Page 32 of Daddy's Little Patient

Why did her Daddy’s emotions seem like a glass-topped lake but hers were like a hurricane? His brows drew together in concentration.

“It’s possible you’ve been so sleep deprived and exhausted that now that you can rest properly your body took it too far. You could’ve been so zonked that your body didn’t wake you up when you needed to use the potty.”

Cricket didn’t know what to say to that but luckily her Daddy didn’t leave her much time to flounder.

“Whatever happened, we should get you out of these wet pajamas, clean you up, and change your sheets so you can get back to bed.”

That sounded way better than sitting here in soaking wet clothes that had grown cold while she’d had her tantrum. But he’d said “we.”

“I’ll do it. Go away.”

She couldn’t possibly have this ridiculously handsome doctor handle her pee-soaked clothes and linens. Everything he’d been privy to before was already too much, he couldn’t deal with this too. He’d change his mind. He’d ask her to leave. He’d come to the conclusion that he didn’t want to be that kind of Daddy. He’d realize he couldn’t take her anywhere, and get sick of her being so immature and needy.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he told her in a stern tone. “Daddies help their babygirls when they need help and you need help.”

“I don’t! I can do it, Daddy. Please? I can do it myself,” she begged, feeling the tears rising again.

Wasn’t it bad enough that he knew she’d wet herself? Why couldn’t he just walk away and let her clean up this mess? Then they could pretend it had never happened.

“No, you can’t. Babygirls don’t give themselves baths and they don’t do the laundry. Those are Daddy’s jobs. So you can let me help you get clean and dry now, or you can keep arguing with me.”

“What happens if I keep arguing?” she asked, feeling sulky and defiant. Maybe curious even if she didn’t think she’d like the answer.

“I’m going to get you clean and dry anyway and then you’ll get a naughty girl spanking before I put you back to bed. Up to you.”

Chapter Seventeen

Oh, his babygirl was thinking about it. Owen really didn’t want to discipline her right now—he wanted to soothe and calm her, give her a nice warm bath and get her into some soft pajamas, wrap her up in a blanket and rock her until she fell asleep. She was going to be so tired after all that crying and all those big feelings, and probably sore.

But he would let his sweetheart make her own choices, and then follow through with the consequences of her actions, good or bad. Hopefully soon because he was itching to get her out of her wet clothes.

“I don’t want a naughty girl spanking.”

“I don’t want to give you a naughty girl spanking. Are you going to let Daddy get you cleaned up with no more arguments?”

Her voice was only a whisper when she said, “Yes, Daddy.”

“Good girl.”

He led her to the bathroom and started the water in the tub. Did they have bathtubs on Enclave? He hadn’t cared much before what his accommodations were going to be like when it was just him, but now he cared a lot. He wouldn’t mind if there was a shared bathhouse but it wouldn’t do to only have a shower. If she’d even come with him.

Owen had mentioned Enclave a few times and Cricket had seemed interested but in a detached kind of way, as though it was a place in a storybook and not a real life possibility. And he hadn’t been able to muster the courage to ask if she’d like it to be her reality. He could tend to that worry later.

Once the water was flowing to his satisfaction, he turned his full attention to Cricket.

“Let’s get you out of these clothes, babygirl. Arms up.”

Owen stripped her, put her soiled pajamas in a pile, and grabbed a washcloth to run under the faucet. She was shivering, her skin prickling with goosebumps, and he wanted to get her in the tub as soon as possible, but he’d give her a once over with the warm cloth to get what he could off her before she sat in the water. Plus there wasn’t much for her to sit in yet anyhow.

Once he’d wiped her down, he helped her step into the tub and had her sit while he grabbed a hair elastic and a couple of bath towels.

“You have a really nice tub,” she said shyly. “It’s big enough for me to go all the way under the water once it’s filled enough.”

Getting her in the bath had been a good idea; his Little girl seemed less mortified and much calmer now that she was out of her wet clothes—which had no doubt started to go cold—and into a few inches of warm water.

“You’re right. You know what else it’s big enough for?”

“What?”

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