“You okay, little darling?”
“Daddy, I’m fine.” She made shooing motions at him. He simply gave her a stern look in reply. Then turned away again and walked out. She huffed out a breath. Thank goodness. Clint wasn’t big on boundaries.
She quickly cleaned up and had managed to pull up her panties before he returned.
“Let me help you,” he said quietly. He supported her while she washed her hands. And then he carried her back to bed. But instead of laying her down, he sat with her on his lap. “Doc wants to know what your temp is now. Let’s lie you over my lap and I’ll take it.”
She scrunched up her face but let him carefully arrange her over his lap. She sighed as he pulled up her nightie, then tugged her panties over her bottom.
“Easy, little darling. I know you don’t like this part. But Daddy doesn’t like when you’re sick. He wants you all better.”
She wanted that too. Especially with the wedding so close. He reached over to the bedside table to grab the thermometer and lube sitting there. Her bottom cheeks were parted and lube dabbed on her puckered hole. She shivered at the cool feel. She went from searing heat to cold and chilled.
The thermometer slid inside easily and he rubbed her lower back soothingly as they waited. When he drew it out there was a moment of silence where she guessed he was reading it.
He sighed. “Hundred and two.”
Well, bummer.
“Right, back to bed for you. I’m going to get you some medicine and a shake. You can try and eat some breakfast later. Anything else you need?” he asked as he tucked her back under the covers.
“No, Daddy.”
“Just rest, little darling. I’ll take care of everything else.”
* * *
She blew her nose. Urgh. So gross. She was stuffed up. She was tired. Two days had passed since she’d woken with a temperature and sore throat. She still felt like she’d been run over by a truck, but she was also itching to do something. She no longer wanted to sleep, drink, pee, and repeat. But at the same time, she didn’t have the energy to move.
The door to her bedroom opened and she reached for the remote, turning down the television.
Charlie glanced with interest at the big container Clint was carrying into the room. “What’s that, Daddy?”
“This is Doc’s entertainment box for sick Littles,” he replied.
“I’ve never heard of it before.”
“Apparently, he’s tired of Littles trying to push themselves too far when they’re not well, so he’s been working on this. He said when Caley injured her hands, it was difficult to get her to rest and relax. This idea came to him. But you’re the first to receive one.”
“That was nice of him.” Which wasn’t something one could usually say about Doc.
“Doc gets a bad rep. He does care.”
She immediately felt bad for her thoughts. Of course he cared. He looked after the health of everyone on the ranch. He’d just always been gruff and distant.
Clint set the box on the bed and she moved onto her knees to look in as he opened it.
“Ooh.” She pulled out a new coloring book that had an ice-cream sundae on the front. Inside were lots of outlines of different desserts to color. “Wow. This is cool.”
There was also a pack of new pens that were scented. She wished her nose was clear enough for her to smell them. She opened one up and tried to sniff it. Nope. Nothing was getting through.
“Still all blocked up, huh, little darling?” Clint asked, watching her.
“It sucks, Daddy.”
“I know it does. I’ll rub some stuff on your chest for you.”
She loved when Clint did that. He got up to go grab the vapo-rub.