Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
TEDDIE
"We managed to pay the rent and book in some extra repairs," Dad said, sliding the last of the locks into place.
He looked at me over his shoulder before stepping away from the door.
“I can’t believe the crowdfunding campaign raised so much.
You didn't have to do that, you know? We would have worked something out.”
I leaned back, my hands on the top of the table behind me and cocked my head.
"Oh, yeah? What would you have worked out?" I didn't want to call him out like that, but we both knew it wasn't that easy.
He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before his shoulders sagged slightly.
"I dunno, we would have figured out something. What sort of father would I be if I relied on my baby girl to get me out of trouble?" He stepped over to put his arms around me and kiss my cheek.
“I didn’t mind. Besides, I think I spend more time worrying about you than you need to worry about me.” I rested my head on his shoulder.
In particular, I was worried he'd realize the money didn't come from the crowdfunding. I hated lying to him, but the truth was, if my fathers knew where the money came from, they might have refused to take it.
"That's the problem," he grumbled. "You shouldn't have to worry about Grant and me. We're the adults here. The older adults," he added quickly before I could respond, reminding him I was twenty-five. More or less an adult. Okay, technically an adult, but I didn't really want to admit it to myself.
"Maybe you need an adultier adult to help you," I said with a laugh.
"Are you suggesting Pop and I aren't adultier enough adults to adult?" He was also laughing.
"Mostly you are," I said. "We all have our moments though."
"Right. Like when my daughter moves in with some strange man."
“He’s not that strange of a man," I argued. "You know Helmut Egger. You've met him before. And his staff when they've fixed the security system."
"Yes, I have met him. He seems like an…interesting man," Dad's tone was careful. Not wanting to speak badly about my roommate, but hoping I wasn’t in over my head.
I hoped he couldn’t tell, but over my head might be exactly where I was right now. Living with an intense CEO and his smug as fuck CFO, and Oak. Crazy was just beginning to describe it.
Dad switched the vibe of the conversation by adding, "Am I going to have to book the place out for a wedding reception?"
That was not what I expected him to say.
It took a few moments to even begin to think how to respond.
If crazy was the beginning, then this went all the way into insane territory.
Of course it would be one of my fathers who suggested it.
They were nothing if not hopeless romantics.
If I was related to them biologically, I'd think that's where I got it from. As it was, I’d put it down to the way they raised me.
To believe in love and hope for a happy ending.
The most I could hope for right now were some happy orgasms.
I snorted and said, "Absolutely not."
At this point, he probably knew Hel better than I did.
We were little more than strangers. As for marriage, the idea was ridiculous.
Now or any time in the foreseeable future.
What in the world was Dad thinking? Okay, he was thinking he wanted me to have what he did with Pop.
Possibly supply them with grandchildren some day.
A grandpuppy at least. I’d never even given them a grandfish.
Catching dinner off the pier didn’t count.
Now I was hungry.
Dad held his hands out to either side. "Sorry, I was just checking." His eyes sparkled with humor. He wasn't as sorry as he was pretending to be. Fathers and their dad jokes.
"Of course you were," I replied, giving him a playfully scolding look.
"We should get this place cleaned up," he said with a sigh. The night had been busier than usual, which was a good thing, even if it meant more work later. Not that either of my fathers shied away from hard work.
"I'll give you a hand.” I started to pick up empty glasses, my skirt swishing just above my knees. I grabbed up an armful, took them into the kitchen for washing, and headed out for a few more.
A tap on the door made me startle. Lucky I wasn't carrying anything, or I might have dropped it all. My fathers had enough to deal with without having to replace glassware shattered by my fright.
"We're closed," Dad called out.
"Doing a security check," came the reply through the door.
I froze.
I knew that voice, but I hadn't seen his face yet. Or his cock. No more than a promising feeling that went nowhere, thanks to Hel and Fade. They hadn’t explained that to me, but I hadn’t asked.
Not yet. I might ask Oak what was up that night.
Would he give me a straight answer? He’d seemed as into me as I was into him, until we were interrupted.
I couldn’t forget the way he seemed relieved before he’d walked away.
Since when did guys like to be cockblocked?
I needed to stop thinking about his cock.
I told my clit to settle down and behave. He wasn't getting anywhere near her anytime soon.
Dad peered through the window before unlocking the door and letting Oak stride inside.
I had to admit he looked good without a mask on. He hadn’t shaved in a couple of days, his scruff a few shades darker than his hair. Gray eyes looked me up and down, his gaze lingering around my hips, before he slid his gaze away.
"There's been a few break-ins on the street," he said, addressing Dad. "I wanted to make sure everything's all right here."
"Everything's fine," Dad said, grabbing up a cloth and wiping down the last table. "I'm sure no one would get past Egger Security." He gave me a wink before he disappeared into the kitchen.
"So, you're Oak Bennett," I said, deciding to return the favor by looking him up and down.
He wore the Egger Security uniform of black trousers that fitted his ridiculously muscular thighs, and a charcoal button-down with the company logo on the breast. If you ask me, he should have gone a size up on his shirt, this one was threatening to split around his chest and biceps.
"You followed Hel and Fade's rule," he said, his gaze dropping again.
"Are you sure about that?" I asked, placing a hand on my hip.
"I can tell you to show me right here," he said, his expression unchanged.
I blinked at him a couple of times. Was he out of his mind? Yes, we'd almost fucked in public, but this? This was different.
"This is my fathers' bar," I whispered.
"Yes, and it looks like the cleanup is finished. I'll drive you home." He didn't blink in return, not even a little bit. He might as well have had his mask on, for all the expression on his face was giving me.
"I have my own car," I pointed out. It was barely running and full of rust, but it was mine.
"I'll walk you to it," he said. This guy seemed to have an answer for everything.
I slid my tongue across my lips, but nodded. "Fine, if someone is breaking into places around here, it's probably not a bad idea."
I called out over my shoulder, "Dad, I'm heading out now."
"Okay, sweetie. I'll see you later," Dad called back.
Oak smirked and mouthed, 'Sweetie.' Apparently, he wasn't a complete brick wall after all. Also? If he was going to make fun of my father calling me a pet name like that, he could fuck all the way off.
I opened the door and gestured for Oak to step out first.
He gave me a look and gestured for me to do the same.
"We could stand here all night and wave our hands at each other," I started.
"You step out first where I can keep an eye on you.” A determined expression was back on his face, a hint of a frown around his gray eyes.
I was starting to understand his name. He was as stubborn and unmoving as an oak tree. His thighs were almost as thick as a trunk too. And yes, I was tempted to climb him and impale myself on his branch.
I managed to resist that urge, though. Just barely. Yes, that's sarcasm.
"What do you think I'm going to do?" I asked, "Slam the door in your face?"
I stepped out first into the darkened road. Street lamps every few feet and signs in the front of stores, the only illumination.
I closed the door behind me as Oak grabbed my arm.
"You can show me or I can feel," he said, his voice, low and husky.
My heart rate picked up, thundering like a torrent. "Hel said everything had to be consensual," I reminded him.
"I also need to prove you've followed the rules," Oak said. "If you don't, the deal is off. Remember?" He was taking this seriously.
"I remember," I said. I guessed I was going to have to consent.
Otherwise, Hel might send my fathers the invoice for everything he'd given them already.
Although, according to the contract, he couldn't do that.
No doubt he'd figure something out. He’d have a team of lawyers on speed dial, waiting to find him a handy loophole.
“I’ll show you.” I pulled my arm away from Oak, took a few steps, and grabbed the hem of my skirt. I raised it high enough for him to see I wasn't wearing any panties before dropping it back into place.
"Happy now?" I asked.
I hoped so, because my skin was on fire. If anyone was looking out a window from a building across the street at the right time, they would have seen my pussy too. I couldn't help it, but I hoped they had. The idea sent a thrill right through me from my toes right to my overactive clit.
As long as they didn't tell my fathers what they'd seen. That might be difficult to explain. Not that either of them would ask me about it. Some things weren't a suitable topic for dinner table conversation, especially my sex life and theirs.
Oak regarded me for a moment before saying, "It's a start."
"Do you need photographic evidence?" I said sarcastically.
The sides of his mouth lifted slightly. "Good idea." He pulled his phone out of his pocket and held it up in front of him.
"Not a chance," I said, turning and walking off in the direction of my car. Flashing him in front of Loams was one thing. Letting him take a photo was another. It'd be just my luck if a vehicle went past, or my fathers stuck their heads out to make sure I was okay.
Oak would have to find another way to amuse himself.
If he was annoyed, he didn't say anything. He caught up with me a couple of moments later, his phone no longer in his hand.
"Have you been thinking about me walking around without my panties on all day?" I asked.
He glanced over at me. "Yes."
"Even while I was in class?" I asked.
"Especially then," he said. "Who were you thinking about?"
"Who says I was thinking about anyone?" I shot him a look. Presumptuous much?
"You were walking around all day without any panties and you weren't a little bit turned on?" he asked.
“I was. Of course I was. That doesn't mean I was thinking of anyone in particular," I said. Fade didn’t have a monopoly on ego.
"I don't believe you." He stepped off the curb into the parking lot, and over to my car.
"Why not?" I unlocked the door, and opened it, wincing at the squeak it made.
"I know you remember what we nearly did outside Vertical as much as I do," he said.
I turned toward him and tapped my key against my lip. "Vertical. Vertical… Oh, right. You mean the nightclub?"
I gave him a sarcastic smile he responded to with a smirk. "I remember the place. Wait, that was you?" I pointed my key at him.
His jaw worked like he was beginning to get agitated. "You know it was. You knew as soon as you saw me on that Zoom call. I know you recognized my mask. I recognized your hair." Of course he did. My curls stood out anywhere. That answered that question.
"There was a lot of masks there that night." I spoke slowly, as if trying to sort through my memories. "You expect me to remember a particular one?"
"Just the one worn by the guy you were about to fuck," he said, bordering on a growl, if a growl was well-contained.
I managed to keep my expression as innocent as possible. "Who says you were the only one that night?" After all, he’d walked away. I might have hooked up with the guy in the taco mask, for all he knew. Or the man in the devil mask, who watched me walk past. He’d seemed interested.
Oak slammed the palm of his hand against the side of my car, making it rock.
"I know I was. I saw you arrive and watched you leave. All night I watched you."
I forced myself not to flinch or jump at his reaction.
"You sound like a stalker,” I told him. I stepped past him and slid into my car. "I don't know, but I'm pretty sure there are laws against that."
"I wasn't stalking, I was watching what's mine." Before I could say another word, he closed the door behind me and stepped back. Probably hoping I didn't run over his foot as I was leaving.
I wanted to be annoyed with him. I almost wanted to back onto his foot and stop for an hour or two.
Mostly, though? I was turned on as hell.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I asked myself as I steered out of the parking lot and headed towards my new home.
I didn't have an answer for that, but I didn't hate it.
Resisting these men might be more difficult than I thought.