Page 22 of Daddy's Little Cowgirl

Her eyes widened. “Oh.”

He bit his lip to keep from grinning. She was so easy to read, and he could tell she was excited but also apprehensive.

It would take time to get to know each other. In the meantime, he’d do everything in his power to make her like living with him.

Chapter Thirteen

Ellie couldn’t believe how him dressing her or even seeing her naked seemed natural. She knew it could be that she was just tired. But it felt different. Nice but scary at the same time.

He only buttoned three buttons on the huge shirt and then concentrated on rolling the sleeves up so they would stay out of her way.

“Let’s get the band out of your hair and your teeth brushed.”

She nodded and looked through the box for her things. She would take some time the next day to put her things away.

After she brushed, he led her to the bed and pulled the blanket back.

“Hop in, Sweetheart.”

She crawled in and then watched him tuck the covers around her shoulders.

“Do you think you’ll be warm enough?”

She nodded. She had no idea, but he’d done enough for her, and she didn’t want him to get angry or impatient with her.

He started to turn the lights off. “Can you please leave the bathroom light on?”

“Sure.” He cracked the door enough for some of the light to come into the room. “Is that enough?”

She nodded. She’d wait until he left to open it further. She didn’t want him to think she was a baby.

He sat down on the mattress facing her. “All right. You know which bedroom is mine, so if you need anything, come and get me.”

She nodded.

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Good night, Sweetheart.”

“Good night,” she said. She’d been close to saying “Daddy,” but he wasn’t hers and might never be. She had to keep reminding herself of that. No matter how much she thought about him, and she knew he liked her, she also knew she would eventually leave with a broken heart because Ridge would get sick of her. She just didn’t know when or how soon.

She waited for his footsteps to fade before jumping out of bed and shifting the bathroom door wide open. Ellie raced and jumped back on the bed, pulling the covers up and over her. The mattress felt like she was lying on a cloud, and the sheets and blankets were so nice and smelled like springtime.

With a couple of hours of sleep, she’d be able to start her job and show them how hard she worked.

She closed her eyes and tried to think happy thoughts, but her body was too tense, and her mind wouldn’t settle. It sometimes happened when she got overly tired or nervous. At that moment, she was both.

She tossed and turned until about four-thirty in the morning and finally gave up. She dressed, made the bed, and walked to the top of the stairs. Looking down at the darkness made her stomach tighten. There was no way she could go down there. All she saw were dark, scary shadows that seemed to move. She thought about going back to her room, but she was starting to feel empty and incredibly alone. At least here, she was close to him.

She sat and got comfortable on the top step and leaned against the banister. She hadn’t realized she’d fallen asleep until she heard Ridge behind her.

“What in the world are you doing, Sweetheart?” He sat next to her and studied her.

“Oh, nothing.”

He snorted. “Sleeping on the stairs isn’t nothing. Did you have a nightmare?”

She shook her head. She didn’t want to tell him what a loser she was because she was afraid he’d take her back.

“No. I just don’t need a lot of sleep.”

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