A Daddy's Love

She remembered the tears on his face, when he finished spanking her.

The spanking from Michael didn't result in tears, at least not on his part. The sex was passionate, fierce, demanding. She was almost afraid to tell him it was the best in years, later, while cuddled in his arms.

It was the first time she remembered him crying about anything other than Ashley. He hugged her tightly. "You don't hate me? Hate me for treating you like that?" he said. "I...I'm sorry."

She turned in his arms and kissed him. "Hate you? Never. I love you, and I know you're angry with me, and have every right to be. If a little spanking and incredible sex is the price I have to pay to make it up, I think we can manage that." She giggled. "You were an animal. The way you held me in the air, pounding into me, damn that was hot!"

He chuckled. "I know. Not too, I don't know, cro-magnon?"

"Not at all. When you had me pinned on my belly, for a second there I thought you were going to put it in my bottom. You had me scared there for a bit. I couldn't believe you had your fingers in there."

"I almost did. I don't know how I got so carried away," Michael confessed.

Jessica cuddled into him. "Next time you need to spank me, maybe you should."

He stiffened in her arms. "You said..."

"The hell with what I said. I'm yours Michael. Get it through your thick head. Just make sure you use plenty of lube. If it turns out I really hate it, it'll be the last time."

"I love you, Jess." He whispered, his hands roaming, and she found out he'd stiffened in more than one place.

She pushed him on his back, and mounted him with a tiny grimace. She was sore, but she needed this. They both did. The years of vanilla sex was just one of the issues, but it looked like they had that one in hand. She gave her husband a kiss, rocking slowly. "Don't ever tell my Dad about the spanking. He'd blow his top. He doesn't believe in corporal punishment."

Michael laughed. "You don't know your father as well as you think you do. It was his idea. He said he'd tan your ass."

"You talked to him? Since then?"

"I talk to him at least once a month. Mostly about the issues I have raising a 5 year old girl. We spoke yesterday. He wanted to know if he was going to have to come pick you up and take you home, or if I was going to keep you around."

The surprises never stopped coming. Dad and Michael talking. She kissed him again. "Did you come to a decision?" she asked teasing him, rolling her hips.

"There was never a question. You were always staying. For Ashley, if nothing else. There was a chance we'd both be miserable, but if that was the price, so be it." The way he said it wasn't playful at all.

Jessica stopped moving. "Are you miserable? Did I ruin everything?"

He swatted her bottom hard, and she jumped, almost dislodging herself. "No, I'm hardly miserable. I'll probably have a few issues with you for a while. I might say some mean things, and the trust will need some work, but miserable, I'm not. I love you."

She leaned down and hugged him. "I'm sorry. If you ever feel the need to get the anger out, I hoped you'll consider taking me to bed, tanning my butt, and screwing my brains out. I'll never complain."

He chuckled, giving her rear a playful smack. "It's a hell of an apology. Now giddy-up, cowgirl. You've got some work ahead of you."

Her reverie was broken by the sight at the swingset. She had to wipe the condensation off the window, to make sure she was seeing correctly. Ashley was swinging, laughing her little head off, and Dad was pushing her. Her father, there. She dropped the dishes, and ran over to the back door.

She saw Ashley hugging her grandfather. Jessica called out to him, but he waved once, and slipped into the woods behind the house. Ashley ran toward the porch. "Grandpa says hi. He tol' me to give you this."

Jessica was in shock. She looked at the woods. It was as if he'd never been there. Ashley was hitting her hip, holding the envelope. "How long was he here?"

"Only for a little while this time."

"This time? He's done this before?"

Ashley nodded. "Lots. He says it's a secret. I'm not supposed to tell. Daddy said it was Ok."

She took the note from her daughter, trying to understand. Why wouldn't he stop in?

After settling her daughter down she sat in front of the fire and read the note.

Dearest Jessie,

I may have to disappear for a while. I've done a bad thing.

I want you to know that I'm as proud of you today as I ever have been. I told you, you had a good man, didn't I?

You probably are wondering about my spying on you. I hope you understand, all I wanted to do was see you. It's all I have ever wanted to do. I don't want to interfere, you need to have your life. But sometimes the yearning gets to be too much, now that your mother is gone. So I stop by. I watch. I listen, I snoop. I need to know what's going on in your life, and without your mother around to give me updates, I guess I went a little crazy. I hope you can forgive me.

I'll stop now. It's probably best if I'm not seen around you anyway, at least for a while, just in case.

Love that husband of yours, and our precious girl. Think of me sometimes.

All my love, always,

Daddy

That explains the text messages. They'd continued unabated for a day. Text messages and emails. Then they stopped. Not a peep since. She remembered the story about the neighbors. She should have known.

In the envelope was a gift certificate to a year's dancing lessons for two at Arthur Murrays. No explanation.

She wiped her eyes, stood and looked out into the woods. He was out there somewhere. Watching over her. Of course. She should have known. He always would.

She chuckled for a moment. My father, the stalker.

She opened the sliding door, and yelled, "I LOVE YOU, DADDY!" He didn't reply, but she knew that he'd heard her. Even if he was out of earshot.

An hour later, she picked her phone up, and called her husband.

"Is something wrong?" he asked. She never called during the day.

"No. Just the opposite. I love you, and I wanted you to know. You need to clear your Tuesday evenings. We're going dancing."

He laughed. "I think I can manage that."

"And get home as early as you can. I've got some serious apologizing to do. I've got a new outfit I want you to see. I might even need a spanking," she teased.

"Have you been bad, naughty girl?" he asked softly.

"I have. I'm touching myself. That's naughty isn't it?" she giggled.

"Very naughty. You know, I think I'd like to see that."

She felt herself blushing. "You...you'd want to watch me?"

"Definitely. Is now too soon? With the holiday shutdown, there's almost nobody around. I could leave in 10 minutes."

"Give me an hour. I've got a couple of things to do. I need to drop off Ashley with Jill. Come look for me in the bedroom. I'll be the one with the toys."

"You're driving me crazy, Jess," Michael said.

"That's the idea, my darling husband. I love you."

She hung up the phone, and called her best friend Jill, who was happy enough to take on the task of watching Ashley when she heard why.

"Is Donna still doing those sex toy parties?" Jessica asked.

Jill laughed. "Seriously? You're thinking of going to one? You?"

"Actually, I'm hoping for a private showing. I kind of have an emergency. I told Michael he was going to get a treat when he comes home."

"Never mind Donna. I've got two items still in their boxes, from the last one. You're gonna owe me."

"Absolutely. You're a lifesaver, Jill."

"That's what friends are for. To help and watch out for each other, right?"

"Right. See you in a bit."

That's what friends are for. Friends and Daddy's.

* * *

Epilogue

Dale sat in the seat of honor, at the end of the kitchen island watching the proceedings. His daughter passed him another bowl to dry, which he stacked in front of him. She was so much like her mother, every mannerism a poignant reminder.

Jessica spotted another dirty pan beside the range, and maneuvered the battlefield as her husband and daughter worked to get all the dishes completed on time. She had almost made it, when she was suddenly in Michael's arms. He gave her the signal, a little push then a pull, lifting her hand over her head. She spun past him, then back, his hand moving across her lower back, his leg sliding between hers, as she slowly bent backward.

Ashley laughed, clapping.

Michael pulled his wife upright, snatching a quick kiss before releasing her to her duties. Her son made his feelings clear, with a quick 'Yuck!' before tearing through the kitchen to find his cousins.

"The bottom one will cook faster."

Michael laughed. "You want to take charge, Dad?"

"No way. Too late, I'm not going to take the blame."

Ashley ducked under her father's arms, tugging at her grandfather's hands. "Dance with me, Grandpa."

Jessica turned up the music. Grandfather and granddaughter came together, with the ease of years of practice. Dale smiled. Ashley was his daughter's clone, tall, beautiful, brilliant, carefree, loving. He grinned, "Did this pretty thing get anything from your side of the family, Michael? She's her mother all over again."

Michael turned, with his wife in his arms, "A last name?"

Ashley was a much better dancer than him. Not much of a surprise, with a dozen years of dance lessons behind her, and parents who danced like pros. She was graceful, and covered his mistakes smoothly.

The music slowed, and Dale guided his granddaughter over, deftly switching partners. His baby girl was in his arms. It was Christmas and everything was right in the world. Well, almost everything.

"What's our surprise this year?" she said softly.

"What?"

"You know. Every year it's something new. You remember. The dance lessons 12 years ago, then scuba lessons, tennis, golf, Tae Kwan Do, sailing, art, you were getting kind of nuts about it. It's like you never wanted us to have a moment free!"

"I just wanted my girl happy. As I recall you were bored, once."

She blushed. "Not anymore."

"That was the idea." He looked to the other end of the room where a sullen young man watched everything going on. "I don't like the looks of him."

"Dad, we've done what we could. She's going to make her own decisions." His girl moved her lips to his ear. "He's toast anyway. Michael can't stand him."

Dale laughed. "I always knew there was something I liked about that bum you married."

"Hey Dad! Seriously, I'm right here!" Michael cried out in mock rage.

Dale looked at the man waltzing his daughter over to stir the pot on the stove. "Yes you are. That's a good thing, isn't it?"

Michael gazed at his daughter, then at his wife. "There's nowhere I'd rather be in the whole world."

"Geez, Dad!" Ashley laughed, pushing him away. "Are you crying? What a wuss!"

Jessica turned her father so nobody could see the tears in his eyes. Or the ones in hers.

"So is the barrage of lessons over, now that she's graduated?" she asked, pressing her head into his chest.

A crash from the living room interrupted their dance. Jessica looked over, and saw her son in the middle of it. "No roughhousing in doors! Take it outside!" she bellowed.

She turned around, and he was waving some kind of paper under her nose. She snatched it out of his hand, reading it.

"Spanish lessons?"

He nodded, as she looked over at her daughter working the range. "Don't let it boil," she called out.

"I know, Mom," Ashley replied with a huff, before turning the gas down.

"She knows everything," Jessica muttered. "Was I that insufferable?"

"To everyone but me," Dale laughed. "I have some serious news. I've decided that I don't want to do the alternating holidays anymore."

She looked at him in surprise. Ashley dropped her spoon. Even Michael, ever steady Michael, was shocked. "Crap!" he snapped, sucking on the edge of his hand where he'd touched the edge of the pan, burning himself.

"Dad," Jessica said. "I know it's hard but we're trying to be fair. We need to spend some time with Michael's mother, especially now. It's how we've always done it. It's as much a tradition as the turkey and the roast."

Dale checked his watch again. She was late.

The door burst open and the kids tore into the foyer, "Gramma's here!"

Dale gave his daughter a wink, and then Michael was running out of the room, toward his Mom. "Fine!" Dale called after him. "I've got the roast! Momma's boy!"

"What are you up to, old man?" Jessica asked, looking at him archly.

"I thought it was time to shake things up a bit. Nobody should spend the holidays away from their family." He turned away from his daughter, and took their latest guest in his arms for a hug. When he pressed his lips to hers, you could have heard a pin drop. "You're late," Dale told her.

She grinned. "Somebody left a pack of heathens outside. I never thought I'd make it to the door." Michael's mother reached up and ran her fingers through Dale's hair. "You told them?"

"Now what kind of surprise would that be?" Dale chuckled. "You want the honors?"

"No way you're fobbing this off on me. You started it!"

"I made the phone call. As I recall—" her hand over his mouth cut him off.

Denise turned to her son, then back to her daughter-in-law. "After Ashley's graduation. Your father and I, well we kind of hit it off—"

"More than kind of. The way I remember it—" the hand was back over his mouth.

"Hush you!" She turned to her son, "I figured I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. He did raise a heck of a girl."

"Benefit of the doubt? C'mon you—"

"One more word, Dale, and you'll be sleeping out on the porch!"

Ashley laughed. "So tell me Grandma, if he's nice and quiet, where's he get to sleep?"

Denise blushed. "I don't think that's any of your business, you little troublemaker."

"Seriously Grandma? Did you even think this out? The house is full to the rafters. You're going to be lucky to get a sleeping bag in the attic."

"Not so long as I have a bed—"

"DALE!"

The laughter eventually died down, and Dale pulled Denise back into his arms. "Don't fight it. I'm irresistible you know. You said so yourself."

"Damn it, Dale! Are you going out of your way to embarrass me?"

"No baby, I'm going out of my way to let everyone know that you're as crazy about me as I am about you."

It was a while longer before the chatter quieted. There were a lot of confused looks going around between everyone. Nobody had ever expected that. They lived nearly 700 miles apart after all. He'd been alone for 13 years, dating, but never serious. Her husband had passed away two years earlier, suddenly from a heart attack. They were nothing alike, except for their love of their families.

"So the Spanish lessons?" Jessica asked.

"We figured a June wedding in Buenos Aires. I've always wanted to learn to tango."

Jessica laughed. "Never a boring moment with you around, is there Dad?"

"Never again."

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I hope you enjoyed this story. It's a contest entry and I'd appreciate any votes or comments if you have the time. Don't forget to read the other excellent entries.