Chapter Eighteen
ASHER
Asher walked out of the nursery, holding Daisy close to him while gripping Chilli’s leash. The guys had made fun of him for keeping his eyes on her the whole time, but he was glad he had done.
Would he have missed the way her shoulder hunched as she looked at her lap? The way she just seemed to curl in on herself?
He knew then that something was wrong, and he was going to make it right.
“Is everything okay?” Leo asked.
He nodded. “She’s okay now. She just needed several minutes to calm down and work through some things.”
He saw everyone look at Daisy in his arms. Her face hadn’t left his neck, and he wasn’t going to push her to say goodbye to everyone.
“Di-did we do something wrong?” Rainey asked.
Daisy stilled in his arms, and he cooed in her ear, patting her bottom in a rhythmic motion to calm her down.
“No, you didn’t. And she wouldn’t want you to feel bad, either,” Asher replied to the group of Littles.
They were all staring at him with wide eyes, worry written all across their faces.
“I’m going to take her home so she can rest,” he announced. “If you need anything, text me.”
“Will she come back?” Tucker asked. “She was super kind to me. I think of her as a good friend already.”
His heart warmed as each of the Littles nodded.
“I’ll talk to her about it. It might be a little while as she works through everything, but I know she already cares about you guys,” he replied.
“Let me know if you need anything.” Finn patted him on the back. “Take care of her.”
Asher nodded and walked out of the club and toward his car.
“Okay, baby. I’m going to put you in the seat and drive you home. Can you let go of me?” he asked.
She whined as he tried to set her down, and a smile blossomed on his face.
“Little One,” he cooed at her. “The only way to get you home is to put you in the seat. It’s only going to be for a couple of minutes, and then Daddy can hold you again.”
Daisy grumbled under her breath as he put her in the chair, buckling her up before helping Chilli into the back. Asher bit the inside of his cheek as he got into the car and turned it on.
“Do you want Daddy to hold your hand while we drive?” he asked.
She didn’t look at him, but she opened her hand. Asher knew he shouldn’t be calling himself Daddy when they hadn’t talked about anything, but selfishly, he was hoping she would be more inclined to actually want a relationship with him.
Asher saw the way she looked at him, the hunger, longing, and want every time they talked. He felt the pull between them, and he knew she felt it as well. Now it was a case of convincing her that she should give them a try, and he wasn’t above playing a little dirty.
He grabbed her hand and pulled out of the parking lot. It didn’t take them long to get back to her house and inside.
“Do you want me to tuck you into bed?” Asher asked.
She looked up at him with so much hope in her face. “Will you?”
Asher’s heart fluttered; his hands cupped her cheeks. “Of course. Why don’t you get ready while I get you a glass of water? I’ll be there in a couple of minutes to tuck you in.”
Daisy took off Chilli’s leash and shuffled toward her bedroom.
A smile stayed on Asher’s face the whole time he got her a glass of water, his mind wandering with all the possibilities.
If he had it his way, he would be taking care of her every single second of the day.
He wanted to know everything. Asher wanted to be the person she relied on.
There were so many things he wanted to do and say to Daisy, but he was holding himself back.
Asher didn’t want to scare her.
“A-asher?” Daisy hesitantly said, pulling him from his thoughts.
“Yes, sweet girl?” he asked, walking out of the kitchen with her glass of water.
“A-are you coming?” She was looking at her feet as she teetered on them.
“Yes, baby. I’m coming right now. Let’s get you tucked into bed so you can have some good dreams and be well rested for tomorrow,” he said as he closed the gap between them.
Daisy crawled into bed, and he pulled the covers to her neck, bending down and kissing her on the forehead.
“You have a good night. Sweet dreams,” he whispered.
Daisy grabbed his hand, her eyes fluttering.
“What’s wrong, Little One?” he asked.
“Stay until asleep?” she mumbled.
Asher didn’t hesitate to sit on the edge of her bed, holding her hand and humming her to sleep.
He took his time before he got up, his eyes scanning the room.
She hadn’t decorated it much, and Asher didn’t like that.
He wanted her to have everything she wanted in life.
.. to decorate her room however she wanted to.
He was about to walk out of the room when something colorful on the wall caught his eye. Slowly walking over, he covered his mouth, stifling his laugh. Was that why she was so adamant about him not coming into her room the last time?
She had colored on the wall.
It was cute.
Did her Little do it?
Asher was going to have to ask about that later. He didn’t care that she had drawn on the wall. If they ever lived together, he would give her a whole room to color the walls and let her Little play.
He wanted her happy.
With that thought, he walked out of her room and straight back to the kitchen, looking through the fridge and pantry. Asher wanted to make sure she had everything she needed, so she didn’t have to go out again.
He had seen how much stress it put on her to go out to the grocery store by herself. He wondered if him coming with her would help. Asher didn’t want Daisy to be stuck in the house all the time, afraid to go outside because of her anxiety.
He wouldn’t allow it.
But he also wasn’t going to force her to go out when she really wasn’t feeling it.
After shaking his head at all the candy in the drawer, he walked out of the kitchen to the front door. When he was outside, he locked it behind him.
Daisy was going to be his.