Together in Loneliness

If you would take the time to comment on what you liked/didn't like I would appreciate it. This is my second story and I'm trying to find out how to better craft these fantasies for people. To be clear up-front. This is a slow burner of a story. I'm attempting to establish the characters and their relationships a bit before diving into the smut 🙂

-Thanks Berg

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Prologue

I'm over forty and a widower with two beautiful twin girls: Julie, or Jules, my 18-year-old athletic volleyball player, and Allison, or Ally, my bookworm engineering phenom who takes after me in a lot of ways. I've worked hard my whole life to provide for my girls, and when Emily was alive, they never wanted for anything.

I know my girls might say I've been an absent father, but they've never gone without. Still, I can't help but feel like there's more I could be doing for them, and I love them deeply. I give them everything I can when I do have time for them, which, as you can imagine, hasn't left me with much time for anything else.

In the eight years since Emily passed, I've been on three dates--and only two of those ended in a kiss. Each time, I found the woman and the timing to be wrong, with my busy life and demanding work often getting in the way. It was probably my work that led to the summer that changed my daughters' and my lives.

I'm an engineer, like Ally. I work on creating machine learning models that design things like aircraft structural components. It's the kind of work that most people don't understand, but it pays well. Since no one really gets what I do, I'm usually left to my own devices. And that's probably why all the craziness started with Ally.

That summer, Ally was interning at my company. She was working on her thesis, focusing on neural network architecture for design optimization. I was going to supervise her work directly, and we were both excited about the prospect of spending more time together. I couldn't wait to share this part of my life with her.

Jules, though, had other plans. She was more interested in going to the beach with her friends and spending nights out with her boyfriend, Tyler. Now, I'm not exactly a fan of Tyler. What dad is a fan of the boyfriend your daughter refuses to introduce to you? But I knew Jules was tough and had a good head on her shoulders, so I didn't interfere too much. She'd always be my baby girl, no matter how grown up she got.

Chapter I

It was Ally and my first day of work, and I was getting frustrated, to say the least. I woke up at 5 a.m. every morning, went for a 3-mile run, and was out of the shower and ready to head out the door by 6:30 a.m. But now, it was 6:55, and Ally was still in the shower.

"Allison Sophia! Get your butt in gear, girl!" I called as sternly as I could manage from the other side of the door.

Steam poured out from the crack beneath the door, thick enough to look like it had been coming from a molten-hot shower. She must not have latched the door all the way, because the edges creaked open slightly at my knock. I reflexively drew my eyes away from the light and steam billowing from the slight opening, but in that brief glance, I caught a glimpse of something beautiful.

Blurred by the intervening mist, I saw my daughter moving lithely as she toweled off her curves. The naked pink flesh or her firm heart shaped butt was right before me. I was transfixed. Stunned into immobility by something I hadn't seen in... well in the flesh, in a very long time. Without turning, she responded to my prodding.

"I'm almost done Dad! Give me a few more minutes." she began to turn towards the door, continuing to dry every nook and cranny of her young tight body, and I thought it a good time to retreat.

I walked back into the kitchen, stopping for only a moment to adjust the tent in my pants. I grabbed myself the two slices of rye toast and my coffee and tried to push what I had seen out of my head.

It was difficult, though. Both of my daughters were beautiful. I knew it, and so did every man with a pulse. Allison was a brunette, her hair cascading down to the small of her back. Her hips were noticeably wider than her shoulders, and her breasts were certainly too large to hide. I'd always loved Allison's alabaster skin--it was something we probably shared in abundance, thanks to our mutual aversion to the outdoors.

Julie, though, was something else entirely. Her hair, like Ally's, was dark, but hers was cut shorter and usually pulled up into a tight bun. Her thighs were strong--capable of crushing bowling balls if she wanted--and I often found myself imagining scenes to match that strength. In contrast to Ally, her skin was bronzed from all the time she spent at the beach and outdoors. She was toned, where Ally was slim, and the dimples of her smile were almost a permanent feature on her round face.

My daughters had certainly grown over the last few years, and while I noticed them--like any man might notice a woman--I had always kept a respectful distance, grounding any feelings of desire beneath the love of a parent. But now, with the summer ahead of us, I was going to be working alongside one of them--constantly in close proximity to a young, healthy, and undeniably attractive woman.

"Shit!" I muttered as the realization hit me. Just in time for Jules to prance into the kitchen in her booty shorts and a cut-off t-shirt.

"What was that, daddy?" she asked, her smile lighting up the room as she looked at me.

"Oh, nothing, honey. Coffee was still hot." I tried to cover lamely.

She dipped her long finger into the cup she'd just poured for herself. "It's not that bad, daddy. You big baby." Her smile never left her eyes, and I struggled to keep my gaze locked on hers.

"You know your old man is a pussy, honey." I joked back, trying to force my mind onto other things.

She just shrugged, taking a swig of her coffee--no doubt lukewarm--and replied, "You're tough enough to put up with us two heathens."

"I do not claim to be nor have I ever been a heathen." Allison's no-nonsense voice came from the hallway as she rounded the corner. "Get some clothes on, Jules," she said, rolling her eyes for emphasis.

"Daddy doesn't mind. Do you, daddy?" Jules teased, walking over to me and playfully bumping her hip against mine.

"To be fair, Ally, I usually don't see Jules in the morning. I'm usually on my way to work by now." Jules snorted into her coffee, splashing some onto the kitchen counter.

Allison's face turned red with embarrassment. "I know, dad. I'm sorry we're running late. I'm not used to waking up this early." Her tone was the one both girls always used to melt me into a puddle of mush that they could easily manipulate.

But not today. I loved my girls, but I also had a job to do--to put a roof over their heads and clothes on their backs. "Don't care, Ally cat. You need to get your butt out of bed and moving before I get back from my run. You can't afford to be late, young lady."

"I know, dad. I'm sorry. It won't happen again." She walked the short distance between us, her professional pumps clacking on the tile, and wrapped her arms around me. Her breath tickled my neck, and I placed my hands on her waist to return the gesture.

"Aww, Ally stayed up too late playing video games again?" Jules teased, her words always relentless when directed at her sister--though she was the only one allowed to pick on Ally.

I knew we didn't have time for the back-and-forth that was threatening to boil over. "Jules, shut it. Ally, do better. And let's go. You don't have time to make breakfast." I handed her the last slice of my toast and the half-full cup of coffee I still had. "Eat in the car, hun."

Chapter II

We pulled into the office parking lot exactly five minutes late, which wasn't the best first impression on Ally's part. I drove like a man possessed to get her here on time, but the laws of physics only allow for so much. I felt guilty, though I knew I shouldn't. My boss typically didn't care if I showed up on time--or even if I showed up at all. She just cared that I produced results.

I reached into the backseat and grabbed my laptop bag, a gift from Emily when I first landed this job. It had hand-embroidered stitching with my initials and was made of fine cowhide leather. It was one of my most prized possessions, and I took it with me every day. But with time, the seams were starting to fray. The leather was distressed, worn in places, especially along the bottom, where I'd slide it around on my desk or in and out of the car. I knew that soon, I'd have to replace it, and when that time came, it would be one of the most painful things I'd ever do.

The bag was beginning to show the wear of daily use--the same way I was starting to notice the subtle wear in my relationship with my daughters. Each day, it felt like the distance between us grew just a little wider, and no matter how hard I tried to be there for them, to be present, it never felt like enough. Today was supposed to be a significant step in mending that--getting Ally some professional recognition at my company, letting her take a step toward becoming the capable woman I knew she could be. But here we were... five minutes late.

"Don't forget your badge, hun. They won't let you past the doors without it." I watched as she settled the lanyard around her neck, the photo ID nestled just between the soft curve of her breasts.

"Got it, Dad," she said, a slight hint of nervous energy creeping into her voice.

"When we're at work, hun, you have to call me Mr. Benson." I raised an eyebrow, making sure she understood.

"I know, da--uh, Mr. Benson. As long as you don't call me Ally, or Ally cat, or..."

"I get it, sweetheart." I cut her off before she could rattle off all the nicknames I had for both of my daughters.

"Or sweetheart!" she smirked, the nervous energy draining away as she looked up at me.

"You're absolutely right, young Miss Benson." I got out of the car before she could reply, walking toward the front of the nondescript office building on Progress Way. I smiled as I heard the rapid clacking of her pumps on the asphalt, her steps quickening to catch up with me.

We crossed into the building, each of us holding our badges to the reader on the inner door, and were greeted by Nate at the security desk. He was a young kid, probably a year or so younger than my daughter, and I'd always thought of him as a sweet boy, just working here until he figured out what he wanted to do with his life.

"Hey, Mr. B!" he greeted with his usual chipper tone.

"Hey, Nate. How's your mom?" I crossed over to the desk, grabbed the clipboard to sign in, and allowed him to search my laptop bag.

"She's doing okay, sir," he replied, his tone dropping. "Still feeling under the weather after the flu got a hold of her." I stepped aside, letting Allison sidle up to the counter to go through the same routine.

As soon as she stepped in front of me, Nate's eyes grew as big as saucers. I swear, if cartoon physics applied, his eyes would have popped out of his skull and his tongue would have hit the floor. A flare of something hit me at the sight of his desire for my daughter.

It was like liquid fire coursing through my veins--anger? Hatred? Jealousy? I couldn't tell, and to be honest, it startled me. I knew my daughters turned heads, but here was a boy who could actually compete for my daughter's affections. I could feel my teeth grinding, my jaw popping with the tension that I didn't know how to shake.

Allison, for her part, didn't notice Nate's wolfish, juvenile stare. "Allison. Let me show you to the office," I said, drawing both their heads my way, though my eyes stayed locked on Nate's face, a dangerous glint shining through.

Allison's cheeks flushed a subtle shade of crimson as she glanced between Nate and me, unsure of the quiet exchange of looks, though I was sure she knew it had something to do with her. My hand moved to the small of her back, guiding her through the turnstile at the side of Nate's security desk.

I knew it was an unprofessional move--one that would raise eyebrows if it were anyone else, but I had to make it clear to Nate that Allison wasn't his.

I had no idea where these feelings were coming from and I couldn't just stop to analyze them. We moved toward the office, my hand still resting possessively on the small of her back. The rouge on Allison's cheeks never faded. She was pliant, her earlier insistence on professional boundaries forgotten, willing to let me lead her now.

When we entered what those of us at the office lovingly referred to as "the pit," my hand brushed briefly over the curve of her bubble butt before returning to my side. Her eyes stayed fixed ahead, not acknowledging what I'd done, and I felt a strange relief at that.

The office itself was standard--open floor plan with desks paired and facing each other, while offices lined the perimeter. The "priority personnel" had desks outside their doors, with women sitting at them, working diligently on the meaningless tasks their bosses had handed them. I headed toward one of those offices, opposite of where we stood.

A woman in her thirties, with wavy auburn hair, glanced over her glasses at me as I approached. Her smile, like it always did, brightened when it landed on me. She stood up and came around her desk to greet me in that familiar way I often had to publicly scold her for, but secretly enjoyed. When she stood, her blouse stretched tight across her bust, revealing the black lace bra I often imagined her wearing during the times I thought about her--alone, in my head. Her skirt, which I was pretty sure I'd told her not to wear to the office, rode up her thigh as she moved toward me, exposing the tops of her stockings, the garters struggling to hold them up.

She wrapped her arms around me, squeezing tighter than I'd expected. "Mr. Benson, good morning, sir," she said in that southern twang I couldn't help but find appealing. Then her gaze shifted to Allison, and her smile grew even brighter. "And Ally cat. I was so glad when your daddy told me you were coming to work with us. It's been too long since I've seen you, hun." She brushed past me and grabbed Allison in what was probably a bear hug that far surpassed the one she'd given me.

"Hey, Lucy!" Allison barely managed to get out, her air supply rapidly dwindling.

"It's been a dog's age since I've seen you, sugar," she rambled, her words coming faster than I could follow. "I see why your daddy's been hiding you away. You're not that lanky little girl anymore, huh? You're a beautiful woman. Your momma would be so proud of you." She spoke a mile a minute, and I could only catch half of it.

Allison, though, was loving the praise. She was glowing with pride as Lucy, someone she'd known long before her awkward teenage years, showered her with attention.

"Lucy," I broke in, fearing she would go on forever. "I need to get Allison settled. Do you have any messages for me?"

Her eyes shifted to me, and a heartbeat passed between us. I swear I saw her bite her lip lightly, those perfect teeth catching my attention before she responded. "Yes, sir, Mr. Benson. Mrs. Saunders has a tier-1 meeting at 9 a.m. She wants you there to go over some of the changes to the code you made last week. Dr. Kent said he'd be by for lunch and to reach out to him if you came in today."

"Thanks, Lucy. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Become a monk," she said deadpan, her tone layered with something just beneath the surface.

I quirked an eyebrow at her, catching the challenge in her words. My hand moved back to the small of Allison's back, guiding her into my office, trying to ignore the weight of Lucy's gaze still on me, daring me to acknowledge the unspoken tension.

Chapter III

I moved behind my desk and sat with a huff. Still maintaining that air of firmness when it came to Allison, I motioned to the seat across from me. "Sorry about Lucy. I sometimes forget how much she can be. But she truly is the best secretary I could ever ask for."

Allison smiled wanly. "She's great, da... Mr. Benson. I didn't realize how much I missed her. It's been a long time since I've seen her." She tilted her head, studying me for a moment before continuing, almost hesitantly. "She's very beautiful, too."

The words hit me like a punch. I felt my cheeks burning. I coughed, trying to regain my composure. "Yeah, I think she does her best to make sure I don't forget it either."

"She's definitely thinking of you when she gets ready for work," she said, almost under her breath.

"What was that, Allison?" The heat on my face was unbearable, but I tried to act like she hadn't said anything at all. Her tone, though... Was there a hint of jealousy in her words?

"Nothing, Mr. Benson." Her mischievous smile--the one that said the cat got the cream--lit up her face at my obvious discomfort.

"Well, we've got a long day ahead of us, Ms. Benson, and I want to make sure you hit the ground running." I got up and moved around to her side of the desk, turning my monitor to face us. I scooted my chair closer to hers, until the arms of both chairs touched. I could smell the lilac shampoo she'd used that morning.

Thinking of the shampoo sent my mind spiraling, images of her in the misty bathroom flooding my thoughts. With Lucy's image still lingering in my mind, it didn't take long for my body to respond--as any man's body would. I struggled to remain calm and professional, though my pants tightened uncomfortably in that moment.

Allison seemed lost in the explanations about the work we were doing at the company and how we were leveraging AI to make it all work. I, however, felt blood rushing to my head. I could hear the pulsing of my heart in my ears. My hands moved shakily across the keyboard, not with the casual confidence they normally had. I was absolutely sure that Allison knew what I was thinking. She must have felt the desire radiating off me, but she just nodded at the right moments and asked questions when she needed clarification.

After what felt like more time or less than I was aware of, I dropped my hand to the armrest of my chair. But I missed. My hand landed instead on her thigh. The instant reaction was sharp--she tensed, then slowly relaxed.

I don't know why, but I didn't pull my hand away. I squeezed her thigh firmly once, then left the palm of my hand resting on the inside of her leg. I wasn't sure, but it felt like her legs parted just slightly under my touch.

Neither of us said anything, neither of us overtly acknowledged it. We just kept working until I heard a faint knock at the door. Like a chastened schoolboy, I quickly withdrew my hand, shifting back in my chair, and turned to face the door.

"Come in, Lucy."

I felt a gallon of flop sweat prickling my brow, my intentions threatening to be exposed, but neither Allison nor Lucy said a word when Lucy entered. "Dr. Kent is here, Mr. Benson. He's ready for lunch."

A bit stunned, I glanced down at the clock on my screen, realizing it was already past 12:30. I hadn't realized we'd been here that long. "Oh, okay, Lucy. I'll be out in a minute."

I turned to Allison, and we locked eyes for a moment. My hand moved back to her inner thigh, just for a brief second.

"Sorry, Allison. It's a working lunch. Lucy will show you where the canteen is so you can grab something to munch on."

Allison let out a shaky breath, pulling her lower lip from between her teeth. "No problem, Mr. Benson. Lucy and I will be fine."

During lunch with Kent, I was in a complete fugue state. I could tell he noticed something was off, but he was too polite to ask. Not that I would have known what to tell him anyway. I munched on my salad, disinterested, while Kent went on and on about some new branch of research he'd discovered and wanted to push us toward. I barely heard him.