Page 6 of Boss Daddy
Noah
By the time I leave my office, the place is empty and eerily quiet. No more music and laughter coming from Elijah and Tilly. No. I managed to stop that dead in its tracks.Fuck. What is wrong with me?I don’t know what it is, but I’m struggling to control myself around that girl. Everything about her is like a beacon calling to me, but whether it’s a safety beacon or a warning beacon, I have no idea. I just know that I feel crazy whenever I’m near her. And that’s not normal for me.
I’m supposed to be the guy in control.
As I lock up, I berate myself internally, because I’m old enough to be her father, and I have no business thinking the things I’m thinking about her. Besides, why on earth would a sweet thing like her even look twice at an old man like me? I’ve got rocks in my head if I even entertain the idea of claiming that girl as my own. Not only is it completely inappropriate since I’m her boss, but my two boys would probably be disgusted with me too. They’re nineteen and twenty-two, so they’d come home for Father’s Day next month and meet her then it’d be awkward as fuck because it’d feel like I was dating one of their friends.Father’s Day? Meeting my kids? Dating?Fuck. I can’t believe I’m even trying to reason this out. It’s a hard no. She’s off-limits.
Pulling into the street from behind the bar, I look both ways and catch a lone figure walking up the street—an unmistakable figure. Tilly. It’s one o’clock in the fucking morning. What the hell is she doing walking these streets alone?
Turning in her direction, I curse myself under my breath for what I’m about to do, but really, what choice do I have? She’s a twenty-one-year-old woman out at night alone. I’d be remiss if I allowed this to go on. It’s not safe out there.Although I’m not so sure it’s safe alone in here with me either….
“Tilly.” I wind the passenger window down as I slow to a crawl beside her. “Can I give you a ride?”
“Oh, Noah,” she says, wrapping her arms around her middle as she shifts from foot to foot. She seems like she’s freezing. “I’m OK to walk. It’s only a few blocks.”
“Then it’ll be even less out of my way. Get in. I won’t take no for an answer.” I lean across the console and push the door open for her. She presses her lips together then relents and gets in.
“Thank you. This is mighty kind of you.”
“It’s no problem. Can’t let the only employee I have who knows how to mix drinks get mugged.”
She chuckles as she settles in her seat. It’s a musical sound that I find myself wishing to hear more of. “Not that I have much on me to steal.”
“You don’t have your tip money?”
“Oh, no. I asked Elijah to put it in the safe for me. I don’t like keeping cash in the house.”
She flashes me a nervous smile when I shoot her a curious glance.Why can’t she keep cash at her house?
“Anyway, thank you for this. I just had my car fixed, but it seems the old girl has given up on life. Couldn’t get her to start.”
“That was your Wrangler out back?” I ask.
“Held together with duct tape and chewing gum,” she replies, smiling as her fingers twist nervously at her hair. “Take a right up here.”
I do as she says, sneaking glances at her as often as I can while trying to search for something to say that doesn’t involve me telling her how beautiful I think she is and how I think she looks like an angel when the moonlight touches her hair.
“I want to apologize about how I reacted to you dancing tonight,” I say, clearing my throat. “I was out of line coming down on you so hard.”
“Oh...I don’t mind. I mean, I get it. You need me working the bar.”
I nod slowly, pretending like that’s the real reason for it. “What do you want to study at college? You said you were saving.”
“I’d like to study psychology. I want to help people. Families and kids in particular.”
“Noble.”
“Not really when they pay you for it.” She smiles and points up ahead. “That’s my building up there. The gray one.”
The building looks as rundown as her car. Since moving here, I’ve never been to this side of town before. Now I understand why she’s saving for college. It’ll be her way out of here.I remember feeling that way myself.
“Thanks for tonight,” I say as I pull to a stop across the street. “You saved me from having to work the bar myself for a change.”
“Happy to do it,” she says, flashing that gorgeous smile my way again as she places her hand on the door. “It was actually fun, watchin’ all the girls up there dancing.”
“I didn’t me—”
“No.” She reaches out and puts a hand on my arm. “I’m not saying that because I wish it was me too. I’m actually happiernotbeing the center of attention. I was just saying you run a cool place, is all.” When she pulls her hand back, I have to stop myself from grabbing it and putting it back.
“I’m glad you had a good first night.” I twist my mouth into some sort of a smile, awkward and strained while I fight the screaming of my body,take her!
“Well, thanks again for driving me,” she says, popping the door open. She pushes it maybe a foot then promptly closes it again.
“Something wrong?” I lean around her as she presses herself up against the seat Like she’s hiding from somebody. I spot a couple drunkenly leaning against each other as they laugh and try to get into the front door of the building. “Do you know those people?”
“My mom and whoever it is she decided to bring home tonight.” She presses her hands against her thighs and lets out a breath. “Do you mind if we wait a few minutes? If it’s a bother, I can wait outside until they… finish.”
I sit back and put the truck into gear, chuckling in disbelief. “Fuck that, angel. You’re comin’ home with me instead.”
