Foreplay: This is basically a short daddy/ daughter story from the daughter's viewpoint and has hardly any graphic language. It shows how much, within 24 hours, life and relationships can change.
*****
"Oh come on, Denise, it's a free trial - it won't cost you a penny and several of us go already so you won't be on your own." This was the fourth or fifth time Geraldine had tried to talk me into joining the gym.
"Yes," added Caroline, "And they're mixed sessions too, so you get to see some fit blokes as a bonus."
"Mixed showers as well," chipped in Geraldine, then after too long a pause, "NOT!"
I'd had both of the girls on at me to join. If I put either of their names down on the application then they got a tenner off the extras, such as a spa treatment at the new gym. With money being tight, not enough people were joining for the gym to make a profit. The recruitment drive was on; I got one month's free membership and if I joined my colleagues, one of them got the voucher.
"No commitment," added Carolyne, "Give it a try and you'll feel great."
I remained unconvinced but the two bugged me so much I gave in. "OK, OK, I'll see you there Sunday morning." I'd finally relented, which was another bad move as I always had a lie in at the weekend, daddy bringing me coffee in bed and hoping the caffeine would un-numb my brain and coax me into waking up. Daddy had done that most Saturdays and Sundays for as long as I could remember, usually followed by a full English breakfast when I arrived downstairs. Funny, I thought, because my brother never got the same treatment.
Giles had just turned 14 and was the family swot, his head always in a book and always in the top 5 of his year at school. He was 'mummy's pet' - my term, because he could always wangle anything he wanted. Mum wanted one of us to go to uni and there was a pot of invested money to pay towards either of us achieving a university place, plus an extra pot from grandma's legacy, which together could see us through without much student debt to follow.
I was different. I got through school on my wits and by forging letters from mum to get out of sports and exercise, with the exception of swimming - the only sport I loved. Now 19, almost 20, I had an office job thanks to daddy's business contacts. OK, I had to start at the bottom as a gofer and work my way up; my first year as a typist was filled with 'go for' this and 'go for' that, including the bun run to the local baker's shop just before mid-morning coffee break, the time I loved the best.
I've always been daddy's darling and I know, from my friends, that I wasn't alone. Although I wouldn't consider myself being beautiful I suppose it's just the natural way of life that most females attract males and vice versa. Where Giles, my brother, gets praise and treats from mum for success at school, daddy's always treating me to chocolates and new clothes for no reason whatsoever.
Sunday morning I was already awake when daddy brought my regular cup of coffee. Unfortunately I was out of bed; I'd just taken off my PJ's and only had my knickers on when he opened my bedroom door.
"Oh heavens," he said, "Sorry I didn't know ..." His words trailed off. Although he turned around just after he'd had an eyeful of my tits, I was still caught by surprise.
"Couldn't you knock first? I replied, angrily.
"I'm really sorry," he repeated, turning back towards me, his eyes roving about. His fast moving eyes gave him away and he now also knew what knickers I'd slept in. A stare from me meant he turned again and quickly retreated, the coffee slopping on to the carpet.
I grabbed a sweater and held it in front of me, "It's OK now," I said, still stressed at the sudden embarrassment. He hastily moved to put the cup on my bedside table and left in a fluster.
I was downstairs a couple of minutes later and he already had breakfast on the go.
"I guess I hadn't realised how beautiful you are," he said awkwardly, picking my plate from the plate warmer. "What would you like?"
I'm sure I blushed, "Thank you," was all I could think of, "But I'm still annoyed, and I don't want much before I go out. Bacon and a slice of toast will do fine."
He poured me another cup of black coffee, putting his hand on my shoulder as he placed it next to my plate on the table. "I'm sorry," he said, putting his other hand on the opposite shoulder, at the same time rubbing his thumbs on the muscles just behind. It felt good, as it always did when I was stressed and the muscles tense.
"Quit that, I'm not in the mood," I lied. It always felt good when he did that, whether I was tense or not. Daddy made no reply and the air was also tense as I left, sports bag in hand, to catch the bus.
On the way to town my anger gradually eased. I should have reminded daddy that I'd made arrangements to meet up with the others. I should also have remembered that sometimes when he brought me coffee up, every weekend, my PJ top wasn't always buttoned up, especially in summer. Hell, I owed him - he'd always been so good to me. I admit there'd been times when mum was out I'd sat on his lap to give a quick kiss, and he'd told me how much he loved me.
"Hi Denise," chimed both the girls I worked with, you didn't chicken out!"
I smiled a false smile, filled in the application, gave my credit card details (in case I decided to stay after the free month), signed the rules and disclaimer form and followed my very fit personal trainer towards the equipment.
"Just take it steady to start with," he said, "And tell me when you're ready for the next exercise."
Being stubborn and determined to make the best of my first visit I guess I tried too hard. Of course, I felt I had to keep up with the others but I hadn't thought it through. My trainer had other members to care for and as he was busy I just copied what the others were doing.
"How did it go?" Geraldine asked, in the showers afterwards.
"Fine," I answered, "My legs and arms are a little tired but I'm OK." To be honest, the warm shower water was helping to ease the aches. I stood for several minutes just letting the water soothe me. Eyes closed, lost in my own thoughts, lather from the scented shower gel gently tickling my skin, I began to think more about daddy. The gentleness but sureness of his neck massages never failed to ease those tensed muscles. More than that they even sent messages to way inside me, making me feel good, making me sometimes feel horny.
I suddenly pulled my fingers away from their target, the sound of Geraldine's voice ringing in my ear. "Hey, daydreamer. Don't take all day, we're going to the cafe. Are you coming?"
"Sorry," I said, knowing I'd been totally absorbed in thinking of daddy. "I'm OK thanks. I'll be having lunch soon."
"And miss out on all the gossip?"
"I'll survive," I quipped back. That was me, the survivor. If there were 19 available hunky men in a room and 20 girls, I would be the one to survive without a man. Although I'd had boyfriends, it was a role I'd played many times.
On the bus home I scolded myself for being so abrupt. Hell, daddy had seen me in a bikini and even in bra and knickers a couple of times ... except that this morning I was still wearing the briefest of knickers from the night out before. In summer there had been several times when my PJ top was unbuttoned and even with the bed cover pulled up he could have caught more than a glimpse of my tits as I reached for the coffee. The steady smooth movement of the bus, and the energy I'd expended at the gym lulled me into thinking more. Would daddy have been turned on seeing my tits? My knickers? I giggled, keeping my eyes shut, hoping other passengers might not wonder what I found so funny. I mean, well, I had plenty of breast to look at and I knew daddy loved leering at the buxom barmaid at our local. Sure, seeing my tits would have pleased him.
I quickly looked around. Everyone else had the same bored look as on any bus journey. I shut my eyes again, sneaking my hand down to where it might satisfy the sudden warm feelings I had down there, wondering if daddy had got hard seeing me there, scant knickers, bare tits. I moved my bag on to my lap, hoping that at the next stops no-one would get on and sit next to me. My fingers moved slowly closer until I felt that familiar feeling in the place I'd often visited before. The bus suddenly jerked, the driver shouting annoyance at an inconsiderate van driver and bringing me back to my senses, though leaving me with a longing to finish what I'd started.
By the time I'd walked the short distance from my stop to our house I'd regained control. It was well after lunch that I'd chance to talk to daddy alone in my room, mum on the sofa sleeping off Sunday lunch and my brother running off his lunch playing football.
"I'm sorry," I began, "I was out of order."