by Gigi Thorne
The doorbell rang and I jumped up, smoothing down my hair as I walked to the door.
I could see her silhouette through the glass in the door, and the mere sight of her drove me crazy. Fuck, I was really falling for her.
Opening the door, she was in my arms in seconds, practically throwing herself at me with her mouth finding mine. She kissed me deeply, demanding all my attention on her pouty little mouth. I could spend an eternity just kissing her... feeling her body succumb to mine and letting her fall for me.
"Come in," I said, looking around to make sure we hadn't been seen, and pulling her into the house. "Welcome to Casa del Millay."
"It's beautiful," she said, thrusting a bouquet at me while blushing wildly. "I... didn't know what to bring."
"A bottle?" I laughed, taking the flowers and then remembering she was under twenty-one. "Fuck, I mean, yeah... Flowers are great. Love flowers. Especially these, err..."
"Hydrangeas." She giggled. "I cut them from the garden."
"Exactly." I grinned back at her. "Fucking love hydrangeas. Live for them, really. Come on, help me find a vase."
She followed me into the kitchen, laughing as we searched for a vase unsuccessfully. Finally, we settled on a huge beer glass and set the flowers down on the counter. After that was done, we just stared at one another with lust.
"Daddy," she whispered, and I was a fucking goner.
I reached her in two long, quick steps, and took her in my arms, inhaling her intoxicating sweet scent and filling my head with thoughts of her naked, sprawled open for me and begging for more.
"Take your clothes off," I told her roughly, and she moaned beneath my lips.
"No way," she said sweetly. "I spent an hour putting together this outfit. You saying you don't like it?"
"I like it very much," I muttered, peppering kisses all over her neck.
"Oh really?" she taunted me, covering my eyes with her little hands. "Alright, what am I wearing?"
I could barely keep the smile off my face.
"A white dress," I told her. "With cherries all over it."
She didn't say a word, obviously surprised I had noticed.
"And little red shoes," I went on. "Too cute for you."
"Too cute?" she repeated.
"Yeah," I growled. "Ballet flats, no heel. Makes me feel like a bad man."
"I like it when you're bad," she whispered in my ear, and I grabbed her waist, opening my eyes and grinning in her face.
"Your lipstick's smudged," I told her.
"It matched my shoes," she whispered. "Same shade of red... I thought you'd like it."
I kissed her, my hands going into her hair.
"I love your fucking shoes," I said. "I love your lipstick. I love your dress. I love your pretty pink hair. I love that you tease me. I love that you're a little minx. I love that you read Camus one day and smutty novels the next. I love..."
She looked up into my eyes and I got lost in the abyss of her gaze. So fucking beautiful. So innocent. And all mine.
"I love you," I finished firmly.
"You do?" she whispered in response.
"I do," I confirmed, and she giggled and blushed.
So fucking sweet.
"I love you too," she admitted, and my heart soared.
Fuck me, I thought I'd never hear those words again, and the sound of her whispering them in my ear was the sweetest thing in the whole wide world. I wanted her to say it over and over again, whispering, shouting, begging, just saying it again and again until it was all I could think about.
I.
Love.
You.
And just like that, everything made sense again.
She was made for me, and I was made to take care of her. Together, we'd make it through it all.
She lay nestled against me on the couch, Friends running on the TV. I realized I hadn't been this happy in years, possibly ever. The way she fit perfectly into the crook of my arms, the way she bickered with me, the scent of her skin... I was the happiest man in the whole world, and I didn't give a shit who knew about us anymore. I'd take the fall for her, again and a-fucking-gain, if it meant I ended up with Coco in my arms.
"You're a Ross," she told me, and I laughed as she cuddled closer.
"I'm so not a Ross," I argued.
"Are too!" She got up and made a sad, brooding face. "Hi..."
"As if," I poked her in the ribs. "If I'm Ross, you're Phoebe."
"Proud of it," she said, raising her chin defiantly. "Phoebe's the best out of the bunch, anyway."
"Agreed," I muttered, kissing her on her soft lips. "Fuck, sweetheart..."
"Not again," she muttered, but soon enough, her protests turned into moans and she climbed on top of me, straddling me. "You gearing up for round three, Mr. Millay?"
"Don't tease," I said with a grin. "Or do I have to teach you a lesson, baby girl?"
"Definitely." She winked. "I need a hard spanking..."
She guided my hands over her body, under her cherry dress, and over her tits. I was getting hard again despite our marathon session from earlier. She'd taken my cum in her mouth first and her pussy second. I was addicted. Addicted to my sweet, naughty little vixen and the way she teased me endlessly, making me lose myself in her charms.
I was conflicted. I knew what I was doing was so fucking wrong. Before she came over, I'd been toying with the idea of ending things between us. She was eighteen... ready to leave for college, ready to start a new life. I was an anchor, weighing her down and preventing her from living her life to the fullest. But every doubt I had, every thought about leaving, was erased when she lay in my arms. All that mattered then was that we were together, her tight body submitting to mine.
"Coco," I muttered brokenly, and she looked into my eyes, sensing something was wrong.
"What is it?" she asked, tripping over her words and biting her bottom lip. "Tell me. Please?"
"It's just..." I moved my hands off her and she climbed off, still touching me, never letting go. "I feel like such a fuck-up, Coco. Your dad's going to kill me for what I did to you."
"He won't," she whispered. "I'll explain everything... I'll tell him what happened."
"Still," I went on. "He won't like it. He's going to fucking kill me."
I groaned and rubbed my eyes just as the doorbell rang.
"That's probably the pizza," Coco muttered, getting off my lap. "I'll go get it."
"Money's on the table," I said softly, giving her a long look.
She was irresistible. I could say whatever the fuck I wanted, but the truth was, I could never let go of my baby girl. I really was in love with her, for better or for fucking worse. There was just no way in hell I'd be able to walk away now, not with the taste of her still lingering in my mouth.
She went to the door and I picked myself up, wondering how the hell I was going to break the news to Andrew.
"What the FUCK?!"
I looked in the direction of the sound and panic immediately settled in.
I knew that voice.
Running off toward the hallway, I grabbed Coco by the waist protectively before I even got a feel for the situation.
"Oh my God."
Pamela was standing on my doorstep, her hand resting on her belly and her eyes thunderous.
"This is why you wouldn't take me back?" she hissed. "This is what's been going on with you? Fuck, Theo. I knew you were a bastard, but this... this is beyond my worst expectations."
"Y-You don't understand," Coco stuttered defiantly. "It's not like that, it's not like that at all!"
"Really?" Pamela laughed in her face while I stood in front of her, making her go behind me to protect her. "So you're not fucking? You're not fucking sleeping together?"
"That's none of your business," I muttered, and she laughed out loud.
"Oh my God." She shook her head. "You disgust me, Theo Millay, you really do. You threw away this... For that?"
She pointed at Coco and laughed out loud.
"She's nothing," she said defiantly. "She's not even a woman!"
Coco whimpered behind me and I stepped forward, saying, "You need to go. Right the fuck now."
"Gladly." She smirked. "I know what my first stop will be. The police station."
My blood froze in my veins and I glared at her.
"She's eighteen," I said. "And she's already graduated."
"Listen to yourself!" Pamela cried out. "You're looking for excuses! This is... just sick! What on earth does Andrew think of it?"
A pause followed, and she laughed bitterly.
"You haven't told him," she said. "You fucking... You fucking left me for a little girl, and you haven't even told her father! Your best friend, Theo. What kind of man are you?"
"Leave him alone," Coco hissed from behind me. "We love each other!"
"I'm sure you do, sweetheart," Pamela said viciously. "Until a better piece of ass comes along, he'll love you alright."
"That's enough," I roared. "What the hell are you doing here, anyway?"
"Leaving," she spat out. "I don't want my baby to be raised by a cradle robber!"
We watched her storm off, kicking at the gravel in her too-high heels.
"I'm telling Andrew," she threw in with a dark smile. "He must know what his horrible would-be friend is doing. Call it public service."
"Don't tell him," Coco cried out.
"Then break it off," Pamela said. "You have three days."
Coco tried to run after her, but I held her back. We watched Pamela slam the door of her car and drive off like a madwoman.
And then there was nothing but silence, until my girl started sobbing.
"It's going to be alright," I promised her, holding her tight. "I promise, it's going to be okay."
She pushed me away, grabbing her handbag from the hallway table.
"I have to go," she whispered. "I need to be... anywhere but here."
When I reached for her, she slapped my hand away and wiped her tears away.
"Leave me alone," she said. "Was she telling the truth? You're gonna leave me for someone else, aren't you?"
"Never..." I tried to convince her, but she just shook her head sadly.
"I don't know what to believe," she whispered.
"Let me drive you home," I said.
"No." She shook her head again. "My dad could get suspicious."
We stood in the hallway uselessly, until she finally took a step back.
"Coco," I begged brokenly. "Please..."
"No," she said. "I have to go. I'll get an Uber."
She raised her eyes to mine and it fucking broke me to see the pain in them.
"Bye," she said softly, then turned around and ran away from me.
I watched her go, hating myself with each step she took away from me.
Then, I retreated into the house.
Pamela was right about one thing, and one thing only.
It was time to tell Andrew.
13
Coco
"You two don't look obvious at all."
I looked up from Theo's lips and blushed fiercely when stepmother dearest walked into the room. She gave me a sly grin as she fluffed up the centerpiece of peonies and sat on the other side of the dining table.
"Maybe if you get off his lap," she suggested helpfully, and I got off Theo's chair, sticking my tongue out at her and sitting down on the chair next to him. "That's better. Maybe now he won't know the second he walks into the room."
"Know what?"
My eyes darted up to my father doing up his cufflinks. He wore a big grin as he came over and kissed me on the cheek.
"I feel like I've barely seen you lately, dear," he said before sitting down next to Vanessa. "You've been staying at Penelope's way too much. How about a nice night at home, eh?"
He laughed jovially and I silently wished the earth would open up and swallow me whole.
"And Theo!" he finally said, clapping his hands together. "So, what is all this about? Something about school?"
"Not... exactly," Vanessa muttered tersely. "They just wanted to talk about..."
"Us," Theo spoke up, and my father looked between him and Vanessa.
"Y-You?" he muttered. "You and Vanessa?"
His surprised look was exchanged by an angry one and he stood from his chair while all of us laughed nervously.
"No, no, not at all," Vanessa hurried to explain.
"It's about me and..." Theo started.
"And me," I finished, sticking my chin out defiantly.
"What about you two?" Dad asked, sounding more confused than ever.
I stared at the floor while Dad stared at Theo and Vanessa stared at me, all of us waiting for it to hit him.
"What?" he finally roared.
"There it is," I muttered under my breath, with Vanessa shooting me a dirty look. "Dad, I'm sorry you had to find out like this."
"Like this?" he groaned. "What the hell? How long has this been going on?"
Theo and I exchanged looks.
"A couple of weeks," I lied.
"A couple of months," Theo said at the same time.
"What is it then?" Dad cried. "A couple of weeks or months?"
We looked at one another again.
"Since she turned eighteen," Theo admitted brokenly. "A little after that."
Now Dad was looking at me.
"Since I knew him," I admitted, biting my lip nervously. "Since I was-"
"I don't want to hear it," he roared. "And you!"
He'd turned to face Vanessa.
"You knew about this?" he asked, the disappointment hard to miss. "And you kept it all hidden? You helped them sneak around?"
"I just thought..." she started softly, but Dad cut her off.
"Thought what?" he asked next. "Thought I'd be alright with my best friend - my fucking mentee - dating my daughter?"
I reached out for Theo's hand and he squeezed mine lightly.
"Dad, I'm sorry," I cut in. "But don't take it out on Vanessa, please. None of this is her fault."
My stepmother gave me a grateful look, but Dad wasn't having any of it.
"Of course not," he said bitterly. "There's only one person at fault here, and he's standing right there."
He pointed at Theo who stared him in the eyes while I wished I could just run away somewhere, anywhere but there.
"You took advantage of her," Dad said, his voice breaking over his words. "You knew about her mom... you knew how sensitive she was. You knew it all, didn't you? I can't believe you tricked... tricked her into thinking she liked you!"
"Your daughter is standing right here," Theo said calmly. "Why don't you ask Coco how she really feels?"
"I don't trust a word out of her mouth," Dad said dismissively and I bit back tears.
"Dad, just let me explain," I begged him.
"You can't, Coco," he said, rubbing his temples without glancing at me once. "You know what, I need to get out of here. I need to clear my head."
"Wait, Andrew! Please!" Vanessa cried after him, but he paid her no mind, practically racing out of the room while shaking his head.
The front door slammed behind him and then it was just the three of us in the horrible silence of the room.
"Anyone need a drink?" Theo said heavily. "Cause I could sure as hell use one."
We filed into the kitchen and I pulled myself up on the counter, grabbing an apple from the fruit basket. Theo took a bite of it from my hand and Vanessa sat on the barstool.
"I'm so sorry he reacted that way," Vanessa said gently. "I'm sure he didn't mean it that way."
"It's not your fault," I told her. "I knew he wouldn't react well... but we couldn't do it any other way, or Pamela would have told him before us."
"I still can't believe she threatened you with that," Vanessa shook her head. "That woman used to be my best friend..."
"Well, I'm sure you have better friends to hang out with," I said, patting her hand, and she shrugged.
"I don't
know," she admitted. "All your father's friends' wives look down on me because I'm younger."
I stayed quiet because I secretly saw her as a trophy wife too, at least at the beginning. But now I'd opened my eyes to a newer version of Vanessa - her softer, gentler side that cared about family and all of us getting along. I liked it quite a bit.
"A Coke for my girl," Theo said, placing a glass next to me and kissing my cheek. "And Vanessa, what did you want?"
"Just some orange juice, please," she muttered as I sipped my drink.
"I thought you loved champagne." I giggled, but she blushed and looked away, making me cock my head to the side. "Something wrong?"
"Well, I..." she started, then looked from me to Theo desperately. "Oh, God, what the hell. I have to tell someone."
She got up from her chair, nervously biting her bottom lip as she looked at us.
"You're not..." I gasped, and she stared at me, then nodded. "You are?"
"Yeah," she said, laughing nervously. "But your father doesn't know and I-"
I stopped her when I jumped off the counter and gave her a tight hug.
"What's going on?" Theo cut in.
"She's pregnant!" I cried out.
"Is that true?" he asked.
"Yes." Vanessa blushed. "But Andrew has no idea, and now he's so angry at me I don't even want him to know."
"Oh, Vanessa," I said. "That has nothing to do with you. He's just a grumpy old man... And he'll get used to the idea, anyway."
"I hope so," she sighed. "I really want the two of you to be happy. Don't think this is weird but... I always thought you were quite like me."
"Huh?" I raised my eyebrows.
"You are bookish and well-read," she went on. "You like things that aren't completely mainstream. I used to be just like you."
I laughed nervously, saying, "Well, don't take this the wrong way, but... You look so..."
"I know." She giggled. "I look like a Stepford wife."
We both laughed out and so did Theo who came to stand behind me.
"I don't know." She shrugged. "Maybe I should let some of the old me shine through. Y'all knew I had a wicked accent?"