Page 31 of Daddy, Sir

“Is there anyone at this table who doesn’t identify as a brat?” Daniel asked, a smile teasing his entirely too kissable lips.

“Me.” Lourdes raised her hand. “I’m a good girl.”

Beatriz snorted as her crewmates started giggling. “Except for that week-long pout you had when Sadie wouldn’t let you carry your new puppy in a baby sling while you worked.”

“He’s just a baby!” Lourdes replied. “He needs his mama.”

“And now that baby weighs a hundred pounds and still thinks he’s a lapdog,” Sadie muttered, making everyone laugh.

By the time the pizzas arrived at their table, her crew had taken to Daniel like he’d been with them all along, which made her both sad and delighted. It really was a shame she wouldn’t get to keep him.

Then again, if he wasn’t working for her, she could test the waters and maybe see if he was single. If he was, she might just do something girly like shave her legs and put on a dress to ask him out.

Of course, she’d have to actually own a dress… And also, a razor.

Maybe she should think about hiring someone to get the girly crap done, like Sandra Bullock did inMiss Congeniality.

She could take him to Club Apocalypse when it opened and… No. Sadie shook the thought away, deciding a bondage dungeon probably wasn’t the best idea for a first date.

Besides, despite her fantasies of being taken in hand by a stern dominant, she didn’t know if she’d be into it in real life. A man who could curb his dominant impulses enough to let her work in a male-dominated field would be a fucking unicorn.

Daniel doesn’t seem to mind…

“Anyway,” Daniel said after he devoured the last of his pizza, “I have a confession to make.”

“No!” Beatriz said. “Please don’t tell us you’re really a serial killer who plans to take us to your school bus buried in the desert.”

“God, Bea.” Jolene rolled her eyes. “You watch too many movies.”

“I promise I’m not a serial killer,” Daniel replied, chuckling. “But I do need to tell you something.”

“Well, what is it?” Sadie asked.

She didn’t think his secret would be anything bad. At worst, she wouldn’t get the two weeks he promised, which she wouldn’t have had in the first place.

“That house we’re working on?” He dabbed his lips with a napkin and shrugged. “I’m the owner. My sister Mel hired you to do the repairs.”

Staring at him, Sadie blinked, then closed her mouth. Of all the things he could have said, that was the last she’d expected. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

He smirked and tapped her nose, making her want to bite him. “This is why everyone is telling you to ask more questions, boss lady. Formal background checks would be better.”

Yep. She should have bitten him—especially when everyone started laughing.

“He’s got you there, Sadie,” Lourdes said. “But anyone can say they own a house. If you’re really the owner, tell us what’s in the garage.”

“A black 1972 Charger under a gray cover, a workbench, a small bathroom, and a spare engine on a lift. The Charger is parked right outside. You can also call Mel to verify me.”

“Son of a bitch.” Jolene chuckled and shook her head. “Best practical joke ever.”

“Not seeing the humor,” Sadie muttered. “Again, why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because you needed help, and you wouldn’t have let me if you knew.” Daniel turned in his seat and laid a hand on her knee. “And seriously, you don’t have to pay me. I wanted to learn to do the work myself, and I can’t think of better teachers than you and your ladies.”

Damn, he was good.

“Nope.” She handed her credit card to the waiting server. “I can’t hire the person I’m supposed to be working for, and I can’t have you on site if you’re not being paid or in a formal internship.”

Since she hadn’t asked the right questions, she could tell herself he hadn’t truly lied, but he had put her in an ethically tight position. Thankfully, it had only been one day, and nobody had gotten hurt.

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