Shameless

16

“Well, they haven’t come down yet.” Dane glanced to the stairs, a frown creasing his brow as his wife moved beside him.

“Hmm, perhaps they are still…talking…” He heard the suggestive tone of her voice and stared down at her reprovingly.

She shook her head at him, giving him that hopeless look that only she could perfect.

“He’s still too old for her,” he muttered.

She chuckled knowingly. He was nearly ten years her senior as well.

“I don’t want to hear it,” he informed her before she could open her mouth to remind him of that fact. “That’s us. This is our daughter.”

His baby.

He shook his head, drawing away from the marble entryway and moving back into the dimly lit living room where he once again threw himself on the couch to await his daughter.

Marguerita sat down beside him, cuddling into his embrace, her head resting against his chest as he propped his chin against it.

She was his laughter. His life. He had nearly lost her once and he never let himself forget what life had been like without her. Devoid of laughter, or warmth. He was devoted to her, he would die for her. Just as, he knew, Ian would do for Courtney.

He had seen it in the other man’s eyes as he stood at the door hours before.

“Kill me now,” he had ordered Dane fiercely. “Because life without her fucking sucks.”

It was then he had known Courtney hadn’t been wrong. She had captured the heart Dane had feared his friend had lost years before. It was disconcerting though, knowing the sexual experiences his daughter would share. It was weird enough just knowing she would be sleeping with Ian. The perverted bastard.

“And our daughter is a grown woman.” He stared at her as she moved, coming before him before straddling his thighs suggestively, her silk dress falling back from her shapely thighs as they hugged his hips. “And I would say, she will likely be quite busy for several hours.” She leaned down, her lips moving over his neck as his palms cupped her rear.

His Marguerita. Perfect. His life and breath.

“Hmm, we might have a few hours to kill.” His head fell back on the couch as her teeth raked beneath his chin. “Here, or the bedroom?”

He knew her well though. She was shameless, a wanton who reveled in his touch, who met his passions with needs and desires of her own and never hesitated to state them.

“Hmm, do you really want to move?” she whispered, her breath hot, her voice a husky whisper of desire.

“Not that far.” He lifted her dress further as he turned her and laid her back on the couch. “Don’t scream too loud.” He flashed her a devilish smile. “The children are still awake.”

She laughed, a throaty sound of joy, of amusement and his heart tripped in happiness, as it always had.

His Marguerita. And if Ian was as smart as Dane had always thought he was, then Courtney was in very capable, very loving hands…