Page 45 of Daddy's Little Charmer
“I don’t want you to bother…”
Harmony shook her head. “But it wouldn’t be.”
Christian sighed. “I already called my driver.”
Harmony took in a calming breath and nodded. She would not embarrass herself by crying or pleading with him. She was becoming too dependent on him, and it wasn’t healthy. Besides, what man wanted a clingy woman?
“All right, have a safe trip,” she said, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him before taking a step back.
Christian’s gaze bore into hers for a moment. He leaned down and grabbed his things.
“One or both of the guys will be here soon.”
“Christian, stop worrying. I was on my own for a long time before you came along. It’s ridiculous for them to waste their time babysitting me.”
He frowned down at her. Something was off about her, and he couldn’t figure it out. He gritted his teeth in frustration. He desperately wanted to strip her and take her back to bed for the day, but this trip was necessary, and he resented it.
Bailing out his sister happened a few times a year. Elle would overspend her welfare and get to the point where the apartment manager was ready to throw her out, and all her bills were overdue. He might have washed his hands of her a long time ago if it weren’t for his two nephews.
He made sure both had nice clothes, a roof over their heads, enough food, and toys they could play with. He’d made the mistake of giving his sister money for the boys, and they hadn’t seen a dime of it. Now, he had someone take them a few times a year, if he couldn’t get them what they wanted, or they called him, and he made sure they got it.
“Baby, they’re not babysitting you. They’re guarding you.”
She pressed her lips together because it felt like he was caging her in sometimes.
He placed a hard kiss to her lips before he walked to the front door.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Harmony opened the door for him.
“Be safe,” she murmured and tried to smile as he walked to the waiting vehicle.
Christian opened the back door, threw his things in the seat, and looked back at her.
“Miss me,” he growled.
“Always,” she said and waved. The ball in the pit of her stomach grew more significant as he drove away.
Harmony closed and locked the door. She leaned against it and looked around at the beautiful house she lived in. It truly was spectacular, with the large windows across the room that looked out into a garden full of trees and flowers.
For the last few months, the gardener was teaching her what the different plants were. She’d always wanted to learn but hadn’t the time or the space for a garden.
She tried to find things to occupy her time while Christian was at work. Sometimes she wished she was still in college, so she had something to look forward to each day. But since they’d been together, she’d put the thought aside after they discussed it, and she realized her heart wasn’t in it.
The ball of fear kept expanding to the point that it affected her judgment. She wrote a quick note for the guys, grabbed her purse and keys, and rushed out to her car.
She took a calming breath as she watched the house grow smaller in her rearview mirror. She hadn’t been to see Mrs. Owens in several days. It was a perfect time, and it would get her mind off of things.
Harmony found the older lady who had been her neighbor back at the Village Apartments she’d lived in before Christian. She had a chance to study her before she got herattention. She smiled for the first time in a while at the happy, serene look on the older woman’s face as she stared out at the immaculate gardens the retirement home provided for the seniors.
Mrs. Owens turned her head, and her smile grew.
“Well, if it isn’t my little Harmony.”
Harmony hugged the woman before sitting down next to her on the bench.
“How are you today, Mrs. Owens?”
