His laugh echoed through my screen. Reaching forward, I flipped the camera around and enjoyed listening to Tyler ask Tinsley about the view. We all talked for a few more minutes before we ended the call. Pulling my babygirl closer to me, I kissed her again. “I love you, beautiful.”
“I love you, Dada.”
We enjoyed the sight a few more minutes before I snagged her diaper bag and helped her stretch out on the bed. I stripped her of the cornflower blue romper and diaper and tossed them over my shoulder, earning a squeal of delight from her.
“Messy!” she encouraged. Her determination to turn me into a messy person was admirable, but always a fail. Throwing clothes on the floor was about as messy as I was willing to get.
I cleaned her folds softly, but still earned a small whimper of pain. “Sore, baby?”
“Is okay, Daddy. Better tomorrow.”
“How about a warm bath? We have dinner reservations in a bit, so you can’t have a super long play time, but I think we could spare half an hour.”
“Yas-huh, please. It will make it feel more better.” I wasn’t fooled. She didn’t actually want to take a bath for her tender flesh, she was just part mermaid.
I ran her a bath with extra bubbles, and let her play while I unpacked everything. I would have rather been in there, enjoying her delectable body, but alas, Daddy duties called.
Once her bath was over and she was dressed in a pretty pink sundress and silver sandals, I jumped in the shower. We only had fifteen minutes before we needed to walk out the door. Mentally going through the list of things we had planned for tomorrow, I missed the shower door opening. I did not miss the draft, however.
I turned around and laughed to see Tinsley sitting beside the walk-in-shower playing with one of her baby dolls.
“You okay, little one?”
“Just missed you,” she answered from the floor. Her gorgeous blue eyes peered at me with a touch of uncertainty. It didn’t matter how often I assured her I loved her presence, she still worried about being clingy.
“I like having you close by too, little one,” I assured her, blowing her a kiss.
Tyler
“So she has no idea?” Onyx asked once we’d settled into the stadium chairs.
“No.” I was nervous because she had no clue. I trusted Elliot’s knowledge of his girl, but I worried it would be too much for her. Maybe her confession had just been a fantasy. “I was… I am a bit worried about telling her with all of us present. I feel like Elliot should wait and tell her when they get back. Without me around.”
“Why do you feel that way?”
“Well, she was looking forward to this vacation and what if this isn’t something she wanted? She’ll always look back and remember this when she thinks about the trip. Also, if it isn’t something she wants to pursue, it would be easier to tell her Daddy in private than with me there.”
Onyx laughed and shook his head. “You’re an idiot.”
Turning my head to look at him, I waited for him to elaborate.
“She will love it,” Emily, Onyx’s Little girl, spoke up from the other side of him.
“Let’s move her between us,” I suggested after seeing some college guy staring at her for far too long.
Onyx held her popcorn and drink and I helped her settle between us. “Now, what were you saying, little girl?” I asked once her snacks were back in her hands.
“She will love it. Your surprise.” She munched on her popcorn.
“How do you know what their plans are?” Onyx questioned, raising an eyebrow.
She froze mid-chew, her eyes widening comically. “Uh…”
“Have you been listening in on Daddy’s private conversations?”
“Uh…”
“Emily Elizabeth,” Onyx warned.
