But it wasn’t the end of my excitement because all I could think about was cuddling with Daddy in my jammies.
I switched back to the Little Lovelies thread and scanned all their messages. The most common request among all of them was for photos. That was fair. I needed some photos too.
We have dinner and a movie cuddle date tonight, so I’ll be sure to take some pictures.
Before I tossed my phone onto the side of my bed to get up, it dinged one more time. This one was from Poppy.Daddy said to send his name and address before you meet with him tonight.
OK. I promise I will.That was not the kind of promise I was good at remembering, but I appreciated their concern and wanted to do as Daddy Carter asked.
So, I sent one last text to Daddy.Can you also text me your full name and address. Daddy Carter insists I give it to him before our date tonight.
His response took a minute.I like Carter already. Then he left a thumbs up reaction on my request.
After such a good start to my morning, I was so happy that I got to work extra early and tidied up every shelf in the store while I hummed to myself. Usually, I didn’t like straightening the shelves because inevitably, five minutes after I got everything perfect, somebody came in and moved just about every item half an inch left or right so I had to start all over again. But today, I remembered why I loved working in the Sunnyvale Smiles gift shop so much. It was such a happy place with so many awesome little gifts, and it smelled so good.
The only thing that would make it smell better were some of my candles. The owner, Amanda, promised to take a look at my products as soon as I had enough to sell, so that was part two of my business plan: get them into brick-and-mortar stores. My online store was already a success, but shipping was a pain in the rear. If I could just sell a couple cases at a time to Amanda, that would be so much easier.
The day went by quickly, and before I knew it, I was skipping my way home with a silly smile on my face. I dug through my closet to find the perfect bag that was pretty and playful, but not childish or inappropriate for a date night. In it, I shoved a onesie, a diaper, and a soft one-piece pajama set with feet and a hood. It was perfect for cuddling, but it was kinda hot. If Daddy’s house was too warm, I would stick with the onesie. Or maybe he would have a big T-shirt he would let me wear.
That was another dream of mine. Wearing my Daddy's clothes. It was silly but something I imagined way too often in my fantasies.
I was blow drying my hair when I got the text from Daddy that he was on his way. He also sent a picture of his badge from the hospital and his home address. I texted both to my friends so they didn’t have to worry about me and then I quickly finishedgetting ready so our dinner date could start as soon as he arrived.
Daddy took me to an Italian restaurant that had a Michelin star rating but was still casual enough that people were wearing jeans and regular clothes. I was glad because the capris and peasant blouse I went with wasn’t fancy enough for fine dining.
After dinner, Daddy held my hand in his car as we drove to his house. He lived in one of the older neighborhoods that had been fixed up over the years and had a huge yard. The landscaping was immaculate, and I wondered if he did that himself or paid someone to take care of it all.
“I love your house. And the flowers are so pretty.”
He squeezed my hand as he turned off the engine. “Thank you, sweetheart, but I can’t take credit for any of the landscaping. Most of my time is spent working or sleeping, so I don’t get into the yard very often. But I do appreciate looking at pretty things.” He pulled my hand up to his mouth and kissed it in that sweet way he often did.
Did he mean me?
“Stay right there. I’ll help you out.” Daddy got out and circled the front of the car, then opened my door.
I’d watched Daddy Carter help Poppy in and out of the car many times, so I stayed in place and waited for Daddy to reach across my body to release my seatbelt before he gently pulled me to my feet.
When I was standing in his arms, he pressed his full body against me and kissed the top of my head. “Have I told you how happy I am that you’re here with me tonight?”
I nodded against his shoulder. “A few times. But I like hearing it.”
“Good.” He stepped back and reached for my hand. “Because I like saying it.”
Daddy held my bag in his other hand as we walked inside his house. “Now, let’s get comfy and settled in for a movie. I’ve been looking forward to this all night.”
Chapter 10
Dayton
The second Cassie stepped into my house, something just clicked inside me. I felt a piece was in place that I didn’t know I’d been missing. She was exactly where she belonged, and the weight of that realization was almost palpable. I took a deep breath to maintain my composure as I walked her back to my bedroom. The old ranch house I bought a few years back and remodeled wasn’t big or fancy, but it was comfortable. Four bedrooms always felt empty and lonely with just me in it, but having Cassie in my space made it feel like a home.
When the time was right, I’d give Cassie the full tour, including the room I wanted to become a playroom and nursery someday. The decorations in there now were subtle enough that my housecleaner didn’t feel the need to call any authorities, but if Cassie agreed to a long-term relationship and wanted to move in, I’d let her go crazy with decorating it any way she wanted.
I placed her tote bag on my bed. “May I help you get ready?”
She stood just a few feet away from me and nodded. “Yes, please. I brought a few things so you can choose.”
I pulled everything out and looked at each item as I did. The full one-piece pajamas were adorable but might get a little warm if we were cuddled under a blanket. The onesie was covered in cupcakes and seemed fitting for the dessert I picked up for the night. And then I saw the diaper.
