Page 89 of Daddy's Muse
The air outside the bath raised goosebumps along my skin, but before I could shiver, he had a towel wrapped snugly around me, rubbing gently at my shoulders. He moved slowly, taking care to dry every inch of me.
“Pappa…” I whispered, not even sure what I meant to say.
He only kissed the crown of my damp hair and kept going, patting me dry as though each motion was proof of his promise to protect and nurture me. Once I was no longer dripping, he pulled a pair of soft pajamas from the counter—clean ones, neatly folded. I hadn’t even seen him bring them in.
“Arms up,” he said softly. I lifted them, and he slipped the shirt over me, tugging it down before crouching to guide my legs into my underwear and the bottoms. It should’ve been embarrassing, being fussed over like this, but it wasn’t.
It was safe.
Comforting.
Absolutely perfect.
When I was dressed, he ran a towel gently over my damp hair once more, then set it aside. “One more thing,” he said, brushing a knuckle against my cheek.
I blinked up at him, and he held out my toothbrush, already prepared with paste. My face pinked, but I took it, standing obediently at the sink while he watched to make sure I brushed properly. I caught his eyes in the mirror—so steady, so intent. He wasn’t just making sure I did it; he was taking responsibility, like every small act was a crucial part of loving me.
When I rinsed and set the toothbrush down, he came up behind me, hands settling lightly on my shoulders. Our eyes met again in the mirror.
“All ready for bed,” he said, voice a soft rumble meant only for me.
“Because you took care of me, Pappa. Thank you.”
His arms slid around my waist from behind, pulling me gently against him, his chin coming down to rest atop my head. “Thankyou, baby.”
Pappa kept one arm wrapped around me as we left the bathroom, guiding me to bed. He sat me gently on the edge of the mattress, pulling back the covers for me.
“Go on,” he murmured. “Climb in, sweetheart.”
I did as he asked, happily sliding under the cozy blankets.
The moment my head touched the pillow, a wave of exhaustion pulled at me, but I didn’t want to close my eyes yet.
Pappa tucked the blankets snugly around me, then settled beside me after handing me Pilsby to cuddle with. His hand stroked slowly through my hair, careful not to tug at the damp strands.
I stared at him in the dim light. My voice was small when it came. “What happens now?”
His hand paused for only a second before continuing. “Now,” he said quietly, “we rest. We take one day at a time. We figure it out together.”
The words should have felt vague, but somehow they steadied me. He wasn’t promising impossible things. Just…us.
Just moving forward.
“You really think we can?” My throat was tight.
“I don’t just think it, I know it because I won’t let anything tear us apart. Not even the hardest truths.”
I pressed my face against Pappa’s chest, breathing in the scent of him.
“Okay,” I whispered. “We’ll figure it out.”
His lips brushed the top of my head, lingering there. “That’s my boy. Now get some sleep, baby.”
And for the first time since everything had started unraveling, I let my eyes slip shut, knowing that—even if the world outside was dangerous and confusing—I wasn’t facing it alone.
23
Colby
