Page 74 of Daddy's Heart

He laughed.

“Nap,” he ordered, grabbing his jeans from the floor on his way out the door. She probably wouldn’t sleep for long, but he needed the tiny bit of space.

That damn love word popped into his head again, and he needed to get that shit under control before he let it slip from his mouth. She had enough complications, having feelings for her that ran deeper than causal would only muddy the waters.

But when he looked back at her before closing the bedroom door, he couldn’t help the overwhelming sense of emotion coursing through his veins. Already half asleep, she cuddled his pillow with a broad smile on her lips.

He was in deep trouble.

Chapter 27

She got it!

Samantha threw open the apartment door and rushed inside.

“Ryder?” she called out, kicking the door shut behind her. He’d left for work so early, he had to be home already. She rushed through the apartment, searching him out.

Nothing. He wasn’t home.

Her enthusiastic smile dropped a bit. She shot off a text asking when he’d be home. This was news she wanted to give in person, so she could see the pride in his eyes.

She’d been so nervous going to the interview, her hands trembled. But she made it through and landed the job. It had been unexpected to have an offer made at the end of the interview, but she hadn’t blinked an eye at accepting.

She now had employment, with a higher pay scale than she’d expected.

Her phone chirped.

Gonna be a long day. Text me when you get to the dungeon.

She frowned.

Dinner?

Sorry, babe. Trying to finish this up this week. Be home to tuck you in.

Tuck her in? No! She wanted to celebrate.

She tossed her phone on the couch and sighed.

Her stomach growled. Having skipped breakfast, thanks to her nerves, she was starved.

Samantha gathered up ingredients for a sandwich and popped open a can of pop. Ryder wasn’t home, and he would forgive her. It was a celebration. She could have junk for celebration.

She put the fixings on the counter, pushing aside a folded-up newspaper Ryder must have been looking at while he downed a cup of black coffee. How could he drink that stuff with no sugar or cream? It was blasphemy.

As she spread mayonnaise across the bread, she caught the heading on the paper.

Apartments for Rent

Her hand stilled while her heart took off into a gallop. She put down the knife and picked up the newspaper. He’d been looking at apartments? For her?

She was only staying with him temporarily, she knew that. And she wouldn’t bother lying to herself and saying the thought of moving into her own place now that she had a job hadn’t popped into her head.

Did he want her out so quick? He didn’t even know she’d been offered a job, but there was the rental page, folded over to his neighborhood.

She left her half-made sandwich and walked into the living room, still looking at the ads. Her eyes read the words, but nothing sank into her mind. Only the dull ache forming in her chest made sense.

Maybe she’d felt things that weren’t there, made too much out of little signals. He’d punished her last night, taken what he wanted from her body, and let her go to bed needy. Even after they’d had dinner and she’d been good all night, he still wouldn’t give her a release, making her arousal all the more uncomfortable.

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