Daddy's Sweet Girl (Montana Daddies, #3)

by Roberts, Laylah

  “Abby?” Her face was covered and he became worried about her breathing. At least that’s what he told himself as he pulled the covers down. She was wearing the same pajamas as last night. Her skin was still too pale. And she was clutching something in her arms.

  Something that looked like a stuffed rabbit.

  “Abby!”

  Chapter Five

  Abby thrashed around. “No! No!”

  Shoot. Was she having a nightmare? He reached for her just as she opened her eyes and screamed. Her fist shot out and caught him right in the nose. He fell back on his ass with a groan as pain engulfed his face.

  Shit.

  “Oh God. What’s happening? Kent! Did I hurt you?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Shit. Shit. Shit.” Her voice was frantic, nearing hysterical. “Why did I do that? Oh God, I didn’t know it was you. Crap.”

  “Stop swearing,” he said firmly then he gentled his voice, “I’m fine, baby.” Well his nose was throbbing and he had to take a moment to breathe through the pain but he was fine. He’d live. He’d had a lot worse.

  “I broke your nose, didn’t I?” she wailed. “I’m such a stupid klutz.”

  He frowned, not liking that.

  “Abby,” he said in a low warning voice. He glanced up to find her climbing from the bed, her hair a tousled mess. And the throbbing in his nose took a back seat to the rush of arousal that filled him.

  “Do you need some frozen peas? I’ll get some peas.”

  “I don’t need any damned peas, Abby. Sit,” he growled when she went to move. “My nose is fine. I’ve had far worse.”

  “I’m so sorry. I was having a bad dream and then I woke up and saw someone looming over me...” Her eyes widened. “You’re in my bedroom.” She looked like she couldn’t quite believe her own words. Then she did something rather odd.

  She started laughing.

  What was going on with her?

  “Oh, I get it now. This is a dream. Well, thank God for that.” She sounded so relieved he felt a bit insulted.

  She frowned at him. “I’m not usually clumsy in my dreams about you, though.” She stared at herself. “And I never wear these pajamas. Or have Bun-bun with me.”

  “You don’t?” She dreamed about him? Bun-bun?

  “No, that’s not exactly normal, is it? Or sexy. A twenty-six-year-old sleeping with a stuffed toy is weird.”

  Not as weird or unusual as she might have thought. At least not on Sanctuary. But he wasn’t going into that right now.

  “Baby, listen to me. You’re not dreaming.” He knelt, ignoring his aching nose and placed his hands on her legs just above her knees as he braced himself.

  This was going to come as a shock.

  “Yes, I am.”

  Okay, that wasn’t quite the reaction he was expecting. But then he was starting to learn that the unexpected was normal when it came to Abby.

  “No, you’re not.”

  “Yes, I am. Because if I’m not sleeping then you’ve come into my house unannounced. Because if I’m not sleeping then you’re in my bedroom. And you now know that I’m a twenty-six-year-old who sleeps with a stuffed toy!” Her voice got louder with each accusing sentence and he winced.

  “All right, you’re still sleeping,” he agreed trying to calm her down.

  “No, I’m not!” she yelled as she struggled to stand. He applied pressure to keep her seated.

  “And here I always thought you were a quiet little thing.”

  “I am until someone creeps into my bedroom and wakes me up.” Her eyes were wild as she glared down at him.

  “I can assure you, I did not creep,” he said, offended.

  She gave him an incredulous look.

  Part of him admitted that he could have handled this whole thing differently.

  “I knocked. Several times. On the front door which was unlocked, and don’t think we won’t be having a chat about that.” He’d prefer that chat happen over his knee, but he’d have to settle for giving her a very stern talking to. He also hadn’t forgotten what she’d called herself just before.

  Stupid klutz?

  Nope. She needed to learn that wasn’t acceptable either. Safety and respect were important.

  “You knocked? A chat?” She seemed bewildered as though she didn’t understand what he was saying.

  “You always wake up so befuddled?” he asked.

  “Befuddled?”

  He was going to take that as a yes.

  “Once I was inside the house, I called out several times. I expected to find you collapsed and unconscious on the ground since that was the only reason I could think of for the door not to be locked and you not to be answering me. Then I knocked on your bedroom door and called out again. I heard something, probably you having a nightmare, so I came in. Do you always sleep that deeply? To the point where a man can be in your house and you don’t even wake up? Do you know how dangerous that is? What if I had been someone intent on doing you harm? Just what were you thinking leaving your door unlocked?”

  HUH.

  So she was getting that he was mad. Only she didn’t entirely understand why. Because she hadn’t answered the door? Because she hadn’t woken up when he’d called out for her? Was it an ego thing? He didn’t like to be ignored? She hadn’t done it on purpose. She had honestly been so tired that she’d forgotten. Simple as that. Sure, it had been stupid.

  But she didn’t get why he was so mad at her about it. It wasn’t his door she’d forgotten to lock.

  Which question should she answer first? Which was the least likely to make him madder? She didn’t really know what to say so instead of saying anything she settled for biting on her thumbnail and not saying anything at all.

  His eyes narrowed. “Oh no. That is not the way this is going. You get to keep quiet on some things. But not this. Not when it comes to safety. Now, tell me. Do you normally sleep that deeply?”

  Well, shoot. “Yes.”

  His jaw tightened and a small tic developed by his right eye.

  “And the reason that the door wasn’t locked?”

  She squirmed around on the bed. Part of her still hoped this was a dream. Please, please let it be a dream.

  “Abby, you would do well to answer me right now.”

  Shit. The look in his eyes told her he wasn’t going to give up on this. And let’s face it, he could easily out-stubborn her. She took a deep breath, braced herself. “I forgot.”

  “You forgot?” he asked in a quiet voice. That was unexpected. She’d thought he would yell.

  “Umm, yes, see I was so tired when I got home that I just wanted to take some Tylenol and get into bed and I forgot to lock the door. But it was the middle of the afternoon. Lots of people don’t lock their door when they’re home alone during the day.”

  “They should. Especially when they’re a five-foot nothing female who lives alone in a less than desirable neighborhood and sleeps like the dead.”

  “Do you lock your doors?” she challenged, hardly believing her daring. You didn’t dare a man like Kent Jensen.

  “I own the top security business in the world. I lead a group of the most well-trained, most dangerous men in the world. I have the best security system—”

  “Let me guess, in the world,” she said dryly. It was a wonder his ego could fit into her small bedroom. And later, she knew she would completely flip out at the fact that Kent Jensen had seen her extremely childish bedroom. Seriously, what other twenty-six-year-old slept in a twin bed with a lacy, pink bedspread and a bunny?

  Yep, she was going to totally lose it later. Right now, she had to concentrate on Kent. When he was in the room, there was little else she could think of.

  Deep breath in, Abby. He’s not for you. His world is so different from yours it’s impossible.

  He raised his eyebrows as though hardly daring to believe her daring.

  Him and her both.

  “Yes, in the world.”

  “So, you don’t
lock your doors,” she guessed.

  “I do,” he said, surprising her. “I can hardly lecture you on something that I don’t or won’t do myself, can I?”

  Well, he could. But it would make him a hypocrite. And a bit of a jerk. He could be stern. Demanding. Overwhelming.

  But he wasn’t a jerk.

  “So, let me get this straight. You sleep like the dead, so deeply that you don’t even hear someone enter your bedroom calling your name, and yet you forgot to lock the door. Not that the lock is that great, but it could be reasonably expected to keep most people out.”

  “Well, I don’t think most people would just wander into someone’s house even if they did find it unlocked,” she pointed out, her temper starting to stir. Who did he think he was? He was the one in the wrong here. He was the one inside her house without invitation, invading her privacy. And he was going to lecture her?

  “That is not the point. The point is that it’s not safe to ever leave your door unlocked, let alone while you’re sleeping so deeply.”

  “I know that! I didn’t mean to do it.”

  He sighed then ran his hand over his face, wincing. She grimaced. Shoot. She didn’t want to feel guilty. She wanted to stay mad at him. But the guilt won. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Not your fault. I gave you a fright. I should have woken you up with more care but I was worried you were suffocating.”

  “Suffocating?” What was he talking about?

  “I thought you were ill or something when you didn’t answer your door. Then when I walked in here you were almost completely under the covers. I was worried you couldn’t breathe.”

  She stared at him. Was he for real? People didn’t worry about things like that when it came to adults, right? I mean, kids, sure, but she was a grown woman.

  Although sometimes he acted like she was younger.

  And sometimes, she kind of liked that. She breathed out a tired sigh. Her head still ached. So did her hands, knees and side. She just wanted to crawl back into bed.

  “Kent?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m fine.”

  He took her in. “I wouldn’t say fine. You have dark marks under your eyes and you’re still moving like you’re hurting.”

  “I’m not injured or suffocate, though. I was just asleep. Which I’d really like to get back to doing. So, why are you here?”

  He stood up. “I came to check on you, wanted to make sure you were feeling okay after last night.”

  “I’m good. Just tired. How is Eden?”

  “Furious.” His lips twitched.

  He thought it was amusing that his sister was mad?

  “Physically, she’s sore and that never puts her in a good mood. Eden is the worst patient ever. But mostly, she’s just really angry at Clint.”

  “Why?”

  “Because he grounded her.”

  “How can she be grounded?” she asked, confused.

  “Because Clint is an old-fashioned guy too. He’s the head of our family. And until Eden gets married, she’s his responsibility. And last night, she put herself in danger. So, she’s grounded.”

  People didn’t live that way anymore, did they? Men didn’t take responsibility for their twenty-five-year-old sisters.

  “Hmm, shocked you into silence, have I?” Amusement flashed in Kent’s eyes.

  “He can’t ground her.”

  “He can. He did.” That was all he said.

  “But...but...shouldn’t you do something to stop him?”

  “Why?” He frowned.

  Good question. “Because she’s twenty-five?”

  “Doesn’t matter how old someone is if they’re gonna go putting themselves into dangerous situations and they have someone who loves them, someone who wants them to be safe and healthy and happy, someone who is prepared to ensure that, then there’s gonna be consequences to reckless behavior. And those consequences need to be harsh enough so that next time that person thinks about doing something that puts them at risk, they stop and think again.”

  “Harsh enough?” She wasn’t certain she liked the sound of that. “He’ll hurt her?”

  “Of course not,” he replied so fiercely that she felt bad for every suggesting it. “No man would ever harm a woman on Sanctuary. And if they did, they’d find themselves in a world of trouble. But a woman puts herself into a male’s care, agrees to follow his rules then breaks them, then she’s getting consequences whether she wants them or not. Abby, look at me.”

  He waited until her gaze hit his to speak again. “I’m expecting you to keep all that to yourself.”

  She shook her head. “I wouldn’t...I’d never say a thing.”

  He gave her a small smile. “Didn’t think you would, sweetheart. Around everyone else, you’re quiet as a mouse. I like that you’re different with me.”

  She wasn’t different with him, was she?

  Oh hell, she was.

  “Did you eat something before you climbed into bed?” he asked, sounding concerned.

  She shook her head. “No. I was too tired to bother. I felt a bit ill as well.”

  “When did you last eat?”

  “Umm, I had something around ten I think.”

  He glanced at his watch. “Right, it’s nearly five. Here’s what’s going to happen. You get up. Don’t get dressed since you’ll be back in bed soon. I’m going to order us some take-out and while we’re waiting for it to come, I’ll put the new dead locks on your front and back doors. You can rest on the sofa.”

  Okay, she got that he was a man who was used to taking charge but there were a few things there that she had to address.

  He had already turned away and left the room by the time she ordered her thoughts though, so she had no choice but to get up. Then her bladder let her know she urgently needed the toilet. She set Bun-bun down on the bed. Crap. She couldn’t believe that Kent Jensen had seen her sleeping with a stuffed toy. At least he hadn’t said anything. Maybe he was choosing to ignore it. He was a good guy. She wrapped a robe around herself and strode into the bathroom. She used the facilities and cleaned her teeth because they felt kind of scummy. The last thing she needed to be was the girl who slept with a stuffed rabbit and had smelly breath.

  When she was feeling a bit more alert, she walked out to find him at her front door. “Are you sure you don’t want a bag of peas for your nose?”

  He glanced up at her with a grin. “Baby, I was a Navy SEAL, I run a security company filled with bad asses. I am a bad ass. I promise that a whack on the nose from a little bit of a thing like you barely even stung.”

  “You’re a bad ass?” Her lips twitched at the term.

  He gave her a firm look. “Bad. Ass.”

  “All right then. So do bad asses always put new locks on the doors of women they hardly know?”

  “They do when said woman comes to the aid of their sister,” he told her. “You planning on arguing with me?”

  She thought that over. She was still tired. She was hungry. She had a headache. She was annoyed at him for coming into her house and waking her up, but she also found it kind of sweet that he had been worried about her.

  “I don’t think I have the energy,” she said honestly.

  He watched her for a moment longer then his eyes melted into deep pools of deliciousness. It was all she could do not to dissolve in a pile of goo at his feet “Go sit down, sweetheart. Turn the T.V. on and zone out for a bit. I got this.”

  She stared at him. “Would you like me to order dinner?”

  “I’ll do it. Anything you’re allergic to or don’t like?” he asked.

  “Only things I don’t like are artichokes, raw fish and lemons.”

  His lips twitched. “Well, I promise that I will keep those things off our pizza.”

  “Pizza. Yum. I like meat lovers.” She bounced up and down in excitement.

  He gave her a strange look. And his voice was tender when he replied. “Meat lovers it is, then. Go on. I got this.”

&
nbsp; Yeah, he had this. She watched him for a minute longer, after all she wasn’t exactly used to a hot guy whose jeans molded to his spectacular ass. Things that he didn’t accept anything to return for.

  He’s doing all this because you helped his sister.

  It would be nice if it was because he liked her. But she’d take what she could get. She walked into the kitchen and put on some coffee. Then yawning, she strode into the living room and switched on the T.V., searching for something to watch. It wasn’t long before she was sipping coffee liberally laced with hazelnut creamer and watching The Bachelor.

  “Oh man, what is he doing?” she muttered.

  “What are you watching?”

  She sat up with a gasp, coffee spilling over the edge of her cup. Luckily, it wasn’t that hot. Kent walked around the sofa and crouched in front of her. He grabbed the mug from her, looked at her hand. “Are you burned?”

  “No, it was pretty much cold,” she told him. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you walk up behind me. Umm, I’ll just go clean up.” She scooted forward and thankfully, he stood and moved out of the way. She kept her gaze down as she hurried into the kitchen to wash the coffee off her hand. She wiped at the spill on her top. Could she get more klutzy?

  “Was that decaf coffee?” he asked.

  “No.” She gaped at him. “What’s the point of coffee without the kick of caffeine?”

  He brought the cup to his mouth and tasted what was left in the mug. For some reason that felt awfully intimate. Her body throbbed in reaction.

  Stop it, Abby. He’s here because you helped Eden. Nothing else.

  He grimaced. “Not sure I’d even call that coffee. What flavor is that?”

  “Hazelnut. Let me guess, you drink yours black?”

  “Damn straight. I’m a manly man. Black coffee puts hairs on your chest.”

  She had to smile at that. “And you want hairs on your chest?”

  “You don’t like a hairy chest?” There was amusement in his gaze as he stared down at her.

  “I...I...” Shit how to answer that? That she didn’t really know what she liked since the only time she’d had sex she’d been drunk and it had been a lot of fumbling in the dark followed by pain and disappointment then humiliation.