She hadn’t. But she wasn’t going to tell him that “It’s a public space. I doubt anything bad would happen to me here.”
“It’s a biker bar and someone was murdered in the parking lot six months ago.”
She gaped up at him, so shocked that she let him take her hand without protest. He led her outside. “They were not.”
“They were. And you just met some stranger here.”
“Mike isn’t a murderer.”
“Maybe not. But he is an asshole. What kind of jerk talks about his ex-wives and makes his date pay for her meal?” The disgust in his voice nearly made her smile.
But she didn’t want him thinking that she was a total fool. “I’m not an idiot. Ellie knew where I was. She was supposed to call me at nine to give me an out if I needed it. I better call her and make sure she’s all right.”
“Ellie is fine. What Ellie is not, is suitable back-up. You’re just lucky Bear discovered what was going on and called me. What would Ellie have done if he’d turned out to be a rapist or murderer, huh?”
“Do you have an unusually high number of murderers in Montana?” she asked with exasperation.
He came to a stop beside a huge-ass, black truck and turned to look down at her.
“What kind of question is that?”
“It’s just you all seem to have this crazy idea that murderers use dating sites to pick their next victims.”
“Doesn’t seem so crazy to me.” He beeped open the truck. Figured. It matched its owner’s personality. Dark and stormy.
He opened the passenger door lifted her and placed her in the seat.
“Hey! What are you doing?”
“I’m taking you home.”
“I have my car here.”
“Well, at least you didn’t let him pick you up. Please tell me he doesn’t know where you live.”
“Of course, he doesn’t!”
He reached over her to do up her seatbelt. She slapped his hand then she froze and stared down at him without breathing. He leaned back and watched her. The interior light of the truck was on, and at least he didn’t look mad. Or stern. In fact, there was concern on his face. “Daisy, you scared of me?”
“N-no.”
He narrowed his gaze. “Don’t want you to be scared of me. But I also want you to know that I won’t take you lying to me. Gonna ask you again, you think I’ll hurt you?”
“Not physically,” she muttered.
“You had a guy who’s hurt you in the past?” There was a stillness about him that made her wary.
“No.”
He breathed out a sigh. Then he gently cupped her face with his palm. “I won’t ever hit you. Won’t hurt you. Definitely gonna spank you. No doubt you’ll be over my knee in the future, but that’s all about me keeping you safe and you knowing that if you cross boundaries and break rules that there are consequences.”
She just stared at him; aware her mouth had dropped open. What the hell was going on? Was she dreaming? Being pranked?
He placed a finger under her chin, lifting it so her mouth closed. “Gonna catch flies like that. Now settle in. I’m taking you home. I’ll arrange to have your car dropped off to you in the morning, okay?”
She didn’t say anything. Couldn’t say anything. And he backed away and shut the door.
She should use this opportunity to get away. Obviously, he had lost his mind. What was he even doing here? So he’d found out from Bear that she was on a date but what did he care? He didn’t want anything to do with her. He’d made that clear. And yet here he was, telling Moany Mike that he was a dick, paying for her meal—which she fully intended to pay him back for, helping her into her coat, driving her home. . .