His Best Friend’s Daughter

Caleb

It was strange, really.

Marcus and I had worked together for years, yet I'd never met his family.

His wife was always traveling for work.

His daughter was usually away at college.

But it was summer now.

He'd mentioned his daughter would be home for a while.

His wife was also taking some time off.

He thought it was the perfect opportunity for me to meet everyone.

Who knew when they'd all be together again?

I respected Marcus deeply.

He was ten years older than me, with solid values and a strong work ethic.

He was a family man.

I was single, but I hoped to have my own family someday.

One messy divorce hadn't soured me completely.

I still believed good women existed.

It had been two years.

Two years since I'd shared my bed with anyone.

I'd decided to take things slow.

Rushing never ended well.

When I did meet someone, I wanted to know her properly first.

I pulled up in front of Marcus's house and stepped out of the car.

I let out a slow breath as I surveyed the neighborhood.

Every house was immaculate.

Modern architecture, sleek cars in every driveway.

It was a world away from my modest condo.

I straightened my jacket and cleared my throat.

Then I walked to the front door.

I pressed the doorbell.

Marcus answered almost immediately, a wide grin on his face.

I couldn't help but smile back.

"Caleb! So glad you're here," he said, opening his arms for a brief hug.

I smiled and gave his shoulder a friendly pat.

"Of course. This was long overdue," I replied.

He chuckled.

"Come in, come in," he urged, stepping aside.

I followed him into the living room.

My eyes took in the gleaming marble floors.

The walls were adorned with family photos, though I was too far away to see them clearly.

White leather sofas surrounded a stunning, segmented coffee table that looked like a sculpture.

"Beautiful home, Marcus," I remarked as he gestured for me to sit.

"Thank you. My wife Evelyn put her heart into it," he said proudly.

Just then, his wife entered the room.

She wore a flowing sundress that skimmed her ankles, highlighting her slender frame.

Her dark hair was pulled back into a flawless bun.

Not a hair was out of place.

She was an elegant woman, with sharp blue eyes and full lips painted a classic red.

I stood as she approached.

Marcus beamed, placing a hand on the small of her back.

"Caleb, this is my wife, Evelyn," he announced.

Evelyn extended her hand, a polite smile on her lips.

"A pleasure to finally meet you, Caleb. Marcus speaks very highly of you," she said, glancing at her husband.

"The feeling is mutual," I said, shaking her soft hand.

"Isabella should be down shortly. She was on a call with her cousin," Evelyn informed us.

"Can I get you a drink? Some iced tea, perhaps? I just made a fresh batch."

"That would be wonderful, thank you."

"Let's head out back," Marcus suggested, leading us through a spacious, white kitchen.

We stepped onto a patio overlooking a sparkling pool.

A charming gazebo with wooden furniture stood to one side.

We settled into the seats.

Evelyn soon appeared with a tray holding a pitcher of iced tea and glasses.

She poured for us and then sat down.

I took a sip, the cool drink refreshing.

My gaze drifted across the manicured lawn.

Then I saw her.

My heart gave a sudden, hard thump against my ribs.

A petite figure emerged from the kitchen.

She was small, with slender legs showcased by a pale blue pleated mini-skirt.

My eyes traveled upward.

A fitted, short-sleeved top hinted at the curve of her waist.

Then I saw her face.

As she drew closer, the air seemed to leave my lungs.

Her delicate features were framed by long, honey-blonde hair that shimmered in the sunlight.

It cascaded over her shoulders in soft waves as she walked.

When she reached us, a subtle, sweet fragrance reached me.

It was a scent I knew I would remember.

"Here she is. Caleb, this is our daughter, Isabella. Isabella, this is Caleb, your father's business partner," Evelyn said.

I barely registered the words.

I was utterly captivated.

Damn.

A smile touched Isabella's glossy lips.

She extended a hand, her clear blue eyes meeting mine.

I stood and took her hand.

My larger one enveloped her small, delicate fingers.

The moment our skin touched, I understood every cliché about sparks.

A jolt of pure sensation shot up my arm, straight to my core.

My heart began to drum a frantic rhythm.

She held my gaze, her throat working as she swallowed.

She bit her lip, looked away, and gently withdrew her hand.

A faint blush colored her cheeks.

I seemed to be the only one who noticed.

I couldn't believe it.

A simple handshake from a stranger shouldn't unleash this storm inside me.

She hadn't just quickened my pulse.

She had stirred a deep, dormant hunger.

A crazy, undeniable certainty settled in my bones.

This woman was meant to be mine.

It was that simple, and that insane.

She sat beside her mother, crossing her slender ankles.

A fierce urge to touch her, to trace the line of her leg with my fingers, surged through me.

"Isabella is about to finish her final year in dental school," Evelyn said proudly, glancing at me.

"She'll be celebrating her twenty-second birthday this weekend. She skipped a few grades. You must be thrilled, darling," she added, looking at her daughter.

Isabella cleared her throat.

Her eyes flicked to me briefly before darting away.

"Yeah, I suppose. I don't really have any plans, though," she said with a small shrug.

"What about your friends, sweetie?" Marcus asked, his tone tinged with concern.

She gave a dry laugh.

"Dad, you know I've never been great at making close friends. Everyone I know is busy with their own summer plans. No one's around," she murmured.

A shadow of sadness passed over her face.

A powerful instinct to erase that sadness, to fix whatever made her look so lonely, gripped me.

"Oh, honey, I wish I could be here. But I have to fly to Chicago for a client," Evelyn explained, sounding regretful.

"Caleb and I have that tech conference. I'm sorry, sweetheart. We assumed you already had something lined up," Marcus added, his expression somber.

"It's fine, really. I've never made a big deal out of my birthday anyway," Isabella muttered, looking down at her hands.

"But you've accomplished so much. You deserve a celebration," Evelyn insisted.

Isabella just shrugged and reached for her glass of iced tea.

I couldn't look away from her.

Even though her parents were right there, watching.

This woman was mine.

I felt it in every cell of my body.

This wasn't mere lust.

It was a profound, consuming need.

I wanted her in my life, permanently.

Logic tried to fight its way to the surface.

There were a million reasons this was impossible.

But in that moment, none of them mattered.

I just knew I had to have her.

Nothing would stand in my way.

I gulped down my iced tea, trying to douse the fire raging inside me.

Every second without touching her felt like agony.

How was this intensity possible after only ten minutes?

"How long will you both be gone?" Isabella asked.

"Mom, you just got back. I thought you'd stay longer this time."

"It's only for a few days. Then I plan to be home for a good while," Evelyn assured her with a smile.

"The conference is just over the weekend. We leave Friday, back Monday. We'll celebrate properly when we return, I promise," Marcus said.

Isabella sighed and nodded, picking at a fingernail.

Evelyn started to speak, but her phone rang.

She checked the screen, excused herself, and hurried back toward the kitchen.

"Always in demand, that one," Marcus said fondly, watching her go.

"Must be challenging, being the top event planner in the state," I commented.

He chuckled.

I glanced at Isabella.

She was sipping her tea, watching me over the rim of her glass.

"Evelyn handles pressure beautifully," Marcus said.

Then his phone buzzed too.

"Well, looks like it's a busy day for everyone," he remarked, pulling his phone from his pocket.

"Please excuse me for a moment," he said, following his wife's path.

Suddenly, we were alone.

Silence stretched between us.

Isabella kept glancing toward the house, as if searching for an escape.

I took another drink and leaned back, studying her.

"So, if you could go anywhere for your birthday, where would it be?" I asked.

I wanted to talk to her.

I needed to know more.

Her head turned sharply toward me.

Her eyes widened slightly.

She shifted in her seat.

"Um... nowhere specific," she said.

I didn't believe her.

I'd seen a fleeting spark in her eyes before she shut it down.

"Come on. There must be somewhere," I pressed gently.

She swallowed.

"I... I've always wanted to see Miami," she admitted, crossing her arms.

The movement subtly accentuated her curves.

She seemed completely unaware of the effect.

My eyebrows rose.

That wasn't what I'd expected.

"Miami. That's a fantastic choice. Great city."

Her face lit up.