“Go. I’m fine.”
He nodded. “If you’re feeling up to it, maybe we can go for a swim later.”
Caleb disappeared, leaving her with Wolfe and Aleki.
“I need to go put this away. I’ll leave the cream out for when we need to reapply it. Do not touch that coffee machine.” Wolfe waggled a finger at her.
She saluted him.
“Brat,” he muttered, popping her ass as he walked past.
“Hey! Why does everyone smack my butt?”
“Well, it is a gorgeous ass,” Aleki told her.
She wrinkled her nose at him. “So what are you doing this morning?”
“I thought we could spend some time in the playroom. Maybe make some more pictures to drive Caleb nuts when he can’t work out what they are?”
She grinned. Then kissed him gently. “That sounds perfect.”
“What do you think, Papa?” She pointed to her latest creation as Aleki walked into the playroom with a tray in his hands. There was a large jug of orange juice along with a couple of plates with what looked to be cut up fruit.
The picture was more of a collage. More art supplies had turned up this morning, including lots of pieces of material and textured, thick card. She’d been painting, cutting and pasting for the last hour.
Aleki set down the tray on the floor then stood back to study her picture. He tapped his chin thoughtfully. She held her breath, waiting.
“It’s perfect.”
“Whew! Don’t scare me like that, Papa!” She waggled a finger at him. “I thought you didn’t like it.”
Walking forward with a smile, he gently grasped hold of her finger then leaned in to kiss the tip of her nose. “How could I not like anything you created, baby girl.”
Aww. Her heart melted.
“Now, go clean up. I’m hungry.” He turned her towards the bathroom door and laid a smack on her ass.
She turned back with a pout. “When aren’t you hungry?”
Aleki rubbed his tummy. “That would be never. Go. Or I’ll tell Wolfe you’re refusing to eat.”
“Papa, you fight dirty!”
“When a man is hungry then all bets are off. Now, do you need my help?”
“I gots it. I is a big girl.” She stomped towards the bathroom.
He suddenly wrapped an arm around her from behind, making her come to a stop. “No, you’re not. You’re my precious baby. Have I told you how happy I am to have you back in my life?”
And the rest of her melted.
“Now go. Enough procrastinating.”
She thought she was safe to roll her eyes. When she finished cleaning up, she returned to find he’d set a picnic blanket out on the floor and had poured them both some orange juice. Hers was in a sippy cup.
“Where’d you find the blankie, Papa?” she asked as she sat on the floor.
“Grabbed it from the hall closet while you were cleaning up. Drink some juice.”
She sighed. “I don’t needs a sippy cup, Papa.” But she was thirsty so she grabbed it and drank some down. The cup had a smiling pig on the front. That was actually pretty cute.
“Yes, you do,” he replied calmly.
Vivi stared down at the plate in front of her. It was filled with cut-up dates, muskmelon and grapes. But it had all been artfully placed so the pieces of fruit formed a face.
“Papa, what’s this?”
“It’s a fruit face,” he replied. “You’ve never had a fruit face before?”
“No, it’s so cute. I don’t wants to eat it.”
“You can eat it, I’ll make you one any time you like.”
“Really?”
“That’s what I’m here for, baby girl. To make you happy.”
“I want to make you happy too,” she said quietly.
Leaning over, he kissed her lightly. “And you do. Now, after all this good, healthy food, how about we go make cupcakes? I’ll even let you eat some.”
She gave a mock-gasp. “Wolfie won’t be happy.”
He grinned. “I know.”
Vivi lay back on her bed with a groan.
“You okay, baby girl?” Aleki asked, walking out of the bathroom. He was dressed in just a pair of boxers.
“Don’t tell Wolfe, but I think I should have stopped after the first cupcake.” Instead she’d had a second one. Not to mention all the icing she’d sampled while they were decorating the cupcakes.
Aleki grimaced. “Shit, I’m sorry, baby.” Walking over he sat facing her on the bed. Leaning in, he lightly rubbed her tummy.
“It’s not your fault.”
“Yeah, it is. I should have stopped you after that first one. I forget not everyone has my sugar tolerance.” He winked at her. Then his face sobered. “I don’t like that you’re not feeling well. What can I get for you? Some tea with lemon could work.”
“I don’t want to make a fuss.”
He frowned then tapped her nose. “I don’t want to hear that, understand? You’re not making a fuss. You’re not feeling well and letting me help. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. To be there for you. To support you, protect you, take care of you.”
“I want to do the same,” she whispered.
Leaning in, he kissed her gently. Her stomach rumbled and he drew back with his eyebrows raised. “Whoa, that thing is angry.”
She moaned, embarrassed but a smile also tipped her lips up.
“Do you need to poop?”
Oh. Lord. Help. Her.
“No, I don’t need to poop.” Well, she didn’t think so.
He just shrugged. “All right, let’s get you into something comfy. What do you want to sleep in?”
“One of your shirts?” she asked shyly.
His gaze heated. “I think we can manage that. I’ll go get you one and make you some tea.”
She used the bathroom while he was gone. As she was pulling the bed back, he walked in with one of his T-shirts and a cup of hot tea.
“Put some lemon in it so that should help.” He helped her undress, pulling on his T-shirt. It was huge on her, but she felt an immediate sense of home. Of happiness.
Sitting up in bed, she sipped at her tea as he threw her old clothes in the hamper then turned off the main light leaving the lamp and nightlight on.
Then when everything was done, he climbed into bed next to her. They lay on their sides, facing each other.
He fingered her locket. “Can’t believe you wore it all this time.”
“It made me feel close to the three of you. I always carried you with me. Can I have a hug? I need my teddy bear.”
“Teddy bear?” he said with mock-outrage. But he opened his arms to her and she snuggled into his chest. “I think I’m more of a tiger or a panther.”
“Hmm, no, you’re definitely a teddy bear.”
“Oh yeah, and what are Wolfe and Caleb then? A princess and a fairy? Actually, yeah, I can see that.”
“No, Papa,” she said as he ran a hand up and down her back. She yawned, exhausted after all that sugar. At least her tummy was no longer making all those noises. “Wolfie is obviously a wolf.”
Duh.