Tempted

        Kaia had never dated her entire life, save for a longtime crush on her father’s friend. Oh, that’s right. That’s why she never dated.         She was only 19 when she first met him. Brooding, commandeering, and at the same time gentle. The man she had been pining for ever since they found each other’s eyes in her father’s lavish birthday party that time. Mr. Hayes.          Now that she was five years older and had just graduated university, though, she decided it was time to make her feelings clear. Now, she’s not going to accept a measly excuse of her being too young for him anymore. She’s putting her foot down and getting a definite answer from him.         A ring sounded out throughout her entire room, her father’s name being shown on her phone’s screen. As soon as she picked it up, Mr. Green started, “Hey, Sweetheart. Congratulations on your graduation! Dad apologizes for not being able to go to you, but it was just convenient that somehow New York was hit with a blizzard. Damn blizzard!”          His daughter laughed heartily, and knowing just how heartbroken her dad was when he couldn’t go to her graduation yesterday, she teased him, “I don’t know, Dad. I’m pretty sure every one of my friend’s parents came… I mean it’s not like I’m saying that I’m incredibly sad but…”         A wail sounded out from her phone, “I know, I know… I’m hoarding immeasurable disappointment towards myself, Sweetheart. I don’t even know how to make it up… You know what, I’ll figure it out the moment I get there. Gabriel just picked me up and we’re on our way.”         To say that her eyes bulged out would be an understatement. “Wait, what? You’re here?! And with Mr. Hayes, too?! Oh my God!”         “Yeah! I boarded the first plane there as soon as I got the A-OK from the state! I’ve missed you a lot, you know!”          Chaos ensued in her room the moment her dad said ‘yeah’. Without tuning in to hear more of what her dad has got to say, she immediately got up to clean her room, the one with clothes strewn around and books stacked almost everywhere, and it was then that she heard the beeps that come with one turning off the call, and just assumed her dad did it because he thought he lost his connection. “Ugh! This is why I need to keep my room clean every time of the week! My God, this is a pigsty!” she groaned exasperatedly.          After almost an hour of tidying up what could be tidied up in her room, she could finally let out a huge breath, slumping back on her sofa, “Finally!” Then the knocks sounded on her door. Knock, knock.          “Daddy!” she yelled excitedly, opening her door to see the man she actually did want to call ‘daddy’, but for different reasons altogether (definitely not innocent ones). The taller man didn’t look unaffected by the name-calling, though.         “Hey, kid. Your dad’s still on the phone right now,” said her Mr. Hayes, his voice still as deep as she’d remembered, and still as lovable, even though it lacked any kind of emotion.         “M-Mr. Hayes,” she stumbled over her words a little, and it was only after a moment that she managed to let out, “Come in, come in. You must be tired having to make the journey from the airport to here.”          His abdomen brushed up against her shoulder as he made his way in, that little action reddening her cheeks, “No, don’t worry. That car ride did not tire me out in the least.” He put down his things, making his way to the sofa he had only ever sat twice on.         He really has always been a gentleman. He had to pick his friend up this late in the night, at around 11 p.m., but he still insisted upon not being burdened by having done that. Could this man get any better? She thought.         “Kaia, my baby! I’m here!” her dad called out loudly to his beloved daughter, his arms opened wide, “Where’s my hug?”         “Daddy!” now it actually was her biological father. She ran to him with all of her might, engulfing him in a koala hug.         He bombarded her with questions, “You’ve gotten lighter! Have you not been eating right, Sweetheart? Did university stress you out this much? Thank God you’re out now!”         She laughed, having just realized how much she missed her dad, "There is no way I'm lighter, Dad! You're just tricking me into eating another buffet with you! Haven't you had enough of the many All-You-Can-Eats in New York?"         "No way! I absolutely am not!" he replied back with a carefree laugh, knowing his daughter just spotted his failed attempt at creative deception, "By the way, how is your apartment this clean? I have never seen you not being in a messy coop! Also, why does it kind of smell like peppermint here? Wow, this is so unlike you! I love it, though!"         Whilst he was spouting his mouth off, she was embarrassed, to say the least. Adding to that equation a minor eyebrow raise from the man she had a crush on and she was now as red as a fresh tomato.         "Dad! I have always been an organized person!" before he could say any retort back to her, she pushed him to the guest bedroom, "No time to waste, Daddy! It's almost time for my beauty sleep, and yours! Put your luggage in the room! Let's go, let's go!"          Her dad let out a glorious chuckle, "You're just like your mom! Always hurrying up people!", as he made his way to the room.         Leaving Kaia and Mr. Hayes alone in the living room. With only a feet's distance between them.