He couldn’t hold in his laugh at the big-eyed look Shannon shot over her shoulder toward him while mouthing “help.”
* * *
Tamsyn
She’d spent some time around littles while she and Maddie were at Rawhide Ranch and Cosima seemed like exactly the kind of little who would fit in with Sadie and the rest of the Ranch littles and their shenanigans. She was bubbly and sweet and childish, like sparkling grape juice personified. She and Maddie would probably get along really well.
To tell the truth, there was a part of her that envied the unselfconscious way Cosima had skipped over to the spanking bench in front of them. Also her outfit. She looked like a woodland fairy, and someone had clearly put a lot of time and effort or at least a lot of money into her dark green sparkly dress, golden iridescent wings that were fastened to her back and a rather elaborate tiara that graced her head.
To be that carefree and unconcerned was…not her bag. But it sure seemed like Cosima was happy. Well, good for her and her partners. Good for Maddie and Reid.
Her musings were interrupted by Cosima tugging at her hand to get her attention.
“Are you a little? You look more like a middle like Plum. But that doesn’t mean anything. You can be whatever you want. Is Elder your daddy? Did you just meet him here or did you know him before? Do you get spanked a lot? I get spanked a lot for fun, almost never for being naughty. I really hate getting in trouble, it makes my tummy feel yucky.”
That was a whole lot of questions, most of which she was entirely unprepared to answer, and she was relieved that Ian and Elder had reached them by the time Cosima had stopped peppering her with inquiries and was looking at her expectantly.
“Coco, sweetheart, do you remember what we talked about the other day?”
Ian looked slightly more subdued and his voice was shaded with reprimand. Next to her, Cosima’s cheeks got red and the little girl dropped her hand.
“Oh no. I’m so sorry, Papa. I got excited and I forgot.”
“I know, princess. But it’s really important to ask people for their permission before you touch them, okay? I know you’re just happy and excited and want to be friends but it doesn’t feel that way to everyone. I know you’d never want to make anybody feel bad.”
Cosima shook her head, and wrung her hands at her waist.
“Is there someone else you should apologize to?” Ian prodded, and a split second later, Cosima was facing her with a terribly guilty look on her face.
“I’m so, so sorry that I grabbed your hand without permission. I hope I didn’t hurt your feelings or make you upset. I’d really like to be your friend.”
Oof. Tamsyn knew littles had big feelings but she hadn’t known it carried over into contrition. Poor Cosima looked like she could cry, and that was the last thing Tamsyn wanted.
“It’s okay,” she offered. “You didn’t hurt me or scare me at all. And I’d like to be your friend too.”
She was fairly confident she meant that in a big-sister, little-sister kind of way like she was with Maddie but there was a whisper of something else there, like she’d like to play dress up in fairy wings and tiaras too. But that was silly. Maybe for Halloween or something—which was probably epic at Hive—but not, like, on the regular. Definitely not every day which seemed like the frequency with which Cosima donned some adorable outfit or sweet costume.
“Is it okay if I give you a hug?” Tamsyn asked her new friend, and held out her arms.
Cosima didn’t answer, but instead flung herself into Tamsyn’s embrace, sniffling.
Definitely more sensitive than Maddie, but just as kind. Yes, Cosima would probably be a really good friend.
When Cosima finally stepped away, she wiped her eyes, then took her papa’s hand and looked up into his bright green eyes.
“Was that a good apology, Papa?”
“Yes, sweetheart, that was very nice and I’m proud of you. Just try to look before you leap next time, okay?”
“I’ll try,” the little girl pronounced.
Tamsyn smothered a giggle, suspecting this was not the first time, nor would it be the last time, Cosima was taken to task for grabbing someone’s hand or hugging them before she remembered to ask if it was okay. It was funny the way she avoided promising, and apparently Ian thought so too because he shook his head, an indulgent smile on his face. Then he bent down and kissed the top of Cosima’s head.
Her gaze drifted to Elder to see what he thought of this little scene, but when she looked at him, he wasn’t looking at Ian and Cosima. No, he was staring back at her and there was something about the way he looked at her that said he wanted what the couple had. With her. The thought made her blush from her hairline to her chest and she had to look away.
Not so much because she didn’t want what Cosima and Ian had but because maybe somewhere deep down, she thought might.