Daddy’s Wild Girl (Montana Daddies #16)

Chapter 10

10

C orbin was avoiding her.

At least, that’s what it felt like.

And she didn’t like it.

Three days had passed since Bob came to visit and Corbin had basically blown up at her.

Okay . . . blown up might be an exaggeration. And after she’d had a chance to think and breathe, she’d realized that he was just trying to do his job. Sure, he could be less of a jerk about it, but she could also be more understanding.

And she had stepped around him when he’d had no idea that Bob wasn’t a threat.

Plus, he’d apologized almost straight away. Which she could respect. Apologizing wasn’t easy.

At least for her, it wasn’t.

But now it felt like he didn’t want to be around her. She’d spent the last three days doing things in the house . . . hoping that she’d run into him as he set up the security system.

But he seemed to have a knack for avoiding her.

She even had a contractor coming out tomorrow to check her back porch.

With a sigh, she put on some workout clothes. She needed to get out of the house, and luckily, it was time for her skateboarding lesson.

Heading downstairs, she saw Hayes in the kitchen, eating a sandwich. He was a surprisingly good cook. Even if his specialty was sandwiches.

She wasn’t complaining. She was eating better than she had in . . . well, since him .

Urgh. The asshole.

She rubbed her chest. She always seemed to get indigestion when she thought about him .

“Hey, I’m headed out for my skateboarding lesson.”

“Your . . . your what?” he called out, following her as she moved to the front door. “Wait. Stop. Where do you think you’re going?”

She had to hide her grin. She did like to keep Hayes on his toes.

“Right . . . I’ve got everything set up. I just need to take you through it all,” Corbin said, approaching her with his tablet in his hand. He pushed his glasses up his nose.

Aww. Even that was gorgeous.

Why did this guy have to be so freaking sexy?

“Not now,” she said. “I’ve got to go have my skateboarding lesson.”

Bebe opened the hallway closet, shoving her toolbox out of the way. She managed to create enough of a gap to pull her skateboard and helmet out.

“No. Nope. I’m out.” Hayes pointed at her skateboard. “I’m not doing that.”

This time, she couldn’t hide her smile. “You don’t have to skateboard. I’m just having a lesson.”

“Where?” Corbin asked.

“At the local skatepark, of course. So, who’s coming with me?”

Hayes turned to glare at Corbin and seemed to have a silent conversation between them.

Then Corbin sighed. “Looks like it’s me. Wait for me here. I’ll get a jacket.” He frowned, looking her over. “Where is your jacket?”

“I’m good.” She bounced on her toes, energy thrumming through her and needing a release. The voices in her head were getting louder and she had to expel them.

You’re not good enough, Belle. I’ve found someone better.

I was only with her for the publicity.

How can I use you when you’re my daughter? You should be grateful for all that I’ve done for you.

“You need a jacket,” Corbin insisted, distracting her from the voices in her head.

“I really don’t. I’m going to get warm quick skateboarding.”

“You still have to get there and back,” he told her. “Get a jacket. Please.” The last word seemed to be an afterthought. But she couldn’t ignore the ‘please.’

So, with a sigh, she pulled a jacket out of the closet and put it on. “Happy?”

“Ecstatic,” he muttered.

Corbin had no idea what to say to her as they walked along the sidewalk toward the skatepark.

How are you?

Sounded stupid when they were living in the same house.

I’m glad you haven’t had any more nightmares.

Nope. Still sounded weird.

I miss talking to you. Sorry I reacted so badly.

I was just worried about you.

Yeah. None of it seemed to be the right thing to say.

“Sooo, are you going to talk to me again anytime soon?” she asked. “Or are you planning on ignoring me for the rest of the time you’re here?”

He paused, then turned to look at her. “I haven’t been ignoring you.”

“But you’ve been avoiding me,” she whispered.

Her gaze was on her feet and he longed to reach out and touch her chin, tilt back her face, and brush his lips against her soft, plump ones . . .

Whoa.

And this is why you need to chill. Take a step back.

This isn’t appropriate.

“I’m sorry if it feels that way. I’ve been getting the security system set up.”

“Don’t,” she said, hurt filling her face.

Shit. What had he done?

“Just . . . you can tell me you don’t want to answer, but please don’t lie to me.”

“I wasn’t . . . shit.” He’d be mad if she started lying to him like that. “Look, I thought it might be best if I gave you some space, that’s all. I wasn’t very professional the other day. And it wasn’t acceptable. I let my emotions get in the way of my job.”

“Your emotions?” she asked.

“Yes, I . . . I suppose I was feeling protective of you and that’s why I jumped to the conclusion that Bob was a threat and got . . . upset with you when I thought you weren’t following my orders and putting yourself at risk.”

There. That sounded good.

“Protective of me? Isn’t that a good thing for a bodyguard to feel?”

“I suppose. When it doesn’t compromise their ability to make decisions. Their objectivity.”

“I don’t want you to keep apologizing or feeling bad,” she told him. “What you felt was real. Sure, I might have been a bit annoyed initially, but you were looking out for me. And that’s not a bad thing. Just . . . can we go back to the way things were before they got all awkward and weird?”

“I suppose we can do that,” he said slowly.

“Good. Come on, I’m late for my lesson.”