Page 12 of Daddy’s Little Charmer (Daddy #36)

She must have fallen asleep, because she was startled when the back door opened.

“Hey, Sleepyhead. We’re home.”

Harmony sat up and looked around. She could only see the lower level of the house from the car. She did notice that the yard seemed huge, and the driveway was circular, made of old bricks.

She took Christian’s hand and let him pull her out of the car.

She gasped. She’d never been that close to a house that large in her life.

It was two stories and made of the same brick as the driveway.

The windows were framed with crisp white paint.

What caught her attention was the large front door.

It was painted a bold cobalt blue that gave the whole house character, along with the flowering bushes along the front.

If it were possible to fall in love with a house, she’d done it.

Christian watched her expression. “What do you think?”

“It’s beautiful.”

Christian grinned. “Wait until you see the inside. I haven’t changed anything since I moved in four years ago, so if there is something you’d like to change, feel free. I know zilch about decorating.”

“I’m sure I’ll love it,” she murmured and took the hand he held out.

She turned at the door and waved. “Bye, Dover. It was nice to meet you.”

Dover smiled and tipped his head. “It was very nice to meet you. I hope to see you soon.”

Christian grinned and pulled her into the house. He immediately pulled her over to the security box that was flashing a red light.

“You have one minute to get the code in before the alarm company sends someone out to check on you. It will also have a loud alarm that hurts your ears.”

Harmony bit her lip nervously and observed him.

“I tend to forget the code, so I used my birthday,” he explained.

She watched him punch in seven, twenty-one, and then seventy.

“Your birthday is July twenty-first?”

Christian locked the door and reset the alarm. “Yes.”

Harmony laughed. “Oh, my God, that’s my birthday.”

Christian grinned. What are the odds? he asked himself. He probably should have known that because he had her file, but he hadn’t had time to read through all of it.

“See, Baby. We were meant to be together. Now there’s no chance I could miss your birthday and get away with it.”

“Well, our month and day are the same, but the years are a little different.”

Christian narrowed his eyes as he watched her try to keep from laughing.

“You’re not calling me old, are you?” he asked as he stalked her across the floor.

Harmony smacked a hand over her mouth when she couldn’t contain her giggle. She tried and failed to talk, so she shook her head.

She gasped when her back hit the wall, and Christian stood very close to her with his hands on the Sheetrock on either side of her shoulders.

“I hope you’re not, Baby. Because I’d have to torture you if you were.”

“How?” she asked wide-eyed.

He chuckled at her enthusiastic and nervous expression.

One of his hands cupped her hip and then slowly slid up until it hit her waist. He then dug his fingers into her sides and then chuckled when she immediately wiggled and laughed hysterically.

“Oh, God. Don’t. I hate to be tickled.”

Christian continued. “Good to know.”

“Please,” she begged. “Oh, stop before I pee my pants.”

He smirked but stopped, cupped the side of her face, and leaned in and took her lips. He slid his tongue over them before he nipped. When she moaned, he pressed his tongue into her mouth.

Harmony raised her arms and curled them around his neck to bring her body flush against his. She moaned as his kiss deepened and took her breath.

After a long moment, Christian raised his head and stared down at her. “Jesus, woman. We’ve got to stop.”

Harmony stared up at him and then slid her tongue over her bottom lip to taste him, making a groan tear from his throat.

“Stop that. I want to keep my word. I don’t want us to go too far until you’re ready for it.”

Harmony pressed her fingertips against her lips and nodded. She didn’t want to jump into anything too quickly.

Christian took a step back, grabbed her hand, and started to pull her through the house. She caught glances of different rooms, but otherwise just concentrated on keeping up with his long-legged stride.

“This wing of the main floor is ours. It has the master suite, my office, and a small media room. The main part of the house has a living room, dining room, kitchen, family room, laundry, and sunroom. There are also a few maids’ quarters in the back.

We might want to hire full-time staff later on.

Right now, I have a cleaning service come in once a week, but since I live alone, there is very little for them to do.

I also have meals delivered several times a week. I’ll make sure I add you to my family.”

“I love to cook,” she informed him.

“That’s fine, Baby. Whenever you want. Just make a grocery list, and I’ll call in the order and have it delivered.”

“Wow, I didn’t know you could do things like that.”

“Money buys about anything you want.”

“What if I like going to the store?” Harmony asked.

“That’s fine, of course. But know you don’t have to.”

She looked at him. There was something he wasn’t saying, but he went on talking and interrupted her thoughts.

“The upstairs has seven bedrooms. The ones on the other side of the house will be for the children, and the ones on our side of the house will be for guests or a playroom.”

Harmony jolted against him. “Children?”

At the door to their master bedroom, he turned and clutched her shoulders. “Yes. I’d like to have children one day. How do you feel about them?”

“I-I would love to have children.”

Christian grinned. “How many?”

Harmony smiled. “As many as I can.”

Christian chuckled. “I’ll give you as many as you want.”

“I can’t believe we’re talking about having babies, and we’ve only been on one date.”

Christian kissed the side of her head. “I feel in my heart that this was meant to be. I feel something unlike anything I’ve ever felt. I know a good thing when I see it, and I’ll do whatever I need to keep you happy and with me.”

Christian smiled at her stunned reaction. “Come on, Baby. Let’s get ready for bed.”

Harmony swallowed down her nerves and let him take her hand and pull her toward his bedroom.

Christian opened a door at the end of a long hallway. “This will be our room.”

Harmony looked around in awe. The room was huge, with a large bed in the middle.

A conversation area was located off to the left, and a few doors situated off to the right.

The color scheme was relaxing, featuring creams on the floors, headboard, and furniture, and soft light blues on the walls, bedspread, and accessories.

“Oh, this is beautiful,” she exclaimed in awe.

Christian grinned. “Don’t give me any credit for it. My personal assistant picked out the furniture and other things. I want you to put your touch on everything. You can change the whole house, hell, if you don’t even like this house, we’ll find one you do.”

Harmony twirled toward him. “I can’t believe you’d do that?”

Christian pulled her into his arms. “Believe it, Baby. I’ll do whatever it takes,” he murmured against her temple, tipped her head up with a finger, and pressed his mouth to hers. After a long moment, he lifted his head.

“You really are so beautiful,” he whispered as his eyes scanned her features.

“I think you’re pretty handsome yourself.”

Christian grinned. “How about we get ready for bed?”

Harmony nodded. “May I take a shower?”

“Sure,” Christian said and wrapped an arm around her waist. He opened one of the doors and grinned when he heard her gasp.

“This is amazing.” Harmony’s eyes jumped from one thing to another in the large bathroom.

She shivered when she thought about bathing in the sizeable Jacuzzi bathtub, or washing in the glass-encased shower, or doing her hair at the brightly lit mirror that scanned the back behind the long counter. It had two sinks and so much storage.

“How about I get you something to sleep in and then show you how to use the shower?”

Harmony turned and smiled. “That would be wonderful.”

Christian came back with one of his long-sleeved shirts. “After tonight, and if I let you wear anything, I want you to wear this instead of the shirt you were wearing last night.”

Harmony looked confused and then remembered the guys had seen her in one similar to the one she had worn that morning. She detected the hard tone of jealousy.

“It’s my father’s.”

Christian pulled her against his chest and rested his chin on top of her head.

“I’m sorry, Baby. We have so much to learn about each other.”

Harmony tightened her arms around his waist and took in the comfort of his embrace.

“Let me show you how to use the shower. The damn thing is complicated. I had to read the manual to find out how to turn it on and off,” he said, making her laugh.

Once he showed her the basics, he went to walk out of the room and stopped at the door.

“Take your time. I’m going to start the fireplace and do a little work on the sofa in our bedroom.”

Harmony nodded and then listened to him moving around in the other room.

The way he said “our bedroom” sent a shiver of desire down her spine. She had to admit that the way Christian treated the homeless vet made her fall a little more in love with him.

That made her heart stop for a moment. A little more, like she was already falling for him?

Could it happen that quickly? If not, then why was she here after knowing him for just a few days?

If she didn’t already feel strongly for him, she knew she wouldn’t be in his house.

She wasn’t the type of woman who went home with a man she just desired.

She had to have deeper feelings for him.