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“Nope!” His hand shot up in a stop sign. “You already offered. No takebacks!”
“I up now!” The sound of her sturdy legs bouncing up and down on the mattress made him laugh.
“She’s getting impatient,” he sang.
Chuckling, I walked out to the hall. Gently pushed her door open.
She caught sight of me and full-out screamed.
“Sparky!”
With renewed vigor, she pounded her little feet into the mattress and wagged her head back and forth like a miniature head-banger, her hair a tuft of golden smoke on top of her head.
Lucky enjoyed his A/C which meant Brayleigh slept in footy pajamas year-round. Last night’s boasted scattered bunnies on a fuzzy pink background. She looked like a stuffed toy.
“Hi, dolly,” I murmured as I offered to pick her up. “Would you like to come to me?”
She reached out for me with no hesitation.
She’s vulnerable. She can’t protect herself.
Picking her up she curled her little body around mine the exact same way I’d seen her do with Lucky. I wrapped my arms around her warm little body, one hand supporting her tiny back, the other supporting her diapered bottom.
Your hand is on her private.
I inhaled deeply and waited for the beast to retract its’ claws, refusing to give in and move my hand from her hip. I focused on the sweetness of the tiny body in my arms. Wished for just a moment that she was mine. Yearned for half a breath that it had been my belly that had swelled with Lucky’s seed.
OCD eased its’ grip.
My body relaxed.
I tipped my head to the side, resting my temple against her soft baby cheek.
“Good morning, dolly. You want to go see Daddy?”
“Yeah, Da.”
I walked out to the hall.
She reached for the bauble I wore around my neck, pulling it away from my skin as she leaned back to get a better look. “Mine sparky?”
“Daddy’s Sparky,” Lucky corrected, and I harrumphed out another laugh.
That man made me laugh every damn day. My face was beginning to hurt.
“Mine sparky,” she whispered, putting her face right in mine.
“Okay, dolly. Your sparky,” I whispered back with a smile before releasing her into Lucky’s arms.
Hours into my day, I could still feel the weight and the shape of her in my arms. I could still smell her, feel the warmth of her head tucked under my chin, the imprint of her tiny fingers pressing into the back of my neck.
After lunch, I sat back to watch the crowd. It had been a slow day, which was good. The number of commissions I’d already racked up were beginning to stress me out.
Stress and I never mixed well.
“Hi.”
I swung my gaze around to the source of the hesitant greeting, a ready smile on my face.
