PEACE

warm summer breeze blew against her exposed skin, the slight scent of lilacs being carried with it. Cindy stood under a large, white canopy tent along with the other people party goers. The only difference between her and them was the fact that she was at least twenty years younger than all of them and they actually seemed to be enjoying themselves.

A waiter approached the seventeen year old, a small smile on his face, "You seem to be having the time of your life," he joked lightly, trying to bring a smile to Cindy's deadpanned face.

She looked at him, her eyes quickly taking notice of the dainty glasses full of champagne that sat on the metal platter he carried. Quickly wrapping her ring clad fingers around the nearest one, she made sure no adults were watching her, and then downed the alcohol in one gulp. "Now I'm having the time of my life."

Setting the now empty glass back on the tray, she returned his smile with a sheepish one of her own. "Sorry if I get you fired."

The man shrugged, seeming to care less about the idea of it. "I really don't care about this job. I just do it to bring in extra money, you know?" He explained. Cindy studied him, taking notice of the dimples that indented his cheeks as he kept the same sideways smile he had when he had first approached her.

"I'm Cindy," she introduced herself, deciding that this random boy was far better company then any of the stuck up high rollers that milled around the two young people. Sticking her hand out, she awaited a handshake and introduction in return.

Balancing the platter against his hip, he used his free hand to shake Cindy's, "Aaron. It's lovey to meet you, Cindy." Holding the platter with both hands again, he looked at the female apologetically, "Sorry Cindy but I have to run. Apparently there's something wrong with the infamous Duncan Shepherd's food and I'm being called in to fix it."

The blonde keeled over laughing, her sides beginning to hurt at the idea of her step father being so pretentious to the point that he was complaining about his food. "I know the guy. I'll go with you." She told Aaron, tears from laughing so hard beginning to prick the corners of her eyes.

Exiting the canopy tent, the pair made their way to a carbon copy of it. The second one was set up in the exact same way as the first, down to the table and chair placement. Catching sight of Duncan, the girl tapped her companion's shoulder and pointed out her step father. "There's your mission."

Sighing, the curly haired boy set down the tray of glasses and made his way over to Shepherd, Cindy close behind him. Coming upon Duncan, the teenager heard the last bit of his dialogue with the woman who sat next to him, "You look lovely, darling."

Deciding not to say anything, the girl kept her mouth shut as Aaron began to address the situation at hand, "Good evening, Mr. Shepherd. My name is Aaron and I was informed that there was a problem with your food. I'm extremely sorry for the inconvenience and was wondering what I could do to help?"

"Thank you, Aaron." Duncan began, his voice charming as always. "My lovely friend here has a problem with her meal." Handing the issue over to the woman that sat in the chair next to him, Duncan spotted Cindy who stood slightly behind Aaron.

"I was wondering where you ran off to." Duncan chuckled, leaving the table to allow his lady friend to talk with Aaron. "Where were you?" He inquired, linking arms with Cindy and beginning to leave the party behind as he led her out into the open field where the tents were located.

"I was people watching. Most of these people seem like they have sticks shoved so far up their asses they're incapable of removing them." The teenager told her step father. Duncan chuckled at her observation but said nothing more as the two made it quite a distance away from the charity event. The pair silently observed Washington D.C.'s rich and famous mingle with reporters and workers.

Their arms remained linked until Duncan unweaved their limbs and instead wrapped his arm around the young girls waist, placing his left hand on the curve of her hip. Her painted eyelids fluttered closed, the same feeling returning as when he had touched her a week before.

All logic left her mind as it became shrouded in haze. The haze of a seventeen year old girl getting butterflies like she was back in grade school. There was no thought in her mind about how no normal stepfather held his stepdaughter like that or that no regular thirty year old man should be gently rubbing circles on a seventeen year olds hip with the pad of his thumb.

There was only the thought of how much Cindy was enjoying the moment and how after all of the loathing she had done when it came to the topic of Duncan Shepherd, she was truly enjoying the moment.

The young girl wasn't the only one drinking up the serenity of the moment however. Duncan himself was finding just as much pleasure in it, maybe even more. All night he had listened to his mother and uncle nag him and reporters ask questions. He had attended to every one of the elite guests needs and his own needs had been chucked out the window until now. For the first time that night, he felt he could finally breathe.

"Duncan, can I go home tonight?" Cindy asked quietly, breaking the comfortable silence. She had been staying with Duncan in his lavish apartment the whole time her mother had been in California and her sister in Europe.

The man hummed, thinking for a few second before giving her an answer, "As long as you call me when you get there so I know you got there safely. I really don't need your mother cutting off my dick when she gets home."

The girl giggled, her girlish laugh ringing like a sweet melody through Duncan's ears. It was the first time he had ever heard it and he hoped to a god that it wouldn't be the last.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She cheered, grabbing hold of his left hand and squeezing it multiple times. Tugging on him slightly, she lowered his stature long enough to press her lips to his cheek. With another thank you whispered in his ear, the seventeen year old took off through the field.

Duncan watched her in amusement as Cindy seemed to forget that she was in heels, wearing a dress, and that anyone who was anybody could have easily seen her run like a child back to the canopy tents. Chuckling, he shook his head before deciding to return to the woman he had left with the waiter who Cindy had appeared with.

Cindy on the other hand was preparing to leave the venue and return home for the first time that week. She missed her bed and more importantly having her own space. The previous shared moment with him had been nice but he generally drove her crazy because they seemed to constantly frustrate one another.

Going back to her table, she collected her clutch that held her keys, wallet, and phone. Next on her to do list was to hunt down where the workers had put her fur coat but she didn't get very far before being stopped by Aaron.

"Leaving so soon?" He asked, a lop sided smile causing one of his dimples to become prominent. The seventeen year old nodded enthusiastically, quickly making her rounds around the tent trying to locate her coat.

"It's such a shame," she replied, sarcasm oozing with every word she responded with. Not being able to find her coat, she returned to Duncan, figuring he was her next best option.

"Duncan," she began, so excited to go home that she didn't even realize the businessman was talking to the same woman as before.

"Little girl, can't you see he's having a conversation?" The woman asked, clearly annoyed that some teenager was interrupting her grown up conversation. Cindy was taken aback, a sarcastic reply not forming fast enough in her mind before her stepfather got the chance to interject.

"Esmeralda, this is my stepdaughter Cindy. Cindy, this is national reporter and my good friend Esmeralda." He introduced the two, trying to snuff out any flame that may be trying to form.

The woman's attitude completely changed when she realized that the girl was Duncan's stepdaughter. Putting on a fake smile, the lady extended her hand to Cindy, "It's a pleasure."

The seventeen year old blinked a few times, shocked by the pure disrespect the woman had treated her with because of a slight misunderstanding. Rolling her eyes, the teenager blatantly ignored the woman and turned to Duncan. "D, I can't find my coat and I'm going to freeze to death on the way home!"

Duncan shook his head at the foolish nymph who had managed to lose a most likely expensive coat. Only she would be able to do that. Shrugging off his Gucci suit jacket, he wrapped it around the girl's shoulders. "Remember to call me when you get home, Cin."

"Yes, daddy." She groaned in exaggeration. Sticking her tongue out at the man, she turned on her heel and began to walk towards the valet service desk.

While she had only called Duncan that name to be sarcastic and dramatic, the name struck a cord in Duncan. A cord he wasn't proud of and made him have to fight the urge to grab Cindy's and make her call him "daddy" again. Sighing, he watched her disappear.