My Daddy Is a Hero 01 Page 3

  She picked up her brush to pull her hair up into a ponytail. The white tank shirt clung tight across her breasts and the pink plaid shorts completed her casual clothes. He said they would be at her door at eleven, and Taryn had no doubt of it. Sure enough, as she took her bag off the counter he was coming through her front door. They both had keys to each other’s house, yet she heard two knocks before he strode assuredly inside and looking at him made her mouth dry. The white T-shirt accentuated his muscles and the khaki cargo pants show off his firm calves. The man was fine in and out of uniform.

  He pushed his sunglasses back on his head and grinned. “Cae is all strapped in. Ready to go?”

  “Yes I am, and I’m only doing this for Cae-Cae. One kiss and an order does not make me jump to your bidding, sir.” She said primly even though her heart jumped in excitement.

  She tried to walk past him, and he caught her arm and kissed her senseless once more. He bit her bottom lip and she whimpered before he smiled slowly and in a husky voice said, “You taste damn good, Taryn.”

  “Um, okay.” She really couldn’t think after his mouth decimated her senses.

  “Do you do that just for another kiss? Darling, you could have just asked,” Fabian teased.

  “You and your ego.” She rolled her eyes and stepped out the door, he followed and locked up.

  Taryn got in the car and turned to see Cae drinking from her sippy cup in the car seat. “Hey sugar baby, how’s my girl?”

  Cae took the sippy cup from her lips and laughed. “T-T hug!”

  Unable to resist, she knelt in the passenger seat and reached back to hug the baby in the car.

  Fabian got in while her rump wiggled over the hand rest. “Lord, woman, are you trying to make me more…um…hotter than I am?”

  Taryn sat quickly and buckled her seatbelt. “Nice to see you’re curbing your tongue in front the impressionable baby.”

  He laughed as he drove away from their homes. “I had enough time to cuss like a bandit while I was away.”

  “How was it this time around?” Taryn asked.

  She noticed the tenseness in his jaw as soon as she mentioned his deployment.

  “It was the same ol’ thing.” His answer was short.

  “You’re trying to BS the one person who knows you better than anyone,” Taryn said with a smile. She rested her hand on his hard thigh. “When you’re ready to talk about it, you know I’ll listen.”

  He smiled at her. ‘Thanks…if you want to move your hand up just a little…”

  She pulled her hand away. “I never knew you had such a fresh mouth.”

  “My mouth can do lots of things you didn’t know about,” he said with a wink.

  “So we’re really doing this huh, taking our relationship to a whole new level?”

  “I’ve wanted to take it there for a long time,” he admitted.

  “First you were seeing that fool when Cae was a few months old, and then I thought about our friendship and I didn’t want to ruin it. While I was gone I thought about it and came to the conclusion us getting together could only enhance what we have now. We’ve got the friends part down. Don’t they say to be friends before you’re lovers? You’re my best friend T. You know me better than anyone and you love my daughter… So I guess the only other question is, wanna date me?”

  Taryn laughed. “I’ll give it a whirl, I like to live dangerously.” Then she said with all seriousness, “We’ll take it slow, we have Cae to worry about as well.”

  “I’m glad she is first priority for both of us,” Fabian said somberly.

  They pulled into one of the shopping malls that graced Florida. The palm trees were lush and green and the sun wasn’t too hot as they got out of the SUV. March in Florida did bring sunshine and heat compared to places like New York that was still gripped in winter cold. But it wasn’t like summertime where the sun could beat at you mercilessly.

  Fabian got Cae’s stroller from the back while Taryn held her. When the baby was strapped in they went into the cool interior of the mall and shopped at the different stores. It was a great day. They rode the carousel three times with Cae while she giggled and laughed. Bought her an assortment of new clothes and sandals. Fabian had no problem splurging on his daughter. It was clear when they went into the toy shop and he bought her a dollhouse that was bigger than her and a toddler kitchen for her room. That, along with the dolls and clothes, and soon they were not only pushing the baby’s stroller but a shopping cart as well. They stopped at the car and delivered their packages before moving on.

  They had an early dinner is one of the local restaurants and laughed as Cae fed herself with mac and cheese, making a mess of her face and the table. The waitress said they made the perfect family and Taryn truly could see that. From the time Cae was three moths old and Fabian came to the hard decision to file for divorce and custody simultaneously, Taryn had been there. They were her family and it would break her heart to lose either of them.

  No other relationship had felt right since she’d met Fabian. She recalled when he told her Jackie was pregnant and the elation on his face. She was happy for him, and cried because she wanted to be the mother of his children but was too much of a coward to say anything. The chance was lost and she’d resigned herself to friendship even when he saw Jackie’s drug use hit home. Taryn was determined to help him save his family and held his hands when his marriage self-destructed. Her friend meant more to her than her own feelings, and now their paths had turned toward each other for the first time. Maybe waiting was the best option after all, because the romance would be much sweeter.

  After a long day, they went home and as usual she went inside Fabian’s house. Cae was tired after the trip since the mall held so many things she could see there was no naptime. Taryn offered to give her a bath. With some warm milk in hand Taryn sat on the couch with the little girl and switched the TV to her usual night time shows. It took less than a half an hour for her to fall asleep and she looked down on the floor where Fabian stretched out. He was asleep as well, and when he gave a tiny snore she laughed softly. This was her family. She took the baby to her crib and looked at the princess clock on the dresser drawers. It was only a little after seven and she decided to let them both have their rest.

  She found her shoes on the carpet and passed by Fabian to go quietly out the sliding doors to her own place. She made a little squeak of surprise when his fingers closed around her ankle halting her movements.

  “Why are you sneaking out?” His voice was husky.

  “Cae is down and you were asleep, I thought I’d let you both rest.” She placed her hands on her hips. “You were snoring two seconds ago, how the heck could be awake so quickly?”

  “I’m a navy man, sweetheart, we’re light sleepers. Plus you know how it is with Cae, always have to keep one ear open.” He replied. He was still lying flat and tugged her ankle. “You should come down here and kiss me.”

  “I should, huh?” she said wryly but excitement made her shiver.

  He nodded. “I’ve been good all day, I think I deserve a reward.”

  She bent to him. “One kiss and them I’m going— Oof!

  In one quick movement he sat up and pulled her down to him and before she knew it she was under his hard body.

  “Nope I don’t want a peck, I want a deep long kiss,” he murmured, and his big hands cupped her cheeks. “So, may I have this kiss?”

  “Uh-huh,” she said and cringed. How was it when he was this close she forgot how to form words?

  He grinned before his head descended. Fabian took his time to kiss her slowly, rubbing his lips against her with gentle friction until she moaned in frustration. Fabian groaned in response and took the kiss deeper, harder until she clung to his broad shoulders. His tongue tasted, tangled and danced with hers all the while daring her back to his own mouth. She took the queue and sank her tongue between his lips, drinking, and his long deep groan reverberated against her. Fabian traced his hands up her rib cage and c
upped her breasts through the tank shirt and she felt as if she was dying from the heat alone. Almost frantically she pulled his T-shirt up so she could feel his skin.

  One quick movement and he pulled the shirt over his head, tossing it aside carelessly before going back to her lips. His big hands delved under her tank, pushing it up with agile fingers the front clasp of her bra was opened. Her breasts were revealed to him and he bent to pluck at the nipple with his lips. Taryn couldn’t help but whimper, and covered her mouth with her hand to hold back the cry as he sucked the tip deep into his mouth. Fire shot straight to her core and she writhed under his mouth. Her hips rose to press against the hardness of his cock settled between her thighs, searching to relive the ache he was creating.

  “Damn but you taste good,” he said and moved to lay on his side. His hand was on her torso and deftly unbuttoned her pants.

  She stilled his hand with her own, her breath coming in little pants. “I don’t think I’m ready to go there yet, I—we promised to go slow.”

  He kissed her before saying. “I know, but I’ve waited to touch you for so long. Let me feel you and please you, baby.”

  She moved her hand in assent to his request and while they kissed, Taryn felt his hand slide into her shorts and cup her sex. His mouth swallowed her cry as he slowly caressed her pussy. She was already slick and hot as his finger slipped between the velvety folds to rub her clit gently. Taryn bucked under his hand as pleasure shot through her. Oh my god. She’d never felt anything that intense in her life. He drove her to distraction and when he sank his finger into her she arched against his hand.

  “God you’re so hot, you’re off the charts,” he said against her ear. He sank two fingers inside her and she pressed her face against his shoulder to smother her cry. “No, let me see you. I want to watch when you come for me. I want to see your eyes.”

  Taryn lifted her lids and gasped when she saw his face. Desire and intensity.. Fabian fucked her harder within his fingers, finding the spot deep inside her that made her melt. She couldn’t close her eyes, she was caught in his gaze and when she came, she swore she went blind for an instant. Her body was tense and he kissed her wildly as she came under his onslaught. He pulled her against him and hugged her tightly against his body. She could feel his hardness and felt him shudder with need.

  “Don’t go next door, your place is here with us,” he said. “I want to feel you in my arms, I’ve dreamt of it each night I was gone.”

  How could she refuse those endearing words? “I’ll go get my pajamas and be back.”

  “I love you, I hope you know that, Taryn.” He said and kissed her. “I think I’ve always loved you but never looked past our friendship to see you’re the one I really wanted.”

  She shook her head. “You don’t have to say that, Fabian…”

  He cut her off. “No, let me finish. In Jackie I saw the model I met in SouthBeach that all my friends wanted. She was a prize, and even then I should have seen she had a problem. The life she lived and the people she knew… I tried to look past it all, especially when she got pregnant. But it had already taken hold and I caught her once almost using when she was pregnant with Cae. I stayed for Cae to try to give her some semblance of the family I had before my parents died.” He sighed. “Even I couldn’t change the path she was on. But you always haunted my dreams, and a few times when you were dating I thought I lost the chance. Trust me, I won’t lose it again. You’re mine, and I’m never letting you go.”

  “Oh, Fabian.” Her words were lost again, in the things she was waiting to hear for so long.

  “You said you loved me, did you mean it?” he said quietly.

  “Of course I did, you know I never say anything I don’t mean,” Taryn answered. “I do love you, I love Cae and not being with the two of you would destroy me. You two are my family.”

  “Well then, I think we should be living together, loving each other as a family,” Fabian said simply. “Marry me and let’s make what’s already right a forever thing.”

  “I would very much like to be your wife and Cae’s stepmother.” She felt her heart soar.

  “Wrong. You are more of a mom to her than the woman who brought her into this world,” Fabian said. “Don’t ever forget it, you are her mother.”

  Taryn sighed. “I want Jackie to get well and try to be a mother to her someday, I don’t want to take that from any woman.”

  Fabian sat up and brought her with him. “Honey you saw her that night, she doesn’t even know reality anymore. Before we picked you up, my lawyer called and he said the papers to terminate her rights as mother will be no problem after this last stunt. I won’t let her die alone in the streets, and when we can get her into a facility we will do so. But she won’t be allowed to put Cae in danger again, never again.”

  “I understand, I just wish there was more we could do for her,” Taryn said.

  He kissed her once, then twice. “Go get your pajamas and come to bed. You won’t be sleeping away from me ever again.”

  “What about if you’re doing annual training at NAS? You are going to be an instructor now, you know,” she teased.

  “Don’t make me spank you, wench,” he said and swatted at her butt as she scrambled away.

  “Promises, promises,” she said and she danced out the door.

  “I’m not going to even touch you until we get married, I’m doing this the old fashioned way,” he stated. “But when I do, I’m gonna smack that tush.”

  Taryn waved at him cheekily before grabbing her keys and heading outside. So much for taking it slow, she thought with a grin. How much slower could it have been? After ten years of friendship that turned into love nothing felt more right. She grabbed her night wear and her toothbrush quickly before heading back over, making sure her sliding door was locked. There would be a lot of changes and only for the better. Back at his house, she changed and they sat watching TV, talking about things to come and making plans. They checked on Cae, who was still sleeping soundly. And he was true to his word. When they got in bed, he held her tightly and whispered his love before they fell asleep. Taryn didn’t have to dream of him because she was in the perfect place, wrapped securely in his arms.

  Chapter Four

  They were going to be married in a week and everything was a flurry of activity. Combining her stuff with his and Cae’s meant they needed a bigger place. Luckily an opportunity fell into their lap that was too good to refuse. A military friend of his was being transferred to another Naval base to take over command and selling his house. The property was perfect and close enough to base and faced the beach so they would still be able to take Cae onto the sand. Each night they went to bed the need was there, pulsing and making her ache. Their kisses were frenzied and primal, yet Fabian kept to his word and they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

  It was the Wednesday night before the wedding. They only invited two witnesses, Fabian’s friend Darren and her assistant Christine, for the small service they were having on the beach. Fabian had even surprised her with tickets to Disney World and they would be staying for a week in a suite. She couldn’t think of any better honeymoon that taking little Cae to Disney and spending time as a family. Darren came over to watch a game with Fabian and while they were doing the man thing. She’d taken the baby to the beach at sunset so they could enjoy the warm breeze and the baby could work off some energy playing in the sand. She came back inside holding Cae on her hip as they were yelling at the TV at some play they deemed wrong.

  “I’m going to get her a snack and some milk and we’ll watch her shows in the bedroom till she goes down,” Taryn said. “You two seem to be having fun.”

  “The dip you made is awesome, thanks for having me over,” Darren said. “With your impending nuptials you guys should be frolicking naked or something.”

  Taryn laughed. “You’re always welcome, and frolicking usually has to wait until after the baby is sleeping. Learn it, single guy, for when you get married.”

&n
bsp; Darren raised his hands in the air. “I’m staying out of that pool, I’m too much man for one woman.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Okey-dokey and I see why you two are friends. Your egos met and bonded.”

  Fabian laughed and kissed Cae loudly until she squealed with laughter. “Nighty Night, sugar bear.”

  Taryn had the sippy cup and her snack in hand when she took the baby and headed into the bathroom to give her a bath. She poured some of the baby wash to make bubbles in the bathtub, and ran the water making sure it was warm but not too hot for her tender skin. Soon she was splashing with bath toys and having a grand time. Taryn let her play before using the washcloth to clean her up. She wrapped her in a fluffy towel and got her dressed for bed.

  They settled in the Fabian’s big bed and she put on the television for their nightly routine. Cae ate her snack and lay back against the pillow with her cup and drank while the toddler show played. Taryn played with Cae’s fingers and hair, feeling contented to be able to be there with such a beautiful child. She wondered what her and Fabian’s children would be like and smiled drowsily. She fell asleep with Cae while the TV played in the background.

  A loud laugh woke her up and she looked at the clock groggily. It was after nine and Cae was sound asleep. The laugh came again as she got up to put the baby into her room. After turning on the night light and covering the baby with her blanket she had every intention of walking down the hall and telling the men to keep it down. Darren’s voice halted her steps.

  “I’m going to head out buddy. You have a big day coming up and I should go see what’s going on in the club tonight,” Darren said. “I remember the days you used to be there with me checking out the babes. Now you have a kid and are moving on to your second marriage.”