"Be gentle when needed, be rough when wanted, be there always." — Unknown.
Happiness. A feeling or emotional state of being satisfied. The feeling of joy, fulfilment, and radiant smile.
Nathaniel was happy. Happiness radiated from him like the sun.
He hummed a happy tune, sieving the ginger tea into the cup before turning to flip the eggs he was frying. He placed the fried egg gently on the plate. He put the plate on a tray, and took some bread slices and the tea.
Whistling and smiling around in the apron, he made his way to his room.
If a horse were to be unleashed in his stomach with the happiness he was feeling, it could never trip. He never knew he would feel reluctant to get up from his bed.
After their sexy time at the pool, he carried Angelina to their room — his room and started another session of mating like horny rabbits. He never got enough of her as he jammed in her. He released all his jizz in her, wanting her stomach to bulge with his semen.
Nathaniel carried her to the shower, had another fucking and bathing themselves. After showering, he brought her gently to the bed and took a towel to dry her hair. As she continued to doze off, her eyes dropped sleepily. He smiled, wearing his shirt on her, then gently placed her on the bed and put on a boxer before joining her on the bed.
He pulled her close, his hand wrapped around her, pecked her forehead then sighed.
Nathaniel shook his head, mentally waving yesterday's activities to vanish as he used his elbow to open the door and walked into his room. He gingerly placed the tray on the table beside the bed and trailed, kissing from her exposed collarbone to the side of her lips. Then gently, kissed her closed eyes and stared at her luscious lips, calling him in.
He kissed her softly, nibbling on her lower lips gently, making her moan before he plucked his tongue into kissing her, stealing the air from her mouth.
Angelina's eyes fluttered open, seeing her mouth eloped by Nathaniel's sensual kiss and groaning into the kiss. Her breathing was ragged when he pulled away and stared at her plump lips. She instinctively wrapped her hands around his neck, wanting another kiss, but he stopped her, placing his index finger on her pouty lips, "Calm down, Angie." She smiled, licking her lips shyly.
"Good afternoon, Angie," he murmured, positioning the pillow on her lap and placing the tray on the pillow.
Angelina blushed furiously at his gesture, her heart raising, looking at Nathaniel, who was on an apron. His firm ass was hidden in his boxer as his back strutted with muscles. His hair was messy, and his face was fresh, shining like gold.
"The honey-gingered tea would help to ease the sore throat and ache," he explained when he saw her looking at the mug while she nodded and sipped it. Nathaniel wiped her lips, cleaning the oil stained on her lips.
"Thank you for the food," her voice was scratchy and hoarse from all the screaming and crying. She rubbed her throat softly.
"After eating, sleep to have more energy," he whispered, winking suggestively at her, taking the tray to return, but Angelina's hand moved faster and held the tip on the apron.
He turned, looking at her pouting face. He chuckled lightly, "I just want to return the tray. I'm coming," he kissed her lips reassuringly while she begrudgingly released him with a slumped shoulder. He liked the feeling of her wanting him, scared of him leaving her alone. They matched each other.
Angelina clutched the blanket tightly to her chest, biting her lips nervously for every ache at her back, her butt, and her legs, but she liked every pain. She enjoyed them. She blushed furiously, remembering last night. No matter how she tried to keep up, she still fainted at last. That man was a beast.
Angelina took her phone and dialled her dad's number to help her from the anxiousness she felt about being left alone by Nathaniel. She was so scared yesterday that she thought she would drown to death before he saved her, breathing new air in her.
"Denike," her father's voice jolted her from her thoughts, and she quickly bit her lips to stop the sound which wanted to escape her lips. She was most in her thoughts that she was already hurting herself.
"Old man," she smiled, looking at his face.
"You are too spoiled by me," he shook his head in a rebuking way and squinted his eyes at her, but she opened her teeth, hoping he didn't notice anything. "calling a young man like me old," he grinned while Angelina let out a sigh.
"Papa!" she stuck out her tongue, playful.
"My princess," Richard eyed her, then tsked.
"Are you not hiding something from me?" she asked, going straight to the point while he faked a cough.
"What do you me?" he feigned ignorance, not looking at her.
"Eh eh — denying now, right?" she tched, staring at him intently as he groaned.
"Okay, okay. I'll tell you," he raised his hand in surrender. "She's someone I'm seeing now," he blurted.
"What?!" Angelina screamed in shock, moving her body which made pain shoot through her body, and she moaned in pain.
"Princess, are you hurt?"
"Angie, are you okay?"
Two familiar voices said in unison, concerned as Nathaniel fretted, running over to her to check but titled his head. His eyes darkened as he looked at the screen while Angelina's father was devoid of emotion.
"Who are you?" both asked simultaneously while Angelina rolled her eyes, feeling the male testosterone in the room high.
Nathaniel stared at the man on the screen, and he was in his early forties with a clean face. The resemblance between him and his Angie was uncanny, and he'd see his picture on her phone, and his brain clicked —her father.
For fuck sake! He wasn't taught how to meet his father-in-law.
"I'm Richardson Walter, the biological father of Angelina - my jewel." Richard introduced himself, raising his brow ideally, waiting for a response.
"Papa—" Angelina tried to stop the clash, but Nathaniel responded.
"I'm Nathaniel Hugh, the lawful husband of Angelina - my Angie," Nathaniel responded in the same demeanour, raising his chin high. This was the man who raised Angie to where she was now, who gave her unconditional love and caring.
Richard paused, looking at the man, undoubtedly his baby's husband. He assessed him with his eyes. The glint in his eyes was disturbing, but his stance made him a responsible person and reliable. He might be able to treat his daughter well, and if not, he didn't care. He would hunt him down. He didn't care about going to jail for that.
Angelina was his daughter, resulting from his and his late wife's love. Now, it was time to free her, and he had kept his promise and done his duty as a father. Now his daughter had grown into a beautiful and intelligent lady, and he needed to like all her decisions.
Richard cleared his throat with a stern gaze. He might be funny and playful for his daughter but serious when necessary. He stared hard at the man in front of him, and he was attractive in his way, Richard thought, analysing the man's screen.
Angelina wasn't just his daughter, and she was his little princess. He knew since she was born and heard her first cry, then she opened grey eyes resembling her mother's own. Or when her small hand wrapped his little finger in, he knew that he could do anything and everything for her to protect her, cherish her and adore her.
She was the bundle of happiness his wife left for him, and over years of his wife's absence, he made it count so that his princess wouldn't feel the mother part. Her first word, her first step, her first day at school, her first competition, her first menstrual cramp, her first stain, her first crush, her first heartbreak when she caught her crush with another, her first failure, and her first everything.
And after twenty-two years, another man - Nathaniel asked if he could make his princess, his queen, his daughter, the mother of his children, his little warrior, and his life partner. It was hard, but he understood everything for her happiness. He could hear the excitement and joy in her voice when she talked about him, and her eyes twinkled with every mention of his name. She was happy, and he was pleased that he could see his daughter happy. That was what he had always wished for.
As Angelina's heart pulsed in dread at her father's silence, if her father disapproved of him or said otherwise, she would have to—but sighed in relief when she heard her father's response.
Thank goodness!
"You are good," Richard clapped his hands together before clearing his throat in seriousness.
"What did you see in my daughter?" Richard asked, wanting to know what draws a man like him to his jewel. His child isn't like normal children. She is shy, meek, and gentle but a little bit crazy when she is comfortable. She is patient and rarely gets mad, but when she does, it is always hard to calm her down. So much anger pent in, he sighed, rubbing his temple.
"First, I was drawn to her by her unique eyes," he responded immediately, looking at Angelina's widened eyes. Her eyes caught his attention on their wedding day. It was beautiful, "the innocent eyes lured me into her shyness, kindness, and loving even when I didn't deserve it," he said, smiling at Angelina, who looked away from him. The emotions in his voice were too raw for her to handle.
"Good," Richard nodded, "What's your family partake in your relationship?" Richard didn't want what happened to him to happen to his princess. His and his wife's family disapproved of their relationship; they'd a forbidden love but had a fruitful seed.
"My parents accept her wholeheartedly, and they like her like a daughter," he responded truthfully. His mom liked her so much that she'd called him to let Angelina visit her, but he didn't accept.
"How did both of you meet?" Richard inquired, wanting to know. His daughter never explained how they met, only told him she got married to a stranger.
"Well —" he pauses a little, "let's say destiny—Hmmm, it was my wedding day, my fiance ran away, so I needed a substitute then—"
"Are you saying my daughter is someone's replacement?"
"Papa—" Angelina panicked, waving her hands, "No—it is not—"
"Yes," Nathaniel muttered as Angelina whipped her head to look at him, hurt.
"What did you say?" anger could be detected in Richard's voice.
"She was a replacement for my runaway fiance, but—" a pregnant silence as he took Angelina's hand, kissing the back, uncaring of the piercing gaze of his father-in-law. "Fortunately, Angelina came like a hero saving the day," he kissed her with clamped hands, "and she is the best thing that ever happened to me." he grinned, holding Angelina's hand in his.
Richard looked at their joined hand. His son-in-law was fearless, "Can you help in the kitchen?"
"Yes sir, I can."
"I don't want a man who can't cook for my daughter, only knows how food is cooked, not how it is done," he mumbled, nodding his head, "and more also, my daughter doesn't know how to cook."
"I don't care about it, and I'll be delighted to cook for my Angie,"
"What did you study, and can you financially, morally, spiritually, socially, emotionally, and psychologically take care of my princess?"
"I studied business at Harvard University and finished first class. I promise I can financially, morally, spiritually, socially, emotionally, and psychologically take care of your princess, who is also my Queen," he responded without missing a beat.
"Do you know, my daughter is not perfect. She gets embarrassed easily, she fiddles with her fingers whenever she's nervous, she eats unladylike, she prefers burying her nose in between pages of books or panels of manhwa and manhua than to socialise with others."
"Yes sir, I understand."
Richard scoffed, "I don't use my daughter to play. She's the apple of my eye. Hurt her and die!" he threatened darkly, making sure his son-in-law understood what he meant. When he saw him nodding, Richard smiled approvingly, and he felt that his daughter was in good hands and Nathaniel had gained his approval.
"Congratulations, son," Richard grinned, "Welcome to the family" he clapped his hands, throwing a bear hug through the screen for them to catch while Angelina released a relieved sigh. But there was this nagging feeling in his heart that he gave his harmless sheep to a wolf to take care of.
"Papa, you've not told me about —"
"Talk to you later, sweetie," tuh he hung up again. Angelina gritted her teeth together, and he dodged her question.
"Your father is good," Nathaniel said, going to the other side of the bed and pulling her closer while Angelina giggled.
"Yes, he is."