Read Online Addicted to Him by Lauren Dodd - Free Book Online Page A

I feel my own eyes filling up. I swallow forcefully trying to keep the tears back. “I just don’t want you to be disappointed in me,” I admit.
    “I could never be disappointed in you,” he says, then reaches out to touch my face. As soon as his hand touches my face I jerk away involuntarily.
    “I’m sorry. You just surprised me,” I say, making excuses.
    The pain in his eyes tells me that he knows I’m lying but he covers it up so fast that I wonder if maybe I imagined the pained look. “Lisa and I just want you to be happy here. We know that you had to leave all your friends for the summer and I can’t imagine how hard that is, especially leaving Wade. But you don’t have to walk around on eggshells for us. We want you to drive the car and do things while we’re at work. You don’t have to stay inside this house like a prisoner. And I hope that you know I’m always here if you need to talk. There’s nothing you could ever tell me that would make me be disappointed in you.”
    I just stand there trying to take in all of his loving words. He truly loves me. I can’t help but wonder what my life would have turned out like if he had gotten custody of me. I would probably be the most carefree, happy, Daddy’s girl in the world instead of a freaky-looking, paranoid shell of a person.
    “I really like it here,” I say, finally.
    “I’m glad. Now let’s go see what’s for dinner,” he says, he starts to put his arm around me but I see him catch himself at the last minute. I hate that I’ve reacted so violently to his touch. He shouldn’t have to pay for Phil’s crimes but I just can’t force myself to act normally. I can sense a small change in myself though just in the week I’ve been here. Hopefully, by the time the summer is over, I won’t even recognize the pathetic girl who lied to get here.
     
    ****
     
    “Yuck,” Lisa states, plugging her nose as she spits out a spoonful of the dinner she had simmering in the crock pot all day.
    I’ve barely been able to keep myself out of it because it smelled so good. Dad takes a bite and rubs his belly happily.
    “I can’t eat this. It tastes like dog shit,” Lisa insists.
    “It’s delicious. What’s wrong with you tonight?” Dad asks.
    She does seem a little off and I’ve been worried it had to do with the car. After all, she doesn’t have the unconditional love for me that Dad does. She works hard and I’m sure she doesn’t appreciate some girl swooping in and using her things and taking up her personal space.
    “I’m really sorry about the car, Lisa,” I apologize, wanting to clear the air. I really like her and I don’t want to put on the fake tough girl act anymore. I’m going to enjoy her company if she’ll let me and just deal with saying good-bye when that day gets here.
    She rushes toward me and clutches my arms. “No, sweetie. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’ve just been in a shitty mood all day. Work was sucky and all I could think about all damn day was eating a mad cow burger.”
    I see Dad marveling at the way I keep my arms linked with Lisa’s. I know he must think that I just don’t want him to touch me when it’s really all guys that I react to this way. I decide to change the subject to distract him.
    “What’s a mad cow burger?” I ask, curious.
    “Oh, my! Lisa, get your purse, STAT. We have to get Cassidy to Chubby’s on the double,” Dad teases, grabbing his keys and running to the garage door.
    “Yes,” Lisa shouts, pumping her fist in the air.
    I chuckle at their silliness. Something as simple as a burger makes these two act like a couple of kids on Christmas morning. I think I could easily stay here forever.
    We pile into the SUV and Dad drives us to the other side of town. At least I think it’s the other side of town. I’m trying to pay better attention so that hopefully I can find something other than the library without having to use the GPS. Eventually he pulls into a dilapidated parking lot