The Dock At Midnight

Alice Pov

Don’t give him trouble, Dad had said, hugging me like I was still five years old. Trouble? Oh please. I was made for trouble when it came wrapped in storm-gray eyes, shoulders for days, and that jaw that could cut diamonds.

I stripped out of my nasty travel clothes and jumped into the shower.

When I stepped out, dripping everywhere, I spotted his oversized black t-shirt hanging on the back of the door. It smelled like him — woodsy and clean with that faint icy-rink edge that made my brain do cartwheels.

Fuck it. I yanked it on. The hem skimmed my thighs, all soft and way too intimate, like I was wearing a piece of the forbidden man himself. My inner thoughts went full chaotic: Girl, you are so asking for it. But damn does it feel good.

I padded downstairs barefoot, the hardwood cool under my feet, and leaned against the kitchen doorway like I owned the place. Holy hell. Knox at the stove was straight-up p**n for the eyes. Broad back flexing under a gray t-shirt, those sweatpants hanging dangerously low on his hips.

“Smells amazing in here too, Daddy,” I said, my voice sweet and teasing as I sauntered right in. He didn’t turn right away. His hand tightened on the spoon. “Alice. It’s late. You should be upstairs.”

“Couldn’t sleep,” I shot back, stepping closer and peeking around his big frame at the pan. My bare thigh brushed the counter on purpose. “That bath earlier was so nice with all the bubbles, but my brain won’t shut up. Dinner was weird, the dock was weird… plus I saw you watching me out there. Don’t even try to say you weren’t.”

Knox turned slow. Those storm-gray eyes dragged down my body landing on the hem of his shirt barely covering my thighs, my damp hair sticking to my shoulders. They snapped back up fast, jaw locked tight. “Change. Now. This isn’t okay.”

“Excuse me?” I put my hands on my hips, grinning wide. “It’s your shirt, Daddy. Super comfy. I found it in the bathroom and it just feels right. You gonna punish me again for wearing it? Yell? Ground me? Send me to bed without dessert or whatever you’re making?”

The kitchen felt smaller. He set the spoon down and faced me full on, towering over me. His eyes went darker, and for a second his hand twitched at his side like he wanted to grab me and never let go. My heart slammed hard. Yes, Daddy. Do it. Stop fighting. But he breathed out rough through his nose. “Sit if you’re hungry. Or go back to bed. Rules exist for a reason, little girl.”

I slid onto the island stool, the cool wood sticking to my bare thighs and reminding me how little I had on.

“Rules, rules, rules. You’re always on about that. But I’m twenty-one, Daddy. Not some little kid Dad needs to lock away. He dumped me here because he trusts you, but what if I don’t want all that safe boring stuff anymore? What if I like pushing you because it makes me feel something real for once?” He stayed by the stove, stirring slow, but I could see his shoulders tense.

“You’re Marcus’s daughter. I owe him everything. This is temporary housing. Distance and rules keep things from getting messed up.”

“Messed up how?” I leaned forward, letting the shirt ride up a bit more on my thighs. “Like how my stomach turns every time you look at me like that? Or how you go all stiff when my arm brushes yours? I had a bath and kept thinking about you down here trying so hard not to crack. Eric never made me feel like this. He’s nice and safe but… boring. Texts with thumbs up emojis. You? You’re intense and hot and it scares me a little but in a good way. Like I finally woke up.”

Knox’s hand paused on the spoon. He looked at me, really looked, and his voice came out low. “Alice, you don’t know what you’re starting here. I’m not some college boy. I’m your dad’s best friend. Seventeen years older. This can’t happen.”

“But it feels like it’s already happening,” I said, sliding off the stool and stepping closer. My damp hair brushed his arm when I reached past him for a glass. He didn’t move away. “Tell me I’m not crazy, Daddy. You get all growly and dark-eyed when I call you that. When I wear your shirt. When I push. At dinner you almost touched me. On the dock you watched me swing my legs in the water. I felt it everywhere. Doesn’t that mean something?”

He turned the stove off and faced me straight, breathing heavier. “It means I’m a man trying to do right by my oldest friend. Marcus pulled me out of a dark place after my divorce. I can’t betray that. You’re young, restless, testing limits because you’re stuck here. That’s all.”

I shook my head, stepping even closer so our bodies almost touched. “That’s not all. I see how you look at me. Like you want to throw me over your shoulder and forget the rules. I want that too. Not safe. Not boring. I want you to stop holding back so much. Just for a minute. Touch my face. Tell me I’m pretty in your shirt. Or hell, spank me for being a brat. Like in those movies. I’m really good at testing, Daddy, and I think you like it even if you won’t say it.”

His nostrils flared. That hand came up brushing my cheek, fingers hovering near my damp hair. I held my breath.

“Little girl…” he whispered.

“You have no idea what you’d be opening if I let go. It wouldn’t be gentle. It wouldn’t stop at one touch.” My heart raced faster. “Maybe I don’t want gentle. Maybe I want you. All that control breaking for me. Please, Daddy? Just admit you feel it too.”

He stared down at me for what felt like forever, eyes dark and fighting himself so hard. Then he dropped his hand and stepped back, rubbing his face. “Go to bed, Alice. Please. Before we both do something we can’t take back.”

I crossed my arms, pouting but smiling inside. “Okay boring sir. I don’t wanna go to bed. Rather I wanna go for a swim in the lake right now. It’s all quiet and pretty out there under the moon, the water looks so cool and nice. Come with me if you’re so worried about your precious rules. Or are you scared you’ll actually have fun for once?”

“Don’t you dare, Alice. Go back to bed. Now.”

I grinned bigger, that naughty rush making my skin tingle all over. My heart was pounding crazy, but I felt brave and alive. “Make me, Daddy. Come on, what are you gonna do? Chase me? Grab me and carry me upstairs like some big strong coach? Throw me over your shoulder and spank me for being such a brat? I bet you’d like that. I know I would. I’m not scared of you. I want you to stop pretending you don’t feel this too. So make me go to bed… or come swim with me and see what happens when we’re out there with no rules watching.”

I didn’t wait for him to answer. I spun around fast, laughing a little under my breath, and ran off toward the back door.

“Alice, get back here!”

I turned just a little, still grinning. See? You came anyway. Now what, Daddy? You gonna jump in with me? Or stand there all grumpy while I take this shirt off and swim naked? Bet that would really test your control, huh?”

Knox stopped at the edge of the deck, breathing hard like he was one second away from losing it.

“Why are you so fucking stubborn, Alice? Get back inside now!!!!!!”

“Stubborn? Me? I’m just tired of all your rules, Daddy.

He cursed again under his breath and moved faster towards me.

“Alice, I swear to God..”

But I was already giggling, that wild rush making me feel dizzy and brave. “Too late, Daddy!”

I grabbed the bottom of his big black t-shirt and yanked it up and over my head. Fuck. I had nothing on me. Just me, completely naked under the moonlight. My nipples got hard instantly from the chill and from the way his eyes locked on me. Holy shit, I was really doing this.

He’s looking. Oh my god, he’s really looking. And I love it.

“See?” I said as I tossed his shirt right at his chest. It hit him and fell to the dock. “Told you I’d swim naked. The water’s calling my name. You can stand there being all grumpy and honorable, or you can come stop me.”

Before he could grab me, I turned and jumped off the edge of the dock. The lake swallowed me up.

This is gonna be fun.