Knox
I’m still pissed at the way Avery spoke to me last night.
It’s late afternoon and Piper should be home from school soon. Her friend’s mother is dropping her off this afternoon because I’m behind schedule on getting this ’71 Mustang finished for a client.
My driveway goes all the way from the road, between my house and Avery’s and ends in a well-equipped garage I had built in my backyard.
The scarlet car is half out of my garage. The hood is up and I’m bent over the running engine, listening, figuring out how to make it purr.
But I can’t get my mind off Piper. She’s turning into a young woman, and I feel in over my head more now than at any other point in raising her.
And I’ve had a lot of days of feeling in over my head.
For starters, what did a twenty-two-year old guy know about raising a baby? I figured it out. I had to.
Just like I have to figure out how to be the best parent to her now.
How the fuck do I know how to size a bra? I know how to take them off, not put them on.
But is this Avery chick the right person to take Piper bra shopping? Piper seems to like her, but the woman is all over the internet telling men how to treat a pussy.
Except she doesn’t even say pussy. She calls it a kitten in all her videos. Not that I’ve watched all of them, there are hundreds. I only watched the ones that sounded interesting. Like Dirty Talker and Spank Her Stupid.
I admit I’ve had to break down and spank myself a few times. Avery’s voice alone sends shivers down my spine. Hearing that voice and her mock dirty talk went straight to my cock.
Plus my balls are bluer than blue since I lost my babysitter and now rush home to Piper, instead of hanging around to fuck some chick after the classic car rides.
Even if the words Avery says in her videos are stupid. I don’t know who she’s been fucking, but it isn’t anyone who knows what they’re doing.
I could certainly teach her a thing or two.
Except it’s her. Thinking she can judge me about my ability to be a good parent.
Fuck her.
I’ve been killing myself for years to give Piper the best I can. Now Miss-know-it-all-about-sex waltzes in next door and immediately starts commenting on my ability to be a father.
Tells Piper she needs to take her shopping for girl shit. Because I’m not good enough.
Fuck her.
“Hey,” Avery says. I’d recognize her silky voice anywhere. What the fuck is she doing here?
I duck out from under the hood and stand to my full height. Avery’s standing there in tight jeans and a button top that doesn’t quite have enough buttons done up. A can of beer is in each of her hands.
“Want one?” she says, holding a beer out to me.
“What do you want?” I say, ignoring the beer.
“We’re new neighbors, and haven’t met properly. I thought I’d come over and formally introduce myself,” she says, still holding up the beer.
“We’ve met twice, remember?”
“I don’t know if those really counted. After all you didn’t even tell me your name.”
“You know it, but I’ll tell you it again if you want. It’s Knox. Satisfied?”
“Well I’m just so glad I moved to this new town where I don’t know anyone, and of all the people in this world, I moved to the house beside yours.”
Goddamn it, what is her problem?
“Lucky you,” I say.
Avery huffs, and drops the hand holding the beer to her side.
“Fine. You don’t want to be a civil neighbor, whatever, but Piper has asked for me to take her shopping. She’s lacking something,” She pauses before adding, “Obviously.”
“Obviously?” I raise my eyebrows and smirk at her.
She sighs. “Can we just not talk about this? For Piper?”
I take a breath, blocking out the effect her voice is having on my cock. She’s right. As much as she annoys the hell out of me, Piper is what matters. And if she’s right and Piper was the one who asked her for the shopping trip, then I need to let it happen.
Moving around the car, I lean in and cut the engine. I stand again, and grab her eyes in mine. Holding them, I move closer to her, lean and grab the beer from her hand. Avery’s lips slightly part as she watches me open the can and take a sip.
“Okay, you want us to meet? I restore classic cars for a living. What do you do?”
I lean back against the Mustang and hold the can to my lips. This should be interesting.
“I’m a writer.”
“A writer?”
“Yeah, like an author.” She says it like I don’t even know what a book is.
“What do you write about? Smut?” She flinches when I emphasize the word smut.
“No,” she says with nervous laughter, “I write about murder-mystery stuff, you know?”
“So, no naughty parts?”
“Um, no.” Avery looks like she doesn’t know whether to be more offended, confused or outraged.
At least she isn’t going around telling people what she really does. This relaxes me. She won’t tell Piper.
“Got any pets?” I ask, stifling a smirk.
“No pets.”
“No plans to get a kitten?”
“I hadn’t thought about it.” She has no idea what I’m referring to.
“Kittens are lots of fun to play with, but get annoying once you’re done playing with them,” I say.
“I’ve never had one.” She looks at me sideways. Maybe she’s catching on.
A black Tahoe pulls across the end of my driveway and the rear door flings open.
“Avery!” Piper says, running from her friend’s SUV.
I raise my hand to thank the mother for driving her home.
“Have a good day at school?” Avery asks as Piper reaches the garage.
“Meh, it’s school.”
“Hey, sweetheart,” I say, extending my arms to hug her.
Denied.
Apparently thirteen year olds no longer like to hug their dads. Especially in front of someone else.
My heart sinks into my gut. It’s just another sign I’m losing my little girl.
“Are you guys planning our shopping trip?” Piper asks, looking between me and Avery.
“Yep,” Avery says, ignoring me. “We’re all set. The mall on Saturday.”
Acid turns in my stomach. The fucking nerve. My jaw clenches.
Piper jumps up and down and yells “Thank you, Dad!”
She bounces her way to me and flings her arms around me. I wrap my arms tight around my baby girl and swing her around the way I used to. God, this is good. I’d do anything to make Piper happy.
“Just be sensible,” I say. “Don’t make Avery stay there for hours, and don’t spend too much money.”
“Can I have extra allowance?” she asks, looking up at me.
“Of course. But you don’t have to buy your stuff from your allowance, I’ll give you other money for that.”
Piper squeals and says, “Oh my God, you’re the best dad ever.”
I set her down to rub my ear.
“Stop saying ‘oh my God,’” I say.
“I have to pee,” Piper says, and runs into the house.
Lifting the beer can to my mouth, I take a long pull, wondering what the fuck to say to Avery. Don’t interfere with my parenting. You should’ve asked me if I was okay with the shopping trip first.
Don’t hurt my baby girl.
Avery doesn’t say anything. She watches as I suck down the rest of the beer she brought me. Was it her idea of a peace offering?
The only peace offering that would work is an apology for sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong.
I drop the can on the garage floor and stare into her eyes.
“Guess we’re done here. I have to get back to work.”
Without waiting for her to respond, I turn and duck my head back under the hood.
“Is this a Mustang?”
Why isn’t she leaving? Is she trying to find another part of my life to stick her nose in?
I grunt.
“I’ve never been in one. But I’ve always wanted a ride in an old Mustang,” she says. It’s her smoothest, sexiest, radio dj voice.
The tool I’m holding falls from my hand and clatters against the metal of the engine and my dick springs to life.
I grunt again, needing her to leave. Now. Before I give her a ride she’ll never forget.
“That’s it?” she says. “Seriously? It’s been a pleasure talking to you. Really. We should have beers more often, neighbor.”
I clear my throat, and sink a little deeper against the car. I need to stop interacting with her.