The Politician's Daughter Ch. 01

"Uh huh. And how did that change things, exactly?"

"It made me understand. I don't blame you for having lovers. I think it's . . . good. You have a right to be happy."

Paul looked in her eyes. He saw something in them—a message without words that she knew exactly why he did what he did, that she understood the temptations of sex, and did not judge him for it. There was an adult awareness and knowingness that just penetrated his soul. Oooh, Allison, baby, he thought. Do you really know?

The words just spilled out of his mouth without thinking as he returned that knowing gaze. "We always were so much alike, weren't we?"

Allison could not help a little smile play across her mouth. Good for you, Daddy, she thought.

"Alike as in . . . how much we both like sex?" she asked, boldly.

Paul felt there was no point beating around the bush. They'd gone this far.

"Yes," he said, simply, looking at her.

Oh Allison wanted to know so much more, but she simply could not ask him. What did he like? What did he do?

She only said, "These relationships you have—are they primarily for sex?"

Again Paul found himself being completely honest with her. "Yes."

"So you've never been in love?"

"I didn't say that. It's just . . . in my position, there are certain limits to what's possible."

"Do you ever regret that?"

Paul stayed silent. There was certainly much more he could say about this, but he didn't know how much he should.

"It's my life, Allison. My work. I've made certain adjustments to accommodate it. And I believe I'm doing important work, so. . . this is how things are."

"I see."

He looked at her. "There's one thing I don't regret. That has never changed."

"What's that?"

"My love for you," he said, and rarely had Paul felt how much he meant it. She was the person he loved most in the world, and he had missed her terribly.

Allison blushed with pleasure. "Even after all this time?"

"Of course," he said. "That will never change."

She gazed into his eyes, searching them closely. "Do you have a lover, now?"

"No. I don't." He knew very well he did have a lover, but something was making him say No.

Allison felt a burst of joy at this answer. So he wasn't "seeing" anyone.

Paul was staring at her remembering the way she'd acted the night before, how she'd hugged him, and practically invited him into her bed. Did she know?

"Do you remember last night at all?" he asked nonchalantly.

Allison blushed. "God I was drunk, I'm sorry. Vaguely . . . did I do something stupid?"

"Uh, no, no. It's fine. You want to grab the other end of this?"

Together they pushed and pulled on the mast. The wind was starting to pick up as they headed home.

+++

That night, they both lay in bed, unable to sleep, for the same reasons.

Paul was lying next to Iris, his mind buzzing, his thoughts full only of Allison. He felt strangely . . . happy. It had definitely been a good day. He was glad they'd talked. She was simply wonderful.

Allison too was feeling pleasantly elated thinking over their conversation. And just allowing herself to let her love for him back into her life. It was so easy to slip back into their comfortable closeness.

They both knew there was more to it—that their attraction was feeding into that re-opened channel of love and making it slightly different. But neither wanted to look too closely into it. It just felt too damn good.

+++

The next few weeks slipped by in a sweet summer haze. Allison spent her days swimming and tanning, sometimes hanging out with Sarah at night, and going for her daily run or boating with Paul. It felt so good to be physically active every day.

As it had in the past, the family just naturally divided into two camps—Paul and Allison on one side, Iris and the boys on the other. Allison's mother spent almost all her time socializing. She was on the boards of several charities and lunched every day at the Country Club. Her brothers were very active as well and hardly ever home. Many days Paul was the only other person in the house.

One day Paul went to find Allison to see if she wanted to take the boat out. He thought he'd find her lying out by the pool so he headed in that direction. As he approached, he saw she was wearing her white bikini, lying on her stomach and talking on her cell. She saw him and smiled and gestured, saying "One sec."

As he waited for her, Paul really had nothing to do but admire her. Jesus. He couldn't help but take it all in. She was fucking gorgeous.

She was lying in such a way that her breasts were almost completely exposed from the side. The bikini top was only there to cover her nipples. Her beautiful hips and perfect ass were slightly raised and led his eyes down to the arched curve of her back and completely flat stomach, and up to her tits, whose vulnerable whiteness stood out against her dark tan. Her long, silky, wavy hair cascaded down her shoulders. She was certainly gorgeous to look at, but even more, she beckoned to his sense of touch. He wondered how her hair would feel in his hands, how smooth her skin would be, how wonderful to stroke and caress all of her curves. He could almost feel them as he looked at her.

He was snapped out of his reverie when she sat up.

"OK, honey. I'll talk to you later. Yes, I love you too, bye."

She smiled at him. "Hi."

"Was that Jeremy?"

"Yes, we're just making plans for his visit. He'll be here for the wedding."

"Ah, yes, that's right. Well that makes sense. So I was wondering if you want to take the boat out?"

"Now?"

"Yes," Paul said, glancing at his watch. "We have time."

"Oh I'm sorry, I can't. Sarah's coming over soon and we're going out."

"Ok, no problem. Have a good night."

Paul walked down to the docks irritated and disappointed. He'd gotten used to her joining him on every occasion. And now he was feeling somewhat like an old fool. She was a young woman with a boyfriend, and her own life; he couldn't expect her to jump at his beck and call. Nevertheless, he felt anger building inside stronger and stronger as he got the boat ready. But he knew it wasn't only because of this little rejection. No, it was more than that; it was the way she'd totally cut him off for four years. Only now did he realize how much he'd resented that; previously he'd only felt sadness and regret. But he was angry, he now realized. More than angry, he was furious. Jesus.

She had completely shut him out, without any explanation! He'd completely lost her for four years, and he was enraged about it! He was stunned at the intensity of the rage rising up out of the depths. And what, was he supposed to get close to her now, again, knowing she could just decide to erase him from her life again?

Paul worked the sails and headed out, thinking and thinking as the sun and wind caressed his body.

He didn't like this anger. It seemed to be aggravated as well by the image of her body he now couldn't get out of his head. Her soft, quiet, sensuous beauty preyed on him. He had to admit to himself she was just exactly the type of woman he liked, in every way, from her looks to her intelligence to her passionate nature. The women he saw in DC could all be mistaken for her.

He wanted to know more about her. If she weren't Allison, he'd be asking her out. He'd be finding out all her secrets, all her fantasies. They'd be having long, sexy talks over dinners and drinks, they'd be taking walks in the city as they revealed more and more about each other. God he loved that. The long, slow game of seduction. It was his favorite thing, like unwrapping the most beautiful gift to find out what was inside. She had said she liked and enjoyed sex. He wanted to know everything! He supposed this was contributing to his anger. He wanted to, but he knew he absolutely could not.

The past few weeks had certainly been wonderful, but Paul felt the real danger of allowing it to continue.

+++

That night, Allison was out with her friends at a local bar. They were drinking and joking around and having a good time, but her heart really wasn't in it. She was feeling guilty about blowing off Paul this afternoon. It was literally the first day they hadn't been together all summer. She decided to call it a night and see if he was still up.

As she drove, she replayed the conversation with Jeremy in her head. It had ended nicely, but they had actually had a small argument, which started when Jeremy insisted, once again, on teasing her about her father.

"So how's Daddy?" he said, in that tone of his.

"He's fine," Allison said, starting to get annoyed. "We've had some nice talks. I think we're really back on track."

"I bet. I'm sure the old man's quite happy having his little girl around."

That really annoyed her. Paul was only a few years older than him.

"He's not 'old.' And I've never heard you complain about our age difference."

"Oh, I see. So what's really going on with you and your father, Allison?"

"Nothing! We're just reconnecting. It's been a long time."

"Reconnecting, is that what they're calling it nowadays?"

"Jesus, do you have to make it sound so sordid and perverted? Can't I just have a close relationship with my father?"

"Ok, look, I'm sorry. I apologize. It's just . . . you're so far away, babe. I'm here working my ass off, and I know you're there with the great man himself. And to be honest, you've sounded different. Preoccupied."

"Well I'm not. And I miss you."

But Allison knew she had lied to him. She was completely preoccupied, and hardly thought of Jeremy anymore. And his comments irritated her because they were so close to the truth.

She didn't deny her attraction to Paul. It was there, simmering under the surface. It was almost as if each time she saw him she was waiting for something to happen, but it never did.

She pulled in to the house and saw a light on out back on the deck. Her brothers were out of town and she knew her mother would be fast asleep by now, so it could only be Paul. He was standing in bare feet, pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt. She approached him from behind, her high-heeled sandals softly clicking on the wooden surface. He was gazing out at the ocean.

"Hi," she said, coming up to stand next to him.

"Hi. Have a good time?"

"Sure. It was fun to see some of the old gang."

"Well that's good to hear."

"What are you doing up? Couldn't sleep?"

"Actually, no."

"What's on your mind?"

"Nothing in particular. Just came down to listen to the surf."

Allison turned around so that she was leaning back on the railing, facing him, with her elbows bent. She knew her breasts were quite visible from this position, and that the cool ocean air was making her nipples hard. She let one arm touch his, and her hip graze his thigh.

"I'm sorry I didn't come with you today."

"Oh, that was no problem. I didn't stay out too long."

They fell into a long silence. Allison wanted so much to touch him, or say something, but she didn't dare. She only moved a bit closer.

"Jeremy and I had a little spat today."

"Oh? What about?"

"He's acting a little jealous."

"Is that so? Is he the jealous type?"

"Not really. He just thinks I've been different since I got back here. Preoccupied. He thinks someone else is on my mind."

"Is there?" Paul said, looking intently at her.

"Yes," Allison said, holding his gaze, waiting for him to do or say something.

"Ah. Difficult situation. Is this other man . . . aware of it? Interested in you?"

Allison continued to gaze at him with her blue eyes seeking his, and her body inching closer.

She said quietly, "I don't know."

Paul turned his gaze back to the ocean and stayed that way for a long time. Then he turned to her, kissing her lightly on the cheek.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," he said, as he turned to go back inside.

+++

Over the next few weeks, they did not get much chance to be alone. Relatives were coming to visit and massive preparations were underway for her brother's wedding, which promised to be the social event of the summer. Everyone would be there, including the media. Her father was a famous man, and there would be national politicians and celebrities in abundance. Iris was running around like a chicken with her head cut off planning seating charts, helping with flowers, catering, and setting up the back yard. Some of Ken's college and military friends came to stay at the house. It was crazy. Furthermore Paul had to make a few short trips to DC for work.

Finally one morning they had a chance to take a jog together, right before he left for yet another trip.

"Hey," Allison said, meeting him down in the foyer.

"Hey, yourself. You ready?"

"I need to stretch a bit, hang on."

Paul knew he wasn't going to be able to keep his eyes off her as she bent and twisted and turned her lithe, beautiful body. The few encounters they'd had in the hallway or kitchen since their conversation on the deck had made that clear enough. There was an unmistakable tension between them that made every glance, every word they exchanged full of unspoken meaning. It as precisely why he'd been spending more time than usual away from the house.

They did a six mile run on the beach, three up and three back, and collapsed under the shade of some trees when they returned, in a quiet part of the woods that bordered the house. In the distance they could hear the sounds of people talking and laughing.

"You've been going down to DC a lot," Allison observed.

"I know. Just getting ready for next year. You know how it is."

"Yes, I do," she said pointedly. "My father, the weekend visitor."

"Allison, you know the demands of my job."

"And other things. . ."

"Meaning . . .?"

"Could you have come home more, when we were growing up, or did you just not want to?"

"It was my job, Allison, nothing more. Can we drop this, please?"

But Allison did not want to drop it.

"Do you have any idea how much it hurt me to find out that day?"

Paul looked at her. "I thought you said you were ok with it."

"I am, now. But I wasn't then. I was very hurt. I thought that's why you stayed away so much. I thought . . ." but she trailed off.

"You thought what?"

"I don't want to talk about it. Forget it."

"No, I think we should. Tell me. What did you think?"

Allison was sitting up on her elbows, and Paul was lying on his stomach next to her, watching her face.

"Tell me," he said.

Allison hesitated, not wanting to expose her real feelings.

She looked away from him, out towards the ocean.

"I felt betrayed. Like, everything between us was a big lie. A big huge fat disgusting lie. Like you just pretended to care about me. Like I was just part of your 'family time.' A chore."

"Honey." Paul said, instinctively reaching out to stroke her thigh. "That's simply not true. I'm sorry you felt that way."

"Is it? I mean, did you even care about me, or was that all an act?"

She saw anger flash in his eyes. All of a sudden all she wanted to do was hurt him.

"I thought we were close. I thought you really loved me. And meanwhile, only to find out, the whole time you just wanted to be with 'baby girl'."

Oh, God. Paul blushed deep red in embarrassment.

"Well you were wrong," was all he said.

"It didn't seem so at the time."

"Allison, my god, you're practically the only reason I ever wanted to come home. You're the reason I stayed home as much and as often as I could, as I did. You may not believe this, but it was work that kept me away, not my private life. You misunderstood."

"Really?" she said, shocked.

"Yes," he said. "And while we're being honest, do you have any idea what it did to me to have you shut me out like that?"

"No," she said. "I don't. I thought you didn't care, to be honest."

Paul stood up. He was angry. "Didn't care? You're not the only one with feelings, you know. You're not the only one in this relationship."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You have to ask? You completely dropped me! You totally shut me out. And then I practically never saw you for four years. What do you think that did to me?"

"I don't know," she said, in wonder. "I thought you had plenty of things—plenty of other people—to occupy your mind."

Paul made an impatient gesture. "What, the women I like to fuck? That's nothing compared to my love for you! Can I get that through your head?"

"So you did love me. I wasn't just an 'obligation.'"

Paul grabbed her hands and pulled her up to him and looked her fiercely in the eyes. "Yes, I loved you! I still love you, damn it!"

"And yet you still have lovers. I know you do. I know that's why you've been going to DC so much!"

"No. That's not true. I've been down there thinking."

"About?"

Paul stepped closer and put one hand on her cheek, looking at her. "About you."

Allison searched his eyes, and felt the most enormous relief. She saw in them confirmation of her own feelings. He was practically admitting it. And that's all she needed to know.

She moved closer to him. "Would you give them up, Daddy? For me?"

"Allison . . ." Paul warned.

"I know you've felt this," she said, moving her hands to his waist. "Ever since I came back. I can't be imagining it."

Paul looked at her and could not lie.

"No," he said simply. "You're not. But baby—"

"What?" Allison breathed, her mouth so close to his.

"This can't, this cannot . . ."

But he couldn't finish his sentence, because Allison was kissing him. And in an instant, his arms were around her and he was kissing her back, hard and deep, and moaning as he sucked her tongue into his mouth.

Allison pulled her lips off his for a second to whisper, "Kiss me, Dad. Daddy, please . . ."

"Mmmm . . . no . . . NO, Allison!" Paul practically yelled, pushing her away and wiping his mouth as if he'd tasted poison. "NO."

Allison stood there. She could see how hard he was. It was plainly visible in his running shorts.

Naturally, easily, pitifully, she said the words that she instantly regretted. "Don't you want me?"

Paul snapped his head to look at her, infuriated. "What do you think?" he said viciously, unaccountably angry.

He came up to her and held her tightly by the upper arms. "This CANNOT happen, do you understand? Am I making myself crystal clear?"

Allison's eyes filled with tears. She could only stare at him and stammer. "Ok . . . I didn't mean . . . I didn't know . . ."

"Oh God, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, it's not your fault. Damn it! I should have been more careful."

Paul paced back and forth, then said "OK, I have to go. Right now. I'm sorry. I need to go." And he turned and quickly walked up the path back to the house.

Allison watched him go in a state of shock, both elated and terrified.

+++

Part II will be posting shortly.