Darling Nikki Ch. 06

Nikki and I didn't talk at all, just ate in a very comfortable, companionable silence. It was pretty amazing. She finished pretty quickly and kissed my forehead before disappearing upstairs. She reappeared, dressed in basic jeans and t-shirt just as I was scooting my chair back and cleared the table before I could try. I started heading for the door and she grabbed her purse, got her keys out, tossed my arm over her shoulder, and said, "Let's go, Daddy. I'm taking you to work today. Call me when you're done and then I'm taking you to the doctor to get your knee checked out."

I didn't want to argue or have her yelling again so I just nodded my head and said, "Sure thing, honey. Thank you." I didn't even grumble under my breath about not needing to see a doctor. I think I'm finally growing up a little.

Work was nice. I had a really productive morning, got a lot accomplished, and -- very surprisingly -- didn't have Dana poking fun at me all morning. Maybe it's because she saw Nikki dropping me off and me hobbling around. I don't know, but I was grateful not to be teased all day. I also made plans with Dana for the two of us to take off the following Monday morning so Nikki's present could be dropped off at Dana's place.

I told Nikki to pick me up at 2 when she was leaving that morning. On the dot she showed up, so I hobbled out the door, getting a hug from Dana, then away we went to the doctor.

It's a good thing I didn't make a stink about not needing to see the doctor; turns out I did. I'd sprained my knee pretty badly and actually dislodged my patella. The doctor clicked it back in place while I manfully kept from screeching in pain, then the doc wrapped up my knee real tight and put a brace around it, telling me to go easy for the next 3 weeks and I should be fine.

On the way home Nikki looked at me out of the corner of her eye, her eyebrow cocked. "Three weeks, huh? Soooo...no more wild sex for almost a month? I know some girls who will be veeeery disappointed."

I flipped her off, leaned back in the seat and enjoyed the ride home. I was planning out all the things I'd need to do to get Nikki's car ready. I hadn't actually seen the car in person, just pictures. It was, essentially, a rusted-out shell sitting on a rusted floorboard on half-rusted axles. The engine had been home to mice for a few decades, apparently, and I was sure I'd have to machine some of the parts from scratch. I was looking at a solid four or five months of eight-hours-a-day work spread out over the next ten months, almost, to get it ready.

I was undoubtedly going to have to buy some sheet metal, some tools, get a new tank for my Oxyacetylene torch and who knew what else. Fortunately, Dana's firm handled a lot of high-end, high-price projects and I made a really good living working part-time for her. I wasn't wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but since my only bills were utility bills and insurance, we were very comfortable.

Nikki broke into my thoughts. "Daddy, I was thinking a hot tub would be really nice. Do you think we could get one? It'd do wonders for your hurt knee." Then she gave me an innocent little-girl smile and even batted her eyelashes.

I rolled my eyes. "I'll think about it."

"Pleeeeease, Daddy?"

"I'll think about it, ok?" Which meant, yes, I'd get us a damned hot tub now stop bothering me. She knew that, of course.

I added that to my mental shopping list. I shifted in the seat and my knee let me know it was really unhappy about that. I winced and sat up a little straighter.

"Nikki, can you drive my truck for the next couple of weeks and let me take your car? I can't handle driving stick with my left knee out of commission."

"No problem, Daddy. I can work a stick just fine." She tossed me an incredibly naughty wink, then giggled as I sat there, flummoxed. "Are you sure you can handle driving around town in my buttercup-yellow bug?"

Regaining my composure I replied with an air of sincere dignity, "I am secure in my manhood. Driving your yellow Volkswagen Bug will not offend my tortured dignity in the least. I thank you for your sacrifice of driving around in my redneck pickup."

* * *

The rest of the week flew by pretty quick. I was wrapped up in the project at work, and Nikki and I had some great conversations in the evenings. We talked out all our feelings and opened up to each other in ways we hadn't before. Well, I didn't tell her about all my feelings. I loved Nikki with all my heart, and I'd always liked her; she was a sincerely good person and I was proud of the woman she'd become. But that week, I got to know her even better, and saw even more how truly wonderful a human being she was, and we grew closer than ever. I was, and would always be, her Daddy, but we turned a corner and started becoming friends, too. I'd always tried to treat her as an adult, but I was now seeing her as an adult, and it showed in how we related to each other.

She still teased me about the weekend with her friends and I finally relaxed enough into our new dynamic that I started teasing her back about her lesbian romp by the pool, and even gave her shit about her cheerleader daisy-chain in the locker room at school. It wasn't often I was able to make Nikki blush, so I took a great deal of pride in her rosy red cheeks after I brought that up.

Svetlana visited a little more frequently than she usually did. She came by every day, in fact. She either wore very tight, very sexy clothes and spent an inordinate amount of time making sure I had a good view of how desirable she was, or she'd wear extremely loose tops and no bra and spend an inordinate amount of time bent over in front of me so I could get a good look down her shirt.

I, of course, took a great deal of pleasure in her posturing and posing, made sure she knew I saw, but gave her no encouragement otherwise. She'd also casually run her fingers through my hair, offer me countless casual and almost-but-not-quite intimate and naughty touches. She'd ask at least every fifteen minutes if I needed anything...it was sweet that she was trying so hard, and I was curious to what she'd do next.

The rest of the girls all came by to visit at least once, asking if I were ok, then hanging out with Nikki. And honestly? I thought that was awesome. I didn't want their friendship to change because of our wild weekend, so I was grateful that things were pretty much back to normal. The girls would flirt with me openly, or make some really off-color comments, but mostly, it was just Nikki and her friends, and life was otherwise the same as it used to be. I relished it. The only real difference is that I was actually happy, I wasn't faking it.

During the afternoons when the girls weren't over, Nikki and I relaxed and watched whatever mindless "I Wanna Be a Model" show she wanted to watch, while a crew did some work in the back yard to prep for the hot tub. When she went out to hang out with the girls or whatever I snuck off to the barn and did some upper body work. I was pretty serious about getting myself back into proper shape.

The hot tub showed up and was installed on Friday afternoon, so after dinner that night, Nikki helped me hobble out and get in. The scalding water felt amazing on my banged-up knee.

Nikki ran inside and came out a few minutes later in her bikini, carrying two bottles of cider. She pulled up a little table and set it next to the hot tub and placed the drinks on it. Then she went back inside and returned with an ashtray, my lighter, and one of my Tatiana cigars -- a Fusion Frenzy this time. Yum. She punched a hole in the end, got the cigar going, handed it over and slid in across from me. She handed me a cider, took the other for herself, and clinked the neck of her bottle to mine.

"Salúd."

"Pòg mo thòin!"

"I think there's been enough ass-kissing around here for a little bit, Daddy." She winked and took a sip, then stretched out as much as she could and let out a deep sigh of contentment.

"Despite your pitiful attempt to make this hot-tub about me instead of you, sugar, you were right. This is really helping my knee."

She giggled. "I was thinking of you, Daddy. I just happened to be thinking of my own enjoyment, as well!"

"Thank you for 'fessing up, baby." She giggled again, causing her to shift around a little. Her legs settled next to mine and I was suddenly very conscious of her feet resting against my hip. I'd spent all week not having a single salacious thought about my daughter, but now she was front and center of my attention.

Resolutely, ruthlessly, taking control of my mind, I pushed any hints of those types of thoughts deep, deep down inside and locked them up. This is your daughter, shithead, and that's it. End of story. I flexed my leg a little, feeling my knee loosen up a bit more, took a swig of my drink and just relaxed and enjoyed the water.

An hour or so later my cider was done, my cigar was done, and I'd gotten just about all the therapeutic value out of the hot tub I could for the evening, so I started levering myself out of it. Nikki scolded me and slithered out of our new toy and helped me inside. Her warm, wet skin against mine was very distracting but I managed to control my thoughts. And Junior. As I leaned against my bathroom doorway Nikki got a towel for me and then paused a moment while I dried myself, looking around the room.

"With everything else going on this week I still managed to get the junk room cleaned out. Are you still going to move this stuff in there?"

"Yep. Truth to tell I've forgotten to order any new furniture, but it's on my list. I haven't changed my mind, just got distracted, what with the new project and my knee."

"Want to go furniture shopping tomorrow? Get some ideas of what you might like to put in here?"

"That's a great idea, baby. Mind driving my truck again? There is, like, zero leg room in your bug."

"No problem, Daddy. 'Night." A quick kiss that, once again, hit me with an electric charge, and she was on her way to her own room.

I dropped my swimming trunks, dried off perfunctorily then fell into bed and wrapped myself up in the sheet. No dreams. It was a good night.

We spent Saturday and Sunday driving from store to store looking for the "perfect" bed. I'd have been happy with just about anything, but I'm aware I have the design sense of a chia pet so I let Nikki take the lead. I quickly found a mattress I liked, but the frame just wouldn't do, according to my picky daughter. So we looked at nearly three dozen bed frames in nearly two dozen stores before she found one she liked.

"See? This is what you need! It has a full headboard...with bookshelf cubbies, even, and an outlet built in for charging your devices. The footboard compliments it nicely, and it's sturdy construction; it'll last you a long, long time. But it's not overly masculine. It's welcoming to any ladies you may wish to entertain. You've still got Svetlana and Beth to break in, too, don't forget. The other girls decided that they wouldn't be greedy and would wait for you to throw a shot into them before they took a second ride."

I was blushing so hard I think I was actually casting some light on the headboard. Especially since the cute saleslady was standing two feet from Nikki trying hard to control herself. Based on the contortions her face was going through, I wasn't completely sure what she was trying to keep herself from doing, exactly, but I reckoned it was trying not to break out in hysterical laughter.

"Nikki..."

"Plus, look at the woodworking and the architectural detail on this! Ooo! I just noticed this. See the way this is built!? They made this perfect so you can attach handcuffs or rope or some other restraints! You'll be able to get kinky just as soon as your knee heals up, Daddy!"

"Nikki!"

Yep, she was trying not to laugh, all right. The saleslady lost her battle and cracked up, begging us to excuse her through her guffaws as she stumbled off.

"Nikki!" I turned to scold her and just...stopped. She was looking at me with her beautiful eyes wide, her lips slightly parted, and was twirling a strand of hair around a finger. You know that look? The one that, in lots of movies, TV shows, or better-class porn, has the ingenue giving that "I'm so young and innocent but I want you to lose control to your desire" look? Yeah, she was giving me that look. She put the tip of a finger in her mouth and starting sucking on it, pouting ever so slightly.

"What's the matter, Daddy? Did I do something wrong?"

I tossed my hands in the air and stalked off, muttering. Well, I would have stalked if I wasn't hobbling. Behind me I heard Nikki laugh and whisper, "I'm so naughty!"

"Yes, you are," I agreed over my shoulder.

The saleslady caught up with me halfway through the showroom and I guess the fact that I'd been thinking about sex lately -- just about all the gods damned time -- caused me to look at her a little different. Maybe it was Dana's powers of observation rubbing off on me, and the comments she'd made, I don't know. But when I looked over at the saleslady I noticed that her blouse was tucked more firmly into her skirt, making it quite a bit tighter. Her skirt also appeared to have been pulled up a bit higher, showing off more of her rather nice legs, and her blouse was definitely unbuttoned another button.

"Did you want it, sir? T-the bed? The bed you were looking at?" Poor thing was a mite flustered. I have to say it did my ego good.

"Yes, Miss, I'll take it." I handed her my credit card. "Please tell that shameless reprobate over there that I'd like her to find a nightstand, a lamp, and a dresser to go with that. She's got the model number of the mattress I'd like." I gave her a neutral smile and said, "And please also tell her I'll be waiting outside."

She nodded and thanked me, then leaned forward just slightly...enough to cause her blouse to open up just a little, giving me a glimpse of her well-filled lacy blue bra, as she extended her hand. I shook it politely and stumped out the door.

That was a mistake. I should have pretended I wasn't flustered and stayed inside, because it was a typical mid-summer Texas day. For anyone not familiar, that means it was muggy, uncomfortable, so humid it felt like someone had dumped a bucket of sweat over me, and hotter than a motherfucker. Gods, it sucked. I knew I was acting like an ass, but if I went back inside, I'd look like a wimpy ass.

Fuck it.

Looking to my left I saw a sno-cone stand a little ways down the sidewalk. That'll do me just fine, I think. I went and got their largest sno-cone and then leaned against the truck, letting the purple-flavored ice cool me down just a touch.

Nikki came out about twenty minutes later, just as I was finishing up my treat. "Ooo, sno-cone! Did you get me one?"

"Nope. Brats don't get treats, and you, young lady were being a naughty brat."

She dimpled. "But it was so much fun!"

I just shook my head at her, then waved toward the sno-cone stand. "You better hurry up, looks like he's gonna move on, soon. You've still got my card so feel free."

She dimpled again and teleported over to get a sno-cone of her own.

On the way home, after she'd crumpled up the sno-cone holder and dropped it in the trash bag, she looked over at me asked, "Did you notice, Daddy? Or were you completely clueless, as usual?"

Rolling my eyes and sighing I answered, "Yes, daughter, I can learn. And I did notice that the saleslady-"

"Monica."

"- Monica, had rearranged her clothes to be more eye-catching. I'm sure you had fun tormenting her."

"Oh, I did! I made sure she got a good look at my ID when I was taking back your credit card so that she noticed we had the same last name. Then I gushed on and on about how 'my Daddy' was gonna have sooooo much fun strapping me to that bed and teaching me not to be naughty!"

"NIKKI!"

She nearly drove us off the road she started laughing so hard. I grabbed the wheel and steered until I was sure she had gotten control of herself again.

"No, Daddy. I didn't do that. I might next time, though!" She flashed me her dimples yet again. "But I actually behaved quite well. Just made the purchases and arranged for delivery next week. Wednesday around 4. I also paid extra to have their crew move the old furniture to the junk room. And the whole time Monica was trying so hard to be subtle about checking you out leaning up against the truck. Your shirt was stretched tight, your jeans were highlighting your package, and she damn near came every time you took a bite out of that sno-cone!"

I just rolled my eyes. "Don't roll your eyes at me, buster! And don't be surprised if she calls you. I may have left your cell number on her copy of the receipt. And I may have talked about how you had been so lonely after momma died and were finally ready to move on and try dating again."

"Motherfucker."

"Language, dear papa. What kind of example are you setting for your impressionable daughter?"

"The kind that's gonna leave a hand print on your ass if you don't lay off."

"Rawr."

And fucking Junior twitched at that. You lay off, too!

Monday morning, when Nikki dropped me off at the shop, Dana was waiting outside for me. We all talked for a few minutes, then Dana and Nikki hugged and arranged for us all to have dinner sometime soon, and she finally left.

Dana turned to me and said, "I didn't think she'd ever leave. We've got to hurry!"

Fortunately, she drives a very fast and maneuverable sports car, and the county roads were free of any law enforcement as she drove us at nearly 100 back to her place. We got there about ten minutes before a tow truck -- one of those jobs with the flat bed that carries the car instead of pulls it -- came down the long dirt driveway. The driver rolled down his window and asked where we wanted it.

Dana directed him to back into the barn and drop her there. As the tow truck maneuvered around to back in, we both only had eyes for the coupe. It was a rusted-out hunk of junk. There were a few large dents in the frame, but it had all its glass, and as we craned for a look we could see that the interior was dusty and nasty, but it appeared that the seats and dash were all in acceptable condition. To someone who couldn't - or wasn't going to - fix it up, the thing might have been worth a hundred bucks for the scrap. But to someone who could see what she could be, she was utterly priceless. To someone who didn't know cars, the fact that I paid eighteen thousand dollars for this pile of rust would have been utterly horrifying. I knew I'd gotten a steal.

Dana went over and talked to the driver for a moment, then disappeared into the barn, telling me to wait there. After about ten minutes of the two of them talking, and him fiddling around with getting the coupe off his bed, they came back out and she shook the guy's hand. I stumped over and thanked him sincerely.

Once he was driving away she took my arm and walked me into the barn to inspect Nikki's waiting-to-be-resurrected ride. The miniscule bumper was up at about my eye level. The car was resting on a hydraulic lift. A hydraulic lift that was portable. I just took Dana in my arms and gave her a really long hug. I've seen plenty of portable hydraulic lifts before, but those all looked a bit rickety. I'd never trust an actual vehicle to one. This one, though, looked just like the full-sized deal you'd find in any autobody shop. Except it wasn't built into the barn floor.