“I’ll go get them for both of us. Would you do my nails too?”
“And toes,” he promised.
Several minutes later, Essie giggled happily as Zander, in his pore-cleaning mask, combed conditioner through her hair. He looked hysterical as he struck a pose for her every time she peeked back at him.
When a knock sounded on the door, she offered, “I can go answer it.”
“No way. I want to see Sara’s reaction.” Zander winked at her before leaving the bedroom to open the suite door. Essie trailed after him. She wouldn’t miss this.
“Oh, Zander. An evening of personal care tonight, I see. Great idea. Those pores of yours could benefit some treatment,” Sara said as she rolled the cart holding a laden tray to the table. A delicious scent wafted from the covered dishes, making Essie’s mouth water.
“Would you like me to set everything out for you, or do you need to finish something before eating? The food will stay hot under the domed lids.”
“I’ll finish Essie’s hair first, Sara. Thank you for bringing a meal up for us.”
“Of course. And good luck!”
Zander turned to wink at Essie through the eyeholes of the tissue mask clinging to his skin. “We may have to do this regularly. I never knew so many people were concerned about my pores.”
Essie laughed hard, wrapping her arms around herself. She froze before running for the bathroom. She was going to wet her pants if she didn’t gonow!
When she emerged from the bathroom, she ran to hug her Daddy’s waist. He was the absolute best. “Your pores aren’t so bad, Daddy. Even if they were awful, it’s okay to have a flaw or two.”
“Thank you, Little girl. Let’s get your hair finished and go have some dinner.”
She ate her dinner sitting on her Daddy’s lap at the table. He cut the delicious lasagna Sara had created for them into small bites for her. Feeding her as they chatted about the day’s events, Zander cared for her so tenderly and… normally. Their time together wasn’t awkward at all.
Essie allowed herself to relax and just be real. She didn’t need to suck in her stomach or take three bites and say she was too fullto eat anymore. Zander didn’t pay attention to what she consumed other than to offer her another taste. When she said she was full, he continued to feed himself, holding an extra forkful to her lips to see if she wanted more without pressure.
Hanging out with Zander made Essie happy. She supposed that was the biggest clue that he was what she needed. With him, everything seemed better, easier, and less stressful—even when things went wrong. His presence calmed her because she could rely on him to be in her corner.
The simmering heat that always connected them fascinated Essie. Who knew that she could be a femme fatale? Flirting with Zander had delicious consequences. She didn’t worry if she looked silly or if her butt was too big. Zander showed her every day how attractive he found her.
“Daddy? How did we get so lucky?”
“To find each other?” he asked. His eyebrows drew together slightly as he focused totally on her.
“Yes. And….” She waved a hand between herself and Zander. “You know the Daddy thing.”
Zander wiggled his eyebrows at her. “I’m a very blessed Daddy to have found my special Little girl. Many people search all their lives to meet the one person who checks their boxes.”
“Would you have settled for someone who didn’t enjoy being a Little girl?”
“Truthfully? Who knows, Essie? I can’t predict what I would have done if I’d totally lost hope. Thank goodness you kept searching as well.”
They stared at each other for a few long seconds, and she got lost in the thought of what could have been. Zander drew her forward to press a soft kiss on her lips. That gentle touch reverberated inside her. He absolutely meant the world to her.
When his lips lifted from hers, Essie relaxed with her head on his shoulder. She wanted to ask what he saw happening for them in the future, but that question seemed too much like she washinting at an engagement. Was he considering marriage? Was that what she wanted?
Everything had happened so fast. She didn’t want to rush him or herself. Essie decided to wait until Zander brought up the topic of the future. Until then, she planned to enjoy being his Little girl.
Chapter Eighteen
The next day in her office, Essie smiled at the handsome man sitting in the chair on the other side of her desk. “Thank you for thinking of Ferguson’s Folly for your event, Mr. Cunningham. Is this a celebration? A meeting? How can I help you?”
“Call me Mark, Essie. I’m here to schedule a surprise engagement party. Special and memorable. I attended the fairy ball, and the twinkling lights in the ballroom were phenomenal. I wanted something that magical for this night.”
“Congratulations. That is a special event. Can I assume your future fiancée doesn’t know you plan to ask her soon?” Essie maintained her smile even though her gut twisted inside her. She was happy for the couple, but the engagement seemed too close to her thoughts last night. She couldn’t help but be a tad jealous she wasn’t the one getting a gorgeous ring and a life partner.
