A Couple of Days Later…
Dakota Roth…
There is something to be said for feeling safe in your own bed. Without the threat of someone coming into my room uninvited that has afforded me the best sleep I have had in the longest time. Of course, that first night I went to bed here, I had, out of habit, put a chair behind my door. I hadn't even realised that it had become an almost automatic action for me, but there was nothing that could have prepared me for the look on my dad's face when he experienced it for himself in the morning. He had knocked on my door that first morning, rousing me from the slumber I had slipped into and while I stumbled to my door and the obvious scrape of the chair against the hardwood floor had been my confession, but it was the look on his face that floored me.
Not angry. Well, not angry at me. No, it was more than obvious that he was furious at my mother. At first, I thought he was angry at me, I feared that I had somehow insulted him with my actions but as he pulled me into his arms, he promised me that I was safe here. That there was no way anyone was going to slip into my room in the middle of the night. When I tried to apologize to him, tell him I was sorry for insulting him, he stopped me by crushing me to his chest and assuring me that it was indeed my mother he was furious with and not me.
That night, I slept with no chair by my door and while it had felt scary to start with - I had eventually fallen into the best sleep I had ever experienced in years. Now I felt more, calm, more, safe to fall asleep, it felt like it was just getting better and better.
"'Kota, you awake honey?" Charleigh knocked on my door.
"Yeah, come in!" I replied shuffling until I was sitting up just as she pushed the door open and let herself in carrying two mugs of coffee, "mmmmm good morning to me!"
"You are entirely too easy to please-" she laughed, placing my mug on the nightstand, and dropping onto the end of my bed where Zeus was currently still curled up asleep.
Zeus has become my official sleep companion and permanent shadow whenever I move around the house. Lifting his head to look at my best friend before shuffling closer to her for some attention which she gave readily. For a dog of his size and breed, he was surprisingly gentle and submissive. And let's be honest, a great foot warmer in the middle of the night. Not that the house was cold because dad ensured it was always nice and toasty inside, but I have always had an issue with cold feet - regardless of the weather, my feet just never seem to heat up.
"How'd you sleep hon?" I smiled, grabbing the ashtray, and placing it on the bed between us before lighting up and offering her one which she accepted.
I have to say I love this room - it is big without being grandiose. Punk-pink walls with black framed photos of calming scenes, like ice-bergs, waterfalls, snow-covered forests. It was very much my style if I am being honest, and I found myself wondering how my dad knew this. Distressed oak furnishings gave a more rustic feel to the room while chrome fixtures and fittings ensured it wasn't old-school. My bed was huge and had sat in the middle of the room, but I always preferred my bed against a wall, so I had asked him if it would be ok to shift it, to which I was quickly assured that it was my room to do with as I pleased. A small black rug in the shape of a star was directly at my feet, for when I stepped out of bed. Again, the floors had under-heating, so it was more a case of comfort than necessity to have the rug there. A large window looked out over the forest at the back of the house but was currently obscured from view with the punk-pink, black-out blind pulled down. A small salt lamp sat on the dresser across the room and was perfect for me since I am deathly afraid of the dark.
"I swear there has to be something in the air here because I have never slept as good as I have since we arrived here," my best friend offered and honestly, I couldn't even argue with that.
"You're not wrong there," I sighed.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't even know if I should voice this out loud-"
"Remy?" She guessed because of course she did. My best friend really did know me better than anyone else.
"God am I really that transparent?"
What if Jeremy noticed? God, I'd die of embarrassment if he even half guessed the things that had been running through my mind.
"Only to me hon," she smiled, "so you are into him, right?"
"I really am-" I admitted, "and you know how much that is an anomaly for me!"
Back in Scotland I simply never had the time for a crush - I was so intent on bettering my life that I pushed myself to the point where I was forsaking my youth to ensure I had the grades I needed to go to college with the hope of finding a decent job.
"I do," she nodded, "and to be honest I don't think it is all one-sided!"
"What?"
"I saw the way he reacted to you at the airport, and I swear to God, I have caught him with lusty eyes watching you!"
"Oh my God, are you serious?" I couldn't ignore the way my body reacted - my heart kicked up and my tummy took flight with what felt like a million butterflies. Was it really possible?
"I am," she nodded, "but 'Kota there is something that I need to confess!" Her tone instantly turned serious as she started fiddling with the hem-line of her shirt, her eyes cast down as she appeared more nervous than I have ever seen her, "fuck I didn't think this would be so hard-"
"Hey, whatever it is - we are friends first and foremost and friends confide in each other, anything you have to say I am going to listen and support you," I grabbed her hand gently.
The truth is - without Charleigh I wouldn't be here. It was through her tenacity that I even contemplated coming here. Coming home. Because no matter what - in the few short days we have been here this feels more like home than anywhere Mom took me.
"Please remember you said then when I tell you-"
"Nothing is going to change my opinion honey,"
"Ok so when we landed and saw your dad for the first time, my initial reaction was that he is one hell of a good-looking man," she began and I felt myself cringe ever so slightly and she gave me a nervous laugh, "remember what you said!"
"I haven't forgotten," I smiled at her.
"Well, these past couple nights your dad and I have spent some time talking and I-I-"
"What? Has something happened?" There was a part of me that felt slightly horrified at the idea, but not as put off by it as I might have imagined.
The truth of the matter is that my dad could do a Hell of a lot worse than Charleigh and my friend would be lucky to have my dad because despite the fact that we haven't been in one another's lives for over fifteen years - it has become increasingly obvious that he hasn't forgotten about me. From photos of me around the house, the bank account he set up for me that has thousands of dollars in it, just waiting for me, to having this bedroom all set up for me. I can see he is a solid guy who has his life figured out.
"No. No. I don't even know if he likes me like that, but I have read enough romance novels on this very situation and I know that to avoid any fall-out of any kind it is better to be honest and upfront from the get-go!"
"Honestly?"
"Always!"
"I think the fact that you have come to me beforehand is definitely a good thing - I hate to think what my reaction would have been had I been Blind-sided by this, but don't get me wrong, it feels weird - I mean he is my dad! To think my best friend has a crush on my dad - it's a total romance novel vibe-"
"Says the girl who has a whopping big crush on her dad's best friend!" She stuck her tongue out at me.
"Touché!" I laughed, stubbing my cigarette out in the ashtray, and flopped back on to the pillows, "did you ever think we would be here?"
"Not when I first met you, no. But I think once I knew about your home life and where you came from, I figured that at some point we would make this journey,"
I guess she had a point. I would have eventually wanted to come here. I knew it as soon as I turned sixteen that there would come a time where I would have to come and get answers for myself. I would be lying if I said that I didn't have some daddy-issues but given what my mother told me about him, I think I am doing fairly fucking well with it all.
Honestly, my dad was so much more than I had ever envisioned him being. I mean, the way he instantly believed and supported me when I told him what happened - that was not the reaction of a man who didn't want anything to do with his daughter.
My mom had ruined a lot of lives when she had bundled me back to Scotland and because of that we have missed out on so much but now we were going to rectify that error. And I couldn't wait for it.
I finally felt like I had a real parent and a very real, very safe home. That meant more to me than I could ever have imagined.
A Couple of Hours Later…
Jeremy Danielson…
Watching the snow falling out of my office window - in the past couple of hours it has gotten progressively worse, and I am contemplating on shutting everything down for the day. The weather report is droning on in the background warning of a storm headed our way. Such was life in our little town.
Large fluffy flakes floated from the sky as if they had all the time in the world, coating everything in a beautiful white powder. I may not be a winter type of person, but I cannot lie and say that the sight of fresh snowfall isn't as beautiful as it is disruptive.
Another disruptive force - Dakota.
My best friend's daughter has been with us a few days now and I keep waiting for this sudden attraction to bleed away but if anything, it has only grown disturbingly stronger. With her long sandy-blonde curtain of hair that always appears so satin smooth and more times than I care to admit to, I find myself wondering what it would feel like to wrap those long strands around my first and tug her head back. Eyes that are as blue as a clear summer day's sky, so reminiscent of the sky that I am more than certain that they should have little white puffs to represent the clouds. A cute as a button little nose that has a piercing on one side and only adds an extra lair for exoticism to her already alluring features. A full ripe mouth that was tinted a natural dusty pink colour and those lips were the biggest distraction I have ever witnessed. The way they move when she talks. The way they curl, creating two little dimples when she smiles. They are always wet and soft and cushiony that I have found myself completely entranced on more than one occasion. That is without even thinking about her sinful body.
Slender little waist that flared out into wide hips and long legs, or at least long legs considering her height. A full chest that sat pert and alert no matter what she was doing. Smooth, milky-white flesh that I have fantasized tasting every single night since she arrived here. Then comes her scent - I don't know what it is that she wears but I have noticed a round red bottle of perfume on her dresser, and my God, it really smells as if it were made specifically to drive me out of my mind with lust. I ache for her in ways I didn't even know were possible.
"Boss?!" Derek popped his head in my door.
"Yes!" I turned away from the window and my intruding thoughts of my best friend's daughter. God could I be more of a cliché?
"Forecast says it's getting worse out there and are advising everyone to get home and not travel unless absolutely necessary, what do you want to do?"
"Let everyone know that they can go home!" I told him, taking charge.
My company was something that I took great pride in. I had started it straight out of high school - woodwork was always something that I took great pride in and that eventually developed into home renovations and building small homes for a few buddies until word got around about me that I had no option but to expand until here we were.
I have a staff of about fifty - all the best in their fields of construction and my offices meant that I unfortunately spent more time behind a desk than I did getting my hands dirty these days. Something that I missed if I am being completely honest but with the end of my marriage and nothing really going on in my personal life - I have thrown myself into work and it is really paying off. I am growing a nice little nest-egg and preparing my finances for the future is a must for me. Watching my own parents struggle for money at every turn was something that was ingrained in my mind as a reminder of what not to do.
By the time I had shut everything down; the snow was coming down far heavier. Locking up my office once everyone was gone, I headed for my car with my phone planted to my ear, waiting for Jason to pick up, "hey, you headed home?" He answered on the third ring.
"Yeah, just leaving the office now, wanted to check to see if we needed anything from the market before I head to the house?" I enquired.
"Beer. Jack Daniels for the girls, pizza's, some fruit and veg, essentials oh and toilet paper," he requested as I could hear the busy beeping of the garage behind him.
"Sure. You heading home soon?"
"Yeah, just finishing up a walk-in's car then I am heading out. See you at home?"
"Yeah, I'll be there. See you soon," I ended the call and slid my key into the ignition of my Mustang and thanked God that I had, had the foresight to put my winter tyres on at the beginning of the month.
It took me next to no time to get to the supermarket but unfortunately as is the way with human nature, the place was crowded beyond belief, you'd think the apocalypse had just been announced, not a little storm. Shaking my head, I did my best in getting things that I thought we'd need, including some other bits and pieces - candles, batteries and I grabbed a couple board-games just for something to pass the time because God knows how long we'd be stuck at home.
I couldn't help but wonder how Dakota was going to react to all of this because I doubt that she would remember the big storm we had when she had been three years old - the snow was about three foot high, it was actually deeper than she was tall. The electricity had been out for three days, and everyone's provisions had begun to dwindle before the roads were finally opened again and the snow had been cleared to the sides of the roads like some weird white wall eclipsing the entire town.
Once I made it through the check-out process the supermarket was making the announcement that they were closing in thirty minutes. I quickly grabbed cigarettes for everyone and made it into my car just as the last customer left the store.
The roads were already starting to get bad, so I took my time trying to remain focused on the task of getting home because with the consistency that Dakota was on my mind, I needed to be careful out here. Driving in a snowstorm was dangerous at the best of times, you needed to have your wits about you at all times. Thankfully, I made it to the house where I had been living for the past few months without incident.
Dakota and Charleigh appeared next to me to help with getting the shopping into the house, making shorter work of the task than if I had been doing it myself. We had just closed my trunk when Jason pulled into the drive behind me and climbed out, "welcome to winter in Colorado, pumpkin!" He greeted his daughter who smiled wide at him.
"Is it wrong that I love this?" She asked, her eyes darting between her dad and me.
Fuck - she looked amazing in a pair of black leggings that appeared to be painted to her long legs, a pair of suede UGG-style-boots adorned her feet, and an over-sized red and black checked shirt covered her upper body from view but damn, the way her hair was piled on top of her head, face devoid of make-up and she was still the sexiest woman I have ever seen in my life.
"You won't be saying that a couple days from now with nothing to do-" Jason chuckled.
"Well, that sounds like a challenge if I ever heard one," she winked at her dad before turning and practically skipping back up the driveway towards the house.
My eyes were drawn straight to her ass; round, full and calling to me in ways that had my dick hardening inside my jeans and I had to adjust myself discreetly. The very last thing that I needed was for my friend to realise that I am into his much younger daughter.
We both moved up to the house and grabbed the two shovels from the corner of the small mud-room and then made our way back to the driveway. It was important to try and remain on top of the build up around the drive and front door, everything else could be left to build up but we needed to be able to leave the house if we needed to for any reason. The girls stood at the living room window watching us work. By the time we were done, the sky had turned darker, and we stumbled into the mud-room soaked through from the snow and exhausted.
Dakota told us both to go shower and get into dry clothes while she and Charleigh rustled us up some dinner. Seeing her in the kitchen, in control and confident - it was just another sexy level to her that I hadn't really expected if I am honest.
At this point I had to wonder if I was in danger from the length of time my dick spent hard. I have never felt so completely consumed with a need that felt both comforting and uncomfortable in nature. It didn't matter how many times I got myself off, Hell at this point I was about fucking raw, it just didn't ease the lust and desire I felt for her. But what could I do?
Dakota was Jason's daughter and that meant that she should be off limits. I had held her in my arms on the day she was born and that should have also meant that she was off limits. Yet here I am, stepping into my shower and taking my hard-as-a-steel-fucking-pole cock in my hand and beginning to fist it hard and fast once again. I needed to get a reign on this attraction. Fuck I needed to shut it down, but I simply didn't know how. I have never ever been good at denying myself the things that I want.
And I want Dakota. Desperately. With a blinding and consuming hunger that I have never felt for anyone else. And it was that thought that I used to justify my feelings. Surely Jason couldn't be mad if he knew that this was not something I have ever experienced. That it was something far deeper and real than anything I have ever had. Right?
I mean he is my best friend - he wants me to be happy, doesn't he?