Nathan could only clench his jaw at the thought of Chassie having dinner with a conniving Adam Roswell. Or anyone for that matter. David Lewis will never let anybody make a pass at his princess daughters. He would send an army if one would so much as lay a finger on Chassie in the slightest inappropriate manner.
The mere picture of Adam sitting across Chassie sends warning bells ringing in the back of his mind. Then there's the busted knuckle. He swore under his breath when Chassie winced as she secured an ice pack over her hand. She lifted herself on the bar stool, giving him a shy smile.
"You have to swear not to tell dad."
Nathan closes the fridge, a glass of water in hand. "Do I have a choice?"
She props her elbows on the counter, her lips pursing with thought. "Let me think," she pauses, "nope. You don't have a choice."
"Chassie," he trails off when she gives him a knowing look. "What am I supposed to do?"
"Don't do anything. For once, don't take care of anything at all."
He hands her the glass of water which she took with a smile that's both sweet and mischievous. "Thank you."
Nathan leans on the counter across from her. "I don't understand why you need to do this."
"I don't either." She shrugs innocently.
He narrowed his eyes on her. "Yes, you do."
"No. Do you remember that one time when I told you I want to write?"
Outdoor movie park. In the clearing by an oak tree which they take an unofficial ownership to because she liked the private spot. It was one of those moonless nights. Her eyes were sparkling like the stars up ahead. Even more so when she talked about how she was going to be a journalist. Nathan held her hand, gave her knuckle a kiss and told her she was going to be whatever she wanted to be because she's simply amazing. She threw her arms around his neck. Then her lips hovering over his, she told him he was everything to her.
"Yeah, I think I do," he murmurs.
"This is one of those moments."
Nathan smiles. And this is one of those moments where he can't get in the way. "Okay, miss independent."
She chuckles. "Promise me you won't say a word to my dad."
"Promise."
Chassie nodded, fiddling with the sleeves of her dress.
"On one condition." He holds up a finger.
Her back straightened. "On what condition?"
"Don't believe everything that idiot said."
She snorted. "You mean when he said I'm fat?"
"Chassie."
"Okay, fine. You don't think I did gain weight though?"
He stares at her. At her hair she recently cut to the shoulder length like she used to. At her beautiful hazel eyes that could look gold in the sunlight. At her cute button nose. At the beautiful pink bow her lips made. "No."
"Really?"
"Yes."
She giggles. "You need glasses."
"Seriously, Chassie. He's just a dumbass."
"Okay. I didn't gain weight. I'm still rocking the same hot body," she wags her eyebrows.
"Let me see your knuckle," he says, dismissing the body-talk.
Chassie obliges, reaching over from her side of the counter. "It won't swell that much, right?"
"How are you going to hide this?" He shakes his head, frowning at the discoloration that marred the delicate skin.
She rolled her shoulders. "Concealer? I can handle my mother if she ever finds out. Just don't tell dad."
David Lewis had made his daughters gone to prep school for myriads of reasons. One probably being prep schoolboys borrow their parents' drivers – not just cars. Chances of anyone initiating as little as a kiss with Chassie George Lewis is hardly a possibility. He knows because he used to be one himself.
Although he had feelings tucked securely under his sleeves, initiating such a thing with her is in the far corner of his mind. Furthest corner, if he might add. He is David Lewis' unofficial intern. Nathan looked up to him the same way he did his own father. And to be close as several feet with his daughters is a privilege he couldn't sabotage with a tiny crush.
Well, up until the 'tiny' crush turned into something much bigger than himself. He worked hard earning himself the permission to wear his heart in his sleeve. Hell, it took him years to finally be allowed not to treat her like a little sister. Which is impossible because she never was to him in the first place.
Not when she comes running down the stairs, her beautiful hair bouncing on and off her slim shoulders, her smile he used to fool himself into thinking she reserved for him, and those hugs that she's squeezed him into. Hugs that grew more uncomfortable on his part over the years because they don't feel the same way with their growing teenage bodies.
Now Adam Roswell get to go on a date with her without so much as 'hard work'? He's entitled to disgruntlement.
"Nathan, did Ethan go to bed without any trouble?"
He blinked. "Yes."
As if the conservation conjured their son, he comes in the kitchen, rubbing sleep off his eyes. "Mommy?"
Chassie retrieves her knuckle from his hand, stretching her arms up to Ethan. "Hi, baby."
He shuffled toward her. "I woke up and daddy wasn't in bed with me anymore."
"Sorry. Mommy needed a ride home." She lifted him to her lap, wincing once again. "We didn't mean to wake you."
"How was your date?" He looks over to his daddy, then turned to his mother when he didn't give away anything.
She raked a hand over his hair. "Well, it was terrible."
His blue eyes lit up. "It was?"
Chassie chuckles. "At least one of us is glad it went terribly. Let's go back to bed."
"I'll tuck him in." Nathan walked around the counter, taking Ethan to his arms.
"Okay. I'll take a quick shower and go to bed."
"You'll go to my room to kiss me good night, right?" Ethan's voice took on a pouty edge as he thrust his lips forward.
She leans in, pecking on his cheek. "Of course."
"And daddy?"
He and Chassie exchanged glances. She giggled softly and ruffled Ethan's hair. "Gee, buddy. I didn't know you guys are a package now," she says teasingly. She brushes past them, fluffing her hair lazily as she exited the kitchen.
Book 2
A bubbly socialite has threatened to spread colors in Cade Parkinson's monochromatic life. The brightest ray of sunshine whose boyfriend just gone MIA. However hard he tried to fend her off, she's just too stubborn as his sweet tooth. He has weakness for sweets. And then inevitably, a weakness for Kathie Jane Lewis. Funny how his own sweet tooth put his heart on the line.