Arabella wove a bullshit story for the man and listened intently to the directions he liberally peppered with flirtations, all the while watching as a woman and a big man disappeared around a corner. When she was pretty sure the coast was clear, she thanked the man in the car and headed back in the direction she came.
She was congratulating herself on a job well done when she ran straight into a brick wall. At least, it felt like one. When she looked up, though, she met the very angry gaze of Tanner Dawson. There was none of the usual tenderness in his eyes. No, they were filled with the fire of an irate Daddy.
Fuck.
Chapter Seven
Tanner had reached out to try and stop Arabella when she’d breezed past him, but the determined woman rushed by so fast, he couldn’t reach her in time. She fucking sauntered up to a man he knew to be dangerous and initiated conversation. He’d told her to stay!
Did the woman listen? Hell no!
Now, Arabella was smack dab in the middle of the kind of situation he least wanted her to be in. He’d known bringing her along was a bad idea. She had the bastard occupied, though, so Tanner sent the signal to Blade. He’d watched until they had made it to safety.
Apparently, his Little Hurricane had also been watching, she’d ended her conversation and came back his way. Tanner crossed his arms and stepped directly into her path. In her rush to get away, she wasn’t paying attention and ran right into him.
He uncrossed his arms and reached out to steady her. When she looked up at him, his face must have conveyed his anger, along with his worry. She paled and began to stammer. Tanner was going to have to think of some pain-free alternative punishments because this Little wasn’t ready for any kind of impact. He couldn’t think of a single little he knew who was asking for punishment more than this little imp.
Even though he was fuming, he gentled his voice when he said, “Thought I told you to stay.”
“You… you did. I…”
“I know I am not your Daddy… yet… but you are currently under my protection. When I give you an order that involves your safety, I expect you to follow it.”
His hands were still on her shoulders, and he gently rubbed his thumbs in circles trying to soothe her since he didn’t think he could get the next words out without at least some of his anger and worry bleeding into his tone.
“What you don’t do, Little Hurricane, is ignore the order and run straight into danger.”
Yep, he’d been right, more than a little of his anger came through in his tone and Arabella’s face paled even more. Her skin resembled a ghost now more than a living person. Tanner cursed himself. He was scaring her when that was the last thing he wanted to do.
When Arabella’s eyes glazed over and became unfocused he knew she’d gone back in time. She was no longer seeing him, instead she was seeing her ex. She wasn’t hearing a stern voice concerned for her safety, but was hearing whatever bullshit he used to spout.
Tanner lowered his voice and gentled his tone as much as he possibly could and set about trying to get her back to the present before she had another panic attack.
“Hey, Little Hurricane. It’s me, baby, it’s Tanner. I’m not going to hurt you. I will never hurt you. Yes, I am angry you put your safety at risk, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to hurt you.”
He gently cupped her cheek with one hand rubbing his thumb over her cheekbone.
“Come back to me, Babydoll.”
If anything, Arabella seemed to get even more distant at that, but she did manage one whispered word.
“Don’t”.
Tanner decided to use that to get her back to him. Asking questions she’d have to answer seemed like a good way to pull her back.
“Don’t what, Baby?”
She began to tremble, and Tanner knew he needed to get her back with him now.
“What don’t you want me to do, Little Hurricane? Just tell me so I never do it again.”
“Don’t call me ‘Doll’.”
Her voice was barely audible, but she’d answered so he continued asking questions.
“Why don’t you like that name, Little One? Did he call you that?”
She nodded her head instead of a verbal answer, but at least he knew she was hearing and following along.
“Ok, I’ll never use the name again. I don’t want to do or say anything to be compared to him. Besides, ‘Little Hurricane’ fits you better.”
When she chuckled and some of the color returned to her cheeks, he finally took a full breath.
“There you are. Let’s get you back to the car and get out of here. What do you say?”
“Ok, Daddy.”
Fuck, he couldn’t wait for the day she called him that intentionally.
“On the way, we can discuss a punishment you can handle for that little stunt you pulled back there.”
When he saw her mouth twitch, he knew she was fully out of the woods. If he’d wondered at all, her next words would have cured it.
“Oh, you mean when I distracted the twat waffle?”
“Nope.” He popped the p, “When you deliberately ignored my order and waltzed your fine ass right into danger.”
“But nothing bad happened, and besides that, it worked. I shouldn’t be punished for being 007 in a skirt!”
Her pout was absolutely adorable, but it wasn’t about to distract him.
“Oh, it worked, and I’m suitably impressed with your spy skills, Double-O. That still doesn’t negate the fact that you put yourself in danger.”
Arabella let out the cutest huff, crossed her arms under her chest, tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and attempted to stare him down. Tanner simply stared back with one brow raised until she stomped her foot, muttered a curse then shouted “Fine!” before turning on her heel and marching the rest of the way to the car.
Tanner watched her ass sway as she walked and lamented the fact that he wouldn’t be finding out exactly how pink he could make it. He could however think of other fun punishments involving that mighty fine ass.
He hurried to catch up and opened Arabella’s door for her. After helping her into the seatbelt, as he was closing the door, he could have sworn he heard her mutter in the cutest little pouty voice, “I was just trying to help… meanie Daddy.”
He saved his chuckle until he was sure the door was fully closed.
“Tanner?”
Arabella had just sat down on his couch when she’d spoken.
“Yes, Little Hurricane?”
“What did you mean when you said ‘yet’?”
“When I said ‘yet’? When did I say that?”
Tanner was truly curious; he couldn’t recall when he might have said it.
“Back there, you said, ‘I know I’m not your Daddy… yet.’ What did you mean?”
Shit.
He’d known he thought it but hadn’t been aware he’d actually voiced the thought. Tanner wouldn’t lie to her, though, so he sat down beside her. Arabella might be using this discussion to delay the punishment they’d agreed on, but it was also something they needed to discuss, sooner rather than later.
“I meant that I’d very much like to be your Daddy. When you feel you trust me enough and are ready to take that step, I’d like to.”