And the redhead shook her head.
"No of course not Daddy, it's not that I feel like I owe you, it's that … "
"It's that what?" I prompted gently.
"Okay, maybe it is," she confessed. "I want to pay you back for the kindness you've shown. I know it's not the best of circumstances, but I want to love you, show you how much I appreciate what you've done. I want you too," she breathed, her eyes skimming up and down my masculine form, taking in the erection that was starting up again. "I want to feel you inside me, I want you to be my first."
I was so tempted right then to blow-off my newfound ethics, to say fuck it and take that little girl hard, dirty, right on the ottoman where she was sitting. But instead, I did the right thing.
"Baby, you're too young," I said gently. "You don't know how the world works. You're still a baby, little girl, you don't know what you want."
Cleo's cheeks colored.
"I know I want you," she said teasingly, coming to stand beside me, putting her arms around my shoulders. Oh god, her tits were in my face again, her waist so small that my big hands immediately circled them, almost touching each other around that small span. "Please Daddy," she breathed again, her voice soft and slippery in my ear. "Pretty please."
And it took the restraint of Hercules, but I did it. I resisted. I pushed her back so that we were no longer touching, and took a deep breath.
"Honey, you think you've seen a lot but you haven't," I said gently. "You're what … seventeen?"
"Eighteen," she corrected immediately. And I smiled internally. Of course I knew Cleo was eighteen, I'd been counting the days until she was ready, ripe, and legal. But I pretended otherwise.
"Of course, you're eighteen now," I said smoothly, "but you don't know yourself. How could you possibly know that I'm the man for you?"
"I know," she said stubbornly, again pulling that skirt down her creamy thighs. It was futile, the fabric bounced right back up whenever she yanked it down. "I know because I'm Lorena's daughter and I've been following her all these years, seeing my mom engage in all sorts of backhand deals. So I know a lot more than you think."
And that was true, to an extent.
"But honey, have you dealt with men before?" I said gently. "Not your mom, you."
And here my stepdaughter colored, the flush spreading across her chest, those breasts heaving as the pink covered their fullness.
"I have, sort of," she said. "Mr. Jennings was interested in me too."
Oh shit. That fucker Jennings was even worse that I thought. So when he couldn't get Lorena pregnant, he turned to her daughter.
"Did that asshole lay a hand on you?" I growled, my temperature going through the roof. Literally, I thought the top of my head might blow off, the idea of that greasy loser touching any part of my beautiful girl.
"No, he never got a chance," reassured Cleo. "I just stayed in the van most times when we were at his house. But when mom told him that the pregnancy test had come back negative again, he lost it. He kicked her out … while she was stark naked," Cleo confessed. "That's why I said it was so humiliating. Lorena did the walk of shame in her birthday suit, and when I jumped out of the van with some rags to cover her, she didn't even care. She brushed it off and slowly walked down the drive, laughing the whole time."
Holy fuck. My wife was a piece of work and then some.
"Did anyone see?" I asked out of morbid curiosity more than anything else.
"No, well just the crew working that day," she corrected. "Because Mr. Jennings lives on a huge estate, his neighbors are miles away blocked off by shrubbery. No one saw, but it was still humiliating," she said in a small voice.
"Honey," I said gently. "It was humiliating for your mom, but you did the best you could. You see what I mean though? You've gone through a ton of stuff, but all through your mom. You haven't experienced anything first hand, for yourself, that's why I can't do this right now. You're too young."
And again, I silently cursed. What the fuck was wrong with me? Why wasn't I taking this hot little piece of ass who was offering herself, willingly giving what I wanted so bad?
But the girl nodded.
"Okay Daddy," she murmured, looking at me through her lashes. "I hear you. I understand."
But I had a feeling that Cleo hadn't given up yet.
CHAPTER FIVE
Cleo
It was so odd that my stepdad decided not to touch me. After all, I've seen the way he looks at me, the way he eats me up with his eyes. So for him to suddenly pull the "you're too young" stuff was a shocker. Drake Markham, Master of the Universe, actually had some ethics.
I admit, I'd expected him to fuck me that night, for us to dive right into an illicit relationship, touching each other everywhere, his cock buried deep in my cunny. And I'd made it easy for him too, coming on strong, telling him, showing him with my actions that I was wanton, wet, and willing.
But surprisingly the big man turned me down. And Drake's rejection has made me so … happy. So happy that I can barely breathe, I'm positively vibrating, the air humming around me with energy. I smiled at myself in the mirror, singing a little as I brushed out my hair, the long red strands gleaming in the light. It's just so different from what I'm used to. Someone was looking out for me, with my best interests at heart. Drake could have taken candy from a baby, but he didn't, and my heart felt like it might burst with joy. So I almost didn't hear when a knock came at the door.
"Come in," I sang out. I half-expected it to be Drake again, but it was my mom, slinking in, her curvy form squeezed into a skintight red dress. She probably had a date with Carlos tonight, who knew where they were going, but the scarlet dress was sure to see the floor at some point.
"Mom, I didn't expect you," I said, turning to look at her, keeping my voice even. "Where are you headed?" I said indicating the dress.
"Oh nowhere," said my mom breezily. "Nowhere you'd know."
I rolled my eyes.
"Okay, fine," I said deadpan. "It's up to you."
"Well, since you've asked," she pouted. "I've been thinking of visiting Mr. Jennings on the North Shore."
Oh my god. The same Mr. Jennings who'd kicked her out stark naked? Oh god.
"Lorena, get a grip," I said tightly. "This guy is no good, don't you remember? He treated you like shit, made you do the walk of shame naked, and threw his dog's crap at you too. Why? Why would you visit him?"
Because that was what I hadn't told Drake. Not only had Lorena been ejected in her birthday suit, but she'd been covered with dog crap Jennings had hurled at her, his epithets ringing as she strode down the walkway. The rags I'd run to her with had been to wipe that stuff off, to protect her.
But Lorena just looked at me slyly.
"Honey, you'll never understand," she said. "I've had a lot of experience with men, sometimes they just need to let the bad vibes out, you know? Jennings needed to let loose that day, vent some steam, and if I helped him do it? All the better, he appreciates me that much more."
This was some messed-up reasoning, but I wasn't about to argue with her.
"Fine Mom, have it your way," I said tightly, turning back to the mirror. "Just don't expect me to pick up the pieces like I usually do." And a shiver ran down my spine as I remembered the sight of my mom walking down the walkway covered in shit. I almost cried again, it made me so sad for a woman who didn't even seem to feel it.
But Lorena had come in to say something.
"Honey, I understand that you've been talking with Drake?"
My pupils dilated with shock, but I kept my expression impassive, fighting the instinct to turn in my seat and pin her with a glare.
"What do you mean?" I managed smoothly, continuing to brush, giving nothing away. Oh god. She must have seen me go into his office, but I hoped she hadn't figured out what had gone on in there, that she hadn't pressed her ear to the door. So I tried to play it off.
"Yeah, Daddy and I chatted a little. Why what did he say?"
And Lorena merely smiled again.
"He said you were growing up to be so beautiful, that's all," she purred.
Oh thank god, Drake hadn't said anything and I let out a sigh of relief.
"Oh okay, great," I said, as nonchalantly as I could manage. "Mom, I'm going out tonight, if you'll excuse me?" I said, eyeing the door, my hint obvious. Of course, I was going nowhere. I just wanted to lie in bed and replay my conversation with Drake in my head, the way he'd been so manly, so amazing, so unbelievably caring.
But Lorena had come in for a purpose.