Page 40 of Daddy, Sir

“It was just spray paint,” she muttered, still wondering why she was wasting time arguing about it. “I doubt the asshole will do anything, and he has no idea where I live.”

“Sadie, come with me, please.” Without waiting for her to reply, Daniel took her arm and led her from the diner, well out of earshot of her team as they followed Ryan to the laundry.

“Hey! What?—”

“That red pickup with your logo is distinctive.” Gently, he pushed her against the wall, caging her with his large body. “I’m also betting the vandal knew you’d be coming here to work, and it wouldn’t be hard to follow you.”

“And?” She tilted up her chin and tried to ignore the flutter in her core from his protective stance. “I can take care of myself.”

He moved closer, nearly scorching her with his body heat. His breath wafted over her, sweet with the fragrance of lemons from Jake’s cake. Determined to hold her ground, she locked her knees and didn’t let her gaze leave his face.

“First, I promise I won’t lose my temper again. We’re going to discuss this like grownups, okay?”

“There’s nothing to discuss. I’ll be fine.”

A muscle twitched in his cheek, and he paused, making her think he was counting to ten before he spoke. “Sadie, did you want your staff driving home? You’ve all been full steam ahead for well over eight hours already.”

“No, but I?—”

“Would you care to tell me why you’re arguing over this when you’re too overprotective to let someone else clean up a pile of poop?”

Well, shit. She pressed her lips together and tried to look away, but he cupped her chin in one large hand, forcing her to keep her eyes on his face.

“You say that like being overprotective is a bad thing.”

“It’s not. And you being a Mama Bear is part of the reason I like you.” He kissed her forehead, the gentle brush of his lips making tears well in her eyes.

“Only part?” Her face heated and she tried to pull her emotions together. Sadie Windham did not cry—especially not in public.

“Are you fishing for compliments?”

She laughed, thankful for the out. “Hardly.”

“Okay, so when was the last time someone took care of you like you take care of them?”

That would be never—not even when she actually needed it.

Except… Having Danielseeinside her like that…

“Damn you.” The tears she tried to hold at bay trickled down her cheeks and she brushed them away before anyone saw her blubbering like a fool. “You made me leak.”

“It’s okay, babygirl.” He wiped her tears with a soft cotton bandanna smelling of laundry detergent, then smoothed a few stray hairs away from her face, the sweet gesture dissolving her irritation. “I’m going to take care of you now.”

Chapter Seven

Daniel

“I’m a grown woman.” Sadie wiped her last few tears from her reddened cheeks as if she was angry at them, then ducked under his arm and strode toward housekeeping. “I don’t need anyone to take care of me.”

Prickly babygirl.

He hid a smile as he caught up and held the door for her. If anything, her mini meltdown entranced him even more, but it raised another question he wanted answered.

Why was she so resistant to accepting help?

“I know you don’t. But you didn’t answer my question.”

“What question was that?” She collected sheets and towels, then grabbed toiletries from one of the sample boxes and stuffed everything into a canvas laundry bag.

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