“Don't get me all turned on again” I don't think I can take it.” Cullen yawned and relaxed against me, chuckling. “I think I'm actually ready for bed.” He wrinkled his nose adorably and plucked at his skirt. “I need to wash this. I think I've come all over it.”
“Don't fret. Let's get you upstairs and cleaned up, and I can pop this in the basin and wash it.” I lifted Cullen under the arms and stood upright.
“You don't have to, honestly.”
“Sweetheart, Daddy is going to make sure you’re all cleaned up and snuggled in bed before I set foot outside this house, alright?” I watched Cullen and wondered if he was going to argue with meon this. There was a momentary flash of defiance in his eyes but that passed quickly.
Cullen leant his weight against me. I could see the exhaustion setting in. “Will you stay until I fall asleep?”
“Gladly. Here, let me take this off.” I turned Cullen and unzipped his skirt, lowering it so he could step out of it. “Do you have many of these? They are very pretty.”
It was only because I was looking directly at Cullen that I saw the flash of vulnerability in his eyes before he dropped his gaze to the skirt in my hand.
“That and one other are all I have.” Cullen's eyes dropped to the skirt, his fingers playing with the soft material. “I’ve always loved skirts. I always dreamt of finding one of those gorgeous ballroom gowns women wore in those 1950s movies, the huge skirts and fitted bodices, all glitzy and spectacular. I thought it would be amazing. I'd feel like a real princess wearing one of those, and I wouldn't give one fig what people thought about me.” At that moment, through hell or high water, I was going to find Cullen his princess gown.
“I think that would be amazing, Princess. You would look spectacular.” I slowly twirled him around and an idea struck me about how I might be able to make Cullen's princess of the ball dream come true.
“Daddy, why are you smiling like that?”
“I've had an idea, but it's going to have to be a secret until I talk to someone.” Cullen scowled obviously not a fan of surprises.
“Good surprise?” Cullen queried as I led him upstairs to his bathroom.
“I think so, but you’ll have to wait and see.” I stopped talking when I walked into Cullen's bathroom. It was huge and a big clawfoot tub seemed to be the centrepiece for the room, everything else was designed around it. A sleek shower was off to one side, but it was the bath that took my attention.
“Do you like it?” Cullen stood to one side looking shy. I expected not many people had come up here. I knew I was the first person he'd let into his bedroom in a long time.
“I love it. You wouldn't know there was so much room up here when looking from outside.” I could see Cullen's eyes sparkle with pride.
“People forgot it was two cottages until the previous owner had joined them. It gives me room for my surgery and my house all together.” Cullen beamed at me, and I couldn't resist kissing him soundly.
“You are a very smart man.”
“Boy, Daddy, I don't want to be too grown up yet.” Cullen's eyes darted to a mesh bag sitting near the tub. I walked across the tiled floor to the foot of the tub. The mesh bag seemed to hold action figures and a couple of monsters. I could recognise Godzilla amongst them.
“Did you want a bubble bath, Princess?”
“Could I? I know you've spent a lot of time looking after me tonight. I understand if this is a bit too much.” I shook my head and touched Cullen lightly on the lips with my forefinger.
“Princess, did I say it was too much? Or are you making assumptions again?” I knelt by the bath and dipped my fingers in the running water, then adjusted the cold tap a little. I didn't want to risk my sweet princess burning himself.
“Um, yeah.” Cullen gave a one shouldered shrug, then dropped his eyes to the bag in my hand. “So you'd stay let me have bath time?”
“You bet. Do you have a favourite bath bomb or bubble bath you like to use?” Instead of answering, Cullen turned on his heel and dashed to the bathroom vanity. Kneeling, he opened the doors and pulled out a wicker basket full of bath bombs and bottles of different kinds of bubble bath. Cullen started to pull out bombs and a large bottle of blue bubble bath.
“This one smells nice.” Cullen held up the blue bottle. “And this makes the water look all shimmery.” Cullen held up a bright green bath bomb.
“Okay, we can use those too but put the rest away please.” Cullen was quickly moving, putting away the basket and bringing me the bubble bath and bomb he wanted to use. Once both were in the water, it looked like a strange witch's concoction, which was met with Cullen’s peals of laughter.
“Oh, this is gonna be the best bath ever.” He bounced on his heels as the bath filled. His joy was contagious, and I found myself smiling as I tried to get Cullen to stand still.
“I need you out of your panties, Princess,” I said, trying to grab hold of him.
“Rude, Daddy, it's bath time, not sexy times.” Cullen's giggle was adorable, and I finally managed to catch him and pulled him down to tickle him.
“I know it's bath time baby, but you can't be washed properly if you keep these sexy things on.” I plucked at the elastic of his lace underwear. “Off with this, pretty one.” I tugged on the lace and pulled the panties. Cullen wiggled and laughed and generally made the job difficult but fun.
By the time I had Cullen in the bath, my shirt and trousers were soaked, and the floor was covered in glittery blue bubbles.
