Page 50 of The Daddy’s Girl

“I can get her home,” Matis replies just as he finally releases his hands from my shoulders. I’m not sure if the way he’s standing behind me so protectively passes as a father figure or a lover. My perception when it comes to him is far too skewed to determine.

Jacob nods, his brows so furrowed I’m afraid they’ll get stuck that way. “I’m really sorry again. I thought we were having a great time.”

Well, fuck. Now I feel really bad. Because we were having a good time. And he is sort of perfect for me. And maybe I should let him take me home.

“Give us a second, okay?” I turn my head toward Matis, and I realize I’ve never seen him look so tense or guarded. My carefree, laissez-faire man looks like he could punch a hole through Jacob’s face.

“I’ll go say goodbye to Olivia,” he mutters, slightly more coldly than he normally speaks.

“Good idea.”

With that, he moves away from his protective stance behind me and walks back into the bar. As soon as Jacob and I are alone, I revel in the handsome, awkward smirk on his face.

“He hates me,” he says with a chuckle.

“No, he doesn’t. He just takes his job as my protector very seriously.”

Jacob scratches the back of his neck as he watches the door Matis disappeared through. “Is your dad this protective?”

My head tilts as I consider the question. “Actually, no.”

I mean, don’t get me wrong, my dad is always checking on me and giving me stern fatherly lectures on safety in the city for a young woman, but he never gets between me and men or imposes his opinion on who I’m seeing.

Matis’s protection is different.

Deciding to drop the conversation about him, Jacob takes a slow step toward me. “I really am sorry if I somehow fucked this up. I felt something back there, but if you didn’t, that’s okay. Just…put me out of my misery. No hard feelings.”

I think back to that moment, just before Jacob was about to kiss me and I was feeling something. I could see everything falling into place. Even if he does live in America, I could see something fun and maybe low pressure that would feel good. A real boyfriend.

But then I chose to focus on the one person I’m not supposed to be focusing on, and I sabotaged myself.

“I felt it too,” I reply, and his face lights up in response.

“You did?”

“Yeah, I did. I should be the one apologizing,” I stammer.

“No, you shouldn’t. You have nothing to be sorry about,” he says, lightly placing his fingers on my arm.

See, this guy knows all the right things to say. So what on earth is holding me back?

“Maybe we could try again?” I ask. “Another night.”

“I’d love that,” Jacob replies with excitement. “I’ll cancel all our plans. Fuck the Louvre. Who needs the Eiffel Tower?”

I let out a chuckle. “Don’t cancel your plans. Just…text me tomorrow?”

“Yes, you got it. I will text you tomorrow.”

As the air between us grows tense again, I wonder if I should lean in for a kiss. He has the same sort of uncertain look on his face. But before either of us get a chance to even consider it, the front door opens again, and both Matis and Olivia walk out.

She’s clinging to his side with a smile like she was just laughing at something he said. That’s the thing about Matis. No matter what mood he’s in, he can charm anyone with little to no effort.

“Tonight was fun,” he says to everyone as he joins our sides.

“Yeah, it was,” Olivia replies.

“I’ll text you tomorrow then,” Jacob says to me.