It’s around midnight, I’m exhausted, but I’m not ready to go home. Not yet, at least.

I keep looking at the pictures Sofia sent me. Every time they get me excited, but that’s not really the reason I keep looking. I could go into my bathroom and get myself off whenever I want.

No, I just want to see her face. I want to think about Sofia out there, picturing me fucking her, making her my dirty little slut. I love to think about her acting like I’m her Daddy. There’s nothing I want more in this world.

Except maybe to get past this shit with Karl, but I don’t know. As I lean back in my chair, I’m starting to think that’ll never happen.

I look out over the city, at the lights sparkling all around me, and I’m starting to feel like this might be too much.

I built this company. I fought for it, made it the thing it is today, but maybe I’m finished. Maybe it’s time to step aside and find a new project. It wouldn’t be so bad. I’m rich as hell already. If I never made another dime in my life, I’d still live very, very comfortably.

I could travel the world with Sofia. We could go all over the place, anywhere we wanted, a new city every night. We could experience things together we’d never feel otherwise. Then when we get sick of travel, we could settle down somewhere, maybe make a family.

The idea of a family hits me like a jolt. I didn’t know I wanted something like that, but when I see myself with Sofia in the future, I see children and a house and maybe a dog. I see myself in a domestic space, happy and content. It’s such an attractive and powerful thought, the idea of making a bunch of kids with Sofia, that I’m almost tempted to drive over to her apartment right now and propose to her.

But I can’t do it. I just can’t. I can’t pull myself away and let a bastard like Karl win. I won’t let him have this place that I built, even if the alternative is so fucking attractive I can practically taste it.

I look at my phone again, at Sofia with her fingers in her mouth, and I want to kiss those lips.

But an idea suddenly hits me like lightning. I stare at her face and I feel a chill run down my spine.

I put my phone away, stand up, and pace around my office. This is what I need to do when I think, I need my body to be moving as quickly as my mind is.

Soon, I have a plan. It’s rough but I think it could work… and quickly. We could do this as soon as possible. And if Karl doesn’t see through it…

So many possibilities. I don’t even know if Sofia will be up for it, but I think she will.

I grab my jacket and my briefcase and hurry back home. I can get a few hours of sleep still, and I think I’m going to need it.

* * *

The sun’s just peeking over the horizon when Sofia finally comes out of her building. I lean forward and tap on the divider.

“Stay here,” I say to the driver. He nods and puts the car in park.

I check the street then step out of the car. Sofia looks at me, surprise clear on her face.

“Jacob,” she says. “What are you doing here?”

“Came to see you.” I walk around the car and toward her. I walk up and kiss her on the cheek, letting my hand linger on her elbow.

“You look tired,” she says with a frown.

I grin at her. “That’s okay. Didn’t sleep much last night.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m great, actually.” I hesitate, letting my hand drop. “I actually wanted to see if you’d be willing to skip work today.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Skip work? Both of us?”

I nod, grinning. “We can have a little fun.”

“Like what?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. Whatever you want to do.”

She chews her lower lip. “That seems like a bad idea.”

“Trust me, it’s okay. I already called you out, anyway.”

She looks surprised. “How?”

“Called Karl, let him know I was borrowing you for the day.”

I grin and enjoy the surprise evident on her face. “That’s… what? Why would you do that?”

“Trust me,” I say to her. “He won’t mind.”

“He’ll use it against you. More evidence of our… relationship.”

I shrug a little. “Maybe that’s not so bad.”

“Jacob, are you okay?” she asks me again.

I laugh a little, feeling lighter than I’ve felt in a long time. “I feel great. Come on.” I lead her over to the car and usher her inside. “This’ll be great.”

She reluctantly gets in and I head around the other side. I give the driver directions through the front window before climbing in. We speed off into traffic, heading across town.

“I still don’t get how this is a good idea,” she says.

“Just trust me,” I tell her. “I’ll explain soon.”

“Do you have a plan?” she asks a little suspiciously.

“Maybe.” I grin at her. “Let me spoil you first, okay?”

She sighs. “Okay.” She gives me a little strained smile, and I know this is going to be good.

We finally end up outside of this old Jewish deli called Sam’s. The line’s not too long, so we grab some breakfast and coffees for ourselves and the driver. I tell him to head off and park somewhere and kill a couple hours.

We sit down on a bench while the driver heads off to eat breakfast. I keep conversation light and easy, just talking about TV shows we like and music we’ve been listening to.

“Where are you taking me?” she asks as we finish breakfast and head off again.

“You’ll like it,” I say to her.

“Come on,” she says, getting up next to me, a smile on her face. “You might as well say.”

I grin. “It’s right here.” We stop in front of an antiques shop, a place I like to come sometimes.

I take her inside and we start going through the stuff. I say hello to the owner, an old guy in his late sixties that clearly doesn’t care much anymore. He’s smoking a cigarette, which is the worst thing you can do to antiques, but I don’t mind.

“Oh, check this out.” Sofia hold up an old bowler hat. “I do say, I find myself to be quite attractive in this.”

I laugh and put a gaudy costume jewelry necklace on. “How’s this look?”

“Beautiful,” she says.

We laugh and put our stuff away, moving further into the shop. Things are piled on top of each other, a literal pile of junk that stretches into the back of the room. There are no racks or shelves, except for old furniture that’s being used as displays for other old furniture. Sofia sits in a rocking chair while I dig through a pile of old used toys, most of it junk.

“Oh, here we go.” I pull out an old, brightly colored tin car. “I bet this is from the thirties,” I say.

“It’s pretty.” Sofia gets up and walks over. “Do you like this stuff? I mean, old things?”

“Love it,” I say. “Always have. People see junk, but I see history. People made all this, people owned it, every piece has a story no matter how boring or mundane.”

She frowns a little. “Never thought about it like that.”

“Most people want new, but I want old… older the better. I like to try and fix stuff up, too.”

“The furniture in your room. Is that all old?”

“Antiques,” he says, nodding. “I probably shouldn’t be using it, but what’s the point of a bed if you can’t sleep on it?”

“How old is that bed?” she asks, eyes wide.

I shrug, grinning. “Early American. Probably worth, I don’t know, fifty thousand at this point.”

She gasps a little bit. “You were tying me to those posts.” She gasps again. “I was pulling against them!”

I laugh and pull her against me. “Like I said. What’s the point if it’s not getting used? Just part of the story.” I kiss her gently on the lips. “Not like it’s museum quality or something. That’d run us into the six digits.”

She laughs as we move back through the things. Eventually I end up buying a little locket for her, this pretty gold thing with a beautiful carved inlay. She thanks me with a kiss as we head back out into the afternoon.

That’s how we spend the day: shopping, flirting, laughing, kissing. It’s such a simple afternoon date, but I haven’t been out on anything like it in a long while. I’ve just always been too busy, but now I feel like I should take the time.

After I tell her my plan and we go through with it, I think it’s all or nothing. Either we’ll discredit Karl or we’ll be playing directly into his hands.

I want to be ready for either outcome. In a lot of ways, this could be our last adventure together, or at least before things get complicated.

Because what I’m going to ask Sofia to do, there might be consequences for her. If it goes wrong, she may look just as bad as I do. Hopefully I’m setting it up such that I’ll take the inevitable fall, but she’ll for sure have to leave the company if we mess this up. I can’t imagine she’d want to stay, but still, it’s asking a lot of her.

I’m buttering her up in some ways, although really I think this is more for me than for her. I think she’ll do it no matter what. All I have to do is ask, but I don’t want to just ask. I want to spoil her while I still can.

I end up buying her shoes, a new dress, a new purse, a new exercise watch (“I really don’t need this,” “Sure you do.”), a new laptop, and a bunch of other small things throughout the day.

Finally, we end up on a bench in the park, watching people walk their dogs. It’s almost five o’clock, so the place is going to fill up fast in the coming hour. I know I’m out of time, but I wish I had more. I always want more when it comes to her.

We watch an old lady and her two yappy dogs walk past. Sofia leans up against me, puts her head on my shoulder and I wrap my arm around her.

“This is nice,” she says. “I haven’t done something like this in… well, a long time.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever skipped work just to mess around with someone,” I admit.

“Really?” she asks. “What about all your other girlfriends?”

“Girlfriends?” I laugh, shaking my head. “Never had one of those.”

“You’ve never actually been in a relationship before?”

I grin at her. “Well, okay. That’s not true. I’ve had relationships. It’s just… they tend not to last, or at least they haven’t.”

She makes a face. “Can’t say I’m shocked.”

“Why’s that?”

“You’re married to your job.”

I nod and go silent for a second. Fact is, she’s not wrong, but it’s more than that. I’ve been with some beautiful, amazing women in my days, but I’ve never met one that’s made me want to actually settle down. At least until her.

“I need to ask you something,” I say finally. “It’s for work.”

“I figured we’d be getting to this eventually,” she says softly, sitting up and leaning away.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I want to hear it.” She sounds so calm and composed.

“Look, it’s simple. I just need you to go to Karl and tell him I’ve been forcing you to do outlandish things.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Like what?”

“I don’t know. Like making you dress up in men’s clothing. Something totally unbelievable.”

She sighs. “Why would I do that? It feels like you’re trying to ruin yourself right now.”

“I’m not,” I say, shaking my head. “Trust me. I have a plan.”

“Okay,” she says simply. “I’ll do it.”

I nod and look away. I knew she’d say yes, I knew she’d do it. Without a single thought, she’s going to trust me and follow along.

I’m not sure she’s even thought it all the way through. If this goes bad, she’ll look awful. The whole company will probably find out these sordid details, or at least I’m sure Karl will make sure they do.

“There could be consequences,” I say to her.

“I know. I’ll still do it.” She reaches forward and touches my face. “I’ll do it for you, Daddy.”

I can’t help but smile at that. I take her hand and kiss it. “Let’s talk details then,” I say, and she leans back against me.

“Maybe later,” she says. “Right now let’s enjoy ourselves, okay?”

I can’t help but smile huge at that. “Okay,” I say. “Business later. Pleasure first.”

She grins at me. “Exactly.”

And so we go silent, watching people march past us, both of us knowing that we might be going forward into a horrible situation, but both of us willing to do it for the other.