My New Step-Dad(9)

I drop my pen on my desk, and rub my eyes with the palm of my hand.

“Get a grip, Archer,” I whisper to myself, and then I hear the office door open. I look up in time to see Jacob entering my office, and I have to blink a few times to clear my vision. Once he gets to my desk I see someone following in behind him and I shoot up from my desk, wondering what’s happening.

“What are you doing here?”

I give Sophie a glare, but she doesn’t look concerned. I look over at Jacob and he shrugs as he drops the brief on my desk. I get angrier because I didn’t realize Jacob went to my house. I should have known that Sharon, my paralegal, would send him to retrieve it. He’s been to my home on several occasions for work, but I didn’t think about the fact that Sophie was there.

I look over and see how she’s dressed. She’s got on a small, blue, summer dress and, like her clothing this morning, it’s nearly transparent. I clench my jaw hard when I see her hard nipples poking through the papery material. Fucking hell, does this girl not have any clothes that cover her body? I need to get her some decent clothes. I make a note to ask Lily to take her shopping this week.

“Thank you,” I clip, and raise my eyebrows pointedly at Jacob as if to ask him if he’s got anything else he needs.

He looks over at Sophie and I see the gleam in his eyes. He hasn’t missed what she’s wearing either, and rage starts to bubble up in my chest.

“Mr. Archer, I was thinking of showing Sophie around the place, you know, show her the offices.” He gives her a wink and I see her blush a little and look down at her feet. Not only did I catch his drift but so did she.

I don’t know what they had planned but it’s not f*cking happening. She’s mine to protect, and I won’t have some junior associate with grabby hands anywhere near her. I’m pissed that he might have gotten to smell the honeysuckle scent that always seems to be around her.

“That’s quite all right, Jacob, you can go.”

He turns to look at me, and then back at Sophie, and starts to speak, but she interrupts him.

“Thank you for the ride, but I’m sure Bruce can handle me now.”

She looks up and we lock eyes, and I get the feeling there’s more to that statement than just what she said.

Without breaking eye contact, I nod my head in agreement.

“It was nice meeting you, Sophie. Anytime you need anything, just let me know.” He gives her one final up and down look and it’s all I can do not to come across the desk and rip his throat out.

I shake my head a little and try to rid it of all these emotions. I don’t know where this anger and protectiveness are coming from. I’m sure it’s because she’s Debra’s daughter and I feel responsible for her. Yes. That’s it. It’s not that I want her for myself.

Sophie lifts her chin in response but otherwise doesn’t confirm, which pleases me more than I thought possible. Seeing her body language and watching her reaction to him shows me she’s not interested. I feel a little of the tension in my chest ease as he walks out and closes the door behind him.

I reach over to the intercom on my desk and hit the button for my secretary. “Paul, hold my calls and switch me to ‘do not disturb’. I’m in a meeting.”

“Yes, Mr. Archer,” he replies, and I hear the locks engage on my door.

Paul has the ability to set the locks on my door, but only I can open them. It’s a vital security feature considering all the sensitive client information I have. It’s also useful for when I have important clients who don’t want to be disturbed by a crazy ex bursting in at any time. The latter happened on so many occasions, it was for the benefit of everyone to have these locks installed. So, it’s not an unusual request and it’s one Paul is familiar with.

“What are you doing here?” I say, and glare at Sophie. I’m sure my words come out harsh, but she’s been a distraction to me all day and hasn’t even been in front of me.

“I’m sorry to bother you, I just wanted to see where you worked.”

“I’m going to set up some time for you to get some new clothes this week. You would think after our talk this morning about appropriate attire, you’d come to my place of business with some decent clothes on,” I say, ignoring her words.

She looks down at her dress and then looks back at me, confused.

I grit my teeth and walk around my desk to stand in front of her. “I can see through your dress, Sophie. I can see what you’re wearing…and what you’re not wearing.”

I glare at her breasts so she doesn’t mistake what I mean. She brings her palm up to her neck, trying to shield her nipples with her arm, but it’s no use. She’s got big, full breasts and her hard nipples push against the thin fabric.

“I don’t know what you mean,” she says, and a deep blush creeps up her neck to her cheeks. I wonder if there’s a blush anywhere else on her.

I shake the thought from my head and try to focus. “Did you even have on panties, Sophie?” I say, and immediately regret the question. Now I’m thinking about her naked * being exposed in the short dress and I can’t breathe.

“I have panties with me?”

She says it like a question, and I don’t know what that means.

“With you?”

I see her reach into her purse, and pull out the white cotton material. My hands shake as I watch her because I long to reach out for her. I can’t touch her, she’s my stepdaughter and she’s still a teenager. This isn’t right. I try to breathe, but I’m so focused on that white cotton I can’t think.