Page 8 of V-Day Daddy Stalker

His eyes linger on me. “I might need to go over a few details… but I suppose that can wait.” There’s a pause, weighted. “How’s the water?”

“Great.” I offer a small smile. “It’s practically perfect today.”

He rests his hands on his hips, looking down at me from the pool’s edge. “I can see that.” The way he says it feels loaded, a little heated. My pulse spikes. I’m not imagining this tension, am I? The air practically crackles between us.

I clear my throat, desperate to maintain some normalcy. “If you want, you can grab a drink from the kitchen or something. It’s crazy hot out.”

He looks at the house, then back at me. “Maybe in a minute.” He moves closer to the water’s edge, crouching down. I notice how his shirt stretches across his shoulders, emphasizing the breadth of them. “You really enjoy swimming, don’t you?”

I nod, swallowing hard. “It’s a nice way to clear my head.”

His gaze is intense, dipping momentarily to the curve of my collarbone, before snapping back to my eyes. “I can imagine,” he murmurs. Then, as if he’s trying to steer the conversation to safer ground, he adds, “So… you said your parents won’t be back until Sunday. Got any plans in the meantime?”

“Not really,” I admit. “Maybe meet up with a friend or two. But mostly just enjoying the quiet. Kind of a staycation.” I give a little shrug. “I haven’t had much downtime since starting college.”

He nods in understanding. “Good. You deserve a break.”

I bob in the water, arms making slow circles to keep me afloat. The sun’s rays dance off the ripples, creating little prisms of light. “What about you? Busy schedule as usual?”

He lets out a dry chuckle. “Always. Your dad and I are finishing up a big project, but… some things can wait.” His gaze locks on mine again, and my stomach flips.

I open my mouth to respond, but words fail me. All I’m left with is this buzz of awareness, the knowledge that we’re alone, that there’s no one else around, that he’s looking at me in a way I’m not sure I can brush off as purely innocent. A thrill runs through my veins, followed by a sharp stab of guilt. Yet I can’t deny how I want him to keep looking at me like that.

He clears his throat. “Well, I should probably drop these papers inside,” he says after a moment, standing up. “It’s far too hot to be out here in these clothes.”

My mind swirls at the thought of him shedding those layers. I manage a tight smile. “Sure, go ahead. The back door’s open.”

Dane heads toward the sliding door, picking up the folder. He pauses and glances over his shoulder. “Don’t get toosunburned,” he teases, the corner of his mouth tilting into a slight smile.

I laugh lightly, but it comes out more breathy than I intend. “I’ll try not to. You should come in.”

His eyes lock on mine. “Maybe I will.” When he steps inside, I release the breath I’ve been holding. My heart thumps so loudly it nearly drowns out the buzz of the cicadas. One part of me wants to follow him, to see if the tension crackles even more in a confined space. Another part screams that this is insane. He’s older, my dad’s best friend, and definitely out of bounds. But the memory of his gaze tracing over my bikini-clad body is stamped in my mind, sending a flush of heat through me that has nothing to do with the sun.

Shaking my head, I paddle slowly to the other side of the pool. This is such dangerous territory. Yet I can’t stop the rush of excitement coursing through me. There’s a thrill in flirting with the line, even though common sense begs me to keep my distance.

I sigh and float on my back, letting the sunlight warm my face. A thousand questions jostle around in my head: Is this all in my imagination? Is he just being kind? Or is he looking at me the way I think he’s looking at me? And if he is, what on earth do I do about it?

The water cradles me, and I let my eyes drift shut, if only to keep from overthinking. For now, I’ll enjoy the pool and the hush of an empty house. Whatever this is, I’m going to have to figure it out fast—before I dive in over my head.

6

Dane

I step into the house, the folder of documents forgotten on the kitchen counter, and glance through the sliding glass doors leading to the backyard. Sienna’s still in the pool, the sunlight glinting off the water around her. Even at a distance, I can see how her skin shimmers with beads of water. My pulse picks up, the heat in my chest intensifying—though I can’t entirely blame the weather.

I shrug off my shirt, folding it neatly over the back of a chair. The rational part of my brain keeps screaming that this is unwise, that I should just drop off the papers and go. But I can’t help myself; I’m drawn to her like a magnet. My hands shake a little as I unbuckle my belt and step out of my slacks. All that’s left is my boxer briefs, which cling uncomfortably close. I hesitate for a half second, then glance out at Sienna again. She’s floating near the pool’s edge, seemingly unaware of my presence. I take a breath and slide open the glass door.

The warm air hits my skin, quickly followed by the sun’s scorching rays. Sienna turns at the sound of my footsteps.Her gaze drops—inevitably—to the fact that I’m wearing almost nothing. I sense the flicker of shock and something else in her wide eyes, and my heart lurches into my throat.

I manage a small smile. “This okay?”

She swallows, blinking. “Uh… sure. Yes.”

Her voice is tight, laced with surprise and maybe a hint of anticipation. It fuels me, even though I know how close to the line we’re treading. I move toward the pool, stepping carefully down the shallow steps. The water’s cooler than I expected, and I tense slightly before sinking in up to my waist.

Sienna clears her throat, gliding a bit closer. I catch a glimpse of her black bikini—how it hugs her body. It takes every ounce of willpower not to let my eyes linger too long.

“Working hard, I see,” she teases, her tone lighter than her gaze.

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