Chapter 146: Valentine's Head 002

'Hey,' he scowled at her.

'Put the kettle on,' she said cutting him short.

He opened his mouth to protest, realised it was useless, and filled the kettle from the tap.

'So how are you?' Kelly asked, adjusting the temperature dial on the cooker.

'Fine,' Steve repeated.

Holding the grill tray, she paused, bent over at an angle that allowed him an uncomfortable view of her cleavage, and appraised his appearance.

'You look like shit, Dad,' she said lightly.

'Watch your language, Kelly,' he said automatically – a parent's response.

'I'm not a little kid anymore,' she pouted, straightening.

Steve sighed. Running a hand over his stubbly, unshaven face, and had to admit she had a point. But so what? Who didn't look shit first thing on a Saturday morning?

'Have you booked a restaurant yet?' she asked.

Steve groaned inwardly, anticipating the imminent battle. He really didn't need this. 'Eh, look Kelly. I don't think I'm going to go ahead with this thing. I'm going to call it off.'

Kelly regarded him coldly, and Steve steeled himself for her response. He'd divorced Kelly's mum six years ago and every now again, Kelly made an effort to stir is interest in dating again. He resisted her for a while, then joined a dating agency she'd found, just to get her off his back. Now, despite his lacklustre interest in the whole business, the agency had fixed up a date for him.

'Dad, you can't . . . Not tonight of all nights. You can't let the poor woman down on Valentine's night.'

Steve tried to divert the subject, 'What about you, is Matt taking you anywhere special?'

'Never bloody mind about Matt, I won't enjoy this evening with Matt if I know you're rattling around here on your own all night.'

'That's not fair – in fact that's emotional blackmail. Besides, I like rattling around by myself,' he retorted.

'You can't do that to the woman the agency's hooked you up with. You can't.'

'I know it's not a nice thing to do, but better than going along, then letting her down later on. It's more honest this way.'

'So, you're not even going to give it a try?' Kelly said, her voice almost tremulous with anger.

Steve held up a placating hand. 'Look Kelly, I really appreciate what you've done, but, I'm just not interested in a relationship. I'm happier on my own, why can't you respect that?'

'Because no one is happier on their own. Don't you miss female company?'

Steve shrugged, 'What's to miss? Anyway, I see you, don't I?'

'That's not what I mean, and you know it.'

'I get by alright,' he said dismissively.

'So I see,' Kelly said, looking purposefully around at the messy kitchen.

'Kelly, when you get to my age, being in a relationship isn't that important,' he explained gently. He had the impression he was getting the upper hand.

'What? You're only fifty five, Dad,' she said exasperated. 'Look, have a shave, freshen up, put on a decent shirt and . . .'

'Uh, uh.' Steve interrupted. 'My mind's made up, and that's final. I don't want a relationship, I don't want a date. I'm happy the way I am. There's nothing for me worth dating for.'

Kelly said nothing and Steve sensed victory.

But instead of giving in, she cocked her head slightly, a mischievous look in her eye. I'll make you a deal, Dad.'

'What?' Steve said, instantly suspicious.

'We flip a coin.'

'I don't think so, Kelly.'

'If it's heads, you let me try and change your mind. Give me say, just five minutes to change your mind. If it's tails, I'll drop the whole thing. I won't harass you again. I'll let you be the happy divorcee single man you are. That's a promise.'

Steve ran over the words in his mind, trying to find the suspected trap within. 'So if I lose, I just give you five minutes to change my mind. I don't have to go on this Valentine's date thing?'

'Nope. If you still don't want to go that's fine, I'll even ring the dating agency, tell them you've come down with the flu or something. Just give me the chance to change your mind. Five minutes, tops.'

'And if you lose, you'll drop the whole thing?'

'I will. That's a promise.'

'Do I get to toss the coin?'

'If you want.'

'I do.'

'So it's a deal?'

'Okay. A deal. I just need a coin.'

'I've one,' Kelly said, fishing in her purse. She produced a coin and handed it to him. Steve inspected both sides to make sure it wasn't a double headed coin. Satisfied he put the coin on his thumb, ready to flick it.

'Just one thing,' Kelly interrupted.

'What?' he said, suspicious again.

'If it's heads, and I get my five minutes you have to do as I say, and you are not allowed to say or do anything during that five minutes.'

'Fair enough, I think I can manage that for five minutes.'

'Solemn word?'

Steve sighed, 'Solemn word.'

'Then toss the coin.'

Steve tossed.

The coin chinged as it spun in a silver blur. Steve caught it, slapping it face down on the back of one hand, his other hand covering it, hiding the result.

Steve kept his hand over it. His eyes met Kelly's; adversaries in the last seconds of a duel.

He slipped his hand away, to reveal the decision of chance.

Heads.

Kelly beamed.

Steve returned the coin to her. 'Okay you got your five minutes.'

Kelly slipped her jacket off and hung it over a chair then turned to her father. 'Right Dad, when I said don't you miss female company you said; what's there to miss, right?'

'Yes.'

'Ah, ah, no speaking, just nod if I ask you something,' she chided, stepping close and putting a finger to his lips.

Steve rolled his eyes then looked at his daughter who was staring very intently at him, her face just inches away. The moment lasted too long, her eyes reflected a hard determination, a look she'd affected since childhood whenever she meant to get her way. Steve suddenly felt uncomfortable. Then he felt a tugging around his stomach. She was loosening the dressing gown cord. He put a hand out to stop her, but she swatted his effort away. And his gown hung loose. He gave his daughter a look of disapproval, and opened his mouth to protest, to end her silly game. Two things stopped him.

The first was Kelly's forefinger against his lips, the second, that occurred simultaneously, was the sensation of her cool smooth hand pressed lightly against his genitals.

Her action and the shock of being touched by her so intimately froze him into inaction. It was as though his mind had not yet caught up with his senses. Her pale blue eyes bored into his, holding his gaze so he did not look down, and receive visual confirmation of what she had just done. She had touched him before – growing up she had always be happy to rub his shoulders when he got home from work, even into her teens, or rubbed a calf muscle after he'd had a cramp - natural behaviour between a father and daughter. This though, was something very different.