A big thanks to slipperywhenwet_ and ParadiseTales and all the other editors who gave me feedback!
*****
James was in the kitchen when he heard his dog barking in the front yard. It was a faint sound compared to the pouring rain that pelted the roof and the wind that whipped the windows. According to the forecast, it was supposed to be a warm and sunny day but by noon, storm clouds had blanketed the sky and unleashed a wild torrent of thunder, lightning and freezing cold rain.
"Daddy! Open the freaking door! I'm getting soaked!" James' 18-year-old daughter, Dawn yelled from the front porch. "Hurry up! I forgot my key!"
James rushed to the door and in his haste; he flung it open with more force than necessary. It banged against the side of the house and before he could reel it back in, their Saint Bernard, Max, bounded into the kitchen.
"Dad!" Dawn shrieked in annoyance as she ran inside after the rain-soaked dog.
"Shit! Sorry, I didn't mean to let him in."
Dawn dropped her book bag on the floor and lunged for Max. He darted past her and into the living room tracking large, muddy paw prints all over the beige carpet.
James tried to assist in the capture of the rambunctious mutt but the dog was sneaky, as if he'd been planning his revenge for being left in the rain all day.
He made several rounds around the house before Dawn cornered him in the den.
She curled her fingers around his slippery collar and gave it a yank, but Max reared back his head, causing Dawn to fall to her knees and collide with his wet, massive body. If that wasn't bad enough he picked that moment to shake his thick fur coat, drenching her with mud and rain water.
"MAX!"
James leaned back against the doorframe and couldn't stop laughing when he saw his daughter sitting on the ground wearing nothing but a grumpy face and muddy school clothes.
"Here, I'll put the dog out back." He grinned, reaching for Max. "He can sleep in his dog house and think about what an evil beast he's been."
After he let the dog out, James walked back into the den.
"Honey, do you..." His voice trailed off as if it was his final breath and he froze in place.
Dawn had stood up and was wringing water out of her long, blond hair. Little droplets of water rolled down her slender neck and seeped into the fabric of her shirt.
He couldn't tear his eyes away from her ample chest.
Her cotton top clung to her perky breasts and her small nipples were erect. He sucked in a sharp breath and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed his growing lust.
"Ugh! I'm all wet!"
"I don't see what the big deal is. You're on the swim team, you should be used to it by now." James teased with a grin on his face.
"I'm covered in muddy, dirty water! It's not the same as being in the pool!" She huffed, before a wicked smile crossed her lips.
Running forward, she gave him a big hug, deliberately soaking his shirt in return. The cold water hit his skin but he didn't mind her playful nature. Goosebumps covered her bare skin and she was shivering in his arms but all he could focus on were the two puckered buds poking into his chest.
"Next time, you get the dog!"
He released her and when he looked down at her, her aqua-colored eyes sparkled in the light.
"Hey, I'm going to get out of these wet clothes and take a hot shower."
"Yeah, thanks for sharing the wealth, I have to change my shirt now." He tugged a strand of her hair before she headed for the bathroom.
***
James could hear the shower running upstairs and his thoughts drifted to his daughter while he cooked dinner.
Dawn was gorgeous and he wasn't just saying that because he was her father. Her beauty rivaled Aphrodite herself. Her porcelain complexion was flawless. Her smile was dazzling white and her pale pink lips were always shiny with cherry lip gloss. She had a cute button nose and her aqua-colored eyes could penetrate the soul. She was graceful, like a rippling stream, and her body was nicely toned, sculpted by years of swimming. If she had a tail and a shell bodice, she'd make a sexy mermaid.
Not only was she beautiful but she radiated with light. She was kind-hearted and had a good head on her shoulders. She got good grades and wanted to become a pediatrician so that she could help kids.
If his wife hadn't have passed away from cancer last year, she would have cheered her on all the way. She would have been so proud of their daughter.
***
An hour later, James placed a hot plate of bacon, macadamia nut pancakes and two large glasses of orange juice on the table.
Dawn loved breakfast food for dinner, and since he had the night off from his landscaping job, he'd wanted to surprise her with her favorite dish.
The distinct sound of Dawn running downstairs made him cross his arms. He only heard such rapid succession of footsteps pounding the stairs when she was excited to do something that he disapproved of.
When she hurtled into the kitchen, he looked her over with a critical eye.
She wasn't wearing her fleece pajamas or fuzzy bunny slippers like he'd expected.
Instead, she dressed up, and her lilac shampoo filled the kitchen. She was wearing makeup; what she had called "smoldering smoky" eye shadow and "fire red" lipstick. Her hair was a sleek golden veil that hung down her back and her attire consisted of a sheer halter top, a pair of sparkly high heels and a red mini skirt that kept crawling up her thighs.
Dawn was beaming; her cheeks flushed with color.
"Why in the world are you dressed like that?" James asked as his eyes wandered over her ripe, young body.
"I have to eat and run. Candice won two free tickets to see the band "Evermore" tonight. She invited me, which is so awesome because they're sold out! I'm so excited!" She clapped her hands before readjusting her see-thru top. "You don't have to wait up. I'm going to spend the night at Candice's house. I already packed a bag."
"A concert?" He was still downloading the image of her half naked body in his mind. Shit. He needed to focus. "It's a school night." He frowned, leaning against the counter and crossing his arms.
"I know."
"So, then you know that you're not going anywhere."
"Daddy! Tomorrow is Friday and a half day. Classes will be dead." She anxiously tugged on the silver locket that he'd bought her last Christmas.
"No. I don't want you to waste your education."
"Please, let me go! It's one night! I love that band."