Page 60 of Strictly Business

“Ah yes. Right there,” I say and then I can’t say anything else because my tongue is otherwise engaged with Wyatt’s tongue.

I reach down and open his trousers and that’s when the front door opens, and my dad walks in. I know it’s him a second before he’s in the room because he’s already lecturing me about my front door being unlocked.

Fuck. The one time I don’t lock the front door. And the one time I ignore the doorbell instead of feeling rude and opening the door and then having to try and politely get rid of whoever is there trying to sell me something.

Wyatt and I jump apart like we are suddenly repelled by each other, but it’s far too late for my dad to think anything is happening here other than what was happening – something I very much didn’t want him to know. With Wyatt’s shirt open, his hands desperately fastening his trousers, and my hair all over the place and the redness around my lips, you would have to be blind not to see what was right there in front of you.

I realize my dad’s lecture kind of stopped when he saw what was going on and I dare to glance at him. I feel like time has stopped but really it hasn’t, and I see my dad running at Wyatt.

“Dad. Stop,” I say, but he doesn’t take any notice of me.

“You bastard. She was meant to be safe with you,” my dad roars at Wyatt.

“She is safe with me,” Wyatt says as he ducks back to avoid my dad’s swinging fists.

I hate this. My dad and my partner fighting like this can’t end well. One of them will end up hurt and I don’t want either of them to be hurt, especially not when they are fighting about me. I move closer to them and get between them and then I put a palm on each of their chests and push them apart.

“Enough,” I shout, trying to stop the fight before it really gets going.

I know I’m not strong enough to really hold them apart, so the fact they don’t go for each other again shows that neither of them wants me to end up in the crossfire and I will use that to my advantage if it kicks off again.

“I think you should leave,” my dad says to Wyatt.

“No,” I say. “He’s not going anywhere.”

My dad opens his mouth to argue with me and I shake my head. I sigh and go on.

“Look this isn’t the way I wanted you to find out about this, but it’s not some random fling, Dad. I … I am in love with Wyatt. He’s the one, and I want to be with him forever,” I say.

Wyatt takes my hand in his and squeezes it gently. For a second, I see my dad’s anger flare up but then it seems to subside again.

“It’s true Martin,” Wyatt says. “Honestly. I feel the same way about her. I love her so much and I would never hurt her. You have to believe that.”

For a moment, no one says anything, and it occurs to me that that’s the first time Wyatt and I have told each other that we love each other. It really wasn’t the way I expected it to be, but I’m just happy to hear that my feelings aren’t one sided.

My dad breaks the spell and moves, sitting down heavily in the middle of the couch. He shakes his head and then looks at Wyatt and then at me and then he shakes his head again.

“This isn’t real. It can’t be. My little girl …” he says.

I go and sit down beside him and put my hand on his arm.

“I know in your eyes I will always be your little girl, but I’m a grown woman Dad,” I say. “And I can make my own decisions about who I do or don’t date. I know you’re not going to like it, but can you at least accept it? Please?”

It’s important to me that my dad at least tries to get on board with my relationship with Wyatt. He’s my only parent and I don’t want to lose him as well.

“Dad?” I prompt after a moment.

He sighs and rubs his hands over his face.

“I apologize for going to hit you,” he says to Wyatt.

“No worries,” Wyatt said. “I probably would have reacted the same myself with the shock of finding out like that.”

“I don’t know if I will ever be fully ok with this, but I promise I will try to be,” he says to me. He sighs again. “I mean I guess if you’re going to grow up and be with someone, it may as well be Wyatt than some stranger. At least I know that he will treat you right.”

“Thank you,” I say. “For trying I mean. It means a lot to me.”

My dad puts his arm around my shoulders and gives me a squeeze and then he focuses on Wyatt again.

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