Page 42 of Daddy's Bodyguard

I elbow him, and he flinches. I put my hands over my mouth, then realize I elbowed his good side, and I shove him as he laughs. “You’re too easy, dumpling.”

Daisy’s houseisa mess. There’s stuff everywhere, toys all over the floor, dishes in the sink, laundry piled in a computer chair that’s seen better days. There are stains on the couch and on the rug. The table is covered in a whole lot of things, but it’s not gross.

Jasper leans over after setting the child down. “Single mom life.”

I nod, remembering the moments of chaos when I was growing up, before I was expected to help out.

“Ellie, how old are you now?” Jasper asks.

She holds up three fingers and grins. “Soon, I’ll be four.”

“You know what happens when you get to five, right?” He bends over and whispers in her ear.

She squeals and runs towards her mom. Daisy shakes her head. “What did you tell her?”

“It’s a secret.” He winks at the little girl.

They keep talking and catching up, but I don’t really know what to do with myself. Do I get some work done from my phone? Do I entertain Ellie? I drop my butt on the empty side of the couch as Daisy calls to me. “Sofia, are you thirsty or anything?”

“I’m okay.”

“It’s no trouble. I have all kinds. Apple juice-”

“Juice! Juice, mommy!” Ellie bounces on her toes.

“Well, she sold me.” Jasper tickles Ellie. “I’ll take a juice too.”

I follow the family into the kitchen while Jasper and Ellie have a very serious conversation about elephants and that the blue ones need the most love because they’re sad. Jasper treats every one of her ‘facts’ as if it’s the most important thing he’s ever heard.

It’s kind of sweet. He’s so gentle with her but really treats her like a person, like everything she says deserves consideration rather than a correction or brush off. Not to mention that warm, genuine smile. It’s the kind of expression any girl could get lost in. I bite my bottom lip and remind myself again that this is the same shameless Jasper I know.

Daisy bumps my hip. When I flinch, she arches an eyebrow, then glowers at Jasper. “Did you let her get hurt?”

“It’s nothing,” I insist.

“Yeah. She got grazed. How does it feel, baby doll?” His eyes shift to me immediately, and there’s something fierce in them that makes it hard to take a breath.

“It’s fine.” I drop my gaze to Ellie bouncing on her toes, begging Jasper to take her outside.

Daisy shakes her head as Ellie drags him to the backyard. “He’s a hot mess.”

“He kept me from getting shot twice, so I can’t really complain,” I admit. “Other than the puns.”

“Yeah, can’t break him of that.” She laughs, then slides me a beer. I lift it to my lips at once and take a healthy drink.

“Whoa, easy there. It’s alcohol, not water,” she says with another chuckle.

I rest the half-empty bottle on the counter, welcoming the warmth that’s flooding my system. “Trust me, I needed that.”

Her face fills with concern, and she moves closer to me. “Jasper told me a bit about what happened. But you don’t look like the type to piss someone off enough to kill you. So, what gives?”

“You’d get some arguments there,” I grumble. “My dad got himself and the family into trouble.”

“That sucks. I’m sure it will be done soon enough though.” She glances out back while taking a swig of her drink. “We can forget about all that today and just relax like adults … with a three-year-old.”

“So … poker,” I tease.

She grins. “I don’t know about poker, but she’s pretty good at Go Fish. It’s her favorite way to learn numbers and counting.”

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