Daddy in Cowboy Boots (Montana Daddies #9) - Laylah Roberts Page 0,59
any length of time. Her aunt might have been around, but she was verbally abusive. Neglectful. Marisol had been moved from place to place. Being somewhat introverted, that must have been so hard for her. The one person she’d formed an attachment to, she’d been made to leave and had never seen or heard from again. It was no wonder she didn’t trust that he’d stick around. Or that he’d want her to stay with him.
But he was prepared to do whatever was necessary in order to make her feel more secure. She’d spent most of her life tiptoeing around her aunt, that she’d never had a chance to be a child. To be carefree.
He wondered how she would feel if he offered her a way to just be, without all the stress, the fear. To have him take all that on so she could damn well relax.
To him, that was the ultimate. For her to trust him enough to give him complete control.
Walking inside, the smell of food hit him, making his stomach rumble. He frowned. Hadn’t she said she couldn’t cook? He’d been intending to make something quick for dinner. He hoped that she hadn’t been working hard all afternoon when he’d wanted her to rest.
Strolling into the kitchen, he saw her crouched in front of the oven, peering into the window.
“Mari-girl? Everything okay?”
She let out a screech and fell on her bottom.
“Oh, baby. Are you okay?” He dropped the bags in his hands and leapt forward, helping her stand. Tears had filled her eyes and he felt like a complete ass.
“Jesus, I deserve my butt whipped for that. I thought you would have heard me come in the door. I didn’t mean to frighten you. Is your bottom sore?”
Holding her to his chest with one arm around her lower back, he rubbed her bottom gently, hearing her moan. She sagged against him and her moans turned to whimpers. Noises that were filled with need.
Liked that, did she?
He filed that away for further thought later.
“I’m so sorry, teeny. Are you all right?”
She sniffled. “Oh yes. I’m fine. Sorry, I just got a fright.”
“Understandable. Is your bottom all right?”
“What? Hmm. Oh yes. Yes, I guess so.”
Was that a note of disappointment in her voice? Did she want him to keep touching her?
“What were you doing? Did you make dinner? I thought you couldn’t cook?”
“I was watching the oven. I didn’t. And I can’t.”
He drew back to peer down at her quizzically. She blushed slightly. “Abby dropped by with a shepherd’s pie. She said just to heat it up in the oven. But I wasn’t sure what temperature to put it on or how long it should be in there for. And I couldn’t Google it because I don’t have my phone.”
Oh crap. That reminded him of the bags he’d dropped as he’d rushed to get to her. He’d check them soon. If the phone was broken then it was broken.
“You didn’t ask Abby?”
She looked down. “I didn’t want her to think I was an idiot.”
“Hey.” He grabbed her chin, tilting her face up. “Nobody would think you are an idiot, least of all Abby. She’s one of the sweetest people I know.”
“I know. I just feel stupid for not knowing something so simple.”
“If you’ve never had to do it and haven’t had anyone to teach you then how are you supposed to know?” he said simply. “Ellie can’t cook to save her life, but nobody thinks anything less of her. Now, that’s the last time I want to hear you refer to yourself as an idiot, understand me?”
“Yes, sir.”
Oh, he liked the sound of that. But he’d like to hear her call him Daddy more.
“Good girl. Now, I’ll figure out what’s going on with the shepherd’s pie. Have you had your insulin?”
“No.”
“Why don’t you go get your bag?”
“Okay.” She disappeared and he glanced around. Were the floors shinier than they had been?
He drew out the shepherd’s pie and checked it. Bit crispy on top but otherwise it was fine. He’d let it rest for a few moments.
When Marisol returned, he grabbed her hand and drew her towards him.
“I spoke to Ed today,” he told her gently.
She tensed up. “What did he say? Did he see Tiger? What happened?”
“By the time he got to your aunt’s place last night, most of the Devil’s Sinners were gone. However, he had a chat with your aunt and Saber. Told them he was looking for Tiger.”