Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Waking up the next morning wrapped in Zander’s arms made Essie’s heart ache to do this every day.
She studied his handsome face, hoping to have this view for the rest of her life.
When the need to use the restroom forced her to shift out of his arms, Zander protested and dragged her back against him.
“No.”
“I need to potty, Zander.”
“Daddy,” he corrected her.
“Daddy,” she repeated and scooted over toward the edge once again.
This time, he let her go. Essie scampered to the bathroom and glanced over her shoulder before walking inside.
A devastatingly good-looking man watched her from the bed.
His face, soft with sleep, made her want to jump under the covers to snuggle with him.
Her aching bladder kept her from acting on that impulse.
“Go, Little girl,” he told her.
Nodding, she zipped in and used the toilet. Walking back into the bedroom, Essie tried to play her return to bed cool. His gaze tracked her as she strolled naked to the bed and climbed in to cuddle against him. Pulling her close, Zander kissed her deeply.
“How do you feel, Essie?”
“Wonderful. I’m happy.” She loved how he couldn’t stop touching her. He smiled as he held her close.
“I’m glad. I feel damn excellent myself. Guess what I’m going to do today?” he asked.
“Work at your estate?”
“Yes, I need to clean out the stables and do some other chores. I’m also going to smuggle some cleaning supplies to the nursery to tackle the dust in that room. I think I can get what I need up here without Sara noticing since I’ll bring my things from the green room.”
His face turned serious as he studied her. “Our plan is to settle in this suite together, right?”
Refusing to be embarrassed, she nodded even as her face heated. “I’ll tote my things from my other room today. I can help with the supplies and cleaning,” she offered.
“Not going to happen, Little girl. You’re going to stay out of the nursery until it’s spic and span. I’m concerned about how I’m going to wash the bedclothes for the crib. I can’t take them to my washing machine. The house is still quarantined.”
“If I put them in the laundry, Sara would find them,” Essie added. “Wait. How did they wash them before? Maybe Sara wasn’t at Ferguson’s Folly then.”
“This size of an estate had to employ a bunch of staff. Someone else must have worked in the laundry, even if Sara was here. I’ll take them to the laundromat. Those industrial machines would probably handle the dust better.”
Essie nodded. “I’m sorry I can’t help.” She pressed a kiss to his hand that caressed her arm.
“I’m not. Little girls shouldn’t be scrubbing the floors and the furniture. I’ll work on whisking away the dust when I can steal a few hours. How about if you pay me back with kisses? I’d love that.”
“Me too, Daddy. I’ll give you a hundred kisses whenever you want them.”
“That’s going to be a fun day,” he said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. “What’s coming up on your schedule?”
“I’m going to explore the attic this morning before it gets too hot up in that space. Sara said Esther stored some decorations and furnishings that filled the ballroom up there.”
“I don’t want you trying to haul heavy things down a ladder, Essie.”
“How about if I put everything I want to use in one spot, and you can help me later?”
“Deal. So, the fairy ball is happening, hmm?” he asked, stroking her hair back from her face.
“It is. We have a month to get ready. Ivan found several places on the parquet floor that needed to be repaired. He’s going to work on that next. Tiffanie wants to do some greenery around the antique mirrors that encircle the ballroom. She’s going to help me figure out what else we need.”
“I’m totally into highlighting the mirrors,” Zander teased, glancing up at those reflecting down at her.
“I love that Esther and Edmund were so…”
“Kinky?”
“Zander! I was going to be more subtle and say ahead of their time,” Essie protested.
“Mirrors are totally erotic, Little girl. You enjoyed checking out my derrière last night,” he said, pronouncing the word with a fancy French accent.
“Daddy!”
“Personally, I love that they acted on their enjoyment of each other while they could. We should make the most of every day, Essie. We’ve lost too many moments together because others separated us. I won’t let us waste time again,” he told her firmly.
“I won’t argue with you. I feel the same way. And your derrière needs to be supervised.” Giggles poured from her throat when her French accent came out sounding like a dying frog. “I guess decorating like we’re in a French restaurant won’t be a good idea.”
“Let’s stick to English for you, Essie. I wonder if you could find some pictures of other dances from the past up in the attic or in your aunt’s things?”
“Zander! That’s a great idea. Then I would have a clue where everything is supposed to go. You’re brilliant!” She threw her arms around his neck and scattered kisses over his cheeks.
Zander cupped the back of her head and held her steady to take control. He pressed his lips to hers and explored her mouth as he hugged her close. When he lifted his head, Zander had a glint in his eye. He swept the covers off before rolling them over to balance Essie on top of him.
“My turn.” His hand landed sharply on her bottom. The sting launched an additional wave of arousal through her.
Essie peeked up at the mirrors and wiggled against him. A bit self-conscious about being reflected, she quickly pushed those feelings aside when she noted the desire on his face. Zander smacked her bottom again.
“Oh, yeah. This is going to be fun,” he growled.
A long time later, Essie sat drinking coffee at her desk. A full plate of fruit, bacon, and a hard-boiled egg sat on the blotter for her to eat. Zander had delivered it to her as he left, reminding her to eat. She picked up her fork and tried a strawberry. Yum!
She smiled, happier than she remembered being in many years. Zander hadn’t let her skip breakfast because she was late to work. She loved how he cared for her in small and big ways—more than she’d ever dreamed a Daddy would choose to take on in that role.
Marmalade wandered in and rubbed against her calves. Essie petted his soft fur. She smiled as the content creature walked to a patch of warm sunlight and flopped down. Pampered cats definitely led a comfortable life.
Essie couldn’t complain. Zander spoiled her. Her mind drifted to that secret room. She couldn’t wait to play in the nursery. It would be her own special haven. A protected place where she could let herself enjoy being Little.
“I hope you’ll be happy there.”
The deep voice startled her, and Essie looked up to stare at her aunt and uncle sitting in the client chairs in front of her desk. Her face heated. “Um…”
Her aunt smiled and said, “Don’t be embarrassed, dear. I loved that room for the short time we had together. After I lost Edmund, I moved to the second floor, so the sadness didn’t overwhelm me.”
Edmund patted his wife’s hand. “I’m sorry I left you, sweet girl.”
“You didn’t mean to die,” Esther told him quickly. “And you didn’t leave. You stayed and watched over me.”
“Once a Daddy, always a Daddy,” Edmund told her with a fond smile.
Vibrations of their love wafted toward Essie, wrapping around her. How perfect they were together. A thought popped into her mind. Shouldn’t they both be at rest now? “Why are you still here?”
“We don’t know, Essie, dear. There seems to be something important we’re supposed to do before we leave Ferguson’s Folly,” her aunt said with a smile. She didn’t seem bothered that she was a ghost.
“Besides, we like hanging around here. Ferguson’s Folly is our home. Well, yours legally now. We hope you don’t mind us hanging around,” Edmund told her.
They hadn’t been there while she and Zander had made love, had they? “Um….”
“We would never interrupt your privacy, Essie,” Edmund told her. “We had our time on the third floor. That space belongs to you. If you dally in the garden, we will make ourselves comfortable somewhere else. By the way, I designed a great nook for canoodling on the far side of the rose beds.”
To Essie’s delight, her aunt’s pale cheeks turned faintly pink.
“I’ve always loved those roses,” he added, winking at her.
“Edmund!” Esther scolded him.
“I don’t think anyone will be in the gardens today,” Essie suggested.
“We should go make sure that cursed pony didn’t eat all the blossoms,” Edmund suggested, standing and holding a hand out with old-fashioned manners to help Esther stand. They drifted away, Esther’s giggles trailing behind them.
Marmalade meowed, drawing Essie’s attention. He stretched and headed for one of the chairs where the pair had sat. After turning exactly three and a half circles, the orange tabby flopped and closed his eyes. Essie shook her head at the mysterious creature and turned back to her work.
A thought popped into her mind. “Aunt Esther? Uncle Edmund? Could you help me find some pictures of the ballroom? Could you show me how you designed that area? After your canoodling, of course.”
Marmalade opened one eye to rebuke her for disturbing his rest. Essie quickly apologized, “Sorry! I’ll be quiet now.”
She picked up her fork and tried a chunk of pineapple. Yum!