Page 4 of Watched By My Dad's Best Friend

“Sophie,” he sighs. “You don’t—”

“No, no, I get it. Let’s go. It’s present time.” I stand up and quickly settle in on the window bench seat next to the wrapped gifts. Opening each one, a part of me wants to cry as I try to figure out how a man can be so sweet and kind, yet so rude and cold? The thought weighs heavy in mind as I unbox a new e-reader, a pair of limited edition Louis Vuitton sneakers and a gorgeous three-tier pearl necklace with red and black ribbons dangling from the top of it. It’s incredibly sexy, and I absolutely love it.

“Thank you, Leo. This isgorgeous.”

He nods as if he’s just doing his job. “There’s also one more,” he tells me and taps on the black and gold envelope at my side.

I open it up to find a certificate for a private day of shopping at my favorite designer boutique. I can’t help but light up, though not only is this all so perfect but it’s all so painfully heartbreaking. Everything is…well, platonic.

“Thank you, Leo. Seriously. Thank you for everything.” I stand and wrap him in another hug because it’s the only thing I can offer him that he’ll seem to want to accept.

For now.

“No need to thank me. You deserve it all, Soph. I just hope you got everything you wanted this year.”

“Almost…” I say softly. “Good night, Leo.” I hurry away and up to my room, brainstorming the next course of action here. Dad will be out of town for two whole weeks which should leave plenty of time to make Leo fall in love with me.

Or make him run off from what I’m trying to offer him…but either way, I’ll have my answer soon.

I hope.

4

LEO

“Your focus should beon nothing but this deal, Ryan,” I grumble into the phone. “Don’t fuck this up.”

Ryan isn’t known to fuck up, not really. If he was, then I would’ve killed the bastard years ago. He’s just lazy, constantly searching for the easy way out no matter what the hell it is. It’s why he’s so willing to let me take the lead and bear the risks when it comes to business.

And Sophie.

But Ryan is the charmer in this mix, the handshake man who can get us into any room on the planet and I’m the one who comes in and closes the deal. It’s why I’m the better protector for Sophie. I don’t let her get away with shit and her safety is my foremost concern. Always.

“I hear ya, man. Tomorrow we’ll meet to test the guns and the next day the additional weaponry. But by Thursday the deal will be closed, I promise. And as for me, I’ll be drunk and covered in young pussy.”

A laugh escapes me as I shake my head at my oldest friend. After his divorce, he was a shell of a man. So having him knee-deep in pussy is an improvement I’ll admit.

“Alright then. Well have fun, man.”

“You too,” he replies. “And tell Sophie I love her.”

I squint, wondering who the hell I’m talking to now. It’s not like Ryan is a bad father but he is an absent one who can think of amillionbetter things to do than raise his own daughter.

I end the call and push away from the desk in desperate need of coffee. As soon as I open the office door I smell Egyptian roast, and on that note I follow the scent to the kitchen where I’m brought up short by the sight of Sophie bending over the counter with a steaming mug of coffee in her hand, eyes focused on her e-reader.Holy hell.

And that’s not even the worst part…it’s the barely there skirt that’s putting miles of smooth legs on display. What’s with her and skirts? Does she own anything else, goddammit? My fingers itch to touch those legs, to find out just how silky smooth they are but I damn well know Ican’t.

“Morning,” she says in a chipper voice, catching me off guard as I rip my gaze off her legs and find the smile on her lips.

“Morning,” I grumble. The woman is too tempting to ignore. Especially when wearing that scrap of fabric she’s in. “Where’s the rest of it?” I point at her skirt on my way to the coffee pot.

Sophie laughs, the bubbly sound causing my cock to twitch. “Is there a problem?”

Yeah, huge one. All I can think about is burying my face and cock between those sweet thighs. “It’s too fucking short.”

“Funny you should say that,” she damn near purrs. “I was hoping I could go shopping today. A nice man I know bought me a shopping spree for myeighteenthbirthday...” Her eyes sparkle and she licks her lips.

“No,” I grunt.

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