Page 79 of Daddy, Take Me Away
A Little Vacation Love
By Piper Strickland
Chapter One
Elliot
I looked down at the blond-haired princess sitting beside me at the kitchen island. She was sucking hard on her favorite pink pacifier and coloring a picture of a puppy. Short legs swung back and forth as she moved the crayon across the page. Unable to resist, I reached over and rubbed her back gently. She peeked up at me, her beautiful blue eyes so expressive.
“Hi, Dada,” she babbled, her pacifier falling out of her mouth.
“Hi, baby.” I pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“Don’t I have a rule about kissing in the kitchen?” our good friend, Tyler, teased as he brought several plates to the kitchen island.
Tinsley dissolved into giggles and we both laughed at her obvious delight. “Nu,” she answered, shaking her head hard enough that her curls hit me in the shoulder.
“No? I don’t have a rule about kissing in the kitchen?” Tyler asked, pretending to be confused.
“Nu!”
“Hmmm, what about kissing in the bathroom?” He pulled out his own stool and sat across from us, tapping his chin as he thought.
“Nu.” More giggles and flying curls filled the room.
“I definitely have one about hallway kisses, though, right?”
“Nu. Nu kissing rules.”
Tyler faked a deep sigh. “I guess I need to make some then. Maybe you can help me with that today while Dada goes to do some work.”
“Yas-huh, Uncle Tyler.”
“Oh good. I know you’re going to be the best helper ever.”
“Tinsley is a good helper,” she agreed, patting her chest to emphasize that she was Tinsley. Referring to herself in third person while patting herself like people didn’t know who she was, was probably one of my favorite Little mannerisms she had. It was just too fucking precious.
Tyler laughed at her antics, his dog tags rattling against his chest. Those tags represented over twenty years of service and a lifetime of scars and pain. His last tour ended so horrifically that for a while there, I didn’t think he would survive. Mentally or physically. He’d received inpatient help for several months and had been back home for two years. I would always be in awe of his strength.
“I’m glad you’re in our life, Tyler,” I admitted, feeling vulnerable.
“Me too,” he agreed.
“Tinsley too.”
“Yeah?” he asked.
“Yas-huh.”
“I think maybe you’re only glad because I make the best pancakes for your belly.” He leaned over the marble counter and poked her tummy. She slapped her hands over her tummy to protect it from his assault, only making him poke it more. Little girl shrieks filled the kitchen for several moments before they both settled down and started eating their breakfast.
“I’m not sure I should leave you two together. I think you might be co-conspirators,” I said once I’d finished my coffee.
“I think you mean besties,” Tyler teased, winking at Tinsley.
“Besties,” she confirmed, blinking both eyes. Her forehead creased and she frowned. She blinked twice before grumbling, “Winking is hard.”
“We’ll practice it today, darlin’. We can work it in between all our misadventures,” Tyler teased her.
