Page 17

Daddy turns and kisses my forehead before shrugging his shoulder to get me to lift my head.

He stands up but doesn't let me go. I let him sit me back on the seat and watch him move to the fridge.

He pulls out one of those little containers of coconut water, adds it to a glass cup, and then pulls down the sea salt from one of the cabinets as well.

Less than a minute later, I'm handed a glass of water and told to drink it. I do as Daddy asks, partly because my brain is still a little foggy but also because I want to do whatever he says. I drink half of it before his hand appears and pulls the cup from my lips.

"Slow down, Ty. If you drink it all too fast, you're going to upset your belly."

I nod and start to take small sips instead of gulping it down.

I can taste the salt mixed in, but it’s not overly gross.

It's only when I start tapping my feet that I remember I'm half naked.

Daddy seems to remember this at the same time and puts a finger under my chin to look up at him.

"Do you want to get dressed or take a shower first? "

"Shower, please." I feel sticky from the exertion. And also any chance to shower with my Daddy, I'm going to take it. If that's what he's offering. He has a dark spot on his sweats from me, so I’m sure I can convince him to join me.

"Finish your drink and we'll get cleaned up." He leans down and kisses me.

I laugh at the face he makes when he licks his own lips.

We shower together and then get dressed to spend a day together. I’m already so comfortable walking around Daddy’s apartment. We go from one room to the next, playing different things. He even narrates his own actions when he makes us lunch. That has me laughing until my sides hurt.

After lunch, Daddy wants me to relax a bit. I don’t want to and put up a small fight with him until he hands me his phone to play a game while he watches one TV show episode. It’s a compromise that I’m okay with.

"Can I ask you a question?" Daddy asks a couple hours later.

It's close to bedtime and I've already decided that fighting him on staying up later would be too much effort.

We've done so much today that I am actually sleepy.

But I'm staying again tonight and he has to work in the morning.

I don't want him to be sleepy. He hands me over the pills I have to take before bed and then takes my hand in his.

I'm not in my Little space right now. I still want to call him Daddy, and he said he's okay with it.

I thought that maybe I'd be a scene Little, but the more time I get to just be without feeling sick or dizzy, the more I want to float between the two as I feel like.

I like the way that Brandt's eyes light up when I call him Daddy too.

"I know you're looking for an apartment." He pauses and I can see he's trying to get his words together. "And I know that we are kind of, well very, new to this, but would you consider moving in with me? Not here, but if we found a two bedroom to rent together?"

Woah.

He just asked me to move in? I mean, I know I was planning on moving out. I even have another apartment tour on Thursday evening. The thought of living together, of being able to do this every day. Maybe not all day, every day, but evenings together and on Saturdays…

"You don't have to," he starts backtracking, taking my silence for rejection.

"No." I practically crawl into his lap to get him to stop that train of thought. "I'd like that. I mean, I'd like to keep doing this, between us, and it'd be easier if I'm not living at home."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Daddy. I'd love to live with you." I smile and lean forward to kiss him. "This is going to be so fun."

"Just because we live together, doesn't mean my rules can be broken.

" His voice is way too stern for the expression on his face.

I smile and kiss him because Daddy is being silly right now.

"But I'm glad you want to. I kind of have a place in mind, if you want.

It's just upstairs on the third floor so it's not a big move.

The landlord told me that it's going to be empty in two weeks. "

"Two weeks?" I feel my eyes bulge. Daddy apparently finds that hilarious and starts laughing.

We're lounging on the couch together, with Fluff somewhere in the apartment.

I played with him earlier until Daddy reminded me to go potty.

When I came back, Fluff was hiding, but Daddy was watching TV so I joined him.

"If that's too soon, that's okay. I can still sign the lease and add you on later."

"No, I mean that's great." I smile and let my weight fall back on him. "I have money set aside for a deposit and two months rent. I don't know if it'll cover this building's rates, but—"

"We can talk about that later," Daddy says.

He wraps his arms around me and cuddles me to his chest. I close my eyes and focus on the sounds of his breathing.

It's the most relaxing noise. "I'll call the landlord tomorrow and get it all set up for a showing so you can see it before actually deciding. "

"Then I'll cancel the showing I have booked for Thursday."

I feel his lips on my head once more. I have come to the conclusion that he likes to give secret kisses when he doesn't think I can feel them.

We stay like that for a while longer, silently watching the TV as one episode ends and another begins.

Daddy scratches lightly against my scalp, which is lulling me to sleep.

After the credits start rolling, I lift my head and rest my chin against his chest. "Can we go night-night now, Daddy?"

"Yeah, baby." He clicks the TV off and I move to sit up on the couch. "Do you want to brush your teeth first?"

"Do I have to?" I ask. We ate a yummy dinner and I had water with it, so I don't think I have bad breath.

"Yes, Ty. You always need to brush your teeth before you go to bed. Get all the bad germs out of your mouth and teeth."

A flirty response pops into my head and I'm saying it before I can fully think it through. "I could go to sleep with a different taste in my mouth."

The apartment fills with laughter and I feel a swelling of pride bubble up inside me.

"That was too funny to get on you for being so crass," Daddy says when he composes himself again.

"But no, you need to brush your teeth with toothpaste.

Then we'll cuddle in bed and you can get up and take your medicine before I leave for work.

Then go back to sleeping. Feel free to stay here as long as you want tomorrow. "

I let Daddy pull me up from the couch and to the bathroom.

We stand side-by-side at the sink and brush our teeth.

I pull down my big boy pants and underwear and use the bathroom.

Daddy's been good at asking me when I need to potty today.

I haven't gone so far in Little space that I forgot to listen to my body, but I'm happy that Daddy is on top of it.

Fluff lifts his head when we walk into the bedroom. He's stretched out at the foot of the bed and I stop to pet him while Daddy folds down the blankets. He gives me a long meow and then purrs loud enough to hear across the room.

"I'm pretty sure my cat loves you more than me now, Ty."

I scoop him up and cuddle him to my chest. I give him a kiss before letting him squirm out of my hold and I lay down next to Daddy.

Neither of us are wearing shirts now. I have on my training pants and green shorts, since I was only planning on staying one night instead of two.

He's wearing a pair of sweats like usual.

They're soft against my legs as he cuddles me from behind.

"Goodnight, my Prince. Sweet dreams."