Page 19 of Daddy's Christmas Rescue
I glanced at the clock. A little after eleven, but she looked like she’d run three marathons. Her eyes were already shiny. I wondered if she’d been crying again, or if she was about to.
“Nightmare?” I asked.
She shook her head. Then, after a long pause, she nodded. “I don’t… I don’t like being alone.”
I put the towel down and braced my hands against the edge of the counter. “You want me to sit with you? On the couch?”
She shook her head again, curls bouncing. I watched the way she fidgeted with the edge of the blanket, knuckles white.
“Bed,” she whispered. “If that’s okay. You don’t have to. I just… I don’t want to be alone.”
Ah, hell. I’d been doing my best. Telling myself the thoughts I was having were wrong. She was way too vulnerable and I wasn’t taking advantage. I straightened and crossed to her slow, careful. “You want me to come tuck you in?”
Her cheeks went bright red. The bunny nearly hit the floor, and she gripped it so hard.
“Just until I fall asleep,” she said, so quiet I barely heard her.
That did something to me I didn’t want to name.
“Okay, Holly. Let’s get you settled.”
She didn’t move, not at first. I put my hand out, palm up, so she could see I wasn’t going to grab or rush her. After a second, she let me guide her down the hall, small steps, head ducked. I could feel her shaking, just a little, even through the blanket.
The bedroom was warm and still. She hovered in the doorway, like she wasn’t sure she was allowed to go in.
“It’s your room, Holly,” I said. “You can go first.”
She crept to the bed and crawled onto it, knees and elbows, blanket still wrapped tight. She curled up on the far side, bunny tucked under her chin. Her shoulders hunched like she was bracing for something.
I sat down on the edge, careful not to crowd her. The mattress dipped under my weight.
“You want the light on?” I asked.
She nodded vigorously and I wondered if she was scared of the dark, but too worried about the cost to ask if she could put the lamp on.
“These are low energy lights and if you tap the lamp once it comes on similar to a night light you don’t have to turn off unless you want to.” She peeked at me through her hair. I waited for her to say she wanted the light off, or that she’d changed her mind. Instead, she just sat there, curled up so tight she was nearly round, cheeks pink and eyes shiny. It was like she wanted to say something, but didn’t know if she was allowed. The blanket slipped a little down her shoulder.
“I can leave the lamp on,” I said, voice low. “Or I can stay, if that’s what you want.”
She looked up at me, not quite meeting my eyes. “Would you stay?” It was barely a whisper. “Just for a little.”
“Of course.” I settled on the edge of the bed, careful not to sit too close, but not so far she’d think I didn’t want to be there. I braced my hands on my knees, waiting to see what she’d do.
For a few minutes, nothing happened. She just lay there, breathing too fast, thumb pressed into the bunny’s side like she needed to ground herself. The quiet stretched. I could hear the wind outside, the faint rattle of snow hitting the window. She must have been exhausted, but she didn’t close her eyes.
When she finally spoke, it was like she had to force each word out. “You’re not mad?”
“No,” I said. “Not even a little. You want company, you get company.”
She nodded, and her curls tumbled over her cheek. I reached over and brushed them back, gentle, letting her see I wasn’t going to grab or startle her. She leaned into it—not much, butenough to tell me she wanted the touch. I let my hand rest there, just for a second. Her skin was warm. The blanket smelled like her soap and honey. She stared at my hand, then at my face.
For a long time, I thought that was it—that she wanted comfort, or maybe just a warm body in the room so the nightmares stayed gone. “Would you hold me?”
I nearly groaned as my cock jerked but I shuffled forward and lay down, pulling her close. She tucked herself against my chest like she’d been waiting for it her whole life. The blanket slipped from her shoulders, but she didn’t seem to notice. I wrapped my arms around her and just held on. She was so soft. So small. If I squeezed too hard, I’d break her.
I didn’t, but I still went slow, careful with every movement. Her breathing hitched. She pressed her face against my shirt like she was trying to disappear.
“Is it okay like this?” My voice came out rough, low.
