“Of course you can.”
Zander rounded the hood once again and opened the door. “Come here, Little girl.” He scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the entrance. A tall man welcomed them.
“Is that Miss Essie?”
Zander answered for her. “It is, Miller. The air-conditioning at Ferguson’s Folly is broken. Essie’s overheated. We’ll stay here tonight to let the house cool when the tech finishes. Could you call for a pizza in a couple of hours?”
“You can count on me, sir. I’m glad to see you again, Miss Essie. Feel better.”
“Thank you.”
She waited for Zander to move down the hallway before asking, “Have I met him before?”
“Yes. His dad worked in the stables here for years. Miller visited here often when we were kids. You hit him with a water balloon once when you were aiming for me.”
“I remember that now. I’ve always had a terrible throwing arm. If I remember, he didn’t get mad. He swiped a few water balloons and joined the epic battle.”
“He did.” Zander chuckled as he walked into a bedroom. He closed the door with his elbow and carried her into the large bathroom. “Bath time for you, Little girl. I want to get your temperature down.”
“Ooo! A cool bath sounds amazing.”
Zander sat her on the edge of the tub and leaned in to turn on the water. When the faucet gushed with cold liquid, he turned his attention to her. “Out of those clothes, Essie.”
“I can get undressed,” she protested when he lifted the hem of her shirt.
“Daddy’s in charge.”
She nodded and allowed him to help her. Every ounce of her energy had evaporated. Zander would take care of her. She smiled to herself.
“What are you thinking about, Little girl?”
“How lucky I am to have you.”
“I feel exactly the same.” Zander kissed her tenderly before adding, “In the tub, sweetheart.”
She dipped one foot into the water and shrieked. “That’s not chilled. That’s like an ice bath!”
“The water isn’t that cold, Essie.”
Shaking her head, Essie crossed her arms over her chest. She wasn’t getting into that frigid pool. “No way!”
Zander relented and added a bit of warm water to the tub. He leaned over and swirled the water around to mix the two temperatures. This time when Essie stepped in, she allowed him to help her settle in the tub. Zander lowered himself to kneel on the bathroom floor to bathe her.
“Thank you, Daddy.”
“Never be afraid to tell me when something isn’t right. Most of the time, I’ll listen. But there will be some occasions when I won’t modify my plans for you.”
“I’ll still ask.”
“Of course you will, Little girl. And that’s a good thing. Little girls should tell their Daddies when they’re worried. Now, relax against the back of the tub, and let’s get your temperature down.”
Zander moved the water lazily around her with gentle swipes of his hand. Essie closed her eyes and imagined steam rising from the surface as she cooled off. She giggled at the funny image.
“I love that sound, Little girl. Feeling better?”
“Yes, Daddy. Thank you.”
“You rest. Daddy’s going to get you clean. Keep your eyes closed. Let’s dip your hair into the water.” Zander helped her slide down further in the tub. She let him be in charge and realized how much she trusted him. Zander would never allow her to be at risk.
