Epilogue
TINLEY
After our nap, we woke up. Our stuff was strewn all over the floor. Casualties of our ‘nap’.
I finished up our packing while Tinley and Rayna had to have one last secret meeting of the clan before we headed to Vegas.
I picked up on one part of the strategy session.
It involved ropes and tying Tyler up and tickling him until he admitted he was a little and would join their clan.
I felt sorry for the kid. We finally managed to wrangle two fidgety littles and their prospect Tyler in the car before it got too late.
We take off and get an hour into the flight before we both got tired of the nonsense and encouraged them all to get some sleep.
“It’s all really your fault, Daddy,” Rayna said after the third time getting up out of her seat to tell Tinley something. “If you two weren’t besties, we probably wouldn’t be besties, but you are besties and we’re besties and that’s the way it’s supposed to be.”
“Little girl, if you don’t sit your little butt down and close those eyes, I’ll—”
“Oh no, Mr. Kyler, don’t threaten to take my bestie away from me.” Tinley pushed the covers off and stood up. I grabbed her by the waist before her outstretched finger poked someone unintentionally.
I pulled her onto my lap.
Kyler growled and sighed.
“I would never take your bestie away from you.” He opened his hand toward Tinley.
“Promise?” She placed her hand in his and shook it.
“Promise.” He settled back. “But I will start handing out spankings for littles who don’t behave.”
“And no ganging up on Daddies.” I blew a raspberry on Tinley’s neck. “This is not a democracy.”
“It’s a dictatorship,” Rayna whispered.
Tinley slapped her hand over her mouth as if she wasn’t the obstinate one who let the words slip.
Rayna scanned the cabin. Her eyes grew wide when they landed on Kyler, who was not smiling.
“A benevolent dictatorship.” She bit her lips. “That’s a thing, right?”
Kyler growled again and stood up. He held out his hand and Rayna took it.
“Perhaps we can talk more about the government of Grant Enterprises in the back.” He didn’t wait for her to answer. He pulled her up and hauled her into his arms.
“But Tyler’s back there,” she whined.
“Don’t worry.” Kyler knocked before opening the door. “Tyler, I need the room.”
The rest of their conversation was muffled by the plane engines.
“What about you?” I set Tinley in her seat next to me and tucked the blanket in around her. “You feel like you need a spanking for this transgression, too?”
“No, sir.” Tinley smirked. “That was all Rayna Drop.”
“Good answer.” I kissed her cheeks and her nose. She puckered and offered her lips. I kissed them too.
“So rude.” Tyler walked by, chewing on red licorice. He smiled down at Tinley and offered her a piece.
She looked at me. I nodded.
She took it and placed one end of it in her mouth.
Tyler flopped down in the seat farther up.
“Now close your eyes.”
She blinked them closed, but then they popped back open.
“Daddy.” She leaned her head against my arm.
“Yes, sweet T.”
“When we first met…” She took my hand. “How hard was it not to Daddy me that night?”
“I showed incredible restraint.” I caressed her cheek. “I wanted so much to take care of you. Especially when you got sick.”
“Gross.” She stuck her tongue out.
“Not gross to a Daddy.”
“What else would you have done?” Her eyes blanked a few times, but she fought to stay awake until I answered.
“I would have pulled your hair out of your face, placed a cold cloth across the back of your neck.” I rubbed her neck.
“That sounds nice.” She closed her eyes.
“Then I would have gotten you out of those clothes.”
“Daddy!” Her eyes shot back open wide.
“To give you a bath.” I chuckled.
“Oh.”
“And then I would have cleaned you from head to toe and everywhere in between.”
Her eyes drifted closed again.
“What else?”
“I would have wrapped those big, white, fluffy towels around you like a burrito and then I’d have to carry you into the next room so you wouldn’t trip and fall. Then I would lay you down on the bed and dress you in the cutest little onesie.”
“The one with the doggies on it?”
“Of course.” I rubbed her thigh. “Then I would have fed you some chicken soup to settle your stomach.”
“The soup was amazing.” She rocked her shoulders. “Rayna says the food in Vegas is really good. And I can order anything I want.”
“Anything you want if Daddy approves.”
She pouted.
“Well, I couldn’t very well let you have chocolate cake for breakfast.” I patted her stomach.
“Chocolate cake.” She licked her lips. “Yummy.”
She settled down and sank further in her seat. I sat back and watched her. When I thought she was finally asleep, her eyes popped open.
“I’m so glad you’re my Daddy.” She gave me the toothiest grin. “Now you can Daddy me all the time. Do all that stuff and other stuff. I want it all.” She leaned forward.
“I want it all too, sweet T.”
She wiggled her fingers. “Kissies.”
I leaned in, but she leaned back.
“Except for the throw-up part. Gross.”
I laughed and gave her a few dozen kissies before tucking her in against me and holding her while she drifted off to sleep.
The End
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