Daddy's Sweet Girl (Montana Daddies 3)

“Would you like some company while you’re getting a story?” He pulled something out of the drawer by the bed. At first, she was going to reject this toy the way she had the others. But she noticed it seemed a bit more worn. She reached out to touch it. Then she took hold and brought it close to her.

“His name is Boss Hog; he was mine when I was a boy. I thought he would guard you well.”

“He smells like you,” she exclaimed.

“Well, I’m not sure how since I haven’t hugged him in over twenty years.”

She smiled at the thought of a young Kent going to bed with Boss Hog.

“He’s perfect, Daddy, thank you.”

Kent froze and she stared up at him worriedly. “Everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine, sweet girl. That was just the first time you’ve called me daddy. I liked it.”

“Oh. Good.” She hugged Boss Hog tight as she snuggled in. He tucked in the side of the bed and then settled down on the bed, facing her. He grabbed the book on the nightstand. “You like Winnie the Pooh?”

“I love him,” she said. She noticed her voice had gotten distinctly more childish, but she didn’t care. She settled in and relaxed as he read the story. He wasn’t even halfway through when her eyes drifted shut and the last thing she remembered was him brushing his lips across her forehead.

Chapter Sixteen

The man grinned at her evilly. In his hands he held a huge pair of pliers.

She tried to move, tried to get away, but she was stuck. All she could do was sit there in horror as he drew closer and closer.

“Now, which finger should I take first?”

She woke suddenly, sitting up in bed, her heart racing, her skin clammy with sweat. Where was she? She gazed around the strange room in fright. This wasn’t her bedroom. She raised her hand to wipe her face and realized she had a tight hold on a stuffed hedgehog.

It rushed back to her. Her trashed house. Kent. Coming to his place. Grilled cheese and bedtime stories.

Safety. Acceptance. Caring.

She was safe. It had just been a bad dream. She should go back to sleep. Last thing she wanted to do was wake Kent. But as she lay back, she knew she wasn’t going to be able to sleep.

She picked up her cell phone. She’d remembered to charge it last night before she’d gotten ready for bed. It wasn’t even two a.m. She lay there for at least five minutes, staring at the ceiling. This wasn’t going to work.

Maybe she could get up without disturbing him. Perhaps watching some T.V. for a while would help. She climbed out of bed, still holding onto Boss Hog and tiptoed her way down the stairs. She didn’t want to turn on a light and risk waking Kent so she had to be very quiet.

Last thing she needed was to fall and break a leg. Once she got to the living room, she switched on the light and grabbed up the remotes, turning on the T.V. before climbing onto the sofa and pulling the blanket she’d used before over her.

“What do you think you’re doing?” a sleepy voice asked.

She screeched, sitting up with a fright as she stared at where Kent stood, leaning against the doorframe. He wore a pair of low-slung pajama pants.

And nothing else.

Oh, my lord, the man was ripped. She’d never seen a finer looking body in her life. Wide shoulders, a light smattering of chest hair then down his magnificent abs. And then her eyes moved lower.

“Abby? Abby, my face is up here.”

She raised her eyes with a snap to his face. A grin danced at the corner of his mouth.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, mortified. “I don’t know what I...I mean, I didn’t mean to...oh hell.”

“Abby-girl, it’s okay. I like that you were looking. Hope you liked what you saw.”

“Oh, I did,” she said fervently.