Daddy Issues (18+)

Chapter 40 • An Offer

I wasn't prepared for what today brought. It made me regret going into work that Monday morning, where I met him. What if I declined that dinner? What if...

"You know.." Charlotte began, as she inhaled the stingy smoke in of the joint pinched up in her fingers, "I didn't know you smoked." She turned to me, swapping me her joint. The regret wanting to seep in, but I refused to let it as I quickly took a few hits, a cough erupting from my throat.

She grinned at me as I handed it back to her, feeling my throat burn on fire. "How do you-," I cut myself off with a cough, "not cough?" I finally finished my question, hearing her giggle to herself before shaking her head.

"I still do every once in awhile." She looked at me, leaving me to remember Stephen was waiting for me outside.

"I just remembered, I have to go. But thanks again, Charlotte." I gathered my stuff, pushing my way through the back door, heading a laughing called out bye. The calmness floated through my chest as I made my way out of the bookstore, my book bag hung over my shoulder.

"Stephen!" I called out, grabbing his attention as he peeled his eyes away from the pages turned within the hard-book cover.

His finger slid between the pages, leaving it to mark where he last read as he smiled at me, crossing the street to greet him.

"You waited." I breathed out with a wide grin resting on my lips. "Thank you." I sighed.

"Of course, I did." He pressed his lips together to hide the smile that attempted to spread onto his face.

"You know.." he trailed off, looking back to the book sprawled within his hands, "you never told me it was boring."

"What do you mean, boring?" I furrowed my eyebrows at him, looking over his shoulder to see what page he was on.

"Once you get to page twenty, I promise it's not as boring as you think." I tried to hide the deepening redness that dared to poke through my cheeks, just thinking about what I was forcing him to read.

"Besides.. you can't read it in public." I grabbed the book from him, putting the red bookmark in between the page he last read, before I put it into his car.

"And why's that?" He proceeded to amuse me, as he slid his arm over the car door, blocking me in with his body, as I was pushed up against his car.

"I can't spoil it. Just wait." I extended my pointed finger into his chest, watching him narrow his eyes at me, a suspicious smile poking at his face.

"What's got you in such a happy mood, little one?" He brought his hands to my hips, leaning his head down to look at me from eye level.

I gulped to myself, quickly shaking my head as I didn't need him suspicious of anything. "I can't be happy?" I brought my eyebrows together in a furrowed bunch.

"You're right." He added, raising his eyebrows together as he changed the subject with an appealing question, "so what time is dinner with your mother?"

"Six-thirty. So be there." I joked around, feeling a grin poking in at my cheeks.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." He smiled back at me, before adding on, "hold on.." he caught on, "aren't you coming back with me to get ready, so we can show up together?"

"I have to go get some clothes from home, then tutor and then I'll be at your house, Steph." I confessed.

"Sounds like a deal." He whispered to me, his eyes hovering to my lips, as my hands stayed at my side.

"Well.." I pressed my lips together, "I should get going." I looked up at him, watching him just stare at me with one of those intense, intimidating stares.