it again?
But on purpose this time?
In the bedroom?
Chloe:
I’m NOT calling my single dad boss Daddy while he’s fucking me.
Quinn:
But he IS fucking you…?
Chloe:
You are all menaces.
MENACES.
Luna:
Maybe. But you’re the girl who called the Chief DADDY in front of his mom
Quinn:
A true legend.
Sutton:
Iconic.
Chloe:
I hate you all.
Sutton:
No you don’t, Daddy’s Girl