Page 42 of Just A Little Love

“Thank you, Daddy,” Rory whispered. His eyes shone bright, and his expression mirrored all the love in my own eyes. We hadn't used words yet, but I knew Rory was falling as far, albeit not as fast, as me. This was real for both of us. I never imagined I’d fall for the man who accidentally stole my heart when he agreed tohelp me out of a lie. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could leave the words unsaid. My boy deserved to know that I was all in and looking down forever.

Chapter 24

Rory

“Are you sure you don’t mind coming with me to see the zoo lights, Daddy?” Even before the words came out of my mouth, I knew Daddy’s response but I needed to say the words. “I kept meaning to go before Christmas, but never got around to it.” Having a yearly membership meant I could pop over anytime without having to schedule in advance, and tonight was the last night of the exhibit until they took it all down until the next holiday season.

Being with someone who enjoyed my sometimes childish—no, my perfectly acceptable—interests was a novel experience. It washard to accept that lights at the local zoo, which also housed a fantastic aquarium, would not bore him to tears and he wouldn’t think they were dumb. My tummy was doing somersaults at the idea that I’d get to take the walking sidewalk loop under the tank that had Christmas decorations and lights added to it. It was magical. For the first time, I’d be holding someone’s hand while I watched the stingrays and sharks meander through the water above and around me.

My previous boyfriends were quick to tell me that adults didn’t watch silly cartoons, but they could watch racy ones. Adults didn’t go to the zoo lights unless they were taking someone’s kid. Adults didn’t like stuffies and certainly never thought about buying one. I had listened to them because if everyone around you says it, never Anders though, then it’s usually true. Except, for me, it wasn’t true. Until I met Daddy, I didn’t know that I was actually a little. I felt low key dumb for not figuring it out sooner, but you don’t know what you don’t know.

Daddy stopped me in my tracks and turned me to face him. He grabbed the lapels of my jacket to pull my collar up to protect me from the cold. Before he let go, he leaned down and spoke directly into my ear. I didn’t want to stop the wave of want that washed over me. How could I ever not want this man? Every time he touched me, I was ready to climb him like a tree. If I could, and it wouldn’t be creepy AF, I’d bury myself in him in the most non-weird way possible.

“Bunny, there is no place in this entire world that I’d rather be than right here with you. You make my heart happy.” His baritone voice burrowed into my psyche and down to my bones. The heft of the unspoken words were considerable. “Let’s goenjoy the lights before it gets too late. I have a surprise for you later and I want to make sure I don’t keep you out too late.” He punctuated his last words with a kiss on the tip of my nose between them.

Daddy's surprises were worth the wait. I could totally be his good boy.

Everything was easier when I let Daddy handle the details, and tonight was no exception. The only thing I required of me was follow his instructions and try my best. All the worries and all the questions and all the decisions were his. He’d handle them and make sure I was taken care of and protected. The firm pressure of Daddy’s firm hand holding my smaller one grounded me. It was the touchstone that let my adult mind fade into the background and my little self step forward. Since Daddy was right here with me, I didn’t even try to fight to stay big.

The lights were all over the zoo, so we had our pick of paths and trails to go down. Daddy let me navigate our direction on the map the employee at the gate gave us. He said I was the best navigator. We wandered through the electronic Christmas tree farm with elves that peeked out from behind the wire trees and only had to backtrack once. Maybe twice.

With our arms linked, I snuggled close to Daddy for the warmth in the chilly night air. We wandered through the walrus and polar bear exhibits. The seals bellowed like they could talk directly to their cousins in the Sound. We were pretty close to the water, so maybe they could. In the otter tank, a mama otter was sleep-snuggling her baby, and my heart melted right on the spot. I imagined what it would be like to float with Daddy’s handanchoring me to him. My tummy warmed at the thought and it made me smile. When Daddy asked what had me thinking such happy thoughts, I just shrugged. I loved Daddy. He didn’t need to know that, but I did.

Nope, there would be no confessions out of me tonight.

“I was thinking about the mama and her baby. I bet her baby loves her very much.” Daddy looked down at me and grinned like I’d said something right. I liked when Daddy was happy. “I bet they could float forever and ever and ever. And when they were all done floating, the mama would make her a cup of cocoa and put some fish in it, ‘cause that’s what otters eat. I do not want fish in my cocoa because that’s not what baby bunnies eat.” I gave Daddy a coy look. “Doesn’t hot cocoa sound yummy? If we got some, I promise I wouldn’t put fish into mine.”

“Bunny, hot cocoa with fish sounds like something I never want to see or try.” Daddy booped my nose. “Do you want to stop at Barrett’s place on the way home? Since they’re close to the zoo, they stay open late on light nights.” Daddy chuckled when I nodded my head clearly because I didn’t want him to be confused. Hot cocoa was an essential.

“But what about my surprise?”. I tried to keep the worry out of my voice, but didn’t do a good job.

“It’ll be fine. I figured you’d want to stop, so I made sure we left your folks in plenty of time to do both. We need to finish our tour of the zoo first, though. And before we leave, I might need to stop at the gift store. I’m sure I need something from there.” Daddywas always so organized, and I loved that about him. He knew where I left my shoes and remembered when I needed a jacket.

Daddy’s eyes sparkled, and the words true in my heart bubbled to the surface.

Nope. Nope. Nope.

We wandered through the zoo and stopped at a few more exhibits. The lions were sleeping, so they weren’t so interesting. We circled back to the polar bears, who loved the cold weather and were super busy. They smashed gourds and played with a basketball. The air was chilly, and I wished I had a fur coat, but not a real-real one, so that I could play outside like the bears did. Daddy said I would get tired of living outside, but I promised him I wouldn’t because bunnies lived outside and they liked it. Since he called me Bunny, that must mean I had some bunny in me too. He said it didn’t work that way, but I thought he was wrong.

We got a ton of selfies to send to Anders. Daddy insisted my mom would want one too. Right after we texted her, she sent back a message that we were the cutest couple she’d seen all day. Daddy even saved one of our pictures as his background picture on his phone. My tummy swooped after he showed me because Daddy gave me all the feels tonight.

“C’mon, Bunny, we need to pop into the gift shop.”

Daddy tugged my hand and maneuvered us through the crowds towards the heavy steel doors. The warm air blasted out, and itwas so toasty inside that the ends of my fingers tingled at the sudden change in temperature. Like all gift shops, it was full of tchotchkes and trinkets. There were so many stuffies! I had trouble counting all of them, but I think there must be at least a million.

“You’ve been such a good boy today. I think you deserve a treat.”

I nodded my head in agreement. I had been a good boy and extra brave. Introducing Daddy, even if they didn’t know he was my daddy, to my parents had been super brave. Tonight, when I wanted hot cocoa, I checked to see if it would mess up Daddy’s plans. I used my manners all night long, so that made me feel good. Daddy was brilliant, so if he thought I deserved a treat, then he’s probably, definitely right.

“Okay, sweetheart, pick out a toy for yourself and I’ll get it for you.” Daddy’s words sent me on a treasure hunt around the store. I had so many choices! There were brick building sets of the different animals that I could make into a zoo. One wall had a library’s worth of books about the animals, plants in the Northwest (which might be fun to read when I was big), and storybooks about the animals’ adventures after everybody went home for the night. The back wall was stacked, floor to ceiling, with stuffies of about every cute face that was in the zoo and the aquarium. They had sharks and tigers and monkeys and peacocks, and that’s where I found perfection.

Towards the bottom of the stack, tucked behind a rainbow snake that was taller than me, was my new friend. I know it was probably supposed to be a mama, but in my imagination it was a daddy. Anyway, it was a daddy otter, and he was cuddlingtight to his baby. Both of them were curled tight against each other. Their eyes were closed, but both of them had little smiles on their faces. When my daddy cuddled me tight, I smiled too. Before anyone else could find it, I snatched my new stuffy and returned to Daddy.

“I found my toy!” I did a half whisper thing. I clutched the otters to my chest and held them protectively. “Daddy, is it ok if I get this one? I know you said one treat, but they come together. Please?” Daddy tapped a finger against his lips like he had to think about what I asked while I danced around him while clutching his arm. My feet couldn’t stay still, even though I tried really hard. “Please, Daddy! I was so good today.”

“Bunny, you were so good today. I’ll get in line to pay and you can go take one last look at the lights by the window, ok? I’m ready for some cocoa.”

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