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“Don’t be shy, Little one.I want to get to know this side of you too.”
His gentle encouragement gave her the push she needed to hold up her stuffed cat.“This is Whiskers.”
“She’s pretty.You like kittens, huh?”
“Yes.They’re my favorite animal.”
The corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled.“I wouldn’t have guessed.”
She giggled.“They’re so squishy and soft.”
“Yeah.They are.”
They stared at each other for a long moment, and when she yawned, he cleared his throat.
“It’s getting late.You probably need to get to bed.What time do you normally go to sleep?”he asked.
“Uh, kind of whenever.”
He nodded.“We’ll have to get you on a bedtime schedule eventually.It’s good for Little girls to have a regular schedule so they stay healthy.”
She liked that he was talking about the future and wanting to keep her healthy.
“I’m on shift for another two days, but I was thinking maybe we could spend the day together this weekend?Maybe go to the zoo?They have big kitties there.It could be a special Little day for you.We could invite Remi and Kade if it makes you more comfortable.”
Her cheeks ached from how wide she was smiling.No one had ever invited her to do something so fun.And the fact that he’d offered to invite Remi and Kade to make her feel better meant a lot.
“I’d like that.”
“Good.Me too.What’s your bedtime routine?Want me to help?Do you read a story or anything?”
Gosh.If book boyfriends were a real thing, she was pretty sure Levi was one of them.
“Usually, I get ready for bed, and then read or watch a movie until I fall asleep.”
He seemed to consider that, but he didn’t say anything about it.Instead, he asked a question that made her blush more.“Do you use a pacifier or bottle at bedtime?”
She lowered her eyes from the screen, embarrassed to answer.
“Look at me, baby doll,” he commanded softly.
When her eyes met his through the screen, she didn’t see any judgment or sarcasm.He genuinely wanted to know.
“I suck on a pacifier,” she answered quietly.
His eyes softened, and she could have sworn they got a little lighter as he smiled.“Good girl.Thank you for trusting me with that.”
“Is that okay?”
Levi nodded.“Yes, baby.That is more than okay.Pacifiers are good for helping Little girls with sleep or anxiety or when they’re not feeling well.I always want you to do what makes you the most happy and comfortable in that headspace.Make sense?”
Her mouth was hanging open.This man was from another planet.She was sure of it.But she didn’t care.If he told her tomorrow he had to return to that planet, she would probably beg to go with him.She might not be ready for a relationship, but whatever it was that was happening between her and Levi, she didn’t want it to stop.
Six
Doc
Only two hours left before he could go home to the compound.He needed to try to get a full night of sleep before he took Harper out for a day of fun.They’d texted and talked on the phone almost non-stop over the past couple of days.In that time, the only time she’d opened up to him was when he’d asked direct questions.She was shy and unsure of herself.He was quickly learning she needed his prompting.Something he didn’t mind.It gave him the control he liked so much.
