Page 45 of Daddy's Pride
I match my pace to Harris’s as we jog along a trail through the woods. I can’t stop thinking about some of the ideas he threw at me on Sunday. Orienteering. Night lining. Nature walks. I become hyper-aware of the flora and fauna around us. I recognize oak trees from their leaves with distinctive lobes, but the rest of the trees are a mystery to me. Still, I could learn. Or I could hire someone with more knowledge than me. Harris’s ideas were far too grand for one person to run alone. I won’t be able to hire anyone until I’ve opened the place and started turning a profit. But at least I can visualize this place opening now. Before Harris, I’d almost completely written my dreams off.
“Penny for them,” Harris says.
“Sorry, what?”
He laughs. “A penny for your thoughts. You were in a world of your own. What were you thinking about?”
“Nature trails.”
He grins. “Have you got any ideas?”
“Just that I’ll need to learn how to recognize more than an oak tree.”
Harris jogs on the spot, facing me and points at a tree with smooth, greenish-grey bark and oval leaves. “Ash. It was known as the tree of life in Norse mythology, and in British folklore, it was said to have healing properties.”
My jaw drops. “How do you know that?”
“I was in Scouts. My pack leader was an arborist in his day job. He loved geeking out about trees when we went on camping trips and things.”
“You’re amazing.”
“Nah, I just have a good memory.”
“Could you name every tree in these woods?”
He looks around. “Most of them. We could figure the rest out together. It’s a mature wood.”
“How can you tell?”
“The canopy is high, and the ground is pretty clear. Good for night lining.” He winks and jogs along the trail.
I catch up with ease. “I can’t tell you haven’t been jogging regularly recently.”
“Are you calling me fit?”
I hum. “You’re very fit.” I catch hold of him and pull him into a clinch so I can kiss him.
We’re breathing hard from the long jog, our hearts hammering. He’s got a V of sweat on his grey jumper, and his face shimmers in the sunlight peeking through the canopy. He’s gorgeous. I cup his jaw with one hand and tickle his nape with the other as I kiss him harder. He rests his hands on my hips.
“We’re supposed to be jogging,” he whispers as I release his lips.
“We’re having a rest.”
I go to kiss him again, but he spins away, grinning.
“If you want to kiss me, you’ll have to catch me.” He sprints away.
My pulse kicks up a notch. A thrill runs through me. Being taller, I’d bet I’m faster, so I force myself to wait a few seconds to give him a head start. When I set off after him, I’m trembling with need.
I run at breakneck speed along the trail. I should have caught up with him by now. I pause, listening above the thump of my heart, the rush of blood in my ears, and the rasp of my breath. A twig snaps to my right. I spin. He’s hiding. I grin and leave the trail, crashing through bushes to pursue Harris.
A moment later, I spot him hiding behind the broad trunk of an oak tree. As I approach, he breaks his cover, laughing as he darts through the forest. I catch him. We tumble to the floor, me falling on him. I kiss his cheek and lift myself to roll him onto his back. I pin his wrists to the forest floor and use my body to trap him. His breathing is harsh, his pupils are blown wide, and his eyes are full of lust. I claim my prize by kissing him fiercely. He moans and sucks my tongue as I plunge it into his yielding mouth.
“That was hot, Daddy,” he says.
“Very fucking hot.”
We stare into each other’s eyes.