“Okay,” she breathed. Her eyes closed again, and in another moment she was snoring softly.
She did not wake up when he parked in his driveway, so Rooker carried the food and their bags into the house before returning to carry her in.
“We home, Daddy?” she asked softly as her head dropped to his shoulder and he shifted her to one hip to carry her inside.
“Yes, little artist, we’re home. Do you think you can wake up and eat something?”
“No eat. Sleep now,” she breathed.
Instead of carrying her to the bedroom, Rooker laid her on the couch and covered her with a blanket.
“Hector?” she asked without opening her eyes. One hand extended and made grabby-hand motions.
He pulled the oversized purple hedgehog from her bag and handed it to her. She pulled it to her chest and sighed, going immediately into a deeper sleep.
Turning the lights on low, Rooker changed the television to a cartoon channel and set the volume low so as to not disturb her. Leaving her bag with her crocheting in it by the sofa, he put away the others and carried their dinner to the kitchen.
Even if she wasn’t hungry right now, he was, though he did not want to leave her alone. After plating his meal, he carried it and a bottle of water to the living room and settled in his recliner.
It was an hour before Carri’s eyes popped open and she surged to a sitting position. “Oh my god,” she said, looking around with wide, panicked eyes.
“Carri? You okay, babygirl?”
His Little girl focused on him and released a long sigh. “Oh thank goodness. I had a dream you’d decided you didn’t want me anymore and left me sleeping in a strange hotel lobby.”
Rooker rose from the recliner and went to her. Picking her up, he sat down on the couch with her cuddled on his lap. “First of all, I would never leave you alone in a strange hotel lobby, sleeping or awake. Secondly, I will never stop wanting you. I know we haven’t been together all that long, but I already love you and don’t plan on letting you go anytime soon.”
He met her wide-eyed gaze and hoped she could see the certainty in his eyes. For the last hour he had been debating how long he would have to wait before telling her of the feelings that had been growing out of control since their first meeting. He had originally planned to wait, but she needed the assurance that he was not going to abandon her anytime soon.
Carri’s eyes widened even further and she looked at him in shock. “You can’t love me already. It’s too soon. Isn’t it?”
He shrugged with a grin. “I don’t know if it is or isn’t, but that’s how I feel. I love you, Carrigan Elizabeth Smith. What do you have to say about that?”
Carri blinked and then swallowed hard before a smile spread across her face. “I think I love you, too, Daddy. And I don’t care what anyone else thinks, but I’ll warn you that Lottie will have something to say when we tell them.”
“That’s okay. They love you and care about you. I expect them to have something to say, though I don’t think they’ll say too much because I think they both found their Daddies this weekend.”
“Really? I saw some men hanging around, but didn’t think much about it,” Carri admitted softly. “I was too busy thinking about you.”
“Good. That’s what you’re supposed to be doing. Now, are you ready for some supper, and a movie?”
“And something to drink?”
“Yes, little one, and something to drink. Do you need to potty first?”
He watched as Carri shifted into her Little headspace. “Yes, please, Daddy. And I’m ‘posed to remind you about finding the scooter that’s in your garage so I can move around without you carrying me everywhere.”
Rooker stood with her in his arms and carried her to the closest bathroom, just off the kitchen.
“I think that can wait. I like carrying you everywhere. It may be the only time I know you’re not getting into trouble.”
Carri looked at him with wide eyes and a sweet, innocent smile on her lips. “But Daddy, I never get into trouble. I’m a good girl.”
He brushed a kiss on her forehead after setting her down in front of the toilet. “I’m sure you are a good girl, but I have a feeling you’re a daredevil, which is why I’m carrying you around in the first place.”
Carri thought about his words before shrugging. “Maybe a little.”
Kneeling before her, he unfastened and pulled down her jeans and her panties. “Sit and pee, babygirl and I’ll be back in just a minute. Call me when you’re finished.”
