She sighs. “I can’t spend the rest of my life sitting in a bouncy seat with my hands strapped to my sides doing nothing, Papi. You can’t protect me from everything. I’ll want to go out and make friends and see things. Livy says it’s so beautiful here. Why won’t Chadka let her learn to drive?”
Yeah. This is not going to go well. “Little girls do not go out alone, Baby girl. That’s not how we do things on this planet.”
“Okay. I’ll go with Livy.”
I swallow and shake my head. “You won’t go anywhere without Papi, Janie.”
She stares at me and then glances at the door. “Ever? I thought you meant I couldn’t go outside while I was still weak and struggling to walk.”
I shift her weight on my knee and wrap my arms around her, fearing she might bolt off my lap and run from the room if I’m not careful. I need to word my explanation as gently as possible. “Except when I’m in an exam room in the clinic with a patient, you won’t be out of my sight, Baby girl.” I try to keep my voice calm.
“That’s silly.”
“That’s our custom. Someone will always keep an eye on you when I can’t be around. I’ll leave you in your playpen where Jeikin can see you. You’ll be with Olivia. It’s actually convenient that you two are such close friends since Chadka and I share our medical practice.”
“But…” She licks her lips. “Never? You said there’s a park where Littles can go play. Don’t you have shopping centers and theaters and libraries? You can’t goeverywherewith me.”
I draw in a deep breath. “Everywhere, Baby girl. Always.”
She blinks a few times. I hadn’t realized she so badly misunderstood how things would be here.
“People can’t spend that much time together. They would hate each other,” she mutters.
I stroke her back. “That doesn’t happen with my species, Little one,” I say as gently as possible. “We have a stronger bond than humans do with each other. We don’t like to be separated from our mates. I know you feel that bond with me.”
She lowers her gaze. “I guess.”
I’m not angry. I know she feels the bond. She’s simply fighting it and confused. “Shall I remind you?” I tease. I can’t resist reaching around to cup one of her breasts and tweaking the nipple.
She flinches and arches her chest into my palm. The slightest whimper escapes her lips. “You don’t play fair, Papi,” she protests.
“I’ll never play fair. You’re mine, Baby girl. You won’t leave my sight because I don’t want you to. You won’t want to leave me either. I know you’re struggling with the concept, but believe me, if you left the house without me, you would feel like there was a hole in your soul.”
She frowns as she glances up at me again. “It can’t be that strong.”
“It is. You’ll find out the first time I have to leave you even for a short time.”
“You leave me in my crib.”
“Yes, but you know I’m in the house. You know you can call out to me, and I’ll come in seconds. You can scent me. If I left the house, you would feel the loss.”
“So when I want to go to the park, you’re going to take me?”
“Yes. You can run and play with your friends. We Papis will sit nearby on a bench and watch.”
She sits up taller. “Run? You’ll let me run at the park?”
I chuckle. “Yes. I might have heart palpitations the first few times, but I’ll let you run in the grass. It’s soft. You won’t likely hurt yourself if you topple over.”
I watch her closely as I stroke her nipple with my thumb.
She shudders as she glances at our connection. “Are you attracted to me, Papi?”
This question comes out of left field. I’m stunned. “Attracted? You’re the prettiest Little girl I’ve ever set my eyes on. I’ve told you that more than a few times. Why would you think I’m not attracted to you?”
She shrugs. “Some men on Earth really like redheads with pale skin. Others don’t at all. A lot of people think pale skin isn’t pretty. And even more people hate freckles.”
I freeze with my thumb over her pink nipple. I decide to counter her argument with my own. “I’m well aware that some people on Earth are not attracted to men with dark skin. Are you attracted to me?”