Page 52 of Little Bits of Daddy (Montana Daddies)

“Not in here, baby. Just take your boots off and leave the blanket. Go inside where it’s warmer.”

“We’ll get the floors all wet.”

“That’s what a mop is for. Inside. Now.”

She shuffled into the kitchen.

“Clothes off. I’ll start a bath.” Macca quickly pulled off his shirt and jeans and strode into the living room in just his boxers. That was a sight she would have admired more if she wasn’t so chilled.

He quickly returned and picked her up in his arms. He held her against his chest with an arm under her bottom, her legs dangling free.

“H-how can you b-be so warm?” she asked, her teeth still chattering as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“It’s all my muscle,” he boasted with a wink. “Poor baby, you’re like a popsicle. The bath is filling and the heater is on.” He set her down in the bathroom, which was toasty warm, so he could test the temperature of the water. Then he turned off the taps and helped her climb in.

“Ouchy,” she mumbled as her cold skin encountered the warm water.

“Hurts?” he asked with sympathy.

“Like little pins pricking me.” Not the best feeling in the world.

“It’s a good thing. Means you’re warming up.” He grabbed a washcloth and soaked it in the water.

“Do you want to get in the bath with me?”

“I’ll take care of you first, sweet pea. Not sure we’d both fit in that bath. All the water would probably end up on the floor.”

She nodded solemnly. “You are pretty big, Daddy.”

“Big!” he protested with mock-outrage.

“Uh-huh, it’s all those muscles.”

“Good save, sweet pea. Now lay back. Do you want me to wash your hair?”

She shook her head. Her hair had stayed relatively dry under the big hat. A reason to be pleased he’d insisted on her wearing it.

“I’ll get your shower cap.”

Her hair was in pigtails so he could have just pinned it up. But her shower cap was so cute she didn’t mind wearing it. It was pink with eyes at the front and a unicorn horn at the top.

Macca grabbed it from a bathroom drawer as well as some of her toys. She grabbed her bath crayons with excitement. They were her favorite.

He pulled her pigtails up into the shower cap then started bathing her. She was used to him washing her in the bath and didn’t pay him much attention. Bath crayons were far more interesting. She turned to the tile on the wall and drew a picture of a horse and then a stream and some trees.

“What do you think, Daddy?”

“I think that’s very good, sweet pea. You’re very talented.”

“Bath crayons aren’t as good as paints.”

“We need to get you some paints then. And some canvases, since using bath crayons on tile is fine but using paint on walls is a big no-no.”

“Aww, Daddy, don’t you want me to paint a mural in the living room?” she teased. “It could use a bit of decoration.”

He snorted. “You can paint a canvas and I’ll put it on the wall, but you put paint directly on the wall and your little tush is toast.”

“Tush.” She giggled.

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