Daddy in Cowboy Boots (Montana Daddies #9) - Laylah Roberts Page 0,56

could always cover for you.”

Right. That would never happen.

He pulled out a chair for her, pushing her in. The chair must have been made for a damn giant because her feet didn’t even touch the ground when she was seated on it. She had to scoot forward to the edge and even then, the table was kind of high.

So embarrassing.

“This won’t do. You could use a highchair.”

Umm. She had to have heard him wrong. Right?

“Did you say a higher chair?” she asked. “Any higher and I will need a stepladder to get on it. Is all your furniture made for giants?”

He opened his mouth, a twinkle in his eyes.

“And no short jokes,” she told him sternly, holding up a single finger.

To her shock, he leaned over and took her finger into his mouth, sucking on it strongly. Holy. Shit. That sent an answering shockwave down to her clit.

He let go of her finger with a small plop. “No pointing your finger at me.”

Her heart was beating too rapidly for her to answer. For her to do anything but stare at him. “I’ll go get something for you to sit on.” He turned away, walking towards the door. Then he turned back, giving her a cheeky grin.

Uh-oh.

“And no, I didn’t say a higher chair. I said highchair. I’m sure the same place that does booster seats can make those too.”

She just sat there, staring after him. Even when he walked back in, cushion in hand, she was still staring.

“Stand.”

After she stood, he set the cushion down on the seat. She sat and he pushed her chair in for her. Sitting across from her, he reached over and tapped her plate. “You need to eat.”

She ate a couple of mouthfuls. Guilt swirled in her stomach, making it hard to swallow. He was taking such good care of her. It just made her feel worse.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what was going on,” she blurted out, needing to apologize again. “And that I lied about my wrist.”

He gave her a firm look. “You know how I felt about lies.”

She nodded miserably. “I know.”

“And I hate knowing that I had no idea of what you went through. Of how bad things were for you. Keeping something that big from me, it can’t happen again, Marisol.”

“It won’t.”

“I also know that we haven’t known each other long and that trust can take time. So I’m not mad at you, Mari-girl. Okay? Just a bit disappointed.”

Jeez. She thought that might be worse. In fact, she was sure it was. What could she do to make things better?

You could ask him to punish you.

Okay, that might be taking things a step too far. She wasn’t even sure that he wanted her anymore. Or that he wanted that sort of a relationship. Even though he’d asked her whether she read books with BDSM in them, he’d never said that he was into it. Or really mentioned it again.

She forced herself to eat some more. “I’m just not used to relying on other people. For anything. We moved around so much that I never put down roots anywhere. I was always the hanger-on. The extra. The poor relative. To be pitied and picked-on at school. Ignored or yelled at when at home. Nobody stuck around. None of my aunt’s husbands or boyfriends, except for Saber. None of our staff. The only person I can ever remember caring about me was Harry. And Ana.”

“Harry was your aunt’s ex? The guy who took you on your only picnic?”

“Yeah. He was kind to me. I was devastated when he kicked Rosalind out. I begged her to let me stay with him. She told me that I was the reason he was divorcing her. That I was too needy and annoying and that he couldn’t be bothered with me anymore.”

“What the fuck?” he snapped. “Sorry for my language.”

That was so cute.

“I’m not sure if she was telling the truth. She likely said it to shut me up or hurt me. But I can’t help thinking that if he’d cared for me at all, he would have tried to see me again. Or contact me.” She shrugged, trying to play off the pain. But it was still there. Even after all these years.

“Maybe she wouldn’t let him.” He reached across the table and took hold of her hand. She’d eaten as much as she could. “That sounds like the sort of thing she’d do.”

“Yeah, you’re likely right. I’m used to people leaving me, Linc.