Page 22 of Smoke
“Take your time, babygirl,” Dawson encouraged.
“No, I’ve never had a playroom before now, but I meant friends. I-I’ve never had friends before and I’m really glad you’re all here.”
Chapter Seven
Smoke
Cutting up a second piece of pizza, I set it on Ashley’s plate.
“Tanks,” she said, digging in.
I smiled, bending down and kissing her on the head. “You’re welcome, babygirl.” “Does anyone else need more pizza?” I asked.
“Me, please,” Allyson said.
I cut hers in pieces before adding it to her plate.
“Thank you,” she said, smothering it in ranch dressing.
“Yuck, honey.” Kay laughed. I was glad she’d been able to drop by once the shop was closed. All we were missing was Leland and Rogue, but it was Rogue and her twin sister’s Taco Tuesday date and they tried very hard to make it happen each week.
“Is soooo good, Auntie Kay!” she protested.
“I’ll take your word for it, kiddo.” Kay laughed before booping her nose.
“Unka Smoke?” Ashley asked.
“Yes, babygirl?”
“Babygirl hurts.”
Sympathy filled my chest. “What hurts, baby?”
“Arm.”
“Your arm?”
She nodded.
“I’m sorry, baby. Tomorrow when they put a cast on it, I promise it will feel so much better. I’ll go get some more medicine for you, okay?”
“Hold me?” she asked.
The sympathy I was feeling bloomed into something deeper, something unimaginably tender.
“Of course, baby.” Bending down, I scooped her into my arms. Ashley wrapped her legs around me and I patted her bottom. She rested her head on my shoulder, her warm breath fanning across my neck. “Are you doing okay, babygirl?”
“Yes, Unka Smoke.”
“Are you just a snuggly girl?” I didn’t mind, not even a tiny bit, but I wanted to make sure she was all right.
She nodded exaggeratedly into my neck.
Carrying her up to her bedroom, I set her on her bed, and found the liquid Motrin. “You can have some of this now, and in,” I stopped to check my watch, “in about an hour and a half you can have more of the stuff Dr. Elliot prescribed you.”
She nodded, sucking her thumb. The small gesture brought tears to my eyes, to see her in her Little space, trusting and open, fuck, it was worth a fortune.
After giving her a dose of the medicine, I scooped her back up, rocking her in my arms.
