Series: Little Cakes Series by Pepper North
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
“I called you in sick today. Another agent covered for you. You can return the favor when they drink too much.”
“You didn’t tell them, did you?” Lark looked at him, aghast.
“I told them you’ve caught the stomach flu. Everyone hopes you’ll feel better soon.”
“Thanks.” Lark sat back down on the bed.
“I know I’m in trouble, but I can’t feel much worse,” she assured him.
“I’m sorry you don’t feel well, kitten. Let’s see if I can help you. Go potty.”
“I don’t know if I can walk there,” she confessed. Lark was so hot. Nausea hovered at her throat as she pulled at her sweaty nightie weakly.
“Let me help you, kitten.” Wyatt scooped her up and carried Lark over to the changing table. Quickly, he stripped off her nightshirt and panties to wrap her bottom in a diaper.
“Now, you don’t have to worry about having an accident. I’m going to settle you in your crib for just a few minutes while I make you a bottle to help you feel better.”
Lark pressed a hand against the plastic-coated diaper when he left her alone. She had no energy to protest, and having an accident would be much more embarrassing than wearing this. Ellie proudly showing off her pretty cupcake diaper flashed into her mind. She hadn’t seemed embarrassed to wear it.
Within a few minutes, Wyatt returned. He lifted Lark from her crib and moved to the rocker. “Drink this, kitten,” he instructed, brushing her lips lightly with the rubbery nipple.
Cool liquid slid down her throat when she drew tentatively on the nipple. She knew immediately that he had filled the bottle with an electrolyte mixture to rehydrate her body. It tasted so good. She stopped hesitating and drank deeply from the bottle as he rocked her slowly. Lark loved the feel of the air brushing over her skin.
“I’m glad this tastes good to you, Little girl. You did a number on your tummy last night. When you finish your bottle, we’ll get you some crackers to munch on slowly. Is your head getting any better?”
When she shook her head slowly, Wyatt brushed his fingers through her hair. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry you feel lousy and I’m sorry I was delayed and couldn’t get to you faster. Sometimes, my job sucks. Last night was one of those times.
“An addict got ahold of some drugs laced with some bad stuff. The hallucinations got so bad she climbed out onto the ledge of a fourteen-story apartment building. No one saw her until she started screaming. When she did attract attention, the neighbors noticed she held her six-week-old baby in her arms.”
Lark let the nipple pop free from her mouth. “That’s awful, Daddy.”
“It was. Avery and I got into her apartment. She didn’t want anything to do with Avery. For some reason, she’d talk to me. I crawled out onto the ledge and stood there for hours trying to get her to follow me back inside. Nothing I said could convince her.”
Lark didn’t know what to say. Her Daddy’s anguish was audible. She wrapped her hand over the top of his on the bottle.
“I couldn’t answer or call you back. It was precarious on that ledge.”
“I shouldn’t have called,” she rushed to say guiltily.
“Absolutely, you can call me any time. But, I may not be able to answer,” he explained.
“What happened to the lady and her baby?”
“The baby is with her grandmother now. I finally convinced the mother to let me hold him when she started shaking. Five minutes later, the woman slipped and fell from the ledge. She died on impact. My team had to stay quite a while to debrief. That’s standard after a death.”
Tears slid from the corners of Lark’s eyes. “I’m so sorry. And I was drinking at the bar.”
“There’s nothing wrong with you having one drink or maybe two when you’re a big girl,” Wyatt reassured her. “I’d prefer to be with you next time.”
“No wonder you couldn’t answer the phone,” she whispered.
Lark rocketed up to sitting and threw her arms around Wyatt’s neck. She felt horrible. “You could have fallen off, too!”
“I’m always as careful as possible, kitten.” His hands stroked over the bare skin of her back as he held her tight. “I have a reason to want to come home safely now.”
“Because of me?” Lark whispered against his shoulder.
“Let me look at you, Little girl,” Wyatt asked, easing her away from his shoulder.
When their gazes meshed, he nodded. “I will do anything to make sure I come home to you, Lark. I love you, Little girl.”
“You love me?” she asked, tears spilling from her eyes.
“I love you more than I ever thought possible.”
“I love you, too, Daddy. I haven’t ever felt like this about anyone.”
She had more to say, but his mouth crashed down over hers. Lark threaded her fingers through his hair and held him close to her. Abandoning herself to the passion that burst into flames between them, Lark tried to show Wyatt just how deeply she felt about him.