“Old man?” inquired Katie. “He doesn’t look so old to me.”
Ryan grinned. “Ah, no, Dale here’s a real bull. I just like to call the old man out. He’s almost a partner now.”
“Really?” Katie made her eyes flash and put her hand on Dale’s arm. “You sound like a really important guy.” Dale heard the sarcasm in her tone and had to smile, despite the tightening knot in his stomach.
Ryan scoffed. “Yeah, but I’m the future of the company, honey. I tell ya, in about five years, we’re gonna see some new management.”
Katie turned away from Dale and leaned in to Ryan. “Is that right?”
Ryan nodded sagely, not realizing his expression was making him look drunk. “But enough about me. What are you doing here…” Ryan checked over his shoulders. “Alone? Are you alone?”
Katie nodded. “I’m looking for my daddy.”
Ryan slapped his forehead and groaned with laughter. “Oh, man, you are something else.” Shielding his eyes and face, he shot a look at Dale (‘Can you believe this chick?’ he mouthed.) “So what’s your daddy look like?”
Katie straightened her posture and folded her hands in her lap. “Well, he’s long and tall and handsome. He’s a pretty important man; maybe you’ve met him.”
“Oh, yeah,” Ryan assented. “I bet I have. Where’s he work?”
Katie did her best ditz impression: “I don’t know that! All of those big business names sound the same to me.” She laid her manicured fingers over Ryan’s arm. “Have you seen him?”
Ryan’s grin betrayed his eagerness. “No doubt, little lady. You say he’s, er, long and tall?”
Katie nodded with a slow, sultry rustle of her curls. “Very long,” she replied. “And very tall.”
“Well let me tell you what,” Ryan replied, “how about you and me go look for him?”
Katie smiled. “I don’t know. My daddy doesn’t like me talking to strangers.”
Dale was drinking Katie in. He couldn’t help this: Katie was forcing him to see her as a woman, as a creature wild in her own element, as this beautiful, maybe dangerous, unfamiliar thing. He glanced down at the place her thighs met on the barstool. The way her skin supply pressed against her skin. Her long, smooth knees and shins. When he glanced up Katie was staring at him. She’d caught him looking.
“But what about your friend?” She was talking to Ryan, who leaned over her shoulder (sneaking a glance down her cleavage).
“Oh, him? He’s fine. The man closed a deal today so he should feel pretty secure. You don’t mind waiting here, do ya, Dale?”
Would Katie really leave with Ryan? Dale balked at the idea. Was she trying to make him jealous? No, that wasn’t Katie’s game. All the same, the idea of Ryan leaving this bar with his daughter was not going to happen. But if she didn’t…
Katie pouted at Ryan and drew her hair over her delicate ear. “You’re so shy,” she said to Dale. “Do you need a mommy?”
Dale’s stomach muscles tightened and an intense throb started between his legs. Katie, talking to him like that, in public. He glanced about him. Everywhere there were couples at tables or large business parties or bunches of people chatting and laughing or grumbling over their drinks. He and Ryan were just two more business men and Katie was just one more babe in the bar. But that did her a disservice. He glanced back at Katie, who seemed to twist his cock through his eyes and hers.
“I’m alright,” he said.
Katie uncrossed her legs on the barstool. “You sure?”
Ryan let a stream of air from between his lips. “See? He’s fine. Hey, you know what? I didn’t catch your name.”
“I haven’t given it to you yet,” Katie told him. “Do you think you can handle it?”
“Oh yeah,” said Ryan, nodding his head. Dale finished his drink.
“I’ve got a lot of work to do tonight,” said Katie. “Do you like to stay up late?”
“Real late,” replied Ryan.
Katie glanced back at Dale. “Daddy never lets me stay up late. He says that’s when the bad men come out.”
Ryan kept himself from drooling. “Your father is certainly right about that, sweetheart. But you can tell I’m one of the good guys.”
“I don’t know,” Katie told him. She turned to Dale. “Do you like my dress?” she asked.
“It looks expensive.”
Katie smiled. “That’s not what I asked.”
“Sorry,” he said. “I’m at a loss for words.”
“I can see that. You’re letting him do all the talking.” She pointed her thumb at Ryan.
“Talking’s good,” Dale replied. “I’m better at working with my hands.”
“Is that right?” said Katie.
Dale motioned for the bartender to bring him his tab. He glanced back at Katie. “That’s what I’ve been told.”
Katie slid her purse off the bar. “Excuse me for a minute, boys.” She clacked past them in her heels and strode to the restroom. Dale watched every table of men watch her pass like a wave of noses and eyeballs. All of those men, he realized, wanted his daughter. All of those men could feel the blood pumping down past their waists. And who was Dale to them? Just a guy.
The bartender brought him his check and he tipped generously.
“You outta here?” Ryan asked.
“Think so,” said Dale. “How do you think it’s going?”
Ryan shook his head. “That chick is something else. Can you believe her with that ‘daddy’ stuff?”
Dale grinned with what Ryan didn’t realize was embarrassment. “Nope.”
“Say, though,” said Ryan, leaning in. “That was some pretty slick shit with the playing it cool thing. You’re not a bad wing man-but you might be too good.” Ryan leaned back. “It’s too bad you’re married, man.” He laughed and Dale found himself examining the pale shadow around Ryan’s finger.
The sound of Katie’s heels jangled both of their senses. The girl, tall but taller in the pumps, didn’t go back to her stool. Her purse over her shoulder, she strode right up to Ryan-between his legs on the barstool-and pulled him into a hot, full mouthed kiss. Caught off guard, Ryan enjoyed the kiss and tried to get a squeeze of her ass before she pulled away.
Katie drew a finger over her lip. Then she handed something to Ryan. Dale, in shock, looked down with Ryan at his hands.
It was a stained pair of panties.
Ryan brought his eyes back to Katie. She smiled at him and reached over. She grabbed Dale’s hand and drew him off his barstool. At his full height Katie came up to his chin in her heels. Her fingers entwined with his and she looked up into his eyes. “Let’s put those hands to work.” She glanced back at Ryan and grinned devilishly. “Enjoy those.”
Ryan watched, crestfallen, as Katie led Dale out of the bar and towards the elevators. Unabashedly, he brought the girl’s panties to his face (and ignored the distasteful looks of the other women at the bar). Sighing, he stuffed the panties into his pocket and swiveled around to the bar.
“She wasn’t lying,” he said to the bartender. “She was a sexy bitch.”
* * *
Across the lobby he let the girl lead him. He thought she was leading him to the elevators but she went past them on the way to the stairs. Together they pushed through the door and stopped at the landing.
“You’re on the fourth floor, aren’t you?” Katie said.
“Yes,” said Dale. He felt like he had fallen into a familiar dream several miles below sea level. His heart was beating fast.
Katie suddenly seemed much shyer than in the bar. Maybe it was because she was alone with her father for the first time. She slowly dropped his hand.
“Do you want to take me up?”
Dale stared down at her. The sterile stairway lights could do nothing to spoil the youthful glow that emanated from her body.
Katie saw the way his eyes traced over her, but saw too where they stopped, which was where men’s eyes never stopped, on her eyes. She smiled at him slowly.
“It’s good to see you.”
He said it, which made her bolder. She took his hand again. “Take me upstairs.”
He didn’t answer. He just followed her.
Katie led him up the white stairwell. The walls were painted in thick layers of white paint that contrasted sharply with the dim, blackish railings. She took him up and took the stairs in her heels. The whole time she felt his eyes on her and she led him, flight after flight, to the top. As she reached for the door she suddenly felt his body rush against hers and she turned in time to throw her arms up and let him crush her against the door.
She opened her mouth and his tongue melted over her own. His strong fingers dug into the flesh of her thigh as he pushed her up the wall. Her thighs opened. She felt his hard, clothed member against her naked pussy. Her hand went limp and dropped her purse over his shoulder. It made a plastic smack on the concrete. He broke the kiss when a dribble of spittle slipped down to her chin and touched his.
“Katie, this-”
She bit his cheek angrily and he recoiled. He stared into her eyes, which burned. She set her chin defiantly. “Pick up my purse.”