Leaving Sandra in the kitchen, I went downstairs to the office that everyone called ‘the den’ since, aside from the actual work area Matt had, there was also a pool table and dart board for those rare occasions when he would have some friends over. Usually, Holly and Dawn had fun with the pool table, since I was the only friend who was over regularly.
Matt sat at his desk, misty-eyed, staring at a framed photograph. When I got closer, I realized it was the photo of Holly that he kept on his desk, back when she was about eight or so and could still sit on her father’s shoulders.
Matt looked up as I entered and smiled in a bittersweet way, gesturing at the photograph. “How do they grow up so fast?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. Trust me, seeing Dawn as an adult has taken some getting used to.”
“Seems like yesterday the two of them were chasing Bounder around the backyard.”
Bounder, the golden retriever in question, lifted his head up from where he’d been napping and thumped his tail at the sound of his name. He was an elderly dog now who liked sleeping in front of the fire and in patches of sun, but once upon a time he’d joined Holly and Dawn in all of their backyard adventures.
I stooped down to scratch behind Bounder’s ears. “It’s been an adjustment all right. But it’s also been nice to have Dawn home again. She’s going off to school soon and I want to get as much time in with her as I can before that happens.”
Dawn was going to medical school and on the one hand I couldn’t be more proud of having her follow in my footsteps, but on the other hand I would miss her once her hours were consumed with study again.
“Hey, at least Dawn knows what she wants,” Matt pointed out. “I wish Holly had things all figured out. She barely graduated on time because it took her so long to choose a major.”
“You must be glad she majored in business,” I pointed out. Just like my daughter, Holly was following in her father’s footsteps.
Matt heaved a sigh. “For all the good it’s done her. She hasn’t so much as considered an internship. Maybe Sandra and I coddled her too much. I wanted to give my daughter a good life, a life that was better than mine was growing up—I mean, of course you want to give your kids everything. But what if we gave her too much? What if she just expects everything to be handed to her for her entire life?”
“Give her a chance,” I replied. “She’s young. It can take people a while to figure out who they want to be. You remember how crazy and upheaving your twenties were. Especially in these times. It’s not the same as it was when we were young.”
Matt nodded. “With her talents, I’m sure she’ll find something soon.”
He got up. “Shall we toast to our little girls growing up?”
I swallowed. “Sure.”
In my opinion, Holly was too grown up for her own good—or mine.
2
Holly
Dawn threw her hands into the air in frustration. “At least pick something, Holly, at this rate you won’t decide what to wear until the party’s over!”
I knew she had a point, but I still couldn’t decide. This was important. I had to look stunning. “This is the only graduation party I’m ever going to get,” I pointed out. “You’ll get at least one more.”
Dawn was going to medical school and I was so proud of her, if a little envious that she was so certain about her path in life.
Dawn laughed. “Okay, but at least you could narrow it down.”
I picked up a dress—one of the many that were now strewn about my bedroom in a mess of fabric and colors—and held it against myself. It was a lovely soft pink lace dress, and I’d had it for years.
“I think you’ll really pretty,” Dawn said.
“It’ll make me look too young. I want to look like an adult tonight, not remind people of the little girl I used to be.”
“That’s fair,” Dawn agreed.
There was one person in particular that I wanted to see me as an adult, not as a child, but I couldn’t say that out loud. Dawn would kill me for sure if she knew that the man I wanted to be with was none other than her father.
I’d had a massive crush on Dr. Fletcher for as long as I could remember. At first it had just been the usual childish infatuation, but then I’d gotten to college and every time I tried dating a guy, all I could think about was Dr. Fletcher instead. I kept comparing my boyfriends to him, and then realizing that they couldn’t measure up. He was handsome, funny, strong, and charismatic—everything a man should be. How could I waste my time on the idiots in my college when there was a successful, hardworking man already right in front of me?
And I had zero doubts he could rock my world between the sheets. He had that kind of confidence that told you he was good in bed and knew it, knew that he sent women into screams of ecstasy. He was a surgeon, and the idea of how dexterous, how good those fingers must be…
The amount of times I’d lost myself in steamy daydreams about him as I’d touched myself, imagining him with me instead of being alone… it was embarrassing, honestly. But I couldn’t stop myself. And now I was graduating college, going out into the world, and I was ready to show Dr. Fletcher the woman I’d become. A woman who knew what she wanted and was more than capable of handling him.
Hmm.
I put down the dress and went back to my closet. “You remember that time we were supposed to go to that fancy banquet but it was hosted by that one sorority and shit got complicated, so we ended up not going?”
“Don’t remind me, it was a mess and a half.” Dawn frowned as she sat down on my bed. “Why do you ask?”
“I never wore the dress I bought.” I pulled it out of the back of my closet, a slinky black dress made of a silky material that I knew hugged all of my curves.
Dawn’s eyebrows shot up into her hairline. “Are you sure about that?”
“Well, why not? I never got to wear it and it’ll definitely remind everyone that I’m a damn adult now.”
Dawn shook her head. “I don’t know, I’m not sure it’s appropriate for a graduation party.”
I didn’t really care if it was appropriate. I cared if it would drive one particular doctor wild.
“You go on down and let them know I’m finally ready, I know Mom wants to do something with the cake for when I come down and Dad’ll want to film it.”
“No problem.” Dawn blew me a kiss and left the room, leaving me to finish changing.
Okay. I could do this.
There was a large staircase in our house that curved through the circular foyer, enabling a proper grand entrance. I had always had fun walking down it as a kid, waving to imaginary crowds, pretending I was the center of attention.
Now I really was.
As I descended the stairs, I made sure to move slowly, sensually, showing off my curves. I could see the flash of cameras, probably Dad, and I tried not to be too obvious as I searched through the crowd of friends and family smiling at me. I wanted to be obvious to Dr. Fletcher, but not obvious to anyone else. After all, if Mom and Dad learned of my plans they’d ground me for life and probably throw me into a closet and lock the door while they were at it.
At last, my gaze met Dr. Fletcher’s, and I thrilled at the look I saw in his eyes. He stared at me like he was a starving wolf, and I was a juicy young lamb ready to be devoured. With everyone staring at me, there was no reason for him to hide his gaze, nobody could see him, and the naked lust I saw flaring to life in his eyes made me wet in an instant.
The rest of the party was great, of course, I was enjoying the fun of it, but that look had given me all the hope I needed. I had to get a quiet moment alone with Dr. Fletcher, away from everyone else.
It took what felt like half the night. I had to be subtle about it, of course. Mom and Dad, and definitely Dawn, couldn’t have a clue what I was doing. If they started asking me what I was up to and wondering why I was chasing Dr. Fletcher down, it would be all over.
Part of that was thrilling. I felt almost like a s
ecret agent trying to accomplish her agenda. But the other part of it was frustrating. I just wanted to be able to walk up to the man and kiss him, beg him to fuck me, and the fact that I had to resort to this subtlety was driving me crazy.
But I could manage it. I could be patient.
Once the party wound down a little bit and I’d spent time with everyone else who’d come, accepting congratulations and catching up with people, I was able to slip away and see where Dr. Fletcher had gotten to.
He was out on the back porch, staring out across the backyard. He’d picked the perfect spot—he wasn’t right on the porch where the large glass doors would illuminate him and make anything he did obvious. Instead, he had moved to the side and sat on the steps that rounded the house to lead towards the swimming pool, keeping him out of sight of the doors and bathing him in shadow.
“You’re very good at the handsome, brooding thing,” I told him, coming to stand next to him, “but I never really took you for the maudlin type.”
Dr. Fletcher stood. Fuck, he was so tall. I loved it. I could easily see him picking me up with little effort. “When you’ve got a kid who’s grown up and graduating college, Holly, you’ll be a little maudlin too.”
I laughed. “I think there are benefits to people growing up, don’t you?”
I looked up at him through my lashes.
Dr. Fletcher looked away and I could see him swallowing. My body hummed with anticipation. I knew he wouldn’t be able to resist me, but it was cute that he was trying.
“By the way,” I went on, “I wanted to thank you for my lovely birthday present. You weren’t there when I opened it, you’ve been avoiding me.”
“I haven’t been avoiding anything,” he replied, the liar.
“Oh, well then, you won’t mind me thanking you?”
I stepped in and slid my hands up his chest. I could feel his sharp intake of breath as I pressed my body against his. Mmm, yes, he was as firm and strong as I’d known he would be. I had to stand up on my toes to kiss him, softly, just the once.
“Thank you, Doctor,” I whispered against his mouth. I moved my hands down to his waist. My mouth watered at the thought of getting to thank him even more thoroughly by putting my mouth on his cock and getting to suck him down.
Dr. Fletcher grabbed my wrists and pushed me away. “Holly, don’t.”
His eyes gleamed with heat, but his voice was firm, and without another word he slipped away and went back into the party.
Shit.
I knew that he would think it was inappropriate. I had thought I was prepared for that, but now, I found myself wanting to curl inward from the pain of rejection.
It’s not rejection, I told myself. He hadn’t said that he didn’t want me. I’d seen his face as he’d stared at me. I knew he wanted me. It was just a matter of getting him to see that despite the obstacles, being with me was going to be worth it.
But it still hurt. I had seen how Dr. Fletcher looked at me for a while now and I’d thought that in this beautiful dress, my hair and makeup all done, with my intentions clear… there’d be no way for him to resist me. I supposed this was just going to be harder than I’d thought.
“Hey, what are you doing moping out here?” Dawn asked, slipping outside to join me.
Oh God. There was no way that I could tell her the truth.
“Nothing. Just, y’know, the usual.” I quickly fell back onto the issue that I’d discussed with Dawn before. “College is over and so now I have to figure out my own path and there’s no set schedule and list of easy-to-fill class requirements and it’s all a little overwhelming.”
Dawn nodded in understanding. “Hey, I getcha. Y’know what? The party will be over soon. Why don’t we hit up this bar I know, once this thing’s over? There’s a local band that’s supposed to be playing there tonight and I’ve heard amazing things, they’re supposed to be real up-and-comers.”
That actually sounded fun. And it gave me an idea for a new way to tease Dr. Fletcher and help him realize that he needed to give into his desires and have me. “I love it, Dawn, you’re the best.”
Besides, how could I not appreciate Dawn trying to cheer me up? She was the best friend I could ask for.
I just hoped she wouldn’t kill me if she found out about what I wanted to do to her father—and what I wanted her father to do me.
3
Keith
The party was finishing up and the staff that had been hired were cleaning things up. I was grateful. Soon I would have a good excuse to leave, and avoid Holly.
I had no idea she would be so brazen. I hadn’t had a fucking clue that she might desire me the way I desired her. When I’d seen her coming down the stairs in that tight, slinky black dress I’d just about blacked out from how turned on I’d gotten. I’d had to retreat to the damn backyard to get my breath back and avoid anyone seeing how hard my dick was.
And then she’d kissed me. Fuck. I’d had to run away like a dog with his tail between his legs, which was not how I liked to handle things, but it had been that or pushing her against the wall and fucking her until she screamed and there was no way I could do that. She was off-limits.
Holly was only twenty-one. She didn’t understand the—the sheer fucking magnitude of the issues between us, why it could never work. I was flattered, I had to admit. I’d had no idea that she would see me, an older man, the father of her best friend, as someone to desire.
I had to work hard to combat the heat and hope that the knowledge gave me. This whole time I’d thought I was struggling alone in my desire, that if Holly knew the truth about what I wanted from her she’d run screaming in the other direction. Now I knew, after that kiss, that she wanted me, too.
And what a kiss. It had been a soft and sweet little thing, but the way she’d pressed herself up against me, her fingers toying with the waistband of my pants—she’d been promising me so much more, teasing me, and fuck if I hadn’t gotten out of there just in time before I let the both of us do something stupid.
Just because she wanted me back didn’t suddenly make this a good idea, I told myself. There were still far too many obstacles in the way. Holly would have to realize that in time. She might want me right now, but the moment the shine of being with me wore off she’d see that it wasn’t worth all the pain it would cause. Someone had to be the responsible adult around here and unfortunately, that someone was me.
“Dad!” Dawn grabbed me. “Holly and I are going out for the evening.”
I was surprised. I would’ve thought after her massive party that Holly would be exhausted, not wanting to go out on the town. Ah, youth. “Okay, but remember, no drinking and driving, stay close to each other, don’t accept drinks from anyone but the bartender, watch your…”
“…watch your drinks the entire time, yeah, Dad, I know.” Dawn winked at me. “When have I not been responsible?”
That was true. Dawn was a responsible young woman and tended to be the more of the mediating factor against Holly’s determined schemes over the years. Which made me worry about Holly’s current scheme. Not going out to the club, they were never reckless—but her scheme for me. As much as I wanted her, I couldn’t have her. But if she kept tempting me, I didn’t know how long my self-control would remain intact.
“Just be careful,” I reminded her.
Dawn smiled and hugged me. “Of course, Dad. I’m going to head home to change.”
She slipped away and I heard a soft, teasing laugh. “You should ease up on Dawn, don’t you want her to have a good time?”
I turned to see Holly standing there, still looking like sin on a stick. She smirked at me and I felt my mouth going dry.
“It’s hard to let go of the idea that Dawn’s not a child,” I reminded her. “There’s that instinct to protect and it’s hard to stamp out.”
“Well, I can promise you, I’m certainly far from a child anymore,” Holly replied with a wicked gleam in her eye. She stepped closer to me. “I’m a grown woman and I can
do what I want.”
It was pretty damn obvious that what she wanted was me. God, I wanted to kiss her breathless, pin her down and make her scream in ecstasy for me, but I held myself back.
Good thing too, because Dawn reappeared. “All right, I’m off! I’ll be back to pick you up in a couple of hours, Holly!”
I hugged my daughter goodbye, and then thankfully before Holly could resume her assault on my self-control, Matt appeared. “Hey, you want to spend a little time just the two of us?”
It was obvious that was what Matt wanted. The guy looked so forlorn every time he stared at his daughter, I couldn’t possibly refuse him. “Of course.”
I was relieved to leave Holly behind. She was far too tempting. Being with Matt as we went back down into his den made guilt seep in at once. How could I possibly want his daughter? How could I betray him like that? Even if Holly wanted it, which she clearly did, that didn’t make this a good idea, and this didn’t mean that Matt would feel any less hurt if we got together.
When I glanced back at her, sure enough, Holly looked like a cat about to pounce on a poor helpless canary.
“You still struggling?” I asked Matt as I watched him break out the expensive scotch.
Matt nodded. “I’m just wondering where the years have gone. I miss the times when—yes, I know, I know, before you say anything, I’m aware I was just complaining earlier about Holly not picking a path. But I do still miss the times when she relied on me. My little princess is all grown up and independent now.”
I could see that Matt had swung hard the other way on his maudlin mood, going from worrying about how Holly would handle her future to wishing she would rely on him for it. I didn’t know how to tell Matt that Holly wasn’t exactly his little princess anymore—maybe her behavior towards me was an exception, I didn’t know, but I was sure she wasn’t as well behaved as she acted when she was around her father.
Not that this would help ease Matt’s concerns at all. They’d only double them. Instead, I encouraged him to talk and let it out. The only way to deal with strong emotions was to discuss them, acknowledge them, and process them. It was something I told families all the time, when there was a patient who unfortunately didn’t make it, or when I had a coworker who had lost a patient and was struggling.
My Best Friend's Daddy (Forbidden Temptations) Page 2
