Alexis Ch. 01

Some hopeless romantics say that the love of a woman is the greatest gift a man can receive. Maybe I believed it a little when I met my wife Veronica in college. She was beautiful, professional, and at the time, honest. But after we got married, her being 22 and I being 24, things changed. She goes out and flirts with her business girlfriends and I find myself working overtime on the weekends as an excuse not to come home. I've gotten used to eating meals by myself late at night and coming home to a dark house. Veronica hardly ever comes home and our daughter Alexis spends more time at her friends' houses than here. But that's the way it is with certain couples I suppose.

I've been thinking a lot about us and think that maybe its best if we split once Alex goes away to college. Last night I spoke to Veronica about it and we both agreed that it's official and then we turned onto our sides and fell to silence. I'm sure our daughter is used to the way are by now, to me, she is what has kept me around so long. Every now and then Alex and I will eat a quiet dinner together, just to keep each other company I suppose.

Alex was born a year after we married. Veronica could have been a little happier about our daughter. Myself, I was ecstatic that I had a child, someone to take care of and take to her first day of school. I tried to find some time to do those things, but as the years have gone by, I've found that our relationship had gotten more strained. I love her more than anything, but she's a teenager, almost an adult for God's sake. She's all her own. She doesn't have her mother's dirty blond hair and brown eyes. Nor does she have my dark brown hair or green eyes. She's got a long mane of brown hair and big hazel eyes. Sometimes I wonder if she's even mine. She's so much different than her mother and I; full of energy, always smiling, and surprisingly mature.

A year later when I came home from work Saturday night, I dropped my briefcase in my den and headed for the kitchen for something to heat up. I found a note from Veronica on the counter:

Not really surprised, I knew Veronica wouldn't be coming home tonight. So I went upstairs, started a hot shower in the master bedroom and stripped off my suit. After taking my shower, I slipped into a pair of sweats and my old Notre Dame tee shirt and headed back downstairs. It was actually nice to have the house quiet tonight. I was feeling pretty lazy tonight. By 11:30 I was half-asleep. The weekend news was on so I just sat and stared sleepily at the cute little redhead talking. Surprised was I when I heard the front door open and slam a few minutes later. Figuring it was my wife, I ignored the loud slam and proceeded to act interested in the TV.

" Hi Dad." Alexis groaned walking into the living room and plopping down on the chair adjacent to me. I turned my head wondering why she didn't look drunk or tired at this time of night. Her hair was down and I noticed she had some makeup on, mascara perhaps. She looked pretty cute in her little outfit.

"Hey baby." Yawning I added, "what are you doing home?" ,then gave her a small grin and eyed her over once jokingly.

"Ugh! That party I went to tonight was a complete disaster! Trust me it wasn't worth staying." She said standing up to go to the kitchen without further detail. I didn't follow, but rather stayed sitting sleepily. I heard Alex open the fridge then shut it before she went upstairs.

"You going to bed?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Naw, I'm not really tired. I'm just going to call Jamie and take a shower." And with that she was up the stairs.

I sat there momentarily thinking about going to bed myself and decided that maybe it would be a good idea since I didn't want to fall asleep on the couch and wake up stiff as a board. Getting up I grabbed a quick drink then climbed up the steps to the bedroom. I decided to say goodnight to my girl so I stopped at her room and knocked.

"Yeah?" she opened the door. My eyes dropped instinctively when I saw her in her little white undies and a tank top.

Smiling I said, "G'nite baby. I'm tired." I couldn't help myself. My eyes drifted to her little breasts. Shit I shouldn't be doing that. Any other 18 year old maybe, but not her.

"All right. See you tomorrow." She smiled.

And with that she shut her door and I went to bed.

The next day I awoke early, my wife already gone. I wondered if she had even come home at all. Putting on a clean tee shirt and brushing my teeth, I started coffee in the kitchen and grabbed the newspaper off the front steps. Alex must've still been asleep, her door was closed and the house was quiet. Sitting at the counter, coffee in hand and reading the newspaper, I was surprised to hear my daughter shuffle into kitchen sleepily and grab the orange juice out of the fridge. She was wearing the same little tank top and undies from the previous night and I found myself getting a little hard as I watched her pour a glass of orange juice out of the corner of my eye. I'd never really noticed her before. Maybe I was just overtly horny this morning and last night. I know Alexis is cute, but I shouldn't be checking her out. And the morning started. Alex and I sat opposite eachother with me reading the newspaper and her reading the comics.

After finishing my reading the sports, I looked up to find her big hazel eyes staring at me intently. Nervously I wondered if something wrong. Does she need to confide in me about something? This might be my chance to be Dad.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked staring back at her questioningly. Breaking our stare, she said, "No Dad, not really. You just look blue. Everything okay with you and Mom?" then adding, "She didn't come home last night you know."

Surprised that maybe Alex knew that Veronica often didn't come home I asked, "Did you wait up for her?"

Her mood changed as she looked again into my eyes while saying, "I know about you and her Dad. She has someone else." Moving from her chair, she slid around to my side. "I know Dad." She said in a serious, yet saddened tone.

I tried to hide my reaction surprised that she knew. I thought that Alex didn't really know about V seeing other people, but apparently it was obvious. "That's just the way things are baby. Your mom and I just do things differently than other couples." I slid my arm around her waist reassuring her that her mother and I are fine. I knew that she knew differently; that soon we would be going our own ways for good.

Ending the conversation and releasing my armhold around her waist, she went back to her side and I grabbed at the paper again. It was almost impossible for me to read thinking about how Alex knew that her mother and father were no longer married lovingly, but rather out of obligation. Alex must have noticed my concentration at thinking before she said quietly, "I love you Dad."

I dropped the paper to the counter, looking up at Alex. "I love you too sweetheart." I smiled for the rest of the morning. Alex left about 11 to go with her friends to the mall, while I went to the office and finished up some paperwork from the previous night. That afternoon, I thought about our conversation and what Alex had said to me. I love you... that was the first time in awhile she had said that to me. But I think the situation called for it. Maybe she knew how truly miserable I was about Veronica. She understood that it wasn't working and gave me approval that it was okay for us to split. I loved Alex for her understanding and her caring.

Later in the afternoon, I decided to stop thinking about Alex and go into the basement to workout for awhile. I needed to download some of my frustrations and I knew this would be the perfect place to do it. Getting on pair of gym shorts and leaving my shirt odd, I went downstairs and started with some freeweights before getting into the heavy lifting. I realized for a 40-year-old man whose marriage is the shits, I didn't look half-bad. I still had all my hair at least. Just short jet dark brown hair. I could maybe go for 30 or 35 if I dressed younger. But what's the point in looking good? I spent about an hour downstairs pressing weights. As I was finishing and toweling off my sweat, I heard someone's footsteps on the stairs.

She stopped midway. Her eyes blinked twice before faint blushing overcame her cheeks. "Oh hey, I'm sorry, you're busy." She said. "Hey I didn't know you worked out down here." She added trying to break her gaze on my chest. My cock instantly twitched at the thought of her checking her old man out. "I came down to lift some small weights. God the mall was boring and I try to get down here at least once on the weekends."

Surprised I toweled my forehead, trying not to act embarrassed. "I should probably get fully dressed. I wasn't expecting you home till later." I said.

"I can come back later." Alex said turning slightly to head back upstairs. Nervously I replied, "No, no stay." lifting a small weight, "we can have some father-daughter bonding." I grinned to myself. She was wearing short girlie shorts and a tee shirt and here I am half-naked in my gym shorts. Suddenly self conscious I added, "I'm gonna go get a shirt, I'll be right back."

Alex stepped down off the steps moving towards me. Grabbing the free weight out of my hand she replied, "It's all right, it's not that big a deal." She proceeded to sit down on the bench adjacent to my own. Hesitating, "You sure?". She looked so cute sitting there with those big eyes staring at me.

"Yeah it's fine." She said concentrating on flexing her biceps.

Sighing I plopped down on the bench. "I'm just going to do a couple sets and then I'm done." Immediately, trying to deter my attention I grabbed the weight with all my strength and closed my eyes to start my sets. 1...2...3...gasping on the ups while watching Alex out of the corner of my eye. She was watching me, my chest tightening, my arms flexing, I was getting nervous now. Stopping at 3 and setting the weight back I asked, " So what's up for the rest of the day?"

Averting my gaze, she replied, "Just relaxing." I grabbed my towel and dabbed my forehead. Getting serious for a moment, I sat down next to Alex on the bench. Tightening nervously at my closeness I said, "Alex, I wanted to thank you for this morning."

"But Dad..."

"I know it's been hard for you. Your mom and I have some differences and we're just different people now." I tried to sound reasonable, but was disappointed with my explanation. "I just want you to know that I'll always be here for you." I meant it too.

Alex smiled warmly at me, with those big hazel eyes. She didn't speak a word, just smiled. I had noticed my hand on her soft thigh. Had it been there the whole time? I instantly removed it and got up to continue my weights. The warm bond between us was over and the sexual tension I was feeling was incredible. She looked good enough to eat sitting there. I closed my eyes. 1...2...3... opening my eyes widened. Above me was Alex, her shorts covered crotch inches from my face as my eyes gazed up at hers.

"Thought you might need a spotter." She said. I didn't say one word to her. We locked eyes for a brief moment before I continued lifting. 4... 5...6. With each passing lift, her body drifted closer till the point where her shorts were grazing my nose. The faint scent of vanilla filled my senses. I closed my eyes once more and tried my hardest to concentrate. Jesus Christ this was torture. 6...7... 8...9. At 10 the weight was on its stand. I was panting and my cock was rock hard. I sat up running a frustrated hand through my hair.

"What's going on between us baby girl?" I asked nervously and sexually frustrated.

"What do you mean Dad?" she replied with a look of naughtiness in her eyes. I couldn't handle being in the same room with her anymore. I was going to rape her if I wasn't careful. It was so tempting. Was she coming onto me? It had never been this way before. I had to get out of there. I grabbed my towel and climbed the stairs leaving Alex, a confused look on her face, standing, watching as I ascended the steps.

As I got to the top of the stairs I mumbled a 'Jesus help me'. I went to the bathroom as fast as I could. I needed a cold shower.