“I told you, I won’t sleep.”
“I have some ideas to help with that.” Although he thought from the way she kept yawning that she would definitely sleep.
“I-ideas? Like last time?” There was a slight blush on her cheeks, but also a hopeful note in her voice.
“Maybe like last time,” he told her.
“Oh.”
“Right now, I’m going to make you a hot chocolate you can drink while I take care of everything. All right?”
“I still think I could help, Daddy. I’s a good helper.”
Jesus, her Little was adorable. And he could see her coming out more and more the sleepier she grew. Or was it just because she was beginning to trust him more with that side of herself? He hoped it was the latter.
“I know you are. And there will be plenty of other opportunities to help me. Just not now. And I don’t want any more arguments, or you’ll be sleeping on your tummy with a hot bottom.”
He’d promised her punishment tonight for putting herself in danger. But with her emotional outburst earlier, he didn’t think now was the time. And he didn’t want to do anything to make her shy away from him, to hide her Little once more.
She sighed. “Okay, Daddy.”
“Good girl. That’s my good girl. Daddy might not be happy with how you put yourself in danger tonight, but I am happy at how you are letting me take care of you.”
All that had to happen was a mini meltdown of sorts. But he’d take it. Anything that brought down those barriers and let him in.
He gave her another kiss on the forehead and left the room. He quickly made the hot chocolate and carried it back to her. He’d searched through the cupboards until he found a sippy cup. When he handed it to her, she frowned in confusion.
“What’s this?”
“It’s your hot chocolate. I didn’t want you to spill it in bed so I put it in a sippy cup.”
She tilted her head to the side, staring at the sippy cup with a skeptical look. “I’m big girl.”
His turn to be skeptical.
“And how will I get the marshmallows out?” She tried to pry the top open. “I needs a spoon.”
He placed his hand over the lid gently. “Don’t open the lid, little one. And there’s no marshmallows in there.”
She gaped at him. “No marshmallows?” Her tone of voice couldn’t have been more shocked if he’d told her he was a serial killer. “You can’t have hot chocolate without marshmallows.”
“Well, you are. I don’t want you having too much sugar before bed.” Or at all.
She wrinkled her nose. “That just sucks.”
He shook his head at her. “Drink your hot chocolate, little one. Then you can snuggle down with dolly and wait for me, okay?”
“Okay.”
He moved outside and quickly grabbed her chair, taking it back into the room.
“Place it by the bed?” she requested. “I like it close in case I need to get up in the night.”
He understood that and moved it next to her side of the bed. But he reached down and grabbed hold of her chin. “If you wake up in the night and need anything, you wake me, understand?”
“But. . .where will you be?”
“Right here, next to you.” Where he damn well belonged. The look he gave her dared her to argue.