Daddy’s Wild Girl (Montana Daddies #16)

Chapter 9

9

“ M orning!” she called out with forced cheer as Corbin appeared in the doorway to the living room.

“Good morning. I thought you might sleep in this morning.”

Was that a note of disapproval in his voice?

Her shoulders threatened to hunch up, but she forced herself to remain relaxed. Disapproval was something she was used to . . . her mother had yet to show support for anything she did. Well, unless she was doing what she wanted.

But it still wasn’t something that she could just shrug off.

The asshole had preyed on her need for approval and fucked her up even more.

Her lack of sleep was definitely going to come back to bite her later. But right now, she had a surge of energy and a need to do something.

Keeping herself busy gave her less time to think and brood.

“Could say the same for you,” she replied. “I made coffee if you want some. It’s in the kitchen.”

“Uh, what are you doing?” he asked.

“I thought I’d strip the wallpaper in here. It’s been bugging me for ages. It’s so . . . brown.” She wrinkled her nose as she took in the old, faded wallpaper in her living room.

Well, it would be a living room eventually. Right now, it looked like a construction site. Of course, it didn’t help that she kept stopping and starting jobs all over the house so nothing ever got finished.

“I thought you were doing the baseboards?”

“I was . . . Uh, I just got bored with that.”

“Right.”

His voice sounded tight, and she glanced over to see his gaze flickering around and his fingers tapping against his thigh.

“Everything okay?”

“He’s one of those really organized people,” Hayes said as he walked in behind Corbin. “Likes to put things in color-coded files and shit like that.”

“Color-coded files? No, I don’t,” Corbin grumbled, but his cheeks were red.

Oh, that was cute.

He was so adorable. And she was definitely driving him crazy with her lack of organization.

“You did the dishes in the middle of the night, didn’t you?” she queried. She might be a disorganized mess, but she’d noticed that the dishes were done when she came downstairs this morning. Hayes had already been up and making toast.

Hmm, she might have to increase her grocery budget. She hadn’t factored in feeding two grown men. Although Hayes had paid the bill yesterday.

Maybe he was charging it to her father.

In that case she’d make sure to get beer next time they went shopping.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered. “I need some coffee, then I’ll go work on the security system.”

Yep, definitely cute.

By midafternoon, she’d had enough of house repairs. Fatigue was weighing her down, and her hand was aching from overuse. She just wanted a beer and some fresh air.

Heading upstairs, she showered and changed her clothes before heading down to crack open a beer.

Then she wandered through the house.

She wasn’t looking for Corbin.

Nope. Not her.

She knew Hayes was having a nap because he’d grunted that at her, telling her not to start up any power tools.

So bossy.

She’d been tempted to do exactly that, but then she’d decided that a grouchy, tired Hayes probably wasn’t someone she wanted to push.

She found Corbin out front, staring up at the house.

“You okay there?” she asked, walking down the stairs to stand a few feet from him.

“Yep. Just sorting where to put the cameras.”

“Want a beer?”

“No thanks, I’m working. So, do you spend most of your time at home?”

She tensed, waiting for him to make some quip about her lack of a job. That was why he was asking, right?

Well, lots of people worked from home nowadays.

You don’t, though.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to work. However, it was difficult to hold down a job when random things would set you off, provoking a panic attack or meaning you’d need some time to yourself.

And then there was her right hand. She had a lot of issues with it and had to rest it a lot.

So, for now, she was just doing the best she could with the money she’d inherited from her grandma.

“I guess so. I don’t have a job.” When he didn’t say anything, she decided to keep filling the silence. “I don’t like being tied down. Just as well I have a trust fund from my parents, huh?”

What are you doing?

She didn’t even use the trust fund from her parents. Not for herself, anyway.

Was she trying to make herself sound ridiculous and shallow?

Bebe knew what people thought of her and she was tired of trying to convince them otherwise. So, most of the time, she didn’t even try.

“All right. So you’re home most of the time. I’m going to get some things delivered. If you have to go somewhere, we can accommodate that. I just need to know ahead of time.”

“Oh. Right.”

Now she felt like a complete dick. Was that why he’d asked?

“No, I’ve got no plans.”

Because she had no real life.

Way to sound like a loser.

Corbin’s attention strayed from Bebe, who’d gone strangely silent, to a man shuffling his way toward them. He looked rough with long, tangled hair and a limp. He was pushing a cart filled with bags in front of him. And he was headed straight toward them.

Corbin tensed. Was he a harmless old man or something more? A threat could come in many forms.

The guy looked up, bypassing Corbin entirely and centering in on Bebe. Corbin stepped in front of her and the guy stilled, his gaze sliding over Corbin.

“Stay there, Bebe,” Corbin commanded.

“Hey, Bob!” Bebe called out in a cheerful voice.

Did she know this guy?

Then, she did the unthinkable.

She slid around him, putting herself between him and the other man.

What. The. Hell.

Hadn’t they gone over this last night when they’d talked through her schedule and rules?

Not that she really had a schedule.

They’d made it clear to her that she should never get between them and a threat. And if they put her somewhere, then she damned well stayed there!

Okay, he hadn’t put it quite like that. But that’s what he’d meant.

“Bebe,” he said warningly, reaching out for her. “Get behind me.”

“Why? This is just Bob; he’s not a threat.” She stared up at the guy with a smile. “Bob’s a friend.”

Bob was a friend?

Throughout this, Bob didn’t say anything. But suddenly, he smiled, displaying the fact he only had about three teeth left in his mouth, and nodded.

“Bob is a friend?” Corbin repeated.

“Yep. What have you got for me today, Bob?”

“Found you some good pieces, Bebe.” Bob reached into his cart and Corbin tensed.

What the fuck? What if he drew out a gun?

Grabbing Bebe, Corbin drew her back just as Bob held up some pieces of . . . wood.

Wood?

Bebe shook off Corbin’s hold and he reluctantly let her go. It didn’t seem that Bob was a threat. Although he’d continue to watch him.

He was starting to wonder whether Barb was right and Bebe was really reckless. Or just uncaring of her personal safety.

Bebe oohed and aahed over the pieces of wood that didn’t look like anything special to him.

“I’ll give you twenty,” she said.

“Twenty, nah, they’re not worth that, Bebe. Give me five,” Bob countered.

“Bob, seriously. We’ve had this conversation. You’re supposed to negotiate up not down.”

Bob grinned that gap-tooth smile at her.

“Twenty, that’s my final offer. No arguments.”

“We both know they’re not worth that, girly, but I suppose if you’re gonna be stubborn about it . . .”

“You know me, Bob. Stubborn as an old goat.”

“And twice as ornery,” Bob finished as though it was something they often said.

Bebe reached into her pocket and drew out twenty dollars, giving it to the old man.

Corbin noticed her hand shaking slightly as she took the worthless bits of wood. What was going on there?

“Want a beer? Some coffee? Food?”

“No, girly. I’ve gotta go.” Bob gave Corbin a suspicious look. “This fella annoying you?”

“Him?” She pointed her thumb at Corbin. “Nah, you know me, Bob. I could take him with one hand tied behind my back.”

Bob nodded as though he believed that. “You sure?”

“Yep. He’s actually my bodyguard. My dad hired him. Can you believe that bullshit?”

Bob narrowed his gaze, though, not looking as amused as Bebe sounded. “Not bullshit if you’re in trouble. You in trouble?”

“Never, Bob. How would I ever get into trouble? I’m an angel.”

Bob snorted. “Now, I’ve heard it all. You be safe, Bebe. And you keep her safe, boy.”

He shuffled away and Corbin didn’t relax until he was half a block away, then he turned to glare down at Bebe.

“Right. We’ve got some talking to do.”

Whoa.

Seemed like the switch had flipped. Gone was sweet Corbin, who blushed easily, and in his place was a fierce, dominant, protective caveman.

She wasn’t sure which side of him she liked best.

You don’t like dominant men, remember?

Hmm, she didn’t like lying dipshits who dumped her on TV. There had been nothing dominant about Ericc.

And yes, he’d spelled his name with two c’s.

Corbin grasped her left wrist but didn’t hold her hard. She knew she could break the hold easily.

But for some reason, she didn’t.

Instead, she let him steer her into the house and onto the back porch. He took in the porch as it groaned and tested some boards with his foot. “Is this safe?”

“That’s debatable. It’s held up this long, figure it’s got another five minutes while you get what you have to off your chest.”

He eyed her for a long moment, then drew her back into the house. “Don’t go out there again.”

Bebe heaved out a breath.

Yep, Bossy Dom was definitely here.

“It’s fine. I was joking. I had a building report done when I bought the place. The porch is solid.”

“I still don’t want you going out on it until a contractor checks it. And I don’t mean you,” he added as she opened her mouth.

Huh.

Rude.

She thought she was doing an excellent job of renovating her house. Just because it was kind of a mess, everything was half-finished, and she’d never renovated anything in her life was no reason to denigrate her abilities as a builder.

“Now, we’re going to have a talk about what just happened.” Corbin drew a chair away from her small wooden table. Most of the furniture had come with the house. Which was just as well since she didn’t really have spare money for furniture. “Sit.”

“You know, you’re cute when you get all commanding.”

“Bebe,” he said in a low tone. “Sit.”

She sat.

Sheesh. Very potent. She eyed him carefully as he started to pace.

“Pacing is never a good sign,” she stated. “It’s like jumping straight to level three.”

“What?” he asked, pausing and looking confused.

“It’s a level three. Frowning and a stern voice is level one. Hands on hips is level two. Pacing is level three. Crossing arms over the chest is definitely a level four. Then there is: ‘come here and stand in front of me while I lecture you.’ Totally level five and the level you don’t want to reach.”

He blinked at her several times. “Are you familiar with people lecturing you?”

“You could say that.”

“Your parents?”

She couldn’t help it. She burst into giggles. “My parents? Good Lord, no. They’d have to notice me in order to lecture me. No, I’ve had other fun experiences of being lectured to death. I know my lecture levels. You jumped a few levels which isn’t a good sign.”

“Then you should let me just pace for a moment.”

“I should? Why is that?”

“Bebe, just . . . just hush for a minute.” He stopped and placed his hand over his face. “Let me calm down.”

Hmm, this was different. She wasn’t used to anyone trying to calm themselves down before they spoke to her.

Perhaps she’d give the poor guy some slack.

So she sat and watched him.

Like a good Little girl.

Well, not a Little Little. She didn’t do that anymore.

Not since him .

The asshole.

“Right.” Corbin stopped in front of her. “We need to get something clear.”

“Yes?” she asked.

“You do not ever get between me and an unknown threat.” He gave her a stern look.

“But Bob isn’t an unknown!” she protested. “I’ve known him for ages!”

“Really? How long?” he asked.

“I dunno. Two months? So he’s not a stranger.”

His jaw tightened. “I’m not finished speaking. So hush.” He didn’t say it in a mean tone. No, his voice was calm and even.

Which kind of meant it had more of an impact.

“Bob was an unknown to me,” he told her. “Which meant that I had no idea whether he was a threat or not . . . to you. Do you know what my job is?”

“Um, to protect me?” she asked.

“Yes. I am here to protect you. Which means that anytime I stand between you and an unknown threat. You do not step around me when I put you behind me.”

“But you didn’t see the instructors as a threat yesterday. And when I was shopping with Hayes yesterday, he didn’t look at everyone like they were a threat!”

“Did any of them approach you?” he asked.

“Well, no. But what does that matter?”

“None of those people triggered our instincts. And it doesn’t matter if they’re an actual threat or simply a perceived one. A strange man approached you. I assessed that he could be a threat and stepped in front of you to ensure you were safe, yet you moved. You need to stay where you’re put.”

He did not just say that.

Bebe waited for him to take it back, but he was too busy heaving for breath.

“Fine,” she said in a curt voice. “I’ll stay where I’m put even when I know the person you think is a threat isn’t one. Happy, now?”

He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. “Nope.”

“Makes two of us.” Standing, she stepped past him. “Guess I’ll just go and call some contractors about my back porch since I’m also not allowed to stand on that.”

Fuck.

Corbin sat in her chair after she left the room, placing his elbows on the table. He rested his head in his hands, breathing in slow and deep.

Why had he done that?

He’d overreacted. He’d acted like an idiot.

And worse, he’d upset her.

She had every right to be mad at him.

“Everything okay?” Hayes asked.

Corbin didn’t even look up. He simply shook his head. “Not exactly. I overreacted. This guy approached us. He looked rough, not like someone she would know, and I saw him as a threat. I made an assumption based on his appearance. And then I got mad at her for stepping around me and getting between me and him.”

“I mean, it seems to me like you’re right to be upset at her. If you told her to stay still, then she should have. She knows the deal.”

“Yeah, but she did greet him, so I probably didn’t need to go as far as I did.”

“Ahh,” Hayes replied. “And now you’re beating yourself up for overreacting?”

“Yeah. She’s upset at me.”

“Would you have made that judgment if she was someone else?”

“What?” he asked

“If she was another client, would you have done the same thing?”

Corbin had to take a moment to think that over. “I mean, I would have had a chat with them, but I’m not sure that I would have started pacing or kind of dragged them inside to lecture them.”

Hayes nodded as Corbin glanced over at him. The other man was leaning in the doorway, looking thoughtful. “You’re protective of her. But you’ve only known her a day.”

“I know. I need to step back.” He heaved out a breath. “Man, I even told her that she can’t walk on her back porch as it doesn’t seem safe. And that she had to get a real contractor to look at it.”

Hayes snorted. “Now, that’s fair enough if you ask me.”

“Can you take point with her while I set this security system up?” he asked, knowing it was for the best.

“If that’s what you want.”

“It is.”

It really wasn’t.

“I need to go apologize to Bebe.”