My Bestie’s Dad: A Forbidden Romance

by Cassandra Dee

  Then again, I shouldn’t have a hard-on at work. I have to stop thinking about her because my prurient thoughts are going to get me in trouble, I swear. I glance around my office and try to focus on the details: the polished granite beneath the floor-to-ceiling windows, the pictures of landscapes, the way she moans when I slide into her. FOCUS, dammit!

  This isn’t good. I can’t keep seeing her, can I? She’s twenty years my junior, for crying out loud. More than that, if I count carefully. But all I can think about is the curve of Jane’s lips when she smiles. The way my heart swells when she giggles. The way her rump jiggles when I smack it. God, I need to put this behind me.

  Suddenly, a text comes across my phone, and it’s from Jane.

  Movie this Friday?

  I’m smiling instantly. I can’t help myself as my heart leaps. That’s how much I’ve grown to like her in the short time we’ve been seeing each other. We make plans to see some horror sequel she’s into, and pick a theatre three towns away, just to make sure no one will see us together. Afterwards, we’ll grab a bite.

  Holy hell, I have a date on Friday night.

  Even more, I’m looking forward to it. This isn’t going to be a forgettable date with a woman whose name I can’t even remember. This is Jane Cuesta, the woman I’ve been lusting after since forever. The film is the fourth in a series I have never seen, and I should probably watch the first three in the series to catch up, but you know what? I don’t care. The opportunity to spend time with her is what I want, and now I can’t stop smiling when I think of the curvy girl.

  I knock on Jane’s apartment door. When she opens it, the sight of her takes my breath away, even though she’s dressed in jeans and a tank top. The denim hugs those wide hips, and her white top shows off her big breasts and tiny waist. I swallow hard and say, “Hi, sweetheart. You look amazing. This is for you.” I hand her a tiny aloe plant in a white pot.

  She smiles and reads the black words on the pot, “Aloe, Gorgeous.” Jane snort-laughs and then blushes. “Oh my god, you have to stop making me do that with your corny puns.”

  I shake my head, “Absolutely not. I love making you laugh.”

  She grins and says, “Come inside. How do you know I keep succulents by the way?”

  I grin.

  “Because I’m awesome.”

  She rolls her big brown eyes and sets the aloe with the rest of her succulent garden on her windowsill.

  “Would you like a tour before we go? I don’t think you’ve ever been to my place.”

  There’s only one door off the living room, so I assume that’s her bedroom. If we do the tour thing and end up in her room, we’ll definitely be missing the movie. I have to do this right.

  “Sweetheart, I have been to your place. I helped you move this coffee table in remember?”

  She stares at me, and then realization dawns.

  “Oh, wow, yeah, you and that truck. I didn’t remember because it was so long ago, but yeah. Five, six years ago, right?”

  “Sounds right. Besides, we need to get going for the film.”

  She grabs her keys and purse, then smiles and takes my hand.

  “Let’s go then.”

  Once at the theatre, my paranoia about other people seeing us together dies because honestly, I don’t care that much. Being with Jane feels right, and it feels nice to have her by my side. She seems to unclench, too. As we wait in line, I ask lightly, “Do you think they’ll bring Bill back for the sequel? Or will it be another killer?”

  Her face brightens and she asks, “You’ve seen the series?”

  I nod wryly.

  “It’s better than most of the horror that’s come out lately.”

  “Oh my god, exactly! Like most horror series get exponentially worse as the series goes on, but Supernatural Activity gets better each time!”

  “Yeah, the kills are getting more creative, and the stalking scenes are more complex. It’s breathing fresh air into the genre.”

  Jane begins to wax rhapsodic about horror movies in general, but all I can think of is the passion in her eyes as she talks. She’s speaking dynamically and gesturing with her hands. This girl is a true horror junkie, and it shows. Can I live with that? Hell, as long as she keeps wearing these low-cut tank tops, I can live with anything.

  I buy the tickets, popcorn, candy, and sodas, and we go into the dark theatre. The auditorium is half full, so we take a seat in the back, away from other people. It’s one of those theaters with recliner-style seats, so we get comfortable as she snuggles up to my side. I put my arm around her, and she giggles a bit. I take a deep breath of her shampoo and memorize the scent.

  The film is a schlock-fest of predictable jump scares and frankly, very light on plot, but she seems to enjoy it. Afterwards, I say, “Let’s go for a walk.”

  “Sounds good,” she smiles. I gently take her hand and hold it for a few steps, before she asks, “Are you dizzy or something?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re holding my hand. Are you okay?”

  I smile and explain, “I’m holding your hand because I want to touch you while we walk.”

  “Like in an old movie?”

  “Do people not do that anymore?” I ask.

  She giggles, “I have never had a guy hold my hand. It’s like I have cooties or something.”

  My brow arches.

  “Then I get to be your first?”

  She blushes, “Yes. You’re the only person who’s ever meant it.”

  I hold her hand and we casually stroll to an old-fashioned burgers and shakes place down the street. I open the door and the fluorescent glare is horrific, but it’s a lively place with chrome plated paneling and linoleum tables. We find a booth away from the windows which is relatively quiet. Her eyes dance over the menu and she says, “I don’t think I can finish a whole shake by myself in addition to a burger. Do you want to split one?”

  “Sure, what flavor?”

  “Chocolate.”

  “Sounds good,” I smile. One of the few things I know about Jane is that she always has a chocolate cake for her birthday. According to their Yelp reviews, this place is famous for their chocolate shakes, and her chocolate lust is exactly why we are here in the first place. We place our orders, and then talk about the film. She loved every part of it, and the horror fanatic in her shows itself again.

  “Oh my god, the twist at the end, when it’s Bill who’s been the hero this whole time because Bob is actually the killer, oh my god, I can’t believe it!”

  I agree, clasping her hand.

  “It’s a hell of a twist.” The food comes out and I tell her, “Go ahead and drink the shake. I’ll start on the fries.”

  She smiles and sips. I love watching her eyes flutter back in her head with pleasure. “You have to try this, like right now. It’s so good.”

  “Okay,” I take a sip and understand her reaction. “Wow, that is amazing.” She nods and drinks more while I take a huge bite of my burger. By the time I look, the shake glass is empty. I quirk an eyebrow at her.

  “Would you like another one?”

  She looks down and blushes, “I’m so sorry, I can’t believe I drank the whole thing!”

  “No worries. I’m glad you like it so much.”

  “We should order another for you.” She begins to look for the server. “Oh my god, I’m such a pig.”

  But I shake my head. “Nah, I’m full anyway.”

  “If it makes you feel any better, that is the best chocolate shake I have ever had in my life! It was totally worth it.”

  “Good,” I smile. “I like seeing you happy, sweetheart, and it’s great that all it takes is a chocolate shake. From now on, I know how to get my way with you.”

  She giggles and then yawns.

  “Sleepy honey?”

  She smiles.

  “A little.”

  I take her hand.

  “Then let’s get going. I have an appointment with my trainer in the morning, so ma
ybe we should head out?”

  “Sounds good,” she smiles and yawns. “I guess I am pretty tired. It’s been a long week at the insurance agency.”

  We drive back to her place and in the car, I ask her about her job.

  “Are you interested in insurance, Jane? I know you’ve been at that outfit a couple years now.”

  She shakes her head and smiles.

  “God, no, there could be nothing less interesting. It’s just that I couldn’t find a job after I graduated, and this receptionist position was open, so I took it. I thought I’d find something new after a year or six months, but look at me now. It’s been almost four years and I’m still there.”

  I nod, thinking.

  “That’s okay, sweetheart. Sometimes it can take a while to find your direction in life. What do you think you want to do?”

  She shakes her head.

  “I really don’t know, Brent,” she says in a soft voice. “I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about it, but nothing really jumps out at me.”

  “Not horror movie actress?” I ask playfully.

  She giggles.

  “No, I don’t think so. I’m even thinking about going back to school because I’m so lost, but more school also sounds terrible. It would just be a waste of money.”

  I nod at that.

  “Yeah, I agree. Well, everything will come in its own good time,” I rumble. “Don’t stress out about it.” Jane smiles at me from inside the car, and we lapse into a comfortable silence. I like being with her, and the minutes seem to fly by in no time. Finally, we’re at her apartment complex, and I walk her to her door. “Thank you for such a fun night, honey.”

  She smiles sassily at me.

  “What are you thanking me for? You drove, you paid for everything, and all I had to do is show up.”

  I lean close and say, “That’s all you’ll ever have to do.” I tuck an errant brown curl behind her ear, and tell her, “You just show up and somehow, you make every moment amazing.” I take her in my arms and kiss her hard then. I’ve wanted to do this all night, but restrained myself because I wanted to make this a real date, with laughter and conversation.

  But it seems that Jane wants it too. She presses herself to me and strokes my back we kiss. It takes all of my restraint to follow through on my plan.

  “Thank you, sweetheart. I had the best night.”

  She smiles suggestively, and my heart races as I harden. “Not yet, you haven’t.” She opens her door and waits for me to follow her in.

  I shake my head. “Thank you, but no. I’m going to go home and get a good night of sleep, sweetheart. Thanks again for tonight.”

  Jane’s brow furrows. “Did I do something wrong?”

  I pause carefully.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re brushing me off.”

  “No, I’m not.”

  “Then why don’t you want to come in?”

  I take a breath and smile. “Jane, I don’t want to sound crass, but if I come in, what do you think will happen?”

  She smiles knowingly.

  “I think you know what happens. I want it to happen, in fact.”

  “Exactly. But the thing is, honey, I want to get to know you. The real you. I don’t want this just to be some fly-by-night random hook-up. My priorities are shifting.”

  “I don’t understand,” she says, her brow wrinkling.

  I step closer to her and she’s temptation personified, but I force myself not to touch her.

  “I’m not here for sex. As much as I would love to take you into your bedroom and have you in every way I can imagine and then some, I’m restraining myself because I want to get to know you. I’ve had too many meaningless encounters. Now, I’m trying something new and I want to try it with you.”

  Her mouth opens and her eyes search mine.

  “Are you serious? We can make love and also get to know one another. The two aren’t mutually exclusive.”

  I take a deep breath.

  “I know honey, but the physical chemistry between us is so insane that it could overshadow everything else. I want you to know me as a person, and for me to know you as a person too. Not just some random you met at the Cube.”

  “You would never be that,” she murmurs.

  I take the opportunity to seize her hand and kiss the back of it. “I know. You would never be that to me, either. Sweet dreams, Jane Cuesta.”

  Then I walk to the stairwell. I can’t help myself, though. I look back and the curvy girl’s leaning in her doorway like a siren. Her tempting silhouette glows, backlit by the light in her apartment and I know if I don’t leave now, I never will.

  But I want this to be real between us, and I want her to think straight about our burgeoning relationship. So with a huge sigh, and a firm grip on my cock, I jog down the stairs and away from the curvy girl.

  6

  Brent

  * * *

  Friday night’s cold shower is Saturday’s sense of purpose with my trainer. Mike comments, “Whoa, my man, I know you want to train rigorously, but if you don’t slow down, you’re going to injure yourself.”

  I rack the weights and pant, “You keep everyone’s secrets, right, Mike? I’ve never heard you gossip about your other clients, so you’re good hearing the real shit, right?”

  Mike nods affably.

  “Yeah. Is everything okay?”

  “I’m seeing someone.”

  He smiles and rolls his eyes.

  “Why is that a secret?”

  “There’s an age difference.”

  He shrugs.

  “As long as she’s legal, why would it matter?”

  “Let’s just say this isn’t a small gap. She’s twenty-five, and I’m in my late forties.”

  But Brent doesn’t blink an eye. “My dad was seventy when I was born, and my mom was thirty-five. He was literally double her age, so I’m the product of a May December relationship myself. But the most important thing is: are you happy? Do you like her? Or is it just a physical relationship?”

  I shake my head.

  “I like her. I like her a lot, in fact.”

  He nods wisely.

  “Then it doesn’t matter. Age is just a number, my man. If you have a thing for grannies, that’s cool. I wouldn’t judge you.”

  I start laughing, “She’s two decades younger than me, not prepared to set foot in the grave!”

  “Well, this morning you were checking out Mrs. Gunderson with her walker, so who knows?”

  I snort.

  “I’m wasn’t checking her out. She looked like she was going to drop her weights on her head.”

  He grins broadly.

  “Just saying.”

  I grin too.

  “Yeah, whatevs. But that’s not even the worst part. This woman is my kid’s best friend. I’ve literally known her since she was ten or eleven.”

  Mike thinks for a moment.

  “Yeah, that is a little weird,” he sucks air in through tight teeth. “But she’s twenty-five now, right? That’s old enough to make your own choices.”

  I scowl, grunting again as I pump iron.

  “Well, that’s why I’m working out so hard. I’m trying to keep up with a saucy little minx.”

  “Congratulations,” my trainer laughs. Then he says, “Hopefully, your daughter won’t mind. Hell, she might even be happy about it.”

  I hope to god he’s right because Harlow doesn’t have a leg to stand on, seeing that she’s now married to my best friend. But we finish the workout discussing other things, and soon, Mike forgets I ever brought the subject up.

  Later that week, I’m in the office, working on something for a Monday presentation when my daughter calls. “Hey, Dad!”

  I put her on speaker phone so I can keep working. “Hey Har, how are you?”

  “I’m good, thanks. You?”

  “Great, just toiling away.”

  “You know it’s Saturday, right?”

  I scrub my face w
ith my hands and laugh. “Yeah, thanks for rubbing it in.”

  “Well, that’s sort of why I’m calling. Hang on,” she scolds the kids in the background before I hear a door shut. “Okay, now I can chat. Dad, what’s going on?”

  “What are you talking about?” My heart races and I pray that Harlow’s not about to ask about Jane. I know we’ll have to have this talk at some point, but not now. This is not a good time.

  Thankfully, she interrupts my mental ramblings with one of her own. “I know you’ve been busy with work, but you have me worrying about you. It’s been two weeks since our last call and you usually call me a couple times a week. Is everything okay? Is everything okay at Kombuchaid? Something happen with Nana and Pops? What is going on?”

  I smile, relieved.

  “Yes, everything’s fine. You have nothing to stress about.”

  “No, no, don’t do that,” she says firmly. “I don’t want to hear that sort of thing from you, not ever.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You do that to Mom all the time, shutting her out whenever she asks about anything. There’s no need for that, Brent. I’m an adult now. If you have bad news, I can take it.”

  I grin ruefully.

  “First, Har, there is nothing wrong. Second, I don’t freeze out Catherine. Third, I raised such a good kid because you’re very caring.”

  She chuckles. “Dad, I’m not a child anymore. And you can talk to me, you know that, right? I mean it. Whatever it is.”

  This is getting a little tiresome. I haven’t called my daughter because I’ve been seeing Jane. Of course, I want to chat with Fannie and Freddie, my grandkids. But at the same time, I also want a life of my own as a vigorous adult male without being reminded that I’m a grandfather.

  “Nothing’s wrong, Har. I have a lot of presentations to make, and we’re working on going international, so this is getting big fast. There are a ton of regulations to deal with, and that’s not Gray’s strong suit, so I’m handling this part of the deal. I’m sorry I haven’t kept up with our usual phone schedule, but I promise to do better. Forgive me?”