Page 199 of Cowboy Daddies

“I don’t need to see a doctor. My foot is fine.”

Then get off his lap.

“Your foot is very red. Someone is going to check it.”

“I don’t need that.” She drew back, glaring up at him.

He raised his eyebrow. “You do. And you need to stop telling people that I spanked you. All I did was go give your ass a small slap. I’m going to get a reputation.”

Was he for real right now?

“Maybe you deserve a reputation. And a slap on the ass is basically the definition of a spanking.”

Jeb snorted. “Then you’ve never had a proper spanking, little girl.”

“Stop calling me a little girl.”

Why did she keep protesting? What did she care what he called her?

Except being called a little girl by a hot cowboy was one of her dreams. One that she really thought would never come true.

Jeb stared down at her for a long moment. “Let me help you. I feel guilty because it was my coffee that burned your foot. I’ll pay for the fee. Please.”

She stared up at him in shock. “Did you say please?”

“Don’t make me say it again. I might burst into flames.”

“And you made a joke. Is there something going on? Am I being filmed?” She gazed around.

“Haha,” he said.

“I wasn’t joking,” she said. “What is going on? Why are you being nice to me?”

That question hit him hard. She sounded so confused.

Fuck.

He couldn’t blame her. He had been an asshole to her.

Several times.

And now he realized he needed to make things up to her. He should never have messaged Tex. And when he’d heard that her car had broken down and she’d been reduced to sleeping in it, well, he probably should have gone and checked on her. That would have been the decent thing to do.

Instead, he’d let himself get preoccupied with the ranch and Wyatt.

“Look, I owe you an apology for the way I acted the other day. Guess I was a bit of an asshole. But I didn’t know you, and you were acting oddly and giving my kid candy. I was . . . concerned about his safety.”

“He was by himself. In a public space. I could have just left him alone but I was worried about him.”

“I understand that now. Are you going to accept my apology?”

Chapter Eight

Accept his apology?

“I’m not sure you actually apologized,” she pointed out.

“Close to it.”