Page 50 of Saving Little Clark

Murals depicting scenes from my favorite storybooks covered every available surface. In one corner, a veritablemountain of stuffed animals sat waiting to be cuddled, spilling out of a hammock chair suspended from the ceiling.

Bookshelves overflowing with picture books and coloring supplies lined the far wall, interspersed with bins of blocks, puzzles and dress-up clothes.

It was, in a word, perfect. The playroom of my wildest, most secret dreams, brought to glorious technicolor life.

Daddy was watching me closely, eyes bright with tentative hope and just the faintest edge of nerves.

"Do you like it? I tried to include all your favorite things, but if there's anything else you-"

I cut him off with a fierce, breath-stealing kiss, flinging my arms around his neck and crashing our mouths together.

"I love it, Daddy," I gasped when we finally broke apart, flushed and panting. "I can't believe you did all this for me."

Giggling helplessly, I let him lead me around the space.

"See this little kitchen set? It's got all kinds of yummy play food, so you can make Daddy all sorts of special treats. And look, over here - a doctor’s kit, for when Baby Bug needs to give his stuffies a check-up."

He darted from one corner to the next, enthusiasm radiating off him in waves. I trailed behind, utterly charmed, marveling at the care and attention to detail he'd put into every inch of the room. But it was the moment he led me to the reading nook, complete with a plush rocking chair and the biggest, softest teddy bear I'd ever seen, that truly threatened to undo me.

"I thought this could be our special spot," Daddy explained, suddenly bashful. "You know, for cuddles, story time and when you just need a little extra TLC. I even got one of thosesound machines, the kind that plays nature sounds. So you can drift off in Daddy's arms without any pesky distractions."

"Daddy," I whispered. "I don't even know what to say."

His arms came around me, sure and strong, tugging me into the shelter of his chest. "You don't have to say anything, sweetheart," he assured me. "Just let Daddy take care of you."

He hummed softly, swaying us from side to side. His big hands smoothed up and down my back, fingertips tracing idle patterns over my shoulder blades. I felt myself relaxing by degrees, slipping deeper into that soft, fuzzy headspace that only ever seemed to happen in his arms.

Soon, everything else just fell away. The stress of work, the worries and anxieties that often plagued me.

The next few weeks passed in a blissful haze of laughter, love, and more Little space indulgence than I'd ever dared to dream possible. Daddy was true to his word, encouraging me to explore and embrace my Little side at every turn. From living room picnics to bubble-filled bath times, he threw himself into caring for me with a joyful enthusiasm.

On our invitation, on one sunny Saturday afternoon, Alex and Uncle Will found themselves standing in the middle of my playroom, eyes wide and mouths agape.

"Holy guacamole," Alex breathed, turning a slow circle to take it all in.

Beside him, Uncle Will let out a low whistle. "Damn, Brody, when you commit to something, you really go all out, huh?"

Daddy just grinned, slinging an arm around my shoulders and tugging me into his side. "Nothing but the best for my baby bug," he declared, dropping a smacking kiss tomy temple. "Probably went a bit overboard, but hey, what's the point of having a mansion if you can't dedicate an entire room to spoiling your sweetheart?"

I giggled, cheeks flushing with pleasure even as I swatted at his chest. "Daddy," I whined. "Stop it, you're embarrassing me."

"Nuh-uh, no way. A Daddy's sacred duty is to embarrass his Little one in front of company. It's like, the law."

"Well, far be it from Clark to stand in the way of the law," Alex drawled. "Daddy, how would you feel about converting the guest room at your mansion into a playroom? We could even get matching rocking chairs for story time."

Will's expression went soft, eyes crinkling at the corners. "Great idea. We can make it a special project, just the two of us. Pick out all the colors and toys and little touches that'll make it perfect for my boy."

Alex lit up at that, unabashed delight and adoration on his face. He threw himself into his Daddy’s arms with a giddy laugh, peppering kisses all over his beaming face.

The day devolved into a whirlwind of laughter and play as we explored every nook and cranny of the playroom. Alex and I settled onto the plush rug with our coloring books, heads bent together as we scribbled, giggled and chattered on.

Chapter 21: Clark

I got home early from work, Daddy held up at the office with some last-minute crisis. Deciding to take advantage of the rare alone time, I headed straight up to the playroom, eager to lose myself in coloring and cuddles with my favorite stuffies.

I was just putting the finishing touches on a particularly intricate dinosaur scene when a sudden noise from outside made me freeze, crayon hovering uncertainly over the page. Frowning, I cocked my head, straining to listen over the pounding of my own heart.

Swallowing hard, I set aside my coloring book and crept over to the window, every muscle tensed and trembling. Carefully, I nudged aside the curtain, just enough to peek out at the yard below. And promptly felt the blood drain from my face.

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