Chapter 3

On the two-week anniversary of my moving in, my father told me to wear something exceptionally nice for dinner, so I chose a hunter-green Azlin plunge lace cocktail dress. The sexy little frock featured a deep V-cut, which put a lot of my large breasts on display, and the short little hem fell several inches above my knees. My father wore a custom designer Hemsworth charcoal-colored suit with a navy micro Foulard tie, and he looked so handsome.

To further celebrate the occasion, he prepared an extravagant gourmet dinner. We started with a garden salad with dried cranberries and crumbled bleu cheese, finished with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing and fresh artisan bread. For the main course, he prepared seared scallops with a brown-butter-and-lemon pan sauce. While we ate the delicious meal, my dad broached a somewhat uncomfortable subject.

“So, who were you seeing before the lockdown?”

“I had a boyfriend for a while, but we mutually decided to end our relationship about two months ago.”

His eyes widened. “What did he do for work?”

“He’s a personal trainer at the Paris, or he was before the lockdown.”

He shot me a skeptical look. My father always valued education, so I was fairly certain he didn’t think much of who I’d chosen to be in a relationship with. Before he could ask me another question about my love life, I directed the same question at him.

“Are you seeing anyone?” I asked after taking a bite of the delicious scallops.

“I am. Her name is Suzi, she’s a third-year nursing student at UNLV.”

I had to admit I was a bit taken back by this new information. I’d always pictured him with someone closer to his age, but I kept my expression calm and even. However, I also always knew he liked younger women, so maybe I shouldn’t have been so surprised. He’d definitely piqued my interest and I had to know more.

“What does she look like?”

“She’s Asian, very petite and very beautiful. She’s also highly intelligent; she’s at the top of her nursing class.”

Again, this new information shocked me. A young Asian coed? I’d always pictured him with an older white woman who was close to his age, maybe someone like my mother. “Where did you meet her?”

“We met at a children’s charity fundraising event for the Lyons Burn Unit at the University Medical Center.”

I took a sip of my wine. “She must like older guys, then.”

“I’ve been helping her with tuition and some of her other college expenses, so I think her attraction to me isn’t based solely on my age.”

I couldn’t hide the shocked look on my face. Fuck, he’s her Sugar Daddy? I didn’t want to admit this to myself, but I felt a little twinge of jealousy in the pit of my stomach. I also remembered how he’d pulled strings to get me into UNLV and offered to pay my tuition if I’d accepted his offer and been motivated to continue my education. I was beginning to realize that my life would be much different now if I’d only been less rebellious and more agreeable towards him.

“I’m glad she takes care of you and you’re happy.”

“More accurately, she took care of me. She’s helping treat Covid patients now and I can’t see her because of the quarantine.”

“It sounds like we’re in the same boat, then.”

“You didn’t find anyone else after the relationship with your ex ended?”

I could feel a little blush break over my face. I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to reveal to my father about my sex life. It was something we’d never discussed. When I’d lived at home before, my father having intimate knowledge of my sexual exploits was the last thing I’d wanted. However, since he was being so open and honest with me about his relationship with his girlfriend, or sugar-baby, whatever she was, I felt it was only right that I open up and reciprocate.

“There were two guys that I ... you know ... was kinda seeing, but it wasn’t serious with either of them.” I paused for a moment to collect my thoughts. “The term in today’s vernacular is fuck-buddy.”

He laughed, then his eyes widened. “You saw them together, or...?”

“Oh, God, no, I’m not ... you know ... like that.”

“Don’t get offended, I enjoy learning about you and discovering what you’re like. For the most part, you’re a mystery to me.”

Again, I could feel my face blush a crimson hue. “I like learning about you too, and opening up to you and telling you things.”

We ate the rest of our meal in companionable silence. For the first time, I could feel sexual tension around my father and I wasn’t sure what to make of it. I knew part of it had to be the isolation of being locked down alone together. Both of us had needs, sexual needs, that neither of us could act on, and I knew it had to be just as difficult for him as it was for me. However, I assumed we’d make it through this whole Covid thing together. This lockdown thing couldn’t last forever, right?