Daddy's Sweet Girl (Montana Daddies 3)

“You think someone could break into my house?” She wished she hadn’t asked as soon as she said it. He was right, it was her safe place. But of course, someone could easily get in. She’d seen enough crime shows to know that. Hell, it was one of the reasons she slept with a police baton by her bed.

He shrugged. “Sure. You got no security system to scare them off. Your door doesn’t even have a deadbolt on it. No locks on your windows. Lighting outside ain’t good and your neighbors don’t strike me as the type to come running if they hear a ruckus.”

Well, she couldn’t argue with that. She’d lived here for a long time and her neighbors had changed so many times that she had given up trying to keep up.

“How do you know what sort of locks are on my door and windows?” she whispered. Now he was really scaring her.

“Chief told me,” he said easily. “And now I’ve scared you.”

“Well...umm...yeah.” What was going on here? She’d thought he was just here to drop off her car, not lecture her.

And why had Kent told him that? Why had Kent even noticed? She guessed as a security specialist it was his job to notice. She wasn’t certain if that made her feel better or worse.

“Good,” he replied, surprising her. “A single, attractive female living alone can’t be too careful. So, don’t ever invite me or any bloke you don’t know into your house when you’re alone, understand?”

And now she was getting a lecture. What accent was that? Australian? “Oh, you don’t need to worry about that.”

He gave a brisk nod. “You sure you want to go to work? You look like you need to take a couple of painkillers and climb back into bed.”

Okay, how could he go from terrifying her one moment to acting all concerned the next? This conversation had to be one of the most confusing in her life.

“I’m fine. Could I get to my car, please?” The sooner she was out of his presence the better. “I’m going to be late.”

“Sure.” He moved away from her car then opened the door and held it for her. “But your car is making a squeaking noise that I’m certain is the fan belt. And your tires have hardly any tread.”

He wasn’t telling her things she didn’t know. Well, she hadn’t known that about the tires. Or the reason for the squeaking. She knew next to nothing about cars.

She slowly climbed into her car, aware of his gaze on her. She reached for the door handle but he crouched low, peering in at her. The interior light in the car was on, letting her see more of his face. She noted the small scar that intersected one eyebrow and the hazel-green eyes that were staring at her intensely.

“I really am going to be late.”

“Chief ain’t going to be happy with how stiff you’re moving. You sure you’re well enough to go to work?”

No.

“I’m fine,” she said firmly. “Now, thank you again but I have to go.”

“Seatbelt,” was all he said.

She sighed and did up her seatbelt. “Do you all have to pass some bossy test before he hires you?”

He blinked for a minute and then a smile lit up his face, magically transforming it. Suddenly, he wasn’t just handsome. He was breath-takingly gorgeous.

“Something like that,” he replied with a chuckle. “I’m gonna drive behind you, make sure you get there okay so don’t be concerned if you see my headlights.”

“That’s not necessary, I drive this route nearly every day.” He really had done enough.

“Not after being injured and getting next to no sleep, you don’t,” he replied. “Just think of it as part of the service.”

Right.

She wondered how many other women had received these services.

No, best not think about that, Abby.

“Well, thanks for bringing me my car. And everything else. I think,” she muttered.

He gave her a nod. “Sweet. Chief said to treat you like one of our own.” He shut the door before she could ask what that meant. Actually, she was pretty certain it was a good thing she didn’t know what that meant. Because it might just be more than she could handle right now.