Page 9 of Protecting Little Phoebe

Phoebe nodded. “Well, I figured if I was going to go for a change of scenery, I’d go for something completely different and come to Montana.” She breathed in deep. “I already feel better. Well, except for Cherry breaking down and my phone dying, and no one driving along this road. Except for you. My hero.”

He snorted. “I’m no one’s hero, sweetheart.” And he really shouldn’t call her sweetheart.

“You are to me.” She clasped her hands together. “Do you think I could use your phone to call roadside assistance?”

Great.

He should have offered to do that as soon as he got out of his truck.

“Of course.” He went back to his truck to grab his phone. “Wait, did you ask if I knew where Rawhide Ranch was?”

“Yep! That’s where I’m headed. Do you know of it?”

“You were headed to Rawhide Ranch?” Actually, that kind of made sense. “You’re a Little.”

It wasn’t a question. And as soon as he said it, he wished the words back.

CHAPTER 2

Her brothers thought aura reading was dumb and pointless. A lot of the time, she was pretty sure that they felt the same way about her. When her dad was alive, they had mostly just ignored her. They went on with their lives and she did what she liked. Her dad used to tell her that they were jealous of her. But she didn’t see why.

She wasn’t as smart as Paul or Joe. Or charismatic like Clay. A leader like Eric. Or popular like Tony. Good at sports like Darin or able to draw like Zane. Nor was she good looking like, well, any of them.

They were all gorgeous and popular. While she was quirky and weird. She knew that and she was okay with it. Normally. But sometimes it hurt when people stared at her like she was crazy.

Her dad had just told her that not everyone could handle how amazing she was. But she wasn’t sure she believed that anymore. Perhaps she was just too much for people. Over the last month since her dad died, her brothers had told her several times to tone herself down. To grow up.

They were probably right. It wasn’t normal for a twenty-eight-year-old to squeal when she saw something pretty andsparkly. To own nine pairs of light-up, glittery sneakers, and about a billion fluffy pillows. To have a collection of toy horses and a special one that she slept with every night.

It didn’t matter that she’d tried to explain to them that she was a Little. That had just made her weirder in their eyes. Paul had even told her that she was just seeking attention by trying to be a child forever. It had hurt.

God, their words had hurt. Especially as they’d become bolder with them since their dad died. Which is why she’d left. She hadn’t told any of them where she was going. Basically, at twenty-eight, she’d run away from home. And she was running straight to Rawhide Ranch. Which seemed to be one of the few places where Littles and submissives were not only accepted but cared for.

Protected.

Her dad had always protected her. But she also longed for a Daddy to do even more. It likely wouldn’t happen. Even if she met someone who would want her, which was a big ask, her relationship with him would never be accepted by her brothers. Although sometimes she did wonder why she cared about them…

She just wanted to do this for herself. To feel accepted and safe for once. Was that too much to ask?

They might think you’re too much as well… maybe that’s just who you are. The girl no one wants to be around.

All right. Now, that was just mean.

“Phoebe? I’m sorry if that upset you. Are you all right?”

She startled and nearly toppled over on her boots.

“Shit!” The kind man, who hadn’t told her his name yet, grabbed hold of her arms and steadied her.

Wow. He really was hero material. “You keep rescuing me,” she told him dreamily.

If she could have come up with a dream Daddy, it might have been him. Those wide gray eyes, and that firm chin. Dreamy. He was older, that was clear from the salt in his hair and the lines by his eyes. But, lord, those things just made him hotter.

He was hot Daddy.

Hot, silver fox Daddy.

Hot, silver fox, spanky Daddy.

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