Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 49258 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 246(@200wpm)___ 197(@250wpm)___ 164(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49258 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 246(@200wpm)___ 197(@250wpm)___ 164(@300wpm)
He filled his arms with an assortment of jeans, tops, and even a jacket. Returning to the bedroom, he heard a faint snore coming from Tiger. Or was that the sweet mouth pressed to him? Delighted by his little girl, Koa hugged her clothing to his chest, allowing himself to celebrate that he’d found her for a few moments.
Finally forcing himself to get to work, he folded the clothes into the suitcase and located a few more things from her dresser. He returned to the bathroom to grab a box of tampons from under the sink. When Koa spotted a travel makeup bag there as well, he placed the assortment of beauty supplies on the vanity inside. With those containers stored for the trip to his place, Koa closed the suitcase and eased the zipper around.
Now to collect Giana. He’d set aside a pair of underwear with cute bunnies scattered on the cotton fabric. Carrying those to her, Koa coaxed her awake. “Time to wake up, Giana. Let’s get you dressed.”
After a few minutes, he helped her through the door. When she rubbed her eyes, he asked, “Are you awake enough to walk to the truck, little girl? Do you want me to carry you, or should we go back in and let your toy wake you up?”
Giana shook her head and stood straighter. Her eyes opened wide as she shook off the nap. “I can walk. I’m okay.”
When she made it to the truck, Koa paused at the passenger door. “Give Daddy a kiss and we’ll head home.”
She rose on her tiptoes to press her mouth against his. Koa pulled her close and kissed her thoroughly.
“Get a room, slut!”
Koa immediately released Giana and ran toward the blue car. As he touched the driver’s door handle, the man stepped on the gas and squealed away. Koa lost his grip but chased the car to the entrance of the apartment complex, successfully memorizing the license plate. After jotting it down on his phone, Koa jogged back to Giana.
“Have you had problems with that jerk before?”
“Well, I’ve made the jump from bitch to slut,” she said offhandedly.
Koa’s blood pressure soared at her casual revelation that someone was speaking to his little girl like that. “How long has this been going on?”
“Really, it’s nothing. Just a jerk who doesn’t like women. He’s only said something to me once before. I’d blocked him in the parking lot and pissed him off.”
“That act doesn’t warrant calling you rude names, Giana,” Koa told her.
“I know that, and you know that, but he doesn’t. And neither of us is in charge of teaching him. Ignore his bad behavior. I’d say you scared the crap out of him.”
“He’s lucky I didn’t get that door open.”
“His eyes got so big,” Giana said and chuckled. “I love it when bullies get a dose of their own medicine. Really, Koa, just drop it.”
“Daddy.”
“Yes, Daddy,” she said, rolling her eyes.
“Your cute butt doesn’t want another spanking so soon.”
“Weren’t we going to your house?” she asked.
“Let’s get you tucked in the truck and we’ll be on our way.”
A few minutes later, he shut her door firmly and circled the tailgate to jump into his seat. After leaving the lot, Koa scanned the route and kept an eye on his mirrors for anyone following them. He’d definitely follow up on that guy tomorrow, but for now, getting Giana home was his priority.
CHAPTER 9
By two the next afternoon, Giana had decided she was happier now than she’d ever been before. She’d curled up on Koa’s hard chest with his arm wrapped around her as they watched cartoons. Jelly and Tiger were so happy to be together again. They played on the couch next to her, sticking close.
Peeking over at her daddy, she checked to make sure he wasn’t getting bored. She suspected Koa hadn’t spent too many days vegging out on the couch, but he was an expert at helping her relax and entertaining her with how much he needed to learn about popular programs she loved.
“So, he’s a sponge, and he lives under the sea?” Koa double-checked.
“That’s right, Daddy. And we’re going to see a movie next about a strange dog that lives in Hawaii.”
“A blue dog?” Koa asked, obviously trying hard to remember all she’d taught him that morning.
“Yes. But not the blue dog that lives in Australia. That’s a different show,” she reminded him.
“Right,” he said, drawing out that word as if he was totally confused. “You’d better hang around for a while, so I get all of this straight.”
“Okay, Daddy. I can do that.” She stretched up to kiss the corner of his mouth, but Koa turned his head to meet her lips fully. “Mmm,” she hummed as the heat built between them.
She jerked away when his phone blared the national anthem. “Who’s that?”