Page 18 of Scarlett's Mountain Man

Daddy smiles and holds his arms open. “Let me put Juniper down so we can go to sleep. She’ll be right here the whole time.”

I look at Juniper and snuggle her for several seconds before giving her to Daddy. It feels so weird to have someone elsetaking care of her. I know I just gave birth to her, buthewould never have taken care of her.

He was planning on selling her.

“Promise she’ll be here and you won’t do anything?” I ask and immediately regret it. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. I know you won’t.”

Daddy places Juniper in the crib gently before turning back to me.

“You’re okay,” he gently coos at me. “I’m not mad at you asking me that. You have every right to ask me since I’m a stranger. I promise that she’ll be right here the whole night. As soon as you wake up, you’ll see her. I won’t do anything. Well, unless I am handing her to you.”

I let out a breath of air and nod. “Thank you.”

“Any time. And if you wake up and need to see her and can’t, you call out for me and I’ll show you. I don’t care what time it is; you wake me up.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, tears pooling in my eyes once again.

He is being really sweet and I can’t take it. Everything he is doing is the opposite of everything I have endured.

“Good night, Little One,” he whispers, kissing my forehead after he helps me lay back.

“Goodnight,” I whisper, getting comfortable.