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She’d always felt bad for the wounded gazelles at the watering holes on all those documentaries she’d had to watch as a child. Now she knew exactly how they felt. Unable to stop herself, she moved closer to Boone. If she could disappear behind him, she would.

Grif turned to look at Boone, a worried frown darkening his face when he saw her. “What do you want me to do, chief?”

Guilt and self-loathing swept through her. She might be Little, but that didn’t mean she had to be weak. Littles were strong and brave. They wouldn’t have stopped by Sevin’s estate if her Daddy didn’t need to talk to him.

She needed to pull up her big girl panties, at least for the next few minutes. She could do this. After all Boone had done for her, she could do this for him “Please, Daddy. I’ll be fine. I promise.”

Boone studied her before nodding his head. He turned his attention to Grif. “Grif, you’re with Tildi. Keep the car running, and if she shows any signs of distress, tap the horn. We’ll hop back in the car and head to the ranch. That would suit me just fine.”

“He won’t have to do that. You don’t have to worry about me.” She would be big and strong and brave. Even if it killed her.

He turned to her. “If you mean that, we’re all heading out right now. I am not stepping one foot out of this car unless I have your promise that you’ll tell Grif if we need to leave.”

“But, Daddy?—”

“Don’t ‘but Daddy’ me, little girl. You are more important to me than Sevin Midnight. I want to talk to him in person so I can get a feel for what he’s thinking. But that is not a necessity. You are the only necessity in my life. Do you understand?”

It took all she could do not to stare at him, slack jawed.

This man.

Even in her best dreams no one said things like that to her. But if there was one thing she’d learned about Boone in the last three weeks, it was he was like Popeye the Sailor Man. He said what he meant and meant what he said.

“I understand, Daddy. Thank you.”

His answer was to pull her in for a quick, hard kiss that had her breath quickening for a much better reason.

“Dutch, you’re with me.”

“You got it, chief.”

The two of them joined Sev and his men at the bottom of the steps. Boone stood facing the SUV, and though he and Dutch talked to Sev and the muscular blonde man standing next to him, her Daddy kept his eyes on her the entire time with a smile on his face.

Grif tried to keep the conversation going but eventually gave up. Tildi couldn’t think about anything but Boone.

He stood beside men in bespoke suits, each costing as much as her last car, yet Boone was still the finest looking man she’d ever seen. He didn’t need custom made clothes and Italian leather shoes.

He was the most remarkable man she’d ever met. It would be so easy to picture a life with him, but it was too soon forthat. That wouldn’t be smart. They were headed to his ranch, but there was no guarantee he’d want her to stay.

She needed to soak up all the memories she could, just in case it didn’t last. It would be so easy to fall into thinking of him as her forever Daddy. She needed to slow her heart down.

Boone and Sev didn’t talk long before they were slapping each other on the back and shaking hands. Her Daddy headed back to her, his long strides eating up the short distance.

His eyes burned, but not with anger. No, they burned with need. For her.

Her heart thumped harder, and arousal dampened her panties. How could he do that with just his eyes?

He climbed in beside her and leaned over to give her a peck on the cheek. At least that was what she expected. But that isn’t what he gave her at all. With a hand behind her neck, he tilted her head where he wanted it and pressed demanding lips to hers. Her lips parted, and his tongue invaded her mouth.

The kiss didn’t last nearly long enough. Too soon, he pulled back, leaving her reeling and wanting more.

Pressing his forehead against hers, he grinned. “Miss me?”

“Every second,” she teased back with perfect honesty.

He reconnected her seatbelt but pulled her leg to rest on his. “All right then, let’s go home.”

They headed out for Wild River Ranch. It was Boone’s home now, but if she did everything she could to be helpful and stay out of trouble, it just might become her home, too.