Roxie loved these moments with her father. They had often cuddled like this and, now she could admit it, she had thoughts about being more intimate with her father but had pushed them away. Since that moment when she had felt his hand tenderly cup her breast she knew he too had the same thoughts.

She snuggled closer to him breathing in his scent, an arousing mixture of perspiration from his round of golf and his familiar aftershave. With her head on his chest she could hear his steady, strong heartbeat. In the distance, across the lake, loons began calling back and forth.

“I love you, Daddy.” She whispered softly, but he heard her and replied’

“I love you too, Roxie.”

Frank drew his daughter onto his lap and she felt like his baby girl once more, protected from all things bad. She looked out across the rapidly darkening water and wondered what evil was out there. Never mind, Daddy would make sure she was safe.

She wriggled against him, settling into the shape of his hard body.

“I’m so sleepy Dad” she murmured, her head drooping onto his shoulder.

In seconds she was snoring softly. Frank tried to shift her slightly to get more comfortable. He looked out across the mirror-lake. The loons had quietened and only fireflies lit the black now.

His life had changed in these couple of days. Nothing would ever be the same for him again. He looked down at the glossy head now resting on his chest and kissed it softly.

He’d have to wake her; mosquitoes would eat them alive soon. He gently shook her. “Roxie, baby, wake up.”