Talking did seem to help Matt, but honestly, I only grew more concerned. What if I wasn’t an exception? What if Holly was a troublemaker all over the place? I was concerned, both as a father because Dawn was with her, and just as an older person who understood how you could get in over your head when you were young. The stuff I used to get into when I was twenty-one… I didn’t want Holly to make any mistakes.
Dawn had agreed to let me install an app on our phones that kept track of one another. This was partly because I would work long, crazy hours at the hospital and she could just check it and know if I was too busy for something. The other part was I just wanted to be able to check on her when she went out. I did my best not to take advantage of the app, and I was grateful that Dawn understood the danger young women could be in and trusted me with this.
With the app, I could see what bar the girls were at, and I could just go there and check things out real quick. No big deal. I didn’t want to interrupt their night or even let them know I was there. In and out, simple, quick, easy.
The bar itself was crowded when I got there, surprisingly so, and it wasn’t until I saw there was a live band that I realize why. I managed to work my way to a booth in the corner and just relaxed, scanning the crowd to find Dawn and Holly.
Dawn was right up at the front of the stage—I found her first. She was jumping up and down and banging her head along to the music. It was adorable.
Next to her…
My throat went dry. Holly wasn’t just jumping up and down the way Dawn was. Instead, she slid her hands over her curves as she twisted this way and that in time to the music, showing herself off. Fuck. Clearly that little kiss she’d given me, and all the other teases, were barely anything compared to what she was really capable of doing to turn a man on. It was a crazy moment to realize that she’d actually gone easy on me.
It made me fear for my sanity if she chose to try and seduce me again, this time at full throttle. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to resist her.
Even just like this, watching her, I could feel my cock swelling in my pants.
I was so very screwed.
4
Holly
The lead singer was totally giving me the eye.
“Isn’t he cute?” Dawn said, nudging me encouragingly.
I rolled my eyes. Sure, the guy was cute, but he wasn’t what I wanted. Why would I settle for a guy my age who probably didn’t have anything figured out, who probably would need help in becoming the man he wanted to be, who would need to be shaped and molded into someone with actual responsibility and awareness and maturity?
I recalled vividly how my brief college boyfriends were, and I had no interest in being a girlfriend and a mother. I wasn’t going to be his therapist as he worked through all his damn emotional issues, I wasn’t going to coax and coach him into realizing he had to do his fair share of the chores, and I wasn’t going to wait around while my partner got their career off the ground.
I wanted someone who already figured himself out, his life out, had his shit together. I wanted someone who was a proper adult. I could respect the people who met someone their own age when they were young and stuck by that person, supported them, helped them to become who they wanted to be. But that wasn’t for me.
For better or for worse, I had been raised to want the best, to believe that I deserved the best, and Dr. Keith Fletcher was the best. He was handsome, successful, hardworking, mature, and charming. He was everything I could possibly want in a man, everything any woman could possibly want, and so I had no intention of wasting my time on a dork my age when I could have a god.
Not to mention, I’d worn out plenty of vibrator batteries thinking about him over the years. My ultimate fantasy. I got wet just from the thought of having him inside me. Why would I give that up and ignore that desire to be with someone who couldn’t turn me on nearly as much?
The band took a break, and the lead singer jumped right down between us, smiling at me. “Hey there. I’m Simon. I noticed your dancing—I take it you liked the music.”
“Yeah, your music’s good.” I put my hands on my hips. “But if you want to actually go far as a band you need to consider changing your name and put on a little more of a stage show to make yourselves seem more cohesive. Right now, you’re just a group of guys playing who happen to be on stage together at the same time. People like to see bands as a unit, they like chemistry, they want to see that you guys like each other and have a matching vision.”
Simon blinked at me a few times in surprise, and then a teasing smile broke out over his face. “Wow, sounds like you’re more than just a fan. What are you, a band manager?”
He didn’t sound accusatory, more like he was genuinely curious.
I laughed. “I hadn’t thought about being a band manager but with my background in business, hey, I’d probably be pretty good at it. I tend to be good at most things.”
Simon laughed in response. “I like your attitude. I appreciate a bit of cockiness. How about you and I grab a drink afterwards to discuss this further?”
Hmm. On the one hand, I was intrigued by the idea he’d just presented to me: band manager. On the other hand, I wasn’t interested in him and I didn’t want him to think he had a chance where there was none.
Before I could respond, I heard a familiar voice call out my name.
I turned, heart thumping wildly in my chest, to see none other than Dr. Fletcher walking over. I just about swooned. Why was he here? Had my kiss and flirtations earlier really worked? For a wild second I dreamed that this was it, this was the night—he had seen the light and was going to sweep me into his arms and kiss me, declare his passion, and carry me away for hours of passionate, deep lovemaking.
A moment later I slapped myself out of my silly daydream. Okay, seriously, why was he here? Had he followed Dawn and me out?
“Hey, Holly, sorry to interrupt.” Something flashed in his eyes as he came to stand next to me and I wondered—was he jealous? “But it’s getting late.”
Simon smirked. “Holly. Love the name. Are you going to introduce me to your dad?”
“Actually, he’s my dad,” Dawn said, appearing out of nowhere and sounding a little testy. “And I’d like to have a quick conversation with him.”
She took her father by the arm and led him away. She didn’t seem upset, but I knew when Dawn was about to be firm on something, and right now was one of those times. I could understand. Dr. Fletcher was, for me, sex on a stick. I wanted him to find me. But if my dad had shown up here, I sure wouldn’t have been happy, and Dr. Fletcher wasn’t, to Dawn, the hot older man she wanted to date—he was her dad, and she probably felt horribly embarrassed.
“So,” Simon said, trying to catch my eye, “about that drink?”
I turned to look at him. “Sorry, I’m not into the casual dating thing, and I’m not interested that way. But good luck with the band and look me up if you want any more advice, the name’s Holly Meadows.”
Simon looked not only disappointed but surprised—he was good looking, and talented at the guitar and singing, so I figured he probably hadn’t had a lot of women (if any) turn him down before. Well, there was a first time for everything, and I wasn’t going to lead him on. Throwing him a thumbs-up, I went off in search of Dawn and Dr. Fletcher.
I had to know what had motivated him to follow us here.
5
Keith
Dawn wasn’t pleased to see me; I could tell that instantly. “Dad, I can’t believe you showed up here. What the hell?”
There was really nothing for it but to apologize. “I’m sorry.”
Dawn pulled me to the bar where it was a little quieter, everyone gathered around the band, and she searched my face. I could see her irritation morph into concern. “You’ve never been overprotective like this. Is everything okay?”
It was true. I was busy working a lot, and I knew that I couldn’t berate Dawn for doing things on her own when I hadn’t made myself available to be w
ith her for them. I couldn’t expect her to spend all of her time locked up in the house just because I was in surgery. And she’d long ago stopped being a child and had become an adult, something I did my best to respect.
“Is there an emergency or something?” Dawn pressed.
“No.” I shook my head and tried to think of an excuse, fast. There was no way I could tell her the real reason—that I had wanted to check up on Holly. “It’s just that… I’m feeling… this is going to sound stupid.”
“No, no, of course not,” Dawn immediately reassured me.
I sighed. “I missed you, that’s all. And I got used to it, but now that you’re back again I realize how much I missed you and how lonely I was without you, and I didn’t want to spend the night in an empty house. I thought, hey, I’ll grab a beer, and…”
“…and you just happened to come to the same bar we did?” Dawn said, still sounding a bit suspicious.
Before I could answer, or even think of what to say, Holly appeared. She had a gorgeous smile on her face. “Hey, Dr. Fletcher, why don’t you buy me a drink for my graduation?”
Dawn didn’t look too enthusiastic about that. But she didn’t say anything as Holly grabbed a barstool and hopped on. “Three tequila shots, please!”
“I drove here,” I pointed out. “So, no thanks.”
“I’m also driving us home,” Dawn added. “So, nothing for me, thanks.”
Holly pouted and took the tequila shots herself. “Well, if you’re going to be party poopers, I suppose.” She winked.
I was charmed by her flirtatious attitude, even if I wasn’t happy about her wild partying. It made me wonder how hard of a partyer she was, and if we should be worried about her.
“Yeah, I’ve learned my lesson,” Dawn said, grimacing as she watched Holly down her shots. “One game of beer pong at a frat party was more than enough for me.”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” I noted mildly.
Dawn snorted. “Oh, come on, Dad, like you didn’t make a few missteps in college yourself.”
That was fair, I couldn’t judge. Holly leaned in, her eyes twinkling. “Any crazy stories?”
I figured that, since I was here being the obvious parental figure, I might as well share some stories, both to amuse Holly and to show Dawn that I really could be relaxed about this entire thing.
Holly seemed amused all right as I shared the various stupid things I’d been involved in as an undergraduate. Dawn also seemed amused—but more than that, she seemed tired. It wasn’t too long before she was yawning.
“I need to get home,” she said. “C’mon, Holly.”
“What? No! The night is still young!”
Dawn shook her head. “Not for me. I’ve got to start studying.”
“School’s over, Dawn,” Holly pointed out. “I don’t know if you missed it, I know the whole graduation ceremony was pretty subtle and easy to overlook.”
“Maybe for you it’s over,” Dawn replied, “but I’ve got to get a head start on my classes for the fall.”
Holly pouted once more. “I wanted to stay and talk to the band about a possible business arrangement, as their manager.”
That took me by surprise. I’d had no idea that Holly was interested in such a thing, but it gave me more respect for her. Perhaps she had a plan after all, and going out to this bar wasn’t just to party but was to get a jumpstart on her career. Good for her. Matt didn’t have to worry as much as he thought.
Dawn sighed. “Holly, I love you, but I’m really tired and…”
“I can drive her,” I pointed out. I put my hand on Dawn’s shoulder. “I’m so proud of your dedication, honey. Why don’t you go home, get your sleep, I’ve got nothing scheduled for work tomorrow so I can stay up and take Holly home. Sound good?”
Dawn gave me a hug. “Thanks, Dad. Looks like your creepy stalking paid off after all.” She winked at me, then gave Holly a hug.
“Ha, ha. I can still ground you, you know.”
“You can certainly try.” Dawn waved at us both and then disappeared into the crowd.
Holly grinned. “Well, the band hasn’t finished playing yet.” She grabbed my hand. “Let’s dance!”
This was a bad idea.
I’d known that agreeing to stay behind with Holly was dangerous, but my care for my daughter had overruled my concerns about my self-control. Now, though, Holly was pulling me towards the dance floor, and I had no idea if I’d be able to keep things appropriate between us.
“Holly, really, I don’t…”
“Oh come on, doctor,” she purred the last word. “Live a little! Of course…” She pressed herself up against me. “I can always find another partner if you’re really not interested…”
The idea of Holly pressing her body against someone else, the idea of her dancing with someone else like this, of another person getting to put their hands on Holly’s body instead of me, had jealousy spiking through me. I found my hands gripping her hips before I could stop myself. My behavior was wildly inappropriate, and I knew it, but I just couldn’t get myself to stop.
I had never been this possessive before. I’d been with women throughout the years, but always casually, no strings attached, and I’d moved on from each of them quickly. ‘Jealousy’ had never been in my vocabulary. But now I was practically the definition of the word.
Holly smirked at me and rolled her hips, like she knew that was what my reaction would be, and she was pleased as punch she’d gotten it. She draped her arms over my shoulders and continued to press her body against mine as she began to sway to the music.
“Then I guess you can have me.” She slid one hand down, her fingers toying with the buttons on my shirt, popping one open so she could stroke her finger along my throat and the top of my chest. “And I do mean have me.”
God damn, this woman was going to be the death of me.
6
Holly
I was in full-on seduction mode. I wanted Keith Fletcher, and I was going to do whatever it took to make him lose hold of his control and take me. I danced in every sensual way I could think of, grinding us together, wrapping myself around him and making breathy little moans in his ear, stopping just shy of actually putting my mouth anywhere on his skin.
His hands on me were making me so wet. I took his wrist in my hand and guided him down to my ass, encouraging him to touch me there. He squeezed and I didn’t have to make up the gasp that escaped me.
I spread my legs, pressing his thigh between them, and ground down, riding him. The pressure on my clit was amazing and I moaned in his ear.
“Holly,” Dr. Fletcher groaned. I could feel him shaking. “Holly, this isn’t dancing…”
“Then what is it?” I whispered. I started to move harder—oh God it felt so good. “Do you know what you’re doing to me, Dr. Fletcher?”
He swore under his breath. “Holly…”
“I’m so close…” I whispered. And I was. If I could just grind on that delicious, muscled thigh of his for another thirty seconds, I was sure to orgasm.
I could hear him swallow. Any moment now he would give in, I was sure of it—
The music stopped.
As if a switch had been flipped, Dr. Fletcher took a hold of my hips and shoved me back, putting distance between our bodies. I immediately felt colder and almost a little dizzy from the confusion and change. The look of relief on his face was palpable.
Fuck. Maybe I didn’t have him as hooked as I thought. Maybe I wasn’t getting through to him.
But I wasn’t about to give up yet, oh no. I had seen the look on his face when I’d been talking to Simon earlier. Maybe I could use that to my advantage.
“Can you wait for me real quick?” I asked. “I need to talk to the band now that they’re wrapping up.”
I didn’t give Dr. Fletcher time to respond and instead winked at him before going to talk to Simon. I crooked my finger at him, and he literally leapt off the stage to land in front of me.
“You tired of hanging out with the old timer?” Simon asked. “Come with me and we’ll have some real fun.”
I laughed and put my hand on his arm, knowing that Dr. Fletcher was watching. I wanted to make him jealous. That seemed to be the key. I’d seen the look in his eyes before, and if I could just get him to focus on how much he wanted me, maybe I could finally get his composure to fall away.
Luckily, he couldn’t hear what Simon and I were saying, and so I didn’t have to worry about leading Simon on, I could just be honest. I grabbed a napkin off a nearby table and wiggled my fingers. “Got a pen?”
Simon pulled one out of his pocket and handed it to me. I wrote out my name and number, then passed both the napkin and the pen back to him. “I think that your band is good, it has some real talent, and I think I can get you some bookings and publicity. Think about it.”
I wasn’t just bluffing. I’d been looking for ways to use my business degree that wouldn’t end with me in an office. I wanted to do something that incorporated how high energy I was and how much I loved parties and being social. Why not give this a chance? It sounded fun.
Simon looked at me, then down at the napkin. After a moment, he put it in his pocket. “I’ll think about it, but I want a real interview, to hear your ideas.”
“I’m fine with that, so long as it doesn’t turn out to be some kind of backdoor date.” I made my voice firm and uncompromising, all the teasing gone out of it. I didn’t want him to think I was just playing hard to get.
Simon laughed. “You’re smart.”
My Best Friend's Daddy (Forbidden Temptations) Page 3