Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
“Why do you call me Little girl?” she blurted, ignoring his question.
“Am I wrong? Something inside me is telling me to pay attention to you.”
“Maybe because I keep running into you,” she suggested, trying to make a joke.
“No. That’s not it. It’s the Daddy inside me that’s sure you’re mine.”
She stared at him in shock. Did he just tell her he was a Daddy? And he thinks she’s his? “Does it actually work like that?”
“It does if you’re lucky. I’m feeling like I won the lottery.”
“Would you like anything to drink?” the server asked with a smile. “I’m Luka. I’ll take care of you tonight. Hi, Hawking.”
“Hi, Luka.”
Hawking turned to Celeste and asked, “Do you enjoy wine?”
“Yes?” she answered as her thoughts swirled around in her brain.
“Bring us some water and a bottle of house rosé,” Hawking requested.
When Luka departed, Hawking placed an open hand on the table, silently asking for hers. Celeste nestled hers in his. He closed his fingers around hers and squeezed gently. “I’ve been looking for my Little girl for years. Can you be brave for me?”
“How did you know?” she whispered, leaning forward.
“In here,” Hawking tapped his chest with his free hand. “Can you feel it, too?”
She nodded without meaning to. There were so many things going on right now. How could she deal with dating a Daddy on top of everything else? “This isn’t a good time for me. My life is complicated,” she whispered.
“I won’t let you run away. Instead, I’m going to help you.”
“Help me?” she echoed.
Luka returned at that moment. “I’ve got all the help you need,” he teased as he uncorked the wine and poured a sample for Hawking to sample.
“That will do nicely, Luka.”
As he filled her glass with the beautiful pink beverage, Luka asked, “Do you have any questions about the menu?”
“Does the chef have any specials tonight?” Hawking asked.
“How does honey-glazed salmon with mixed vegetables sound?” Luka asked with a smile.
“I’ll take that,” Celeste responded. It was much easier to choose that than search the menu for something different to eat. She definitely couldn’t concentrate on all the options.
“Lamb shank for me, please.”
“Oh, you’ll enjoy those choices,” Luka said with a smile as he departed to put their orders in.
“How are you going to help me?” she asked as soon as Luka was out of range.
“I’m going to keep you safe, Celeste.”
She shifted to bolt from her chair at his use of her real name, panic crawling up her spine. How had he known? He tightened his fingers to hold her hand pressed against the table.
“Your running is done, Celeste.”
“You know that makes you sound like a bad guy,” she whispered. It would be much easier to run away than to trust that he was on her side. She frowned. “How do you know I’m on the run? How do you know my name?”
“It’s a long story. The important thing right now is for you to know that nothing bad is going to happen to you. You’re safe with me and at the resort. I’ll make sure of it.”
She stared at him, breathing heavily. This made no sense. How could he know? She shuddered at the possibilities and narrowed her gaze at him. “Do you work for Dr. Hughes?” That had to be it. He worked for her boss at the lab, and Dr. Hughes had sent him to… To what? Keep her quiet?
Hawking shook his head. “No, Little girl. I work for the man who owns this resort. My job is to keep you safe.”
She trembled. “How do I know I can trust you?”
“I bet you’ve been on edge for days. Stop thinking with your brain and feel. How does your Little feel?” he asked quietly.
After a few long seconds, she felt her racing heartbeat slow. “Like you’re going to keep me safe, and I can trust you.” She couldn’t explain it, but she felt drawn to him in a way she’d never experienced. This isn’t a romance novel, she silently chided herself.
“That’s exactly what I plan to do. Can you relax so we can get some fuel inside you?”
Feeling like his steady presence grounded her, she settled back against the chair and asked, “How did I ever find you?”
“How about if we decide we have a fairy godmother with a wand?”
Her lips curved in a smile as she imagined a small, winged figure darting around Hawking’s huge bulk.
“She better not run into you. She’ll knock herself out.”
His chuckle made her laugh. Whatever it was that linked them together, she felt better with him nearby. Deciding she needed to trust someone, Celeste chose to rely on him.
Chapter Six
Her yawn made him signal for the bill. “You’re exhausted, Little girl. It’s time for bed.” He signed the tab and escorted her back toward the hotel. She scooted closer to him in the dark as they entered the main building.