Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Stone

"Welcome back," he said as Micah's eyelids fluttered open.

"Hi," she said softly and smiled. "Is this where you gloat and remind me you won the game?"

Stone laughed and brushed a curl off her forehead. "That would be a bit hypocritical of me, don't you think? After all, I punish you for lying and stating I won the game when it was you who flew into dreamland wouldn't send the correct message."

"I did, didn't I? You were amazing, Daddy. Thank you."

"Thank you, babygirl. Are you ready to eat?"

Micah looked a bit startled, her eyes going to the window. He knew it had still been light outside when they'd played, but now the only thing gleaming was the moon hanging low in the sky.

"How long have I been out?"

"Let's just say you took a good nap," Stone said, pulling the covers back to reveal she was dressed in the nightgown he'd picked out earlier. Helping her out of bed, he waited until she'd slipped her feet into slippers that looked like webbed feet despite being cotton-candy pink before leading her out into the hall. "Careful on the stairs," he began and then added, "never mind," before sweeping her up into his arms. She giggled and wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck as he carried her down to the first floor.

"Oh, something smells good," she said, taking an exaggerated inhale. "You're a man of many talents Mr. Barrows."

"Am I, Mrs. Barrows?" he said, grinning in pleasure.

"Yep, you're a chef, a great escort, a fantastic lover, a stern but fair disciplinarian, a master at telling me stories, you give me goosies when you sing to me and, if you forget the fact you tend to bend the rules of fair play, you are the bestest Daddy any Little could ever ask for."

Stone laughed and kissed the tip of her nose as he set her in a chair at the kitchen table. "Thank you, Webby. That's the highest compliment you could ever give me, except I don't bend the rules. You simply find some more difficult to follow."

"Right," she said, rolling her eyes. "Tell me that the next time you f-word me so hard I pass out!"

"Complaining?"

"Not even a little bit," she said, pulling his head down to kiss him when he placed a napkin in her lap.

"Good because as I recall, you are the one who agreed to that last pull of the string."

He could practically see her buttocks clenching at the reminder, but just grinned and moved to grab plates. In just a couple of minutes, he slid hers in front of her and was treated with a second large inhalation.

"I'm starving!" As if to prove her words true, she used her spoon and fork to twirl spaghetti into a huge ball. When she began to lift it to her mouth, Stone reached out and stilled her hand.

"Don't even think about it. You put that much into your mouth and you're likely to choke."

She wasn't very skilled at it, but he still saw her eyebrow attempt to lift as his often did. He had a very good idea of what she was trying to express without actually having to voice the words.

"Cute, but I'm not kidding. If you want to prove how wide you can part your jaws, I'll be happy to help you later. But right now, unless you want me to feed you myself, I suggest you rethink that bite."

Micah hesitated, but made the right decision, pushing the noodles off her fork and starting again, this time stopping when she coiled a manageable mouthful. After she'd transferred it to her mouth, he passed her the basket that held garlic bread with a layer of melted cheese on top.

"Cheesy toast!" she said, reaching for a slice the moment he lifted the napkin keeping it warm. "Make that a Michelin chef. This is yummy!"

Stone ate his own dinner, the fact that she was truly enjoying hers more important to him than his. Micah was a picky eater and seeing her devour her entire serving of spaghetti and then ask for more was a gift.

"I will gladly fix you another portion, but are you sure you can eat it?—"

"Yes!"

Ignoring the fact she'd cut him off, Stone continued, "and still have room for dessert."

"Dessert? You made dessert, like a real dessert?"

Not sure if he should be just a tad offended, Stone let the matter slide. "I did if you count strawberry cupcakes and ice cream a real dessert."

"I do!" she said. "I'll take that instead of more s'getti."

She devoured her dessert as well. After reaching across the table to wipe away a smear of pink icing she had on her chin, Stone stood and began to clear the table. Micah jumped up and helped.

"You cooked, I can wash, Daddy."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive, you've been up longer and done a lot more than I have. You can even take a shower if you'd like."

"In a hurry to get rid of me?" he asked, taking an apron off a hook and dropping it over her head, wrapping the ties twice around her waist before tying them into a big bow.

"Not at all. Just want to let you know how much I love you being my Daddy. You spoil me too much, and I want to spoil you even if it's just a little bit."

Touched, Stone cupped her face between his hands and kissed her, tasting strawberries when he slipped his tongue between her parted lips. Despite emptying himself inside her just a few hours earlier, his cock stirred with the desire to do so again. But he restrained himself. She would never deny him, but he knew she was still tired. The excitement of their upcoming trip had kept her at the hospital for too many hours so she wouldn't feel guilty about taking a much-needed break. Trying to get him to spill the details he refused to provide had also kept her too wound up to get as much sleep as she needed. They had many more days to enjoy each other so he gave her bottom lip a tiny nip and pulled back.

"You can pick out a story while I shower and after your bath, I'll read it to you."

"Sounds perfect, thanks, Daddy," she said, turning to plunge her hands into the side of the sink full of bubbles.

Stone was halfway to the stairs when a thought occurred to him. Retracing his steps, he leaned over the threshold. "You wouldn't happen to know if Lydia might be in the bathroom, do you?"

Looking over her shoulder, Micah smiled. "You're good. She's over by the table. I think she's a bit sad she couldn't taste your dessert. They didn't have cupcakes in her day."

"And exactly when was her day?" Stone asked, looking toward the table even though he wasn't surprised to see nothing but the furniture.

"She joined her husband here shortly after Fort Davis was founded. He was an Army officer."

Stone was impressed. That meant Lydia had roamed these rooms for over a hundred and seventy years. His mind was filled with the thoughts of all she had seen back before electricity had made its way to rural areas. Climbing the stairs, he was curious about Lydia's time, but very glad he'd been born into an era when lights came on with the flip of a switch and hot water came from a tap and didn't have to be heated in pots on a stove that required it be kept filled with wood he'd have to chop.

"You're a bit spoiled yourself, Stone," he muttered as he stripped off and stepped into the clawfoot tub. Pulling the curtain around the oval ring hanging above the tub, he turned on the tap and grit his teeth as that hot water took a few seconds longer than he preferred to replace the cold pouring out of the showerhead. Still, he enjoyed the steam that soon enveloped him, and despite his Little's assurances, hoped he wouldn't step out to find some message scrawled across the misty mirror.

A ghost.

That was the one thing he'd not considered would be an issue on this trip. He'd planned activities he knew Micah would enjoy and a few he hoped she'd love, though it might require she step a bit outside her comfort zone. She deserved the very best of vacations, and he was going to do everything he could to make sure she made memories that would make her smile each time she remembered their time in Texas.

By the time he'd dried off and pulled on a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, Micah had finished the dishes and joined him. Instead of him giving her a bath, she insisted on taking a shower, stating it was faster and she wanted to get to story time. He had a feeling she was thinking about him rather than herself, but he granted her request.

When she came out of the bathroom, her face glowing and her ebony curls a bit damp in spite of the shower cap she'd donned, he was ready. Pulling back the covers, he helped her into the high bed and climbed in beside her. Settling his back against the headboard, he reached for the book she'd placed on the nightstand.

" The Peterkin Papers ," Stone read. "I've never heard of this one."

"Me either, but Lydia kept trying to pull it off the shelf so I think she wants us to read it."

"Or perhaps hear it read to her?"

"Do you mind that there's a ghost in the house, Daddy?"

"Not at all, babygirl. I figure she's nice enough to share her home with us, so the least I can do is let her listen to a story." Lifting his head, he looked around the room and for the briefest moment thought he saw a mist by the window. "Is she here?" he asked in a whisper.

Micah nodded. "But she'll leave when we go to sleep."

Knowing he'd never be truly sure that was true, Stone cleared his throat and opened the book. Soon they were in a far simpler time when a family managed to overcome obstacles in their lives. Micah wasn't the only one giving the occasional laugh as the humor came off the pages and into their bedroom. He read more than he'd intended but didn't want to stop before learning how they solved the problem of playing the piano when the movers left it turned so its back was to the room. Flipping the page, he discovered the family simply moved the piano stool out to the front porch and played the keyboard through the open window.

"Of course they did," he said, closing the book.

"They were very clever," Micah said as she attempted to slip further down into the bed.

"No burrowing yet, Webby. You've got to brush your teeth and go potty." Ignoring her groan, he got out of bed and lifted her into his arms. Pausing before reaching the door, he turned back to look toward the window seat. "Thank you for the book suggestion, Lydia, but this is where we say goodnight. We shall see you in the morning." As if actually waiting for the ghost to precede him, he paused for a moment or two before nodding and carrying his Little across the hall and into the bathroom. Once her nightly routine was complete and he had her tucked in beside him again, she laid her head on his chest.

"Lydia says thank you for including her."

"Tell her she's welcome. We'll try to finish reading the book before we leave. Now, go to sleep, Webby. We've got a big day tomorrow."

"What are we doing?"

"Good try, but no spoilers given here. Just think mining, wining, dining, and shining."

"I applaud the fact you're a poet and didn't know it," Micah said, "but remind me not to make you my phone-a-friend if I'm ever on a game show. You're pretty suckie at giving clues."

Stone's chuckle had her head bobbling a bit as his chest rumbled. "And you're a sleepy little duckie. Close your eyes, Webby, and have sweet dreams."

Lifting herself up, she gave him a kiss, then curled onto her side, Mr. Quackers in her arms and her sweet bottom nestled into his groin as she spooned against him.

"Love you, Daddy," she murmured, her eyes already fluttering closed.

"Love you, too, babygirl." He smiled when her soft purr sounded as he lay awake a bit longer just holding her while lying in the comfortable bed in a house that he'd never known existed until he selected it using the VRBO app. He'd looked at the hotel and Bed and Breakfast options, but wanted a more private base where Micah would feel free to be her Little self.

Though he hadn't expected a ghost to join them, he was glad that ghost was Lydia. Perhaps she too felt safe to be herself as well. He'd never before given life after death much thought but found himself wondering why Lydia hadn't gone into the light as people encouraged spirits hovering between two planes of existence to do. Was she lost, waiting for something to happen or perhaps someone to return to her? He supposed his colleagues would consider him a bit off his rocker for not immediately getting back in the Jeep and finding a modern hotel, but that didn't matter to him. His Little girl was thrilled to have a new friend and he knew this was a house neither one of them would ever forget.

On that thought, he finally joined his love in dreamland.