Page 13 of Garnish with a Candy Cane
As usual, the bodyguard and I completely agree. I don’t like her upset either. “Tell me if she actually does cry.”
“Yes sir.”
That would fuck me up. Although I will endure her temporary tears to ensure she’s permanently in my life. The timing actually works out for their lunch. Noelle will be long gone when they arrive to transport Merry at two, and she’ll be here and settled by time Noelle leaves work. Well, when I pick her up to be exact. I smile from the thought. My surprise will definitely generate another argument. Once she sees how happy Merry is in her new home she won’t have any reason to be mad at me.
Anyone who says money can’t buy happiness is a fucking moron. Money makes things happen. Faster. Easier. Better. Proof stares me right in the face with my living room decorated like a winter wonderland and Merry settled on the sofa with her nurse, sipping hot chocolate garnished with a tiny candy cane. Neither the beverage nor the sweets normally have any place in my house. Yet if she likes the drink, I’ll have the housekeeper make the drink by the gallon to keep Nana content.
Every single thing I needed to complete before I pick up Duchess has been taken care of. Except for one last issue that I resolve while Sam drives me to the bakery. Making me grin like a stupid fucker with the thought of being able to give her my full attention on the ride back home.
My good mood instantly dissipates when I enter the building. Some asshole leans too damn close to Noelle, staring at her instead of the monitor as she points out something on her screen.
I’m not into men but even I know he’s attractive. Tall and tatted with that silver fox, daddy vibe going on that girls like, especially ones who have lost their parents and need someone to take care of them. Like this bastard seems to have figured out with Noelle. Motherfucker wants my Duchess.
“Don’t think I won’t kill you if you don’t get the fuck away from her.”
I thrive on the terror blanching his face from my threat, and he jerks back from the counter, and most importantly, from my girl. Who unsurprisingly shoots up from her chair, horror bursting on her face from my fury.
“Whoa.” His palms fly up in quick surrender. He’s a pansy ass coward, but at least smart enough not to challenge me. “I just wanted to order–”
“I don’t give a fuck what you wanted. Leave or die, your choice.”
With fear rolling through his body, he shakes his head and hustles past me. Two seconds later the bell jingles before the door slams shut. Her gaze follows his path until slowly returning her huge eyes to meet mine.
“What in the world are you doing?”
She sounds absurdly shocked. As if she doesn’t understand what happened. As if she doesn’t realize what’s happening between us. “He was ogling you.”
“He was ordering a cake for his work!”
I stare at her in awe when I realize she genuinely believes the bullshit she’s spouting to me. I love my sweet naïve duchess. She really has no idea how fucking magnificent she is. “Bullshit. No man orders a cake for his work.”
All rowdy with her little fists on her hips as she stares up at me. I like when she challenges me. “You don’t know that.”
“I do know that. Men do everything for two reasons – money or women. He was pretending to care about icing flavors when he really wanted to devour you. When I walked in here, he was looking down your dress instead of at the pictures on your computer. He didn’t give a fuck about getting anything but you.”
Her head falls forward studying her neckline before her trembling hand pushes the gaping material flat against her chest. Shame floods her expression when she looks up again with the realization he could see the curves of her luscious tits peeking out of her bra. She stares at me, examining me to search for honesty or insanity or rationality. Finding all three, she shakes her head. “You are unbelievable.”
“Noelle?” A high-pitched voice floats from somewhere in the back. “If you’re finished with your customer, please go ahead and lock the door honey.”
“Okay Jana, we’re finished. I’ll lock up and close out.”
Her tone sounds surprisingly normal, contradicting with the worry lining her face. I think she likes me but doesn’t want to admit the truth to me or herself. I take a few steps back and flip the dead bolt. The faster she finishes, the faster I can get her all alone.
“If you get me fired, I’m going to be really mad at you.”
Not a problem since she’s quitting but I’ll save that disagreement for later. Right now she needs to understand she belongs to me and no other man is allowed to look at her.
She blows out a deep breath while she slides her drawer from the cash register. With her gaze on the stacked bills, she focuses on her task rather than me.
“I appreciate you trying to be protective and everything but we need to have boundaries.”
This time I’m the one to disagree and shake my head at her. “I don’t know what the fuck that means but if you think I’m going to let some old man come in here and play on your daddy issues, you’re mistaken.”
She whispers but she’s stern. Scarlett blooms on her cheeks from her ire.
“First of all, I don’t have daddy issues.” Somehow she manages to sound as furious as she is adorable. “But you on the other hand have more issues than I can list with the very first one being utterly ridiculous.”
“I can deal with that.” I wink at her, which makes her eyebrows lift up in defiance. “What else is on the list?”
