Page 122 of Guardian Daddy

Right. So she picked up the cup and filled it with water, pouring it out.

“Would likely be more fun if it was a seal rather than a measuring cup,” he said.

“I don’t think a seal would fit in the bathtub. And aren’t they kind of smelly and sometimes aggressive?”

“You’re quite right. I don’t know what I was thinking. Maybe a mermaid.”

“I once saw a picture of a mermaid and she had sharp, pointed teeth.” She shuddered. “It was kind of scary.”

“Hmm, so no to the mermaid.”

“We’re not talking about an actual mermaid, right?”

“What? Why not?”

Her eyes widened as she stared up at him. “Um, because mermaids aren’t real, Daddy.”

The word came naturally. She’d been relaxing more and more as she played. This was actually kind of soothing. An action with no real purpose other than to relax her.

Huh. Who knew that could be so much fun?

But now she’d grown tense again after calling him Daddy. She took a quick glance at him, surprise filling her as she saw that he was looking so . . . so happy.

The smile on his face was huge.

“You like me calling you Daddy?” she asked just to be certain she was reading him right.

“Oh, yes, baby. I like it a lot.” He leaned in again for a light kiss on her lips that left them tingling.

She raised her trembling fingers to her lips.

“Such a precious girl,” he murmured.

“Do you smile a lot around other people?” Cate blurted out as she picked up the measuring cups again.

Gosh, this was kind of mesmerizing. Soothing.

And yet so simple.

Then she realized that she might have asked something a bit too personal. She sent him a look. “Was that not something I should have asked?”

“It’s fine to ask me questions. And no, I don’t think I’ve ever smiled as much as I do around you. I guess that means you make me happy.”

She squirmed around. “That makes me happy.”

“Good. Now, are you ready to get out of the bath?”

Her bottom lip dropped down. “Do I have to?”

His eyebrows rose. “Not yet. But I’d like you to get out soon. You need to eat some dinner before you go to bed. I’m worried about how you keep feeling dizzy.”

“I’m fine, Daddy. I don’t think I can eat.”

“You can try.”

She gave him a skeptical look. “Are you hungry? I guess it does take a lot of food to keep you going. You are quite large.”

“Quite large?”

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