Page 10 of Merry Little Christmas
Chapter Six
Cole
I hadno reservations on taking care of Peyton for the night, but I needed to make sure they were in the right headspace. Then again, I’d rather they come to me for it than seek out a Daddy who might not respect their wishes.
And God, they made an adorable Little. Big brown eyes shone back at me and for the first time all evening, they didn’t have tears in them.
Peyton flourished under my praise, smiling around their pacifier. Before it ended up on the floor again, I selected a clip from the basket under the table, securing it to their shirt. “You hungry?” I asked, helping them sit up.
In the quiet room, their stomach rumbled, and I took that as a yes.
Peyton let out the most precious giggle and I helped them off the table, letting them out of the room ahead of me. They were comfortable now, and I stifled a grin. The sight of their padded butt waddling down the hall was almost too much to bear.
My heart warmed knowing that I was the first to experience this with them—and then I chased away the crushing reminder that it was all temporary.
By the time I made it into the living room, they were already curled into the corner of the couch withFairly Oddparentson the TV—a solid choice, if you asked me. The Christmas Tree glittered behind them, vibrant reds and greens bouncing over their bright blond hair. Seeing me watching, they took the pacifier from their mouth. “Water please?”
Oh, be still, my heart. “Sure thing.”
Without even thinking, I leaned down to press a kiss to their hair on my way past. They didn’t protest.
In the kitchen, I relaxed against the counter and took a moment to breathe. As mind-blowing as it felt to have Peyton playing my Little, I was grateful for a moment alone. It was hard for me to accept the fact that they were only my Little for the night, just like a couple weeks ago. Regardless, they were going through a stressful time. I needed to prepare for one hell of an aftercare session once they came out of this.
I shook the thoughts away. Throwing some chicken nuggets into the air fryer, I filled a sippy cup with some water and took it to Peyton. Their quiet “thank you” nearly unraveled me, and I hastened back to the kitchen before I forgot myself.
I probably should have eaten something with them, but the violent fluttering in my stomach made everything unappealing. Once their dinner was finished, I returned to the living room, where they’d made a me-sized gap behind them and were watching me expectantly. Clearly, that was where I was supposed to sit.
I sure as hell wasn’t going to say no, especially when I settled next to them and they cuddled into my side. God, I was such a goner.
Peyton clutched tightly to their water, sipping on it between bites that I fed them. Plate empty and tummy full, they yawned and rubbed their eyes. I glanced at my watch—9:15.
Considering the events of the day, I was surprised they’d made it that long. With the sippy cup in their mouth, their eyes were glued to the TV. I’d never been nervous around a Little before, butthis was Peyton. If things went south, I risked ruining a long friendship. I didn’t want to take things too far.
I probably should have encouraged them to get into bed, but they seemed comfortable, so I let them lay on my chest. The empty cup was swapped for their pacifier, and soft suckling faded out as they drifted off. Their breathing slowed, and Peyton fell asleep. Now that my hands weren’t busy, I spread a blanket over the both of us and settled my arm around them.
Fuck it.
This felt good. Peyton was consenting and comfortable. Who was I to keep questioning it? With that, something in my brain flipped. I was no longer worried about what Jesse would think, or how Peyton and I would feel in the morning. I trusted that it would all work out.
I watched the cartoon on the TV, not really taking in anything that was happening. The only thing keeping me from dozing off with them was the risk of them needing a bathroom break. The show was nothing more than background noise as I spent the next couple of hours simply enjoying the feeling of Peyton in my arms. They shifted once, but only to stretch their legs out. They were asleep again in seconds.
Somewhere around midnight, they stirred awake, scrubbing at their eyes. They yawned, pacifier falling and hanging from their shirt. “How long was I asleep?” they murmured.
“Couple hours. Want to move to the bed?”
“Can I sleep with you?”
Fuck, they were going to kill me. “Of course you can.” I stood and offered them my hand. “Come on; I’m sure you need to potty by now.”
Cue that precious flush crawling up their cheeks again. They stared at me, pink-cheeked and wide-eyed. “I don’t have to,” they whispered, squirming.
Confused, I tilted my head. They’d taken down two drinks very quickly and from past experiences, I knew their bladder wasthe size of a thimble. Surely, all that liquid had to have gone somewhere. “Are you sure?”
Another wriggle, and they nodded.
I studied the shuffling. Peyton was clearly uncomfortable, and it was close enough to a potty dance that I almost questioned them further. Then they grimaced and shoved a hand between their legs…Oh! I crouched in front of them, hooking a finger under their chin and forcing them to look at me. “Sweetheart, can I check your diaper?”
They bobbed their head slowly. Peyton’s thighs instinctively clenched around my hand as I patted the front of their pants. Sure enough, the padded material squished under my hand, full to the brim. But before I could say anything, panic set in. “I-I’m s-sorry! I couldn’t?—”
