Page 38 of Protecting Little Phoebe

“Good, little girl?”

“Sooo good, Daddy. Aren’t you going to eat, though?” She stared down at his egg-white and spinach scramble with turkey sausage.

Hmm. Looked far too healthy for her liking.

“I’ll eat once my baby is taken care of,” he told her.

His baby? Wow. She liked the sound of that. But what really made her flush with pleasure was the way he took care of her.

“Okay, Daddy. But don’t let it get cold. It might taste yucky.”

“Daddy will be fine,” he reassured her.

“Good morning.”

Phoebe jumped with a start.

“I’m sorry, little one,” Master Derek said. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s okay,” she said cheerfully. “You’re a good sneaker, though.”

“Helps me to keep on top of things around here,” he replied with a smile. “Just wanted to check in and make sure you’re both all right. Erika said you didn’t need an escort to preschool this morning.”

“No, I’m looking after Phoebe today,” Barren said firmly as he fed her another strawberry. “And hopefully every other day she’s here.”

Double wow. She wanted that too. She was only booked in for a couple more days, but it wasn’t like she was in a rush to leave. She didn’t have anywhere she had to be.

“And that’s what you want, Phoebe?” Master Derek asked her.

“Yes, Master Derek. I do.”

“Hmm, I guess it’s good that you two met on that road, then, huh? Almost like fate had something in mind for you both. Just let Erika know if you want to stay longer at Rawhide.”

“Fate?” she asked Barren before he fed her another mouthful of pancake.

“Master Derek seemed to think that fate would send me someone when I was ready. I thought he was talking nonsense, until I found a Little girl stranded on the side of the road.”

“Oh yeah? She must be someone special,” she teased.

“She is. She’s got the sweetest smile and the most gorgeous eyes. Can’t believe she agreed to get to know me better, that she trusts me to be her Daddy while she’s here.”

Only while she was here? She hadn’t realized there was a time limit on this. What kind of an idiot was she? Here she was hearing wedding bells while he thought this was a fling.

Why did she always do that? She threw herself into things without thinking everything through. Every time.

She’d wanted to learn the violin, bought herself one, then realized she hated the sound of the violin. At least when she tried it.

There was the time she’d decided she wanted to make jewelry. She’d gone out and bought all of the equipment before she’d discovered that she had no patience for all the fiddly pieces and that everything just kept falling apart.

Idiot.

“And I’m hoping for longer.”

What?

She blinked, staring at him. “What?”

Reaching out, he took hold of her hand. “At the risk of making you run away from me, I am not a young guy. I don’t want to mess around with umming and aahing. I don’t want to play hard to get or any of that shit. I don’t want to waste either of our time. If I want something or someone, then I intend to havethem. I tried to walk away. I thought it was ridiculous to feel an instant connection like we did. And look at me. I’m back here with you in less than a week.”

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