Daddy’s Wild Girl (Montana Daddies #16)

Chapter 8

8

“ C an you believe this place?” Hayes said later that night. He was leaning against the doorway to Corbin’s bedroom. Although, bedroom was a bit of a stretch. There was a bed, but it was jammed against one wall in a tiny room.

Corbin just shook his head. He’d wanted to insist that he be the one to take her to the grocery store. But that was ridiculous. He had no right to be jealous of Hayes spending time with her.

Bebe wasn’t his. Hell, he’d just met her. This was nuts.

“I know.”

“It should be condemned. Knocked down and started over. And she’s doing it herself? Why?” Hayes demanded.

Corbin didn’t get it either. Her father could easily bankroll the renovations on this place. But she probably didn’t want to be indebted to him.

But her mother had mentioned she had a trust fund. Wasn’t she using that?

None of it was really their business, though.

“Do you think her parents know she’s living like this?” Hayes asked.

“I guess so.”

“Wouldn’t let any daughter of mine live here. Let alone one who was receiving threats. I’m going to take the first night shift.”

Until the security system was set up, they’d decided to work in shifts so someone was always awake at night.

Hopefully, they could catch a nap during the day.

“Doesn’t really seem like a spoiled brat lives here, huh?” he murmured.

“She does seem reckless, though. That mess downstairs . . .” Hayes shook his head. “What if there’s a fire? An emergency, and we have to get out quick?”

“Then we grab her and get out.” Hayes had a mind that always went to the worst-case scenario, but Corbin understood where he was coming from.

Corbin was worried about her living in this place. The power tools were just lying around among bits of wood. Did she even unplug them when not in use? And why did she hardly have any food? Was it really because she couldn’t cook? Then what did she live on?

He understood pride. Not wanting to ask your parents for help. But why didn’t she get a job? When they asked her about her schedule over dinner, which she’d inhaled, she’d just shrugged and said she went with the flow.

What did that mean?

Corbin was the sort of guy, who liked to be organized. He liked schedules. Yeah, he could adapt on a mission if things went to shit, sure. But generally he needed a plan.

Even now, he was itching to go downstairs and tidy up everything.

“You gonna be able to sleep with that mess downstairs?” Hayes asked, sounding amused.

“What? Yes. Why wouldn’t I? It’s not my mess.”

“Man, I’ve seen your desk. You border on OCD in your tidiness. Downstairs must be killing you.”

It really was. He’d managed to clean up as he’d cooked . . . and she needed a plumber to check her water because it ran hot . . . but she’d waved him away after he’d tried to wash their plates. Saying she’d get to it in the morning.

However, that wasn’t the way that Corbin worked.

“Go to sleep. Pretty sure the mess will still be there tomorrow. Fairly certain that her entire life is a mess.” Hayes walked away.

That didn’t seem fair.

Yet, as he looked at the lumpy bed and the pink floral sheets that he was pretty certain came with the house . . .

Maybe it was totally fair.

Corbin was quietly making his way upstairs at three in the morning when he heard a scream.

What the hell? Was that Bluebelle?

Racing to her bedroom, he opened the door and stepped in, looking around. His heart leaped as he saw her lying in the bed. She thrashed around as though having a nightmare.

Was that why she’d yelled out? He couldn’t see anyone in the room, but the window was open, a cool breeze sweeping in. What was she thinking, leaving a window open? And in this weather? It was freezing in here.

He heard a noise behind him and swung around to find Hayes standing there. The other man nodded to him and Corbin stepped farther into the room, his eyes already adjusting to the low light. He spotted a night light plugged into the wall. It was a squirrel. So cute.

Another cry came from where she lay tangled in the sheets. He gestured to Hayes that he’d take the closet as the other man moved to the attached bathroom.

Both clear.

“No, no, please!” she cried.

God. The pain in her voice reached into him and wrapped around his heart, squeezing it tight.

What was she dreaming about?

Beside him, Hayes was tense.

“I got this,” Corbin whispered.

“Sure?” Hayes asked. But his voice was tight and Corbin knew he didn’t want to be here. He wasn’t sure why, but something about her nightmare was hitting Hayes hard.

“I got her.” He moved over and shut the window. As he did, he swore he saw someone move along the street.

But this was San Francisco, people were likely out at all hours. He glanced around. There was no sign that anyone had been in there, and they were on the second floor with no easy access to this window.

So he pushed those thoughts aside and drew the curtains closed. Then he walked over to where she was still thrashing on the bed.

Corbin couldn’t stand to see her so upset, even as he knew that she wasn’t going to be happy to wake up and find a man she barely knew in her bedroom.

Fuck. Sitting on the side of the bed, facing her, he reached out to gently shake her. “Bebe, hey! Wake up, sweetheart.”

Great. He was being so professional right now.

“Bebe! Wake up now. You’re safe.”

She sat up with a gasp, staring around her frantically. He braced himself for a scream, maybe for her to slap him.

What he wasn’t expecting was for her to throw herself at him. To crawl into his lap and hold on tight.

For a moment, he just sat there. Like an idiot, he had his arms stretched out at his sides, sitting stiff and unsure.

Hug her back.

Slowly, still expecting some sort of reaction to his presence, he hugged her.

“Tighter. Please,” she begged.

He closed his eyes for a moment. He should resist. Put some space between them. Establish a professional boundary.

But he simply couldn’t. So he wrapped his arms around her tighter. She let out a deep breath, filled with satisfaction and something else . . . need?

Did she need this?

“I forgot how good it felt to be hugged,” she whispered.

What did that mean? When was the last time someone had hugged her?

Corbin didn’t go around hugging people all the time; it wasn’t something he required. Although his mom was always quick to hug him when he went home. Along with an assortment of aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Yeah, the holidays were filled with an overabundance of affection.

But this girl . . . did she need someone to hug her and she had no one? What about her parents?

Although after having met her mom . . . yeah there wouldn’t be many cuddles or affection coming from her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered after a moment.

“What for?” he asked, expecting her to apologize for waking him.

He could reassure her that he’d already been awake.

“For forcing you to hug me,” she whispered. “I know I should pull away and free you. I shouldn’t be such a wimp and need this. I just . . . just a few minutes longer. Please?”

God.

She was tearing him up.

And remaking him into someone who wanted to be this girl’s someone. Not just because he was attracted to her and he was having to fight like mad to keep his dick from rising up at the feel of her.

But because she seemed to need someone.

Right.

And you’ve figured this all out after knowing her for less than a day?

Still, sometimes, you could just sense that someone was lonely. It was almost like she was touch-starved.

“I’ll hug you for as long as you want,” he told her.

“You don’t think I’m weird or a total wuss?”

“Nope, I don’t. I do think that I don’t like hearing you saying those things about yourself.”

“Got yourself a bit of a dominant streak, don’t you, Mr. McIntyre?”

Shit.

He hadn’t meant to let his dominant side leak into his voice. He wasn’t a typical Dom. Or what most people would say was a typical Dom. However, in his experience, Dominants were like anyone else. They came in all sizes, ages, and jobs, and while he was reasonably easygoing . . . he definitely had a streak of dominance.

It seemed to be triggered by her, though. Because he hadn’t felt this way in a long, long time.

He’d always needed a connection with someone in order to be able to access his Dominant side. He couldn’t just go to a club and play with a sub. He had to know them, care about them, and want to look after them.

Corbin supposed that part of it was about being able to let go and be himself.

He had to feel safe.

But never had he felt this way so quickly with someone.

“I do. Shall I apologize?” he asked.

“Why would you apologize for that?”

“Hmm, perhaps because I’m your bodyguard. I’m employed by your father. There is a degree of professionalism expected. From him and from me. I would never want to take advantage of you.”

She dipped her head back, staring up at him with a look of such utter surprise on her face that it shocked him.

Why was she so shocked by that?

“You’re a good man, aren’t you?”

“You say that like you haven’t encountered many.” And that infuriated him. Had someone hurt this girl?

She’s not a girl, though.

She’s a woman.

“I haven’t. You could be very bad for me, Corbin McIntyre.”

“Because I’m supposed to be your bodyguard?” he asked.

“Because I’ve vowed off men. I intend to live a life of celibacy, with no connections so no one can hurt me. Which is why I really shouldn’t be sitting on your lap.”

She tried to get off his thighs, and for a moment, he held her still. Until he noticed the fear creeping into her face.

Fuck!

What was he doing? This wasn’t him.

He practically dumped her on the bed as he stood and ran a hand down his face.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hold onto you. I don’t want you to ever fear me.”

“It’s all right, and I don’t. I just . . . the nightmare is still creeping around my mind, you know? Like an insidious black cloud, just waiting to coat me in its doom.”

He just stared down at her as she hugged her legs to her chest. It was then that he took the time to really study her.

She had her hair in the most adorable braids and wore a pair of long pajamas with images of squirrels all over them.

Her toenails were painted in a variety of neon colors that made him smile. She was just so unexpected.

And surprisingly vulnerable.

“That sounds really scary,” he told her quietly.

“Yeah.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked hesitantly.

She instantly shook her head. And although a part of him longed to press her, he knew he couldn’t.

Shouldn’t.

But fuck, holding back was harder than it should be.

“Are you going to be able to go back to sleep?” Concern filled him as he also took in how pale she was with dark marks under her eyes.

She hadn’t had those earlier, had she?

Corbin fought the urge to tuck her into bed.

To order her to stay there until the marks were gone.

Instead, he took a breath and clawed those urges back.

“I’ll be fine,” she replied with a smile as fake as his grandma’s homemade apple pie.

Which was most definitely store-bought. However, no one ever told her they knew. It would break her heart.

So, while he wanted to call her out for lying . . .

He didn’t.

“I’m on night watch,” he told her. “If you need anyone to talk to,” to hug you, “I’m here.”

“Night watch?” She frowned. “Is that really necessary?”

“It is until we get the security system up and running.”

“I really think everyone is overreacting and I’m not really in any danger.”

“Nevertheless, this is my job and I take it very seriously. I’d also appreciate it if you didn’t open any windows at night. It’s getting pretty cold for that anyway.”

“I like a cool breeze when I’m sleeping,” she murmured. “But I guess I can do that.”

“Thank you. Good night. Sleep tight.”

He winced as he shut the door. Sleep tight? Really?

Thankfully, he hadn’t told her to not let the bedbugs bite. Shaking his head at himself, he walked back through the house, checking the windows.

Just to be sure.

Bebe hugged herself tighter and glanced around the room.

Grabbing her phone, she put on the playlist that she used to try and help her sleep. Most of the playlist consisted of kids’ stories and meditation designed to help them sleep.

But they worked on her too.

Although she had the feeling there was no going back to sleep for her tonight.

Normally, when this happened, she’d work on the house. Well, she wouldn’t use power tools. Her neighbors wouldn’t like that. But there were other things she could do.

However, she couldn’t leave her bedroom if Corbin was wandering around.

He might want her to talk to him.

Bebe grimaced. Talking about her fears, her feelings, and her memories was not something she wanted to do.

So how was she going to get back to sleep?

Glancing around, she stared at the closet doors. She could get out her . . . no!

She’d promised herself that she wasn’t going back there. She wasn’t that girl anymore.

Pulling the covers over her head, she figured she’d just lie here and wait for the sun to come up.