Chapter 30
30
“ H ave you got any bath toys?”
“No.” She frowned.
“Hey, it doesn’t matter.” Ethan ran a finger along her forehead. “Don’t fret. I have an idea. I need to go to the kitchen, though. I’ll be right back. You will stay here.”
It wasn’t a request, but she nodded.
What was she doing?
Could she let go?
And in front of someone that she hadn’t known that long. Even if he was one of the kindest men she’d ever met.
With a strong streak of dominance and alpha protectiveness thrown in.
“Here you are.” He returned with some plastic measuring cups and spoons. “I know it’s not much. But it’s all I could come up with.”
Um.
She stared at the items as he put them in the bath. Was she supposed to measure something?
Cate internally shrugged. She guessed she could count how many bubbles she could get into a cup. That could be interesting.
Holding one of the cups, she carefully gathered up some bubbles. But it was difficult to get them into the cup without some of them popping. And even more difficult to count them.
Hmm, perhaps she’d go for larger bubbles.
“Catie-pie, what are you doing?”
“Have you called me that before?” she asked.
“Um, yes, I did just a few minutes ago.”
“No. I mean before that. Have you called me that another time?”
“Yes, while you were in Little headspace.”
She froze for a moment. “Oh.”
“Do you object?”
Did she? She thought about that for a moment.
“No. I don’t object.”
“That’s good. Because I think it suits you since you’re so damn cute all the time.”
Oh no. She was blushing again.
“What are you doing, though?” he asked.
“I’m trying to see how many bubbles can fit in the measuring cup.” She glanced up at him. “Why? What did you wish me to do?”
“I thought you might play with them.” He picked one up and filled it with water, then poured it out. “See?”
“Oh. Do you want me to try and work out how much water is in the bath?”
“No, baby. I want you to have fun.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I thought it might be enjoyable just to play with them.”
All right.
She supposed she could try. She shot him a look. Was he upset that she hadn’t realized what he wanted?
His face appeared calm. No tension in his shoulders or jaw or hands.
And he promised to tell you if he got upset over something.
Right. So she picked up the cup and filled it with water, pouring it out.
“Would likely be more fun if it was a seal rather than a measuring cup,” he said.
“I don’t think a seal would fit in the bathtub. And aren’t they kind of smelly and sometimes aggressive?”
“You’re quite right. I don’t know what I was thinking. Maybe a mermaid.”
“I once saw a picture of a mermaid and she had sharp, pointed teeth.” She shuddered. “It was kind of scary.”
“Hmm, so no to the mermaid.”
“We’re not talking about an actual mermaid, right?”
“What? Why not?”
Her eyes widened as she stared up at him. “Um, because mermaids aren’t real, Daddy.”
The word came naturally. She’d been relaxing more and more as she played. This was actually kind of soothing. An action with no real purpose other than to relax her.
Huh. Who knew that could be so much fun?
But now she’d grown tense again after calling him Daddy. She took a quick glance at him, surprise filling her as she saw that he was looking so . . . so happy.
The smile on his face was huge.
“You like me calling you Daddy?” she asked just to be certain she was reading him right.
“Oh, yes, baby. I like it a lot.” He leaned in again for a light kiss on her lips that left them tingling.
She raised her trembling fingers to her lips.
“Such a precious girl,” he murmured.
“Do you smile a lot around other people?” Cate blurted out as she picked up the measuring cups again.
Gosh, this was kind of mesmerizing. Soothing.
And yet so simple.
Then she realized that she might have asked something a bit too personal. She sent him a look. “Was that not something I should have asked?”
“It’s fine to ask me questions. And no, I don’t think I’ve ever smiled as much as I do around you. I guess that means you make me happy.”
She squirmed around. “That makes me happy.”
“Good. Now, are you ready to get out of the bath?”
Her bottom lip dropped down. “Do I have to?”
His eyebrows rose. “Not yet. But I’d like you to get out soon. You need to eat some dinner before you go to bed. I’m worried about how you keep feeling dizzy.”
“I’m fine, Daddy. I don’t think I can eat.”
“You can try.”
She gave him a skeptical look. “Are you hungry? I guess it does take a lot of food to keep you going. You are quite large.”
“Quite large?”
“Um. Yes.” She couldn’t understand why he was staring at her like that. “You’re big because of all of those muscles.”
“Good save,” he muttered.
What was a good save?
Actually, maybe she was just better off not knowing.