Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Walking into different living spaces told Tiffanie a lot.
Phineas’s home matched her impression of him.
Efficient, down-to-earth, dedicated to what he loved.
Nothing trendy that would become outdated quickly, as design styles moved on to the next hot fad.
She guessed that he’d chosen everything with deliberation and thoughtfulness.
Allowing him to lead her toward the front door, Tiffanie smiled at the modern library that filled what most people would make a living room—an immaculate area that was never used except for company.
Phineas had lined the walls with bookshelves.
Unable to resist, she walked to the attached ladder.
After stroking the polished wood, she pushed the device, checking to see if it moved or was solely ornamental.
To her delight, the ladder glided silently on casters.
“I can’t believe you have one of these.”
“Climb on. I’ll push you to the other end.”
She eagerly followed his suggestion and squealed with excitement as he drew the ladder to the opposite side. “That is so fun.”
“And totally practical. How else would you reach the books on the top shelf?”
“Exactly!” she said and lifted her arm to demonstrate. She spotted a volume on the next shelf to the right and grabbed for it. Unfortunately, she lost her balance and quickly returned both hands to the wooden supports. “Whoops!”
Phineas plucked her off quickly and set her down on the ground next to him. With an arm wrapped around her for support, he said, “And that makes the ladder off-limits unless you’re supervised.”
“I was fine. I can do it.”
“Not happening, Princess. Only when I’m with you, understand?”
She glared at him. Who did he think he was? Her Daddy. Instantly, her anger dissolved. “Sorry. I’ll be good.”
“Thank you, Little girl. Did you see a book you wanted?”
“The bedtime stories.”
“Let me get that collection.” He climbed up the rungs.
Automatically, she steadied the ladder for him. She didn’t need to; the moveable steps held their position securely. Glancing up, her eyes fixed on his rounded ass. Goodness. She’d already drooled over his physique. At this angle, his butt was completely biteable.
“I’m ready to climb down, Princess, if you’d like to make some space for my big feet.”
Crap! He’d caught her checking him out.
“Of course,” she said, stepping away. She waited for him to tease her. To her delight, he said nothing but simply placed the volume he held on a convenient shelf where she could reach the collection easily.
“We’ll grab that when you take a nap. Would you let me read to you?”
She nodded eagerly. That sounded amazing.
“I’d enjoy that too. Let me show you the rest of the place.”
Tiffanie followed him down a hallway. Phineas opened a door to reveal a neutrally decorated guest bedroom that would be perfect for either male or female visitors. The calming color palette would help anyone settle in and hopefully sleep well.
The next space was a bit fancier but had an older feel with darker furniture and traditional landscape paintings—even some gold gilding here and there. Tiffanie glanced at Phineas and asked, “Who stays in here?”
“My mom. She doesn’t come often—once a year or every other year. I set this up with her in mind. Mom seems to find this bedroom comfortable.”
“I’m sure. It’s lovely.”
“That’s the guest bathroom. There’s a half-bath off the family room. I’ll show you where that is before the movie starts. In here is the main bedroom.” Phineas opened the door to reveal light blue-gray walls with a huge four-poster bed.
“That’s so tall. Do you have to get a running jump to crawl in at night?”
“I haven’t yet. On each side is a small step to boost someone height-challenged to climb inside. Or a Little girl could get her Daddy’s help to be tucked in bed.”
A thrill went through her at the idea of Phineas lifting her up into the elevated bed and cozying the covers under her chin. “Like in the books,” she whispered.
“Exactly.” He paused for a moment, as if letting her imagine him caring for her this way. Darned if her brain didn’t do just that.
“That doorway leads to the bathroom.” Phineas took her hand and guided her into the large, well-lit area.
“Now that’s a tub.” She stared at the huge claw-foot tub with the fancy spigot on the far side. Two people could easily fit inside and lounge against opposite ends.
“Perfect for bubble baths,” Phineas pointed out. “I put in the largest hot water tank available.”
“That sounds heavenly. You have a beautiful home.”
“We’re not done yet. That’s a closet over there. But that door leads to a very special area.”
“Really? A room off the bedroom? You didn’t put a laundry space in here, did you?” Tiffanie searched her brain, trying to think of another option.
“No, Princess. Let’s go look.”
Phineas opened the last door and turned on the light.
Tiffanie walked in and stared around her.
She snapped her jaw closed when she realized she was gaping at the space.
From the soothing, pale blue walls to the gorgeous full-sized furniture, this room appeared to have come directly from an age play book.
Toys filled the large chest against the wall, welcoming Biff to come meet new friends.
She locked her feet in place, resisting the urge to run around exploring everything. “It’s a nursery for a Little.”
“Hopefully for you, Tiffanie. Could you see yourself napping or playing in here?” he asked. She could hear the slight hesitation in his normally confident tone.
She blurted, “This is the most gorgeous area I’ve ever seen. Can I check things out?”
“I would love that, Little girl.”
Tiffanie headed first for the beautiful bed. Curved wooden rails surrounded the mattress on three sides. Another panel rested inches from the floor and seemed to be on a sliding track. Did the lowered portion rise to enclose whoever slept inside?
Tentatively, she reached out a hand to stroke the bedspread. The material was soft to the touch and thickly cushioned. She wanted to crawl in and pull that around her. The sheets were crisp without being stiff. And a case with a frilly lace edging decorated the fluffy pillow.
“How did you create something straight out of a dream?”
“Sounds like we imagine the same things,” he said, smiling.
Tiffanie forced herself from the crib, hoping with her entire heart that she would get to nap in there later. She walked to a toy chest in the corner. Peeking inside, she saw games, puzzles, toys, and a baby doll with a bunch of clothes. She could play here for hours.
Peeking over her shoulder at Phineas, she caught his delighted smile. “You put a lot of thought into this room.”
“I did. I’ll get a delivery in the next couple of days for some special things. These items are one size fits all. If there are toys you would like to have in your nursery, please tell me.”
“My nursery?” she repeated.
“I put this together for my future Little, hoping that I would find her. Now I’ve met the woman who checks all my boxes for a love interest and a Little girl. I simply need to tweak my selections to fit you.”
Her mind whirled with excitement and curiosity.
The conviction in his voice told her he didn’t have any doubts that she was perfect for him.
When she wasn’t scared at all, Tiffanie knew her brain and heart agreed with him.
They were perfect together. Pulling herself from those inner thoughts, Tiffanie replayed his last words. What was he getting for her alone?
“Like what?” she asked, scanning the room. Her gaze followed Phineas as he walked to a piece of furniture with a padded top.
“Clothing and diapers to fit you.”
“I don’t wear diapers!” A blush heated her cheeks as she protested that idea. How could he know she always read those hot scenes in her books repeatedly?
“When you are feeling very Little, I will wrap you in a diaper before I put you in bed. You wouldn’t want to have an accident, would you?” Phineas asked.
“No, of course not,” she said, shaking her head. “But I don’t need that.”
“How about if you let Daddy decide what’s suitable for you? We can definitely talk about what you wish to experience and decide what is best for us?”
Arguing with that bit of logic was impossible.
She honestly didn’t have a clue about what she would enjoy and hate.
In the stories she’d devoured, the Daddies always pushed their Littles to move out of their comfort zones.
Most of the time, new Little experiences turned out to be delightful. She decided to worry about that later.
Since he allowed her to explore what he’d stored in the toy chest, Tiffanie dared to open the large drawer under the padded top.
Her mouth rounded into a O. Inside, he’d placed lubricants, an array of anal plugs, and some bottles of thick, bullet-shaped items among many other supplies.
A large, oversized tube caught her attention. What was that?
Phineas carefully removed her hand and closed the drawer. “Little girls don’t need to mess with their Daddy’s medical supplies. You’ll experience those items soon enough. Daddy will keep a close eye on your temperature.”
“That thick thing was a thermometer? I can’t put that in my mouth. I’ll never hold that under my tongue,” Tiffanie protested.
“That’s not made for oral use, Princess. Little girls get their temperatures taken in their bottoms.”
“No way!”
“Way,” he said, nodding to assure her this was the truth.
“That’s only in books, right?”
“No. As your Daddy, I will be careful about your health. Now as you’re going through your treatments, but also when you are cancer-free.”
Tiffanie didn’t know what to think. Before getting sick, Tiffanie had always dashed around with all the energy in the world.
She should have gone to the doctor sooner when her symptoms started.
Maybe having someone watch over her would be good.
She debated asking more questions but decided maybe she’d learned enough for today. “Could we go watch a movie?”
“Of course. I bet Biff is waiting on us.”
“He misses me when I’m not around,” Tiffanie shared.
“Of course he does. Can I share a secret with you?” When she nodded eagerly, Phineas told her, “I miss you when we’re apart too, Princess.”
Her feet carried her toward him. “I miss you too, Daddy.”
Phineas wrapped his arms around Tiffanie, lifted her into the air, and spun her in a circle. “I love hearing you call me that, Little girl. Let’s settle in for a movie and enjoy each other’s company.
“Yes, Daddy. Please.”
Biff rubbed his fur against her nose, drawing her out of a pleasant dream. Tiffanie blinked into his round black eyes. “Is it time for me to wake up?”
Her stuffie stared back at her.
Tiffanie sighed. “Okay, I’ll get up.”
She pushed herself up to sit on the mattress and peered through the bars, scanning the nursery. This room was beautiful. She wrapped her hands around the slats that now confined her to the bed. Tugging on the spindles, she tested them. Could she slide them down to let herself out?
“Are you planning a jailbreak, Tiffanie?”
Looking up, Tiffanie spotted Phineas standing in the doorway. “Hi, Daddy. Could you let Biff and me out?”
“Of course.” He walked toward her with a smile. “Did you have a good nap?”
“I didn’t really fall asleep, Daddy. I was pretending,” she explained as Phineas triggered something under the bed that lowered the railing.
“You were? Wow! Biff must snore. I thought that sound was coming from you,” he said, reaching in to lift her off the sheet.
“Shh! He’s really self-conscious about it.”
“Oh. Thank you for warning me.”
“I’ve got your back, Daddy.”
“Thank goodness someone does. Let’s go rock while you shake off that sleepiness and you can have a wake-up drink.”
“Coffee?” she asked excitedly.
“No coffee for Little girls.” Phineas patted her bottom reassuringly as he carried her to the family room. He sat down in an oversized rocking chair and helped her settle comfortably on his lap.
“Try this, Princess.” Phineas handed her a blue sippy cup decorated with brown teddy bears.
“This looks like Biff. But I don’t need a cup like this.”
“Humor me.”
She wrinkled her nose at him but lifted the spout to her lips. A delicious, fruity flavor filled her mouth. “Mm!” She hummed, drinking more.
“Yummy, huh? I’m glad you like it. Daddy’s special formula.”
Tiffanie pulled the cup away. “What makes this mixture special?”
“That concoction not only tastes yummy, but it also has electrolytes, protein, and vitamins.”
Wrinkling her nose, Tiffanie considered the cup. Should she like the healthy beverage? Another sip convinced her that the delicious mix won. She quickly drained the rest. “More, Daddy.”
“Of course. I think you need some snacks too. You didn’t eat a lot of lunch.”
Food hadn’t sounded good to her for a long time, but she ate because she needed fuel for her body. She’d lost some weight lately. Her doctor wasn’t happy. “I’m not really hungry.”
“I can understand that. Would you try to eat for me?”
Tiffanie hesitated. She really didn’t want to eat. Her gaze landed on the cute cup in her hand. She hadn’t been thirsty either, but that had tasted amazing. Maybe she should sample whatever he had made—just in case.
“One bite.” She negotiated.
“Three.”
“Two.”
“Two bites at least.” Phineas stood easily with her in his arms, making her feel protected by his strength. He set her at the table and fixed her more to drink before sticking something in the microwave to heat.
She’d almost drained her cup when Tiffanie sniffed in appreciation. “That smells fantastic.”
“I hope the soup will taste yummy as well,” Phineas said. “This is a new recipe. I appreciate you helping me sample it.”
He scooped out a large bowl and brought the double-sized option over to the table. After sitting next to her, Phineas dipped a spoon into the fragrant broth and lifted it to her lips. Taking a risk, Tiffanie accepted the bite.
Flavor burst over her tastebuds. She loved the delicious flavor. Who knew a simple chicken and rice soup could taste so amazing? “Wow!”
“Tasty, huh? Let me try.”
After swallowing, he looked at her with a smile. “That’s darn good if I say so myself.”
“I can’t eat all of that,” Tiffanie warned him, pointing at the bowl.
“We’ll work on it together. You’ll share with Daddy, right?” he asked as he offered her another bite.
She nodded and opened her mouth eagerly. How did Phineas make everything better? She decided not to worry about that and to enjoy their time together.