Page 23 of Wilderness Daddy

“Oh! Congratulations!” She looks to Akari. “Hello, Akari.” Joanie’s smile is wide and genuine. Akari nods, her lips barely turning up in greeting. “You hooked the better brother.” She chuckles, flipping her red hair over her shoulder. “I might be biased though.” She rolls her large green eyes playfully. “Since, in my opinion, Grant Steed has his head up his ass.”

“And I share that opinion, but he’ll come around.” I squeeze her shoulder at the sadness hidden beneath the playful sparkle of her eyes.

“Forget men,” Akari states, deadpanning me. “Concentrate on your career.”

Joanie’s mouth goes slack and her brow furrows before she looks at me with empathy. I shrug. Clearly confused, Joanie grabs two menus and shows us to one of the best tables in the restaurant.

“Uh, enjoy your dinner and again, uh, congratulations.”

“Thanks, Joanie.”

“You’re going to give me a bad reputation,” I say semi-jokingly after Joanie leaves.

“You do that all on your own.” Her words are dismissive behind the menu she holds up like a wall between us. I swallow my retort and pick up my own menu, refusing to sink to her level. But it isn’t easy.

I want to see the girl I saw at the golf club earlier, the one who laughed freely as I told her about her brother’s experience with the geese, but she’s strung so tight I’m sure she might spiral out of her seat at any moment.

I try my best to keep our conversation light and safe but when she starts making our server’s night hell, I snap.

“Enough!” I say in a harsh whisper after she sends back her meal for the second time. “Your first meal was fine. You’re just being difficult.”

“Me?” She touches her chest and looks at me with wide accusing eyes. “She’s a nitwit. She’s been fawning all over you like I’m not even here and then she serves me undercooked chicken and when I send it back so I don’t die of salmonella poisoning, she brings it back overcooked with cold rice.” She crosses her arms. “I thought this was a five-star restaurant.”

I let my mouth tug up. “So what you’re saying is you’re making her life miserable because you’re jealous?”

I chuckle as her eyes shoot to mine. “Is your ego so huge it blocks your ears?” She narrows her eyes as the young server comes back. I rise from my side of the booth and sit down beside her. My hand finds her thigh and I give it a squeeze.

“The chef has prepared a fresh dish and says to please enjoy your meals courtesy of him tonight. He’s prepared you a special dessert as well.”

“I’m not taking the damn dessert. And I wouldn’t pay for this meal regardless of his compliments or not.” She pokes at the chicken on the plate and I grit my teeth. She’s about to open her mouth again so I cover it with my hand.

“Please excuse my fiancée,” I say, giving our server my megawatt smile while Akari struggles to remove my hand from her lips. “She’s not normally so... unpleasant, but she’s had a rough day.” The server smiles sympathetically at me, gives Akari a cold nod and walks away.

“And your day is going to get a lot worse, little girl.” I grind out, spinning to face her. Releasing her mouth, I pierce her with a stare that dares her to push me.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she says, way louder than I’m comfortable with. My brow arches and I try my best to calm my rapidly rising temper, but I’ve reached my limit.

“Come,” I say, grabbing her hand and tugging her toward the small lobby by the restrooms.

“Let go of me, Landon Steed!”

“Trust me, you want my hand where it is right now so hold it tight.”

Once we’re alone I spin on her and pin her with my fiercest glare. “You’re acting like a spoiled brat. And you’re not only embarrassing yourself but me as well.”

“The only person who should be embarrassed is the staff here!” She taps her foot and crosses her arms.

I hold up my finger, and I can tell by her widening eyes she sees how angry I am. Her mouth closes and she draws in a breath that flares her nostrils.

“I’m not the kind of man that puts up with this kind of behavior, little girl. You know that. I think I’ve proven it. And I’m too much of a gentleman to leave you here, but I’m not too much of one to take you out to my truck and spank your spoiled ass, which is exactly what I plan on doing.” I grab her arm and pull her closer to me. “And this time I won’t be spanking you over your panties.” I hold up my hand, palm out flat. “My hand will brand your bare ass until you’re blubbering apologies and begging for mercy.”

Her mouth drops open, but her cheeks flush and she looks around to see if anyone can see or hear us. Her chest heaves as her breath quickens.

“Oh, you’re embarrassed now, are you?”

“You can’t...” she stammers.

“Oh, I can,” I say, deadpanning her. “And you know I will.”

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