“I like your name.” She giggled. “I’m six.”
He hunkered down next to one of the dolls and picked up the red-headed figurine. “Howdy, sweetheart. What’s your name?” He put the toy to his ear as though expecting an answer. The child giggled.
“You’re silly. Toys don’t talk.”
“Oh, okay.” Reece tilted his head with a pretend look of seriousness. “May I please have some tea then.”
The child covered her mouth, giggled again, then shook her head. “Only my dolls can drink this tea.” She showed him the contents of a cup.
Reece grinned at the makeshift tea made of cotton wool. “Yummy.” He took the cup from her hand, put it to his lips, and pretended to drink. The child burst out laughing.
Her giggles were contagious. Reece laughed hard. “Where’s your mom?” When his body stopped shaking, he moved up to sit on the couch.
Prisha pushed back the hair from her face and picked up her doll. “Sleeping.”
Reece glanced at the Mickey Mouse clock on the wall with a grin. Nine a.m. His gorgeous lover was a late sleeper—time to get acquainted with her daughter.
“Where’s your dad?” he asked. Curious eyes glanced at him briefly before she shrugged wordlessly. Probably a missing-in-action father and the little girl told not to say anything. Since children revealed secrets quickly, he gave the child credit. “Does your doll have a name?”
Prisha folded her hands in her lap. “Uh-huh. Her name’s Ariel.”
“Like in Ariel from Paradise Valley.” He thought of the movie he’d seen on the television.
“No, silly. Like Ariel from The Little Mermaid.”
“Sorry.”
“Why did my mommy hit you last night?”
The unexpected question caught him by surprise. “Er...’cause she thought I was a thief.”
“Are you a thief?”
Reece chuckled. “No. Do I look like a thief?”
The little girl glanced away from her doll. She offered another casual shrug. “Maybe. Why did you come to our house if you’re not a thief?”
Intrigued with each passing minute, he tilted his head and studied the child. “I came to your cabin by mistake.”
“Why?”
“I was headin’ to Uncle Buck’s cabin, but I had the wrong keys.”
Her green gaze grew large in excitement. “You know grandpa Buck?”
“Yup. So, you see, I’m not a thief. Now, how about some breakfast?”
Her inquisitive stare met his briefly. “Mommy’s still sleeping.”
“I can make you some if you like?”
“I’m not allowed to take anything from strangers,” she said. Her tone matter of fact as she concentrated on combing her doll’s hair.
Reece slapped his thigh with a loud laugh. He instantly toned down so as not to wake her mom. “Firstly, I ain’t a stranger. I slept in your home last night. Secondly, I’d cook breakfast in your kitchen. What do you say?”
She folded her arms across her chest and looked at him squarely. “I suppose it’s okay.”
He smiled. God, anyone could easily fall in love with the little girl’s childish intelligence. Her mannerisms appeared as refreshing as her mom. “What do you wanna eat?”
