Sheriff Daddy (Montana Daddies Book 10) by Laylah Roberts (good book club books txt) 📗

heard me. I want her to come to breakfast before we head out to see Loki.”

“I’m trying to work here, Kiesha.”

“Isn’t it your day off?”

He ran his hand over his face. When was the last time he’d gotten a day off?

“You look tired. You should go home and sleep,” she said in a gentler voice.

“I intended to spend the day at home sleeping, but instead I have piles of paperwork to finish due to a brawl that broke out last night. And maybe I’d get through that paperwork quicker if I didn’t get interrupted.”

“Nobody is going to die because you haven’t completed some paperwork, Ed. You’re becoming a workaholic. You need to live a little.” A calculating look came over her face. Fuck. What was she up to? “When was the last time you went on a date?”

“Uh-uh, no. You are not matchmaking.”

“Me? Of course not! I do have a funny story for you, though.”

“What kind of funny story?” he asked suspiciously.

“Well, it turns out that Georgie thought you and I were getting it on. Gross, right?”

Wait. What? “Why would she think that?”

“Because of yesterday. When you leaned over me and tried to lay down the law. She thought we were in a relationship. And she felt terrible because she was worried that you might have cheated on me. With her.”

His mouth opened. Shut. “What? I haven’t . . . she and I just . . . “

“Kissed. I know. After I cleared up the fact that I wouldn’t touch you if you were the last man on Earth, no offense.”

How could he not take offense?

“Which means the road is now clear for you two to do more than just kiss. You should ask her on a date.”

“I’m not asking her on a date.”

“Why not? She’s cute, she’s smart, and she’s into you. You even have stuff in common.”

“Stuff in common?” he asked.

“Yeah, law stuff. You both like taking down criminals. So you’ll have things to talk about. Just, try not to lecture her. Or talk too much. You know, women want you to actually listen rather than going on and on and on.”

Right. He was the one who liked going on and on. Sure.

“I’m not asking her on a date, Kiesha.”

“Why not?”

“None of your business.”

She huffed out a breath. “Rude. Fine. Well, if you’re not going to ask her out on a date, that gives me an idea.”

What idea? What was she doing? She rummaged around in her oversized, bright yellow, faux-leather handbag and drew out her phone. The phone case had a picture of Winnie the Pooh stuck in a jar of honey with just his legs and ass sticking out.

Suddenly, she held it up in front of his face. “No, that’s no good. Can you smile?”

“Why would I smile?”

“Because in this photo you look all serious. Like you’re contemplating murdering someone.”

That’s because he was definitely contemplating murdering someone.

“If you smile, you’ll look years younger. Closer to your actual age.”

“Kiesha,” he growled. How had Georgina ever thought that they were together?

“Yeah?”

“Why are you taking a photo of me?” he asked as calmly as he could.

“Because I can’t create it without a photo of you.”

“Can’t create what?”

“Your Tinder profile, of course. Now, what would you say your interests are? Taking down bad guys and lecturing people. Hmm, maybe we shouldn’t put that second part. This could take some creative license. How about a hard worker and very industrious? No. That just makes you sound boring.”

“Kiesha.” He used his Dom voice. He didn’t use it on her often. He didn’t think it was fair to do so when he wasn’t her Dom. Most people might not see her submissive side. They’d just see her big personality and that sassy mouth. But he knew that there was a lot she hid. A lot of pain. As well as a Little side.

However, he needed her attention fully focused on him right now. Because this was important.

“Yes?” she asked.

“I need you to repeat something after me.”

“All right,” she said cautiously.

“I will,” he said slowly.

“I will,” she repeated.

“Never, ever.”

She gave him a suspicious look. “Never, ever.”

“Make Ed.”

“Make Ed.”

“A Tinder profile.” He gave her a firm look just to emphasize his point.

She placed a hand on her hip. “Well, how else are you going to find someone if I don’t help you out? I know you won’t do it yourself.”

“I’ll find them the old-fashioned way, through meeting them face-to-face.”

“Nobody does it like that anymore.”

“Kiesha,” he rumbled.

She threw her hands in the air. “Fine. But if you’re not going to let me help you find a date; will you at least give me her number?”

“Whose number?”

“Georgie’s number.”

“Even if I had her phone number, I wouldn’t give it to you.” That was a total lie. He had her phone number. Like the fool that he was, he’d put it into his phone when they’d been working that case a few months ago and hadn’t removed it.

“You’re lying to me. You totally have it.”

He sighed. “Fine, I have her number. But I’m not giving it to you.”

“Urgh, your insistence on playing by the rules is so annoying sometimes.”

“It kind of comes with the territory of being the sheriff,” he pointed out mildly.

“But you can call her for me, right? I’ll talk to her. You just call her. Then I can ask her for permission for you to give me her number.”

He ran his hand over his face. “You know she’s likely left town, right?”

Kiesha frowned. “What do you mean, left? She wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye. We’re besties.”

“You’re besties? You barely know her.”

“So? Is there a timeframe on how long it takes to be besties with someone? I’m telling you right now, the answer is no. You can know someone all your life and not ever be besties with them. Or you can meet someone straight away and be besties. Understand?”

Not really. But he pretended he did because he actually had to get some work done today.

“All right, I’ll talk to her, though. Understand?”

“Fine. You talk. Such a