A Montana Daddies Christmas (Montana Daddies 4.5)

“And every day after that,” she whispered back.

“Daisy!” Ellie squealed. “Come choose what princess you wants to be!” Ellie was pulling out all the dress up items from the basket in the corner.

Jed grinned at her. “I think that’s my cue to leave.”

6

Eden and Zeke

“Going somewhere?” The slightly raspy voice came from the dark corner of the porch and she froze.

Rats. Crap. Damn it.

“You enjoy hanging out in the dark giving people a fright?” she snapped

“Where do you think you’re going at ten at night, Eden?” he asked sharply.

For everyone else, Zeke had endless patience. When it came to her, that patience was very, very thin. She never got it. Why he always rode her ass so hard. He was even worse than Clint, and that was saying something. For some reason, despite the fact that they weren’t related or in a relationship, he seemed to think he got a say in her life.

He didn’t.

“None of your business, Zeke.”

“Such a brat,” he muttered.

She braced herself for the slash of pain. She knew that was what he thought of her. Spoiled little brat.

He brought that side out in her. She did not have endless patience. In fact, she had pretty much zero patience. And for him, it went into the negatives. He could stroke her temper to go from zero to a thousand in a matter of seconds.

And once Eden lost her temper, it was very hard for her to rein it in.

“Got things to do, Zeke. You got something to say, get it out now.”

What was he even doing here?

“You’re not going to Ellie’s party?”

She winced, grateful it was dark. She didn’t need him to see her displaying any pain or weakness.

“They’re fully in Little mode. Not my scene.” But she’d felt a curious longing, a touch of jealousy as she’d seen the four women sink into Little headspace. Even Daisy, who had just recently moved in with Jed and was more reserved that the others was already sucking on one of those binky suckers that Charlie had bought.

Eden had gone in to say hello then quickly slipped out while they’d been laughing as they’d searched through the dress-up container. She’d needed to leave before she gave into the urge to join them and pulled on the Jasmine outfit she’d spotted.

She would totally rock it as Jasmine. She and Jasmine had a lot in common. Jasmine had a longing to experience life outside the castle. To be her own woman. To be independent. And she could be fiery.

Eden wasn’t a princess. And she didn’t live in a castle. But at times she felt completely and utterly confined. Like she couldn’t even breathe. Tonight, as she’d watched Abby, Charlie, Ellie and Daisy having fun, completely giving into their Littles, she’d felt her lungs constrict.

That wasn’t the life for her.

So she’d left. But just going to her room wasn’t enough. She needed to get out of here. Off the ranch. Away from everyone.

Including Zeke.

Especially Zeke.

“Isn’t it?” he drawled.

She turned her head to glare at him, surprised at how close he’d gotten without her noticing. Damn man had the lightest feet of anyone she knew.