My New Step-Dad (10 page)

Ignoring her comment, I grab my purse hanging on the hook on the wall, and make a retreat out of the dressing room, glad Holly doesn’t follow me. She probably thinks I’m looking for another dress, but I’ve just got to get out of here for a while.

I don’t know what to do at this point.

I loved every second of last night. When I came home yesterday to Bruce pissed about my hanging out with Bryan, it only pissed me off too. He tells me to go find someone my own age, and then flips when I actually do.

But last night at dinner, I got a piece of him. He’s lonely too, but he thinks it’s too late. I know he wants me, but part of me wants to bait him and show him how perfect we could be together. We both get what we want. But another part of me is sick of doing the chasing. With Bruce, I’m not just fighting against him, I’m fighting against his career, and clearly, other women.

Stepping to the curb, I hail a cab and hop in.

“
Where to, miss?”

“
Just drive.”

BRUCE

Why the fuck aren’t they picking up their phones? I try Holly’s cell again in frustration as I pace my office.

“
Bruce, now don’t freak out—”

“
What’s going on? I’ve been trying to get in touch with you or Sophie for hours,” I bark into the phone.

“
I lost her. She’s pretty dramatic, but she’s so young, I shouldn’t be surprised.” Her voice is tart, her tone suggesting she knows more about my Sophie than she does.

“
What do you mean you ‘lost her’? Holly, where is she?”

“
I have no idea, but if it were me, I’d be saying good riddance. She’s got some growing up to do. Just let her go. She’ll come back when she is done being a little brat.”

“
Are you kidding me right now? Holly, I asked you to help her pick out a dress for Saturday and now you’re telling me that she’s gone out into the world and I should just let her go? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“
Calm down, Bruce. She’s a child throwing a temper tantrum. I’m sure she’ll be back in time for her after-nap snack.”

What the fuck was I thinking letting Holly take her shopping? Holly could never understand someone as sweet and pure as my Sophie. I’m a fucking dumbass. I bet Holly even tried to dress her like she dresses herself, something I wouldn’t like one bit.

“
I can’t believe you lost her! She’s the most important thing to me in the world and you just let her go!” The words burst out from me. I know I might be overreacting but I feel like something I’ve always wanted might be slipping through my fingers.

“
Excuse me? The most important thing in the world? Being a bit dramatic, aren’t you, Bruce?”

I breathe deep, filling my lungs with air, trying to calm myself. I want to go through the phone and choke this bitch to death but I can’t.

“
Which way did she go?”

“
I have no idea. By the time I realized she wasn’t coming back into the dressing room, I walked out just in time to see her get in the back of a cab and take off.”

“
Fuck,” I say, but I’m somewhat relieved she wasn’t abducted or something horrible. She’s so perfect that I’m sure anyone would just snatch her up, something I should have done from day one. If I’m technically her guardian, could I trap her in my condo and not let her leave? I would have to come up with something else once she turns eighteen. Something that would bind her to me.

“
Looks like you’ve got the evening off. How about I come over and we finally get that one-on-one time you’ve been needing?” Bile rises in my throat at the thought of Holly touching me. I think my cock has belonged to little Sophie since before I even laid eyes on her. Since I found out she would be mine to take care of, it seems like my cock took that and went with it, now my heart seems to be along for the ride.

“
Holly, I know your father is an important client, and we’ve known each other for some time, but fuck you. Sophie is important to me, and the fact that you don’t give a shit is really eye opening.” I don’t mask the disdain in my voice.

“
Jesus, Bruce, you’re acting like she’s a lost lover. You barely knew the girl. Calm down.”

“
There’s a lot about her you don’t know, and frankly it’s none of your business.”

“
My God, you’re in love with her.”

The denial is on my lips, but I can’t say it. It would be a lie. I do love her, and I think I have from the moment I saw her. I don’t want losing her to be the way I find out, and I’m angry at myself for allowing it to get this far.

“
Goodbye, Holly.”

I toss my phone on my desk and just stand there, not knowing what to do. I have no idea where she’s gone. I don’t know who I could possibly contact to find out. I’m completely lost. And utterly heartbroken.

That night…

I’m pacing the kitchen and checking my phone every thirty seconds. I still haven’t heard from Sophie. It’s dark out, and I’m so worried thinking about what could be happening to her. Is she out partying? Is she crying? Is she dead? My mind goes from one extreme to the next. I know someone might have just grabbed her. She is so utterly perfect that I couldn’t even blame them for wanting her, but make no mistake, I will find her.

I’ve called the cops so many times they say my name when they pick up the phone. There’s nothing I can do but wait for her to turn up. She’s only seventeen, but it hasn’t been twenty-four hours, and since she wasn’t kidnapped, she’s free to do what she wants. They even informed me that at the age of sixteen, she’s a legal adult in North Carolina, something I wouldn’t be letting her know. It also meant I could have her but also that she could walk out my door if she still couldn’t get her trust until she was eighteen.

I take my scotch and go over to the breakfast bar, getting ready to make another call to all the local hospitals, praying that she isn’t there. I want to know where she is, but I’m terrified something awful has happened to her.

As I dial the first number, I hear the elevator ding and my heart starts beating out of my chest. I feel like I imagined it, but when the doors open, I drop my phone and rush to the elevator.

Grabbing Sophie up in a bear hug, I squeeze the life out of her. “Where in God’s name have you been? Fuck, I was so worried.” I bury my face in her silky blonde hair and inhale her sweet scent, holding her curvy body to mine, not wanting to ever let go. She’s so small and compact, she fits against me perfectly. Like she was made for me.

She leans back and I let go, giving her a little space. It’s clear from her body language she wants some distance.

“
I’m sorry, Bruce, I didn’t mean to worry you. I just needed to get away for a few hours and think.”

“
Think about what?”

“
I’m tired of chasing affection. I’m worth more than that.”

I stand there and let her words hit me. “You are worth more. You’re worth everything, and you deserve it all.”

“
I may be young, but I know what I want. I want someone who’s willing to give up everything for me. And I deserve someone who’s proud to be with me instead of being ashamed of their feelings.”

“
Sophie, it’s more complicated than that—”

“
No. It’s simple,” she says, cutting me off. “I’m not going to be the lost puppy chasing someone around and begging for attention. I’m going to take some time and figure out what I want to do next, but until I know my next move, I’m done being a burden.”

“
Sophie—”

“
It’s not your fault, Bruce. It’s been like this my whole life. I’m just tired of being a second choice.” She squares her shoulders, and I can see her decision is final. She’s a lot like her mom was—when she got that look, I knew she wouldn’t be changing her mind.

I start to say something, but she turns and walks away, heading towards her bedroom. Seconds later I hear her door shut. I stand there, stunned.

I go back to the breakfast bar and sit down, taking a drink of my scotch. I think about what she’s just said, and what she really means. She wants someone to choose her. Sophie wants someone in her life, for once, to pick her over everything else.

After a couple of hours and more than a couple of drinks, I finally get up and make my way to my bedroom. I have played Sophie’s words over and over in my head. As I walk down the hall, I pause outside her door, listening for any sounds.

“
Get it together, Bruce,” I whisper to myself, and then go to my room.

I get undressed and slide on some loose shorts, preparing to rub my aching cock before I pass out. It hurts all the time now, and it’s because of Sophie. I never had this problem before. I went years without anything more than a twitch.

I let out a frustrated grunt and climb onto the cool sheets, reaching down to palm my throbbing dick. I rub it a few times, thinking of Sophie, and then her words from tonight pop into my head.

She says she wants someone to choose her and give up everything for her. What does she expect? Does she really think I can make a life with my seventeen-year-old stepdaughter and not have people go crazy? Does she expect me to just give up the career I’ve worked decades to achieve?

I rub my cock, and I just get madder. How can she think it’s that simple, or that I haven’t been chasing after her? That’s all my mind seems to doing. Her young pussy just walks into my house, flips it upside down, and I’m supposed to just agree to everything she wants, because she’s perfect?

Fuck.

I try to shake her out of my head and just get off so I can go to sleep. But every time I stroke myself, it’s her who’s in my mind. I’m craving her taste, her scent, her touch, and it’s driving me insane. More than anything I want to feel her lips against mine. Would I be her first kiss, I wonder? Would I be her first everything? White-hot desire and longing shoot through me.

Kicking back the covers, I get up out of bed and storm down the hall. I’ll show her how much I choose her.

When I burst into her room, I go over to her nightstand and flip on the bedside lamp, startling her awake.

“
Bruce, what’s wrong?” Her sleepy eyes blink awake, trying to figure out what’s happening.

“
What’s wrong is you coming into my life like this and messing up everything I had planned. I’ve never been like this before.” I reach down and palm my hard cock that won’t stop aching, showing her what she does to me. “It won’t go away. It’s because I want you so much and now you don’t want me?”