The next thing she drew out was a tube of bubbles. Ooh fun! She guessed she’d have to wait until Daddy returned to blow them, though.
The last thing was a nightie. It was soft, teal-colored and across the front were the words,
Papa’s little girl
She sucked in a breath. Then she looked up at him as she held the nightie to her chest. “Archer?”
He cleared his throat and shuffled his weight back and forth. She’d never seen him look so nervous. “I…I never thought I was a Daddy Dom. Didn’t think that was my thing. Until I met you. Then something came awake inside me. I tried to push it aside. But it kept building and building. I want to be your Daddy, little girl. Except, I figured two Daddies might be confusing. So will you accept me as your Papa?”
“You don’t have to do this,” she whispered.
“I know that. I’m not doing this because I have to. No, that’s not right.” He sat on the bed, facing her. “I’m doing this because it’s what I want. It’s a big part of who you are. And I need to give that to you. But I know you could get that from Issy and I’m not doing it because I think I have to in order to be equal in your heart.”
“You’re both equal in my heart.”
He smiled gently, reaching over to squeeze her leg. “And I’m so grateful for that. I’m doing this because it feels right. I’ve loved you, perhaps since the moment I met you. This part of me, it wasn’t an instant change, it’s not something I’m jumping into. It’s something I want and desire. To be your Papa. So, will you have me?”
She threw herself into his arms. “Yes, yes, yes!”
He laughed, pulling her onto his lap and squeezing her tight. “Well, thank God for that. Now, you might have to be patient with me. I don’t have a lot of practice.”
“You can have all the practice with me you need, Papa.” She dropped her head back and he kissed her lips lightly.
“Does this mean I can play with the bubbles now!” she squealed.
“I don’t think so, poppet. It’s bedtime not playtime. And Daddy left me a list of instructions for your care. I’m already in trouble for not putting you to bed on time.”
She pouted. Drat. She had a feeling it wasn’t going to take him long at all to work out this Daddy stuff.
* * *
Archer finished washing the suds off her breasts, trying not to let the sight stir him.
Well, not too much.
He was only human after all. But he knew she was exhausted. He’d kept her up too late. He’d need to put her down for a nap tomorrow.
It still surprise
d him how much satisfaction he got at the thought of taking care of her like that.
“Right, stand up, poppet.” He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her before lifting her out of the bath. He then dried her off thoroughly.
“Can I sleep in my new nightie, Papa?” she asked with a big yawn. She wiped at her eyes.
That was damn adorable.
He didn’t know if he’d be this way with anyone else or if it was just Caley.
Didn’t matter since there was never going to be anyone else for him.
“Of course you can, poppet.”
Once she was dry, he picked her up and carried her, naked, out into the bedroom where he set her on the bed.
“Lay back, poppet, and I’ll put your panties on.”
She lay back tiredly, reaching for snuggly and pulling the piece of material close. Her thumb went into her mouth and he reached over and grabbed the pacifier he’d bought her. She pouted a bit but opened her mouth and took it.