Page 4

Bash

Loud, incessant coughing woke me from a deep slumber. I looked up at Allyson who was sitting up in my bed.

“Sorry,” she apologized quickly. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

I stood from the chair and stretched my stiff muscles. “It’s okay, Allybaby. Let’s get some cough medicine in you, yeah?” Looking at the clock, I realized I’d never set an alarm from the last time I’d given her meds. She was way overdue.

She nodded before bringing her fists up to her eyes and rubbing them. The sweet, innocent gesture warned my heart. She coughed again, deep and loud. It sounded like it was painful.

Walking over to the dresser, I quickly suctioned up the right dose. “Does your body still hurt, Allyson?”

When she didn’t answer me, I turned around to look at her.

“Allyson?”

“I don’t like when you call me that,” she said.

I studied her for a minute trying to gauge where she was at and what she meant. Her eyes were glassy, probably from fever, and her skin was pink, but she didn’t seem to be upset or angry. And I didn’t think she was so delirious with fever that she’d forgotten her own name.

While I was pondering her statement, I went ahead and drew up some fever reducer for her too. Grabbing the items, I walked back over to the bed and sat beside her.

“You don’t like when we call you Allyson?”

“No. I-I don’t like when you call me Allyson.”

“Oh? What would you like me to call you, baby?” I asked. I was a bit confused, but interested in hearing her answer.

“I thought I liked sweet baby the best, but I think I actually like Allybaby the mostest.”

Smiling, I lifted the medication to her mouth. I waited until she’d swallowed all of that one before giving her the other one. She shivered from the taste of the cold medicine and I lifted the sippy cup of water up to her mouth. She took several long sips before pulling back.

“So you like Allybaby the mostest.” I fucking adored Little speak and hers was the cutest.

She nodded. “Yas-huh.”

“I’ll try and remember that, okay?”

“Thank you.”

Tucking her back under the covers, I kissed her forehead. “Thank you for telling me what you wanted, Little one. I know that’s hard.”

She nodded. “Is really hard.”

I reached over and grabbed the thermometer before setting it back down on the stand.

“Oh nu,” she said, making me laugh. She was so damn cute.

“Can I take your temp the Daddy way?”

She sighed. “Can I has the candy from Mr. Elliot?”

“Yas, I’ll even let you have it while I take your temp if you’re very careful with it.” I said, trying not to jump for joy at the appearance of her Little side.

“Deal,” she said, holding her hand out for me to shake.

I shook it very seriously, not wanting her to feel like I was mocking her even if the urge to laugh was strong. I stood and grabbed the thermometer from the bathroom and a packet of petroleum jelly and tub of baby wipes from the cabinet. Opening the three items, I set them on the nightstand. Grabbing her sucker from the drawer, I set it on the bed before lifting her over my lap. I pulled the shorts she was wearing down under her. I handed her the opened candy. “No wiggling around, okay? I want you to be safe.”

“Yas-huh,” she said, nodding her head. She popped the sucker in her mouth and waited until she was settled before I dipped the thermometer in the jelly and pressed it into her bottom.

“Ump,” she grunted when it was fully inserted.

Patting her bottom, I sympathized with her. “Thank you for being a brave girl so I can take care of you properly.”

“Not welcome,” she answered.

I barked out a laugh. That was fair.

Once it beeped, I removed it and frowned when the display read 102.2.

“Is it bad?”

“It’s still high, but Elliot said that was normal. You should have had some medicine about two hours ago, but I fell asleep. I’m sorry, Allybaby,” I said, using her new nickname. “I’m sorry I let your temp get so high. I promise I won’t do that again.”

“No! I’m glad you got some sleep. You must be so tired,” she rushed to assure me.

“I’m not setting a very good example of what a good Daddy does for a sick Little one. I’m falling behind on my Daddy duties,” I told her. Guilt pooled in my stomach and I felt like an asshole. I couldn’t believe I’d slept so hard.

She snorted, surprising me. Then she burst into giggles, high-pitched Little girl giggles. “You said doody.”

Laughing, I shook my head. “You are very silly tonight.”

“Is the morning,” she corrected.

“And very sassy,” I teased, winking at her.

She giggled again before launching into a coughing fit. I took the sucker from her, wiped her bottom with a wipe, and settled her back in the bed. “Poor baby. Does it hurt when you cough?”

“In my chest.”

Before I thought better of it, I lifted my hand and rubbed her chest. My large palm covered both of her breasts perfectly and her nipples pebbled under my hand.

She gasped and I jerked my hand back. “I’m so sorry, Allyson. I was trying to rub your chest. I didn’t mean to grope you.”

She shook her head and grabbed my hand, tucking it under her cheek. “I know, it’s okay. I didn’t feel scared.”

“D0 you feel like you could eat some breakfast?” I asked, hoping to shift the energy in the room.

She shook her head. “I’m still kind of tired. Can we sleep a little longer?”

“Yeah, baby. How about we sleep until nine and then try to get something in your belly?”

“Can I have my sucker in my belly?”

I gave it back to her, determined to keep a close eye on her while she ate it.

She released my hand and I tucked her back under the covers before standing and stretching again.

Once she finished it, I held her cup for her to drink some water.

“W-will you sleep on the bed? I’ll scoot over.” Her voice was tight and I knew it must have taken a lot of courage to ask me.

“Yes, sweetheart. Thank you for sharing.”

She giggled then coughed. “It’s your bed, silly.”

I walked around the bed and climbed in. “Want some covers?” she asked, holding them up for me. The action made her look so innocent and my heart warmed again. I was so glad the universe sent the Little sweetie into my life.

***

Allyson

Ridiculously loud snores pulled me from a restful sleep. Stretching my arms above my head, I turned to look at Bash who was the source of the ridiculous snoring. Holy shit. He really was going to suck the paint off the walls. I covered my mouth to keep my giggles inside.

Since he was sleeping, I took the time to study him. He was really very handsome even though his scars and tattoos made him look dangerous. All of the men in our friend group were largely built, but he was the biggest. His dark hair and beard against his tanned skin only served to make him look more intimidating. His long eyelashes made me envious, and his pink lips made me long to feel them on my own. One arm rested above his head, it was thick with muscles just like the rest of him. The gray shirt he was wearing did nothing to conceal the hard lines of his chest and six-pack. I wondered if his chest was fuzzy. I thought I’d like to run my fingers over the hair on his chest.

I’d never been with anyone sexually before. Really, I’d only ever kissed one person and that had been years ago in high school. I’d wasted so much time trying to be what everyone else wanted me to be—a good girl, an easy foster kid, an honor student—that I’d never really lived. I wondered if I would get to experience all of the things I’d missed after all, maybe I could experience them with Bash.

“You’re thinking very hard for a Little girl,” Bash said. “Your face is all frowny and squished up. Like Blade’s when Eloise does something dangerous.”

I jumped when he spoke, not realizing he was awake. His words were true; Blade always had a frowny face.

Giggling, I shook my head to clear it. “Good morning.”

“Morning, Allybaby. Are you okay?”

I nodded. “Just thinking.”

He rolled toward me and pulled me closer. His scent surrounded me and I breathed it in. It was a new smell for me, but it already felt comforting.

“Do you want to talk about what’s on your mind?”

“I was just thinking about how I’ve been trying to earn my keep in relationships.”

“Yeah?”

I nodded before turning into his chest.

His large hands stroked through my hair.

“What have you been thinking?”

“That I need to stop trying to earn love. I’m deserving of it and my real friends will love me for who I am.”

His hands tugged my hair back and forced me to look up at him. “I am so fucking proud of you. It takes a lot to realize that and even more to act on it, Allybaby.”

I wasn’t used to praise, so embarrassment pricked my cheeks and I tried to bury my head back in his chest, but he wouldn’t let me.

“Look at me, Allybaby.”

I obeyed and was rewarded with a gleaming smile.

“So fucking proud of you.”

His praise made my heart happy and my pussy wet. Both were newer feelings and I felt like I was about to experience them a whole lot more over the next couple of days. I’d never really felt sexual attraction before, but judging by the heavy weight of my nipples and squirmy feeling in my tummy, I was pretty sure that’s what I was experiencing.

“Oh, how I would pay my last dollar to know what you’re blushing about right now,” Bash said with a chuckle. His voice was still kinda scratchy from sleep and it made it so much more appealing.

I shoved my head back into his neck and he laughed, like he knew I’d been thinking sexy thoughts about him.

“Maybe you’ll tell me later?” he teased.

“Yeah, maybe later,” I lied.