I made my way through to my bedroom and ran my hands across my eyes, as though I could rub the image of Madison away so easily. What the fuck was I thinking? I must be off my head. She was Kevin’s daughter, for fuck’s sake. She should have been off limits, firmly, completely, and forever.

That wasn’t up for debate.

It didn’t matter how good she looked in her skimpy outfit, or how much I wanted to reach out and run my hand along the bare sliver of stomach that she exposed when she stretched up. She was not for me, but even as I changed my shirt and dabbed on some aftershave, I had trouble keeping my mind focused on the thoughts of her. Did she know what she was doing? Did she want me to feel this way?

Fuck it.

I put my wallet into my trouser pocket. There was a very simple explanation to the way I was feeling. It was because I hadn’t seen her in a while. Something in my dumb male brain was kicking in and making me ogle her, like a cartoon dog with its tongue out over a side of meat in a butcher’s window. As soon as I spent some time with her and reminded myself exactly what it was like spending time with a teenager this crazy sexual attraction would naturally fizzle out. Our lives didn’t match up, and it would become clear once we had that dinner she’d suggested.

I made my way back past her room, and paused outside her door. I could already hear her breathing steadily inside. She was probably passed-out asleep. I half-wanted to stick my head in and check up on her, but I knew it would only make things worse. I needed to get this girl out of my head, and fast.

Good thing I had a date to help me do just that.

Victoria and I met through friends at a party a few weeks earlier. At the end of the evening she gave me her number, a kiss, and an impressively energetic blowjob in one of the guest bedrooms, before she’d vanished into the night. She was tall, gorgeous, and sophisticated: exactly the kind of woman I liked to associate with.

I slid into my car and roared out of my driveway. As I reached the traffic lights I suddenly felt a pang of guilt about leaving Madison on her own in the house on her first night. Jesus! What was wrong with me? I was being ridiculous. It wasn’t like she was twelve or something.

She was an adult and I had a date with a very sexy woman whom I knew would definitely be great in the sack. I didn’t need to worry about the teenager who was fast asleep in my guest room. And I certainly didn’t need to wonder what it would be like to see her out of those tight shorts, which showed off her shapely legs.

I arrived at the restaurant, jumped out of my car, and tossed the keys to the valet.

I was almost late so I made my way up the stairs quickly. Victoria was already at the bar, and she waved me over with a dramatic sweep of her hand as soon as she caught my eye.

“Hello,” I said, planting a kiss on her cheek. Her strong, musky perfume hung around in the back of my nostrils even after I’d pulled away.

She smiled. “I’ve ordered a bottle of champagne. Are you okay with that, or do you want something else?”

I sat just as the barman arrived.

“Got a good single malt?” I asked him.

“Got a twenty-five-year old British single malt,” he said with a smile.

I thought of Madison. The whiskey was older than her. “That’s what I’ll have.”

I felt Victoria’s eyes on me, and turned my head to find her staring at me with her mouth slightly parted, the edges curled up into a smile. There was no question what she was thinking about, but I didn’t feel so much as a stirring between my legs as I met her gaze. She was gorgeous, sexy as hell, and made it very clear she was hungry for it, but none of that mattered. All I could think of was Madison asleep in the room next to mine.

“Everything alright?” Victoria asked, frowning, as though she could see what was going through my head.

I plastered on a smile and nodded. “Yeah, sorry. Just had a sudden change of plans this evening and it’s thrown me off a little.”

“Oh?” she said curiously.

I waved my hand casually, dismissing the topic. “I wouldn’t want to bore you with the details.” Yeah, more like I didn’t want to make her jealous with the fact that I had a gorgeous chick living in my house who I couldn’t stop thinking about. I knew I was being stupid, but I couldn’t help it. Something about Madison had burrowed its way into my brain, and built a nest there, and now all I could think about was those baby blue eyes, those legs, those breasts. Oh, damn.

“Fair enough.” Victoria looked back down at the menu, and I could sense the irritation flashing off her in waves. In fairness, she didn’t sign up for this. No doubt she did not envision a dinner date where I spent the majority of it thinking about some other women.

My whiskey arrived. It was good.

I did my best to clear my head, and focus on the opportunity at hand. Victoria looked amazing, her long dark hair swept up into a complicated updo, and her deep scarlet dress hung from her curves with just the right amount of cling. I let my eyes creep down her body. Maybe this would distract me from the inappropriate ideas that just wouldn’t stop invading my skull.

The rest of the night went on in the same vein, with me trying to convince myself that nothing was wrong, all the while knowing I was being as much of an asshole to Victoria as I was to myself. Every time the conversation paused for a second, I found my mind drifting back to the girl, asleep in my house, only a couple of dozen blocks away. She was just so fucking…tantalizing. Even with an accomplished woman like Victoria in front of me, I couldn’t shake the thought of Madison’s big blue eyes from my head, and it grated the hell out of me.

The bill arrived and I watched Victoria do something mind-blowingly sexy with the complimentary chocolate truffles that came with it.

“I can do the same with your balls,” she whispered, her eyes smoky with promise.

“We should go,” I said.

“Would you like to come back to my place? For a nightcap?”

I looked down at her for a second before I replied. She was sophisticated and smart, and knew how to hold a conversation even when one half of it had checked out entirely, but my mind was somewhere else, and I knew I’d never forgive myself if I went home with her and didn’t give her my all.

I didn’t want to disappoint her, and, even though I could have just accepted her invitation and had a pretty decent night, that wasn’t my jam these days. I was used to the finer things in life, and a night of mediocre, distracted sex wasn’t exactly what I would define as “fine”.

“I’d love to, but I have to get back home. Got an early start tomorrow.” I raised my shoulders apologetically. “But I had a good time.”

Her face fell.

“I’ll see you again soon, I hope?”

“Yeah, if you like,” she nodded. She could barely hide her disappointment.

I frowned. Was I being an idiot? Should I have just gone for it? No, no, that wasn’t my style. Leave them wanting more if you leave them wanting anything. That had always been my approach to life.

I stood and so did she.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” she asked, hooking her hand through my arm as we made our way out of the restaurant. It was warm outside, but the rain had stopped enough that there were actually a few free taxis out on the street once again.

“Yes, I’m fine,” I assured her.

She leaned in, pressing her body against mine in that subtle way women like her learned years ago. “Thanks for the lovely dinner. Let’s do this again very soon.”

“I would love to,” I promised her. I was being serious, too. Victoria was probably just the kind of distraction I needed from Madison, an older woman to remind me exactly why I dated women of my own age, and not students barely out of school. I’d look back on this first date as nothing more than a brief stumbling block on something I hoped would be a beautiful, fun filled, sexual experience.

I kissed her cheek, and waved down a taxi for her. We stood in silence as it pulled up, and I fought to think of something charming to say to see her off.

“I’ll call you soon?” I managed at last.

“Right.” She nodded, and this time she couldn’t hide her disappointment. She looked crushed. I think she never truly gave up hope she would somehow persuade me back to her place.

“Honestly, I’m just distracted with the stuff that came up last minute,” I blurted out. “I really do want to see you again soon.”

“Me too.” She grinned. Her worry washed away in one little lie. She planted a kiss on the corner of my mouth and dived into the taxi, waving at me from inside, and smiling as she leaned back against the seats. I stood and watched until she vanished off into the night. I couldn’t help having the funny feeling I might have been wrong about her. She could actually be one of those super clingy women disguised as an independent, sexually unrepressed go-getter.

Then the valet brought my car around, and I was on my way back to Madison once more.