Page 162 of Daddy's Pride
Tilting her head to one side, Rachel considered the question. “I don’t think so, Daddy. But best have one anyways, just in cases I wants it.”
“That seems very sensible,” said Isla. “Come on you, time for Daddy-princess cuddles.”
Chapter Sixteen
It had only been a matter of time.
Not that Isla didn’t think that Rachel was capable—she knew that Rachel was more than capable—but because she’d been doing so much that Isla had been worried about her. And it was far better that Rach slipped into Littlespace here, at home where she was safe and where no one need make any demands of her, than at the market the following day.
Rachel stumbled through to the bedroom, grabbing her toothbrush and toothpaste, and then headed unsteadily toward the bathroom.
Isla followed her, and her heart broke a little bit when she saw how slowly Rachel was brushing her teeth; the poor angel was so tired that she barely had enough energy for this simple task.
“Come on, babygirl, perch on the edge of the bath there, and let Daddy brush your teeth for you.”
It took a few goes, to get the right speed and pressure, but Isla managed it, and the tired but grateful smile bestowed upon her was all the gratitude she’d needed from a very sleepy Rachel.
Who almost walked into the doorframe, when heading back to the bedroom.
“I got you,” Isla said, helping Rach around the corner, and into the bedroom. “Can you get undressed on your own, but do you need me to help?”
“Daddy help,” said Rach, raising her arms above her head. Well wasn’t that just the most adorable sight ever.
Isla helped her girlfriend get undressed, one layer after another, until it was time to get pajamas and help her girl into bed.
“Story?”
Rachel shook her head vigorously. “Cuddles. Just wan’ Daddy cuddles.”
“I can do that,” said Isla. She helped Rachel get under the covers, and then slipped into her bedtime boxers and slid into the bed behind her. “Spoons?”
“Spoons,” agreed Rachel, and Isla slipped her arms around her girlfriend, pulling her flush against her body so that Isla could spoon her.
She’d found this position particularly comforting previously, and often quite sexy, but here in this moment, it just felt right.
It felt like home.
They lay there, quietly in the dark, completely content for it just to be the two of them, just to be both of them in the here and now.
Isla heard a sniffle, and held on tightly. Her girl needed to let it all out, and she was going to hold her whilst she did.
“I’m sorry,” a plaintiff Little voice said.
“No sorries,” said Isla fiercely. “If you need to cry, you cry, babygirl. You’ve been working so hard for so long, it’s no wonder you’re feeling a bit tearful.”
Rachel wriggled then, moving about until she turned in Isla’s arms, and could now face her. “I can cry?”
“You can cry, princess.” Isla physically felt Rachel’s dam, holding back all of those emotions, burst. Her whole body shook, as if the tears came from her very core, and all of a sudden she had buried her face in Isla’s chest and was crying and crying.
Isla held on, carrying her girl through the storm, not letting go for anything. Slowly, she began to rock Rachel back and forth, the gentle motions soothing the sobs until the lessened into some fairly consistent whimpering.
Even then, she didn’t stop.
She would keep going until Rachel asked her to stop, keep going until Rachel told her that she needed something else—whatever that something else was.
Eventually, the whimpers lessened, and Isla was able to breathe a sigh of relief. She’d known that hearing Rachel cry was heart-wrenching, she’d experienced that plenty of times over the years, but not being able to fix it never got any easier.
“Daddy?” whispered Rachel, dark, tear-stained eyes raising to look up at Isla, “It’s going to be okay, isn’t it?”