Daddy’s Wild Girl (Montana Daddies #16)

Chapter 36

36

C orbin gaped at his girl in shock.

She was sitting next to Clint on the couch. A sleeping Clint. Who had his feet up on an ottoman and a blanket over his legs.

Oh, and he also had a baby strapped to his chest.

This was who Hayes had left his girl with? Clint, who was likely sleeping the sleep of the dead?

He glared at the other man.

“She’s safe,” Hayes said. “You don’t think Clint will launch into overprotective mode the second someone threatens her? Around Annabel?”

Hayes had a point.

He still didn’t like it much. What if she’d wandered off? Then again, hadn’t he told her how safe the Ranch was?

“I can’t believe he’s sleeping,” Kent whispered. “She got him to sleep. None of us have been able to do that.”

They were all whispering as they stood outside the doorway, peeking in.

“Do you really think he’s asleep?” Corbin asked Kent.

The other man held up his finger to his lips. Then a loud snore filled the room and Kent let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank fuck.”

They waited several moments to ensure Clint was in a deep sleep before heading into the room.

Bebe stared up at him with wide eyes. Clint’s head was slipping onto her shoulder.

“Quick,” Kent said, grabbing a cushion. “You get up, Bebe. Hayes, hold the cushion for his head.”

“Never thought I’d become a cushion-holder for a paranoid, grouchy rancher,” Hayes muttered. But he held the cushion as Corbin helped Bebe stand up, away from Clint.

“Poor guy is really tired,” she whispered.

“He hasn’t really slept since the baby came,” Corbin told her, pulling her against him.

“I don’t know if the baby should sleep with him, though.” She chewed her lips. “Not that I know much about babies.”

“I’ll take her off him,” Kent said.

“But then he’ll worry if she’s not there when he wakes up,” she said.

Corbin gave her a squeeze. It was sweet how concerned she was about him.

“I’ll quickly put the baby up in her crib and check on Charlie,” Kent told them.

They all waited with bated breath as he undid the buckles at the sides of the front pack. Then he gently took out the baby and lifted her into his arms.

Clint let out a loud snore and they all gave sighs of relief.

Kent carried the baby away while Hayes awkwardly helped Clint lie down on his side.

“Where did the blanket come from?” Corbin asked.

“Oh, I found it,” she said. “Thought it might help him sleep. I also played this playlist I have on my phone that helps me sleep. I thought it might help as well. Maybe it sounds a bit childish.”

“Not at all,” Kent said, returning.

“I told Charlie that Clint is asleep. She was about to walk down the stairs by herself to do something about him, which he wouldn’t be happy about.”

“Charlie had a traumatic birth and had to have a C-section,” he whispered to her. “The baby was quite early, and they both had to stay in the hospital for a while. That’s part of the reason that Clint has gone a bit crazy.”

Ahh, right. It made sense why he was so protective.

They got Clint settled and then Kent nodded his head toward the door and they followed him out.

“I’m going to stay here. Clint is going to be roaring mad when he wakes up. I’ve got the baby monitor with me so Charlie can rest too.” He turned to Bebe. “You, young lady.”

She stiffened next to Corbin at Kent’s tone. And Corbin started to glare at his boss. If he dared to criticize her . . .

“Are a miracle worker. I don’t know what you did or how you wrangled him, but I owe you big time. I hope you’ll be happy on the Ranch. Are you a hugger? I’m not usually, but I need to hug you.”

“That would be okay,” she said in a stunned voice.

Kent drew her close and hugged her tight before letting her go. “Thank God the grouchy old bastard is asleep. I tried to drug him, and for some reason, it didn’t work. I thought I put enough sedative in there to take out an elephant.”

“Oh, he knew you were doing that. He told me he tipped the drink out when you weren’t looking.”

Kent looked stunned, and then he grinned. “Of course he did. Thanks, guys. You head off and I’ll see you all later. We need to talk about finding this stalker. And I need to get in contact with your father, Bebe. Maybe you’ll have more luck if you try.”

“Maybe,” she replied, sounding doubtful.

And he knew why she sounded like that, considering she’d already tried, left a message with his assistant, yet had heard nothing back.

“We’ll meet in the morning. Once you’ve settled in.”

“He’s going to come out swinging,” Corbin warned.

Kent grinned. “I know. I’m enjoying the idea of giving him a few smacks. Might knock some of his stubbornness out.”

Yeah, Corbin doubted it.

Corbin grasped hold of her hand and led her back toward the car.

“So, that was Clint, baby Annabel, and Kent,” he said.

“Ahh, yeah. That was . . . interesting,” she said with a small smile.

“I can’t believe you got him to go to sleep when everyone else has failed.”

“Guess I have some uses.” There was a note of forced lightness in her voice. Turning, he cupped her cheek with his hand.

“Oh, you have plenty of uses.” He leaned down and kissed her lightly.

“Are you saying that one of my uses is kissing?” she asked, sounding slightly breathless.

“Yep, I am.” He grinned. “And I should make use of that very, very often.”

A smile crossed her own lips as she lost some of that stress around her mouth.

“You should.”

Fuck. He wanted to take her home, carry her to bed and keep her there until he no longer felt this hunger for her, until the passion had abated.

Only trouble was that it might take months, years, even.

Hayes cleared his throat. “Are you two going to keep making lovey-dovey eyes at each other or can we get a move on? The sooner you’re behind closed doors, the sooner you can fu?—”

“Hayes!” he said sharply, interrupting the other man.

“What?” he asked. “I was just going to say you could fucking well unpack.”

That hadn’t been what he’d been going to say and they all knew it. But from the way Bebe giggled, she didn’t care.

And he’d do anything to hear her laugh.