Page 7 of Protecting Little Phoebe

“You gave me your jacket to wear because you thought I was cold?” she asked.

“I didn’t think you were cold; I knew you were. Your skin was freezing.”

“But that’s probably just bad circulation.”

“Maybe. But it’s also fifty-eight out today and you aren’t wearing enough clothes.”

Phoebe glanced down at herself, then up at him, her lower lip dropping into a pout. “You don’t like what I’m wearing.”

He held up his hands, realizing it was a trap. “I never said that. You look gorgeous. But you aren’t wearing enough clothing to keep you warm.” There. Had he worded that carefully enough?

Phoebe huffed out a breath. “I guess not. When I saw the sun shining this morning, I got excited. It doesn’t get this cold in April where I live.”

“Where is that?” he asked.

“I live in Las Vegas. I mean, it gets cooler in December, but it’s spring! So, yeah. I don’t have many warm clothes with me.”

“Did you drive from Las Vegas?” he asked skeptically.

“Uh-huh.” She nodded. “I left yesterday afternoon, stayed in a hotel overnight, then got up this morning to drive some more.”

“That’s a long drive,” he scolded. He didn’t like the thought of her driving all that way on her own.

“Tell me about it. My butt is kind of numb.”

He knew a remedy for that.

Nope.

Do not offer to spank her.

No matter how much she seemed to need it.

“You drove all that way alone?” he asked.

“Yep! Didn’t I do well? I didn’t crash or get one speeding ticket. Well, that I know about, anyway.”

He sighed.

“You sigh a lot. Is that normal for you?” she asked him, curiously.

“Not really. It seems to be a new affliction.”

“Huh. You might want to get that looked at.”

“I’ll take it under consideration,” he said dryly. “I have a feeling I know what will cure it.”

“That’s good then!” she said cheerfully, bouncing up and down on her toes.

“Uh, please don’t do that.”

“Why?” she asked.

“Because you’ll fall over and hurt yourself and that’s unacceptable.”

Shit. He probably shouldn’t have said that. He was coming on too strong. Being too bossy. He didn’t even know her.

“Aww, that’s so sweet.”

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