Page 41 of Smoke
She grinned at the silly nickname.
“Are you warm enough?” I asked, running my hands over her pink bunny sleeper.
She nodded. “Warm.”
“Okay, if that changes you let me know. I’ll keep a blanket in the truck for you just in case.” We were going to a play party at The Thirsty Turtle and while it was warm outside I’d been told it could be chilly in the main room where the party would be.
She nodded.
“Are you so excited to decorate cookies with your friends tonight?” I asked, standing and lifting her from the bed.
“‘Cited!” she agreed.
“If you get nervous or ouchie, I want you to promise to tell me, okay? I won't mind at all. I take my Daddy duties very seriously and it makes my heart happy to be able to help you.”
Her brow furrowed. “Leave?”
“No, babygirl. That doesn’t mean we will leave. It just means we'll take a little break.”
“Little break,” she said, nodding again.
I brushed her hair back behind her ear and kissed her forehead. I hoped she understood how precious to me she was.
“Hair?” she asked, picking up the hairbrush.
“What about your hair?” I asked.
“You hair.”
“My hair?”
“Yas-huh.”
“What about it?”
“Babygirl do it.”
I laughed. She was so damn cute. “You’re going to help me with my hair?”
“Yas-huh,” she said, climbing on the bed and standing behind me.
I held her legs to make sure she stayed supported. “Oh, thank you. That would be so helpful.”
She brushed my buzzcut several times before plopping on her diaper covered bottom.
“Careful, babygirl. You still have some ouchies,” I reminded her as I pulled her onto my lap.
She slipped her thumb in her mouth again and I pressed a kiss to the side of her head.
“Love you,” she babbled.
“I love you too, babygirl. More than you’ll ever know.”
***
I lifted Ash from the truck and tried to set her on her feet. She lifted her legs and I laughed at her antics. “Put your feet down, babygirl.” I held her by her underarms.
“No feets.”
