Series: Little Cakes Series by Pepper North
Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44040 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 220(@200wpm)___ 176(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44040 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 220(@200wpm)___ 176(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
He started to close the door behind him but turned to look back inside at her. “Yell next time. I feel like I let you down. I’ll be more alert in the future.”
The door clicked into place before she could answer. Daisy looked at Tarson with a bewildered expression. “It wasn’t his fault that Leo wasn’t right to be my Daddy. I couldn’t do what he wanted me to do.”
“I’m glad you listened to what your heart and head told you,” Tarson said as he gently rocked her in the office chair. His lips brushed her forehead.
“Teddy?” she asked hesitantly.
“Yes, Baby girl?”
“I really only wanted to see you tonight. That’s why I came,” she blurted in a rush of words.
“You could have told me that during one of the times I called to check on you,” Tarson reminded her with the mention of their phone conversations after the invasion. He’d needed to make sure she was okay. Each time, she’d seemed distant and too busy to talk.
“I didn’t want you to feel obligated.”
“There’s a difference between a kind friend caring that you’re happy and safe and someone who truly wants to be involved in your life.”
“Are you telling me you want to be more than a friend?”
“Yes, Baby girl. I told you that. I want to be much more. Can you see me as part of your life?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“That makes me very happy, Little girl.”
Tarson squeezed her close as he continued to rock her on his lap. She felt perfect in his arms. Mentally, he cursed Daddy Leo for touching what was his, while thanking him for being the catalyst to help Daisy be honest about her feelings.
“Do you feel better now?” he asked after a few minutes. He wished he could cuddle with her and take things to the next level. He’d been looking forward to spending more time with her for the past two days.
The timing was not right though. Not tonight. Not when she’d just been through a traumatic experience and he’d spent hours making cupcakes for tomorrow’s opening day at Little Cakes. They both needed to go home and get some sleep—their own homes, unfortunately.
Soon he would want to bring her home with him and introduce her to the special nursery attached to the master bedroom. It still needed some finishing touches, but in between baking, he’d been filling that room with every special detail a Baby girl like Daisy would enjoy.
He’d had his eye on her for a while, but his feelings had flooded in and solidified the moment he stepped into her shop the other night. She’d been so flustered and shaken from having her space invaded.
His chest had tightened as soon as he heard her voice on the phone, so small and scared. And then when he’d set his eyes on her, he’d instantly known his feelings were not platonic. Not even close.
Daisy was his Baby girl.
He would pick up the pace getting the nursery ready because Friday night he fully intended to have her in his home. He would never pressure her to be intimate with him. They could take that side of things at whatever pace felt comfortable for her, but he wanted her under his roof in the nursery as soon as possible.
He tipped her head back and kissed her lips gently. That was as far as he would allow himself to take things tonight. “You should get home, Baby girl. You’ve had a rough night. Can I drive you?”
She stared into his eyes and shook her head slowly. “I have my own car,” she whispered.
“Will you let me follow you then? I want to be sure you arrive there safely.”
She blinked and then lowered her gaze. “Okay.” Her voice was almost too soft to hear.
He cupped her face, rubbing her cheek with his thumb. “You seem disappointed. Were you hoping to stay and play with the other Littles a while longer?”
Another very slow head shake. “No.”
“Look at me, Baby girl.”
She lifted her gaze.
“Tell me what’s upsetting you.”
“I wanted to spend more time with you.”
He smiled. “I’m so glad to hear that. And you will. But not tonight after you’ve been through a scare. Besides, I’ve been baking all day. I’m sure I smell like frosting.” He tickled under her chin, hoping to get a smile out of her.
She giggled as she scrunched her neck. “You don’t smell like frosting, Teddy.”
He gave her a fake frown. “I’ll never understand why you Littles started calling me Teddy. I’m more of a ferocious grizzly bear.” He couldn’t keep from grinning.
She covered her mouth as if she could stifle her giggles. “I’m afraid that’s not true. Sorry, Teddy.”
He pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. There was no way to quell the nickname. He was stuck with it. Plus, if his Little girl wanted to think of him as a Teddy bear, then so be it. He intended to be a soft place for her to fall for the rest of their lives if she would have him.