Page 110 of Daddy's Naughty List

“What the hell are you doing sitting in the middle of the road during the busiest time of the day?”

Bliss shrieked and searched the ground around her for something to defend herself. Where was Excalibur when you needed it? A sword right now would be helpful.

Wait. She knew that voice.

She must be on the universe’s cosmic naughty list. It was the only explanation. Of all the people who could have stopped to help, why did it have to be Connor? It wasn’t like she hadn’t known they’d run into each other. Darling was a small town. But she wasn’t ready. Not yet.

Had someone forgotten to tell her it was National Pick on Bliss Day? She’d have appreciated a memo. Struggling to her feet, she readied herself to face the latest crap storm in her life.

Connor looked ready to spit fire. At her. “Oh, you haven’t seen a crap storm yet, babygirl. But you’re about to.”

Dang it! She thought she’d gotten better at keeping her private thoughts to herself. With nothing else to do, she pasted on a bright smile. “Hi, Connor. It’s been a while.”

Chapter Six

Connor

Connor’s nostrils flared like a bull ready to charge. Two seconds in her presence and his control was already shot to hell. When he’d seen her sitting in the middle of the road, his heart almost stopped. He’d seen the skid marks arched over both sides of the road and chalked it up to idiot teenagers out for a joyride.

Rounding the curve and spotting Bliss’s car angled off the road, he’d had a moment of relief. At least she was all right. That relief had morphed into anger such as he’d never experienced—which was saying a lot considering her antics in Nevada—when he saw her seated on the pavement, cradling something in her arms.

For a split second, he’d thought it was one of her girls. For some reason, cold fear shot through him at that possibility. Of course, it was no more than any compassionate person would have. It didn’t evidence any feeling for those particular children. At least, that’s what he told himself.

She hadn’t learned one thing from what they went through when he’d caught up with the men who’d taken her, with the Society’s blessing, to marry a Russian crime boss. She hadn’t given a rat’s ass about her personal safety then, and it was obvious she still didn’t.

No, he wasn’t being reasonable. But she was sitting in the middle of a well-traveled road and best he could tell didn’t even notice when he pulled off the road behind her car. And then, to pretend like he was some casual acquaintance from school?

Not happening.

“It’s been a while?” His voice was deep and dangerous. And Daddy. Just like it should be. He was feeling like a dangerous Daddy right now. She stood there, as beautiful as he remembered, her looks alone making him want to snatch her up and kiss her, and all she had wasit’s been a while?

The only thing saving her well-rounded bottom right now was the way she pressed her thighs together and did her best not to squirm. Evidently, it hadn’t been that long of a while since he’d been on her mind. No one reacted that way to someone they’d forgotten. And why did that soothe him?

It doesn’t. You don’t care if she’s been thinking of you because you aren’t going there, remember?

Regaining a modicum of control, he tried again, albeit through gritted teeth. “I asked you a question, young lady. What were you doing sitting in the middle of the road in the freezing cold? And where is your coat?”

She peered down at the ridiculous sweater she wore like she hadn’t seen it before. Okay, she looked adorable in the oversized sweater with—were those jingle bells sewn to the antlers of that moose? He did not need her looking cute right now. Cute was distracting. He was not going to be distracted.

He stalked to her, took her by the arm, and all but dragged her to the snow- covered grass on the far side of her car. Staring down at her feet, he ground out, “Where are your snowshoes?”

She was wearing a pair of green canvas sneakers. Already the moisture of the snow soaked through the fabric.

“Oh, I don’t have any yet.”

“You were on a Society compound in western Nebraska, and you don’t have snowshoes?”

She scrunched her face as if he was the one not making sense. “Well, I had snowshoes in Nebraska. But it wasn’t snowing yet when I left, so I forgot to bring them.”

Why did that make sense to him? She needed someone who would look after her. Someone who would think ahead and plan for all the possibilities. Someone like him.

No. Not him. Anyone could print out a packing list off the internet. She was a mother now. She had to be able to think of these things.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in and out through his nose.

When he opened his eyes, she blinded him with one of what he’d come to think of as her stadium light smiles. Knowing he shouldn’t, he asked, “What are you smiling at?”

“You. You still do that thing.”

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