Discovering Daisy (Little Star Cruises #2)

Chapter Ten

Daisy cooed softly as she lay atop her bed.

It was the following morning and she was eager to have a great day with Daddy.

She was completely naked—a fact that normally would have embarrassed her beyond belief. Yet somehow, with Wyatt, it just felt right. He’d seen it all last night, anyway.

“I’m going to lift that little bottom up so I can slide a diaper beneath it,” he said in a gentle, loving tone.

She was melting.

She was too lost in Little bliss to respond beyond a whimper. But the grin on her face told Wyatt she was just fine with whatever he needed to do to tend to her needs.

The thick diaper rustled loudly as he unfolded it. He’d dreamed for so long of having a Little to care for that he could hardly believe it was actually happening. Was this just one of those fantasies? It sure could be. Because Daisy was just like the precious Little he’d yearned for. The one he’d dreamed of day in and day out. She had every one of those qualities: sweet, submissive, kind, and adorable!

He knew, though, that this was no mere fantasy. This was real. Fate had brought them together back in Georgia. He wasn’t about to squander the opportunity, either.

He wrapped an arm around her legs and hoisted her upward, being gentle, while he slid the disposable garment beneath her.

“You’re being such a good girl, honey. Don’t make tinkles until this diapee is on you, sweetie. I know you’re in Little Space, but just wait a minute.”

She giggled and kicked her legs a little.

He got the baby lotion, spread some delicately between her legs, taking the time to massage it in, and then sent a poof of baby powder on her most sensitive parts.

He realized he needed to move faster. As lost in Little Space as Daisy was, she might make tinkles at any moment.

With a smile plastered across his chiseled face, he worked the four tapes on the diaper, fastening it securely around her waist.

He patted the front and said, “There you go, honey. Now, let’s pick out the perfect outfit—”

“Daddy!” she cried. “I’m making tinkles in my diapee!”

Wyatt chuckled as the sound of the rushing liquid reached his ears. She looked adorable as she raised her hands and covered her face bashfully.

He gave her a few seconds to finish. The front of her nappy was dark and heavy now as he poked it with his finger, feeling the squishy plastic and cotton.

“Aww, honey, I told you it was coming. But there’s no need to be embarrassed. I’ll change you in a minute. Right now, I think I need to hold you.”

He didn’t bother putting the pink baby doll dress she’d picked to wear that day on her before he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the chair that rested in the corner.

He sat with her positioned atop his lap. He held her close, gently rocking her, and giving the top of her head tender kisses.

“What do you want to do today, honey?”

“I have to work,” she said.

“Of course,” he said. “Would it bother you if I hang out in the shop?”

“No! Daddy, stay with me all day!” she said. She giggled and then said, in a less excited tone, “But I don’t want you to get bored. You should probably go off and do your own thing.”

“Nah. I won’t be bored.” He kissed her again. “What do you want to do after work?”

“All the Little stuff!” she said, kicking her legs in excitement.

He grinned, giving her more kisses, before saying, “Okay, honey. We’ll do all the Little stuff. But I better change your diaper and get you dressed. You don’t want to be late.”

She sighed wistfully.

Could this day get any better?

***

“I guess this is a good problem to have,” she said, looking at the bare store.

It had only been open three hours that day. But already, she’d sold out of her entire stock. She’d texted Captain Reagan and was awaiting his instructions.

A moment later, he came in.

“Good job, Little Daisy! I’m so proud of you,” he said.

The greeting surprised her. “You aren’t upset?”

“Upset? I’m happy for you. This proves what Nelly and I have known all along: your creations are amazing! We’re setting up a workstation for you to make more. Our tech crew is supposedly hooking up that 3D printer sometime today. I say supposedly because on a ship this size, issues always pop up. But they might just have it setup by tonight. It probably won’t be online until tomorrow though.”

“What would you like me to do until then, sir?”

“I’m glad you asked. I have a very important job for you. Do you think you can handle it?”

“Yes, sir,” she said. “What is it?”

The captain grinned. “Go have fun.”

***

Little Daisy was all smiles as Daddy pushed her around the deck in an adult-sized stroller.

“Do you see what I see?” Wyatt asked her.

“A ball pit!” she said.

It looked much like the swimming pools on the ship, only it was a little smaller and filled with colorful, plastic orbs. There was even a clear, winding tunnel slide that let riders fly into the pit, as well as a tall platform with a rope, allowing Littles to swing like Tarzan.

Littles were laughing as they jumped in and swam around, the balls clacking loudly as they shifted.

“Maybe you’ll make some new friends,” Wyatt said.

He parked the stroller, lifted her out, gave her a hug and kiss, then patted her bottom as he sent her toward the play area.

She was a bit timid at first, but by the time she reached the top of the slide, she had more confidence thanks to the two Littles who’d asked her to play.

“My name is Levi,” the guy said.

“And I’m Ella,” the woman said.

Levi was about thirty years old. He was tall, had dark hair, and wore a onesie with an obvious diaper beneath it.

Ella was in her forties, had a sort of “mom look” about her, but was clearly a Little as evident by the pink, frilly baby doll dress she wore. Her diaper poked out beneath the hemline.

“Hi. I’m Daisy,” she said.

“Do you want to play with us?” Ella asked.

“Yeah. We’re going to have a contest to see who can swing out the farthest into the ball pit.” Levi pointed to the rope that was attached to a cranelike structure. There was a tall platform that allowed people to swing out over the ball pit before dropping down into the colorful, plastic sea.

Daisy looked at it with glee. She was nervous. But how could she pass up the opportunity? She giggled. “Let’s do it! And thanks for inviting me.”

“The more the merrier,” Levi said.

They all climbed the stairs to the top of the platform. It sure looked like a long way down from that vantage point! Daisy glanced uneasily at her new friend.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to do it,” Levi said. “No pressure.”

“I’m gonna do it,” Daisy said.

“You sure?”

She nodded.

“Okay. Who goes first?” Levi asked.

Daisy didn’t volunteer for that honor. After a moment, Ella stepped up and grabbed ahold of the nylon rope. “I’m going for it. Count me down from three.”

In the ball pit below, Littles stopped talking and playing and moved from the center. They all looked up in anticipation of a new diver.

“Ready?” Levi said.

“Ready,” Ella said.

Levi and Daisy’s voices rang out in unison. “Three. Two. One. Go!”

“Woohoo!” Ella said as she left the platform and swung out over the pit. She let herself go back and forth several times before releasing her hold smack in the middle. She plummeted into the pit, the balls splashing loudly as she landed. She momentarily disappeared, but her head broke the surface a moment later, laughing as all the Littles started cheering.

“She went pretty far out,” Levi said.

“I’m going to try and beat her record,” Daisy said. Her apprehension had left. She was too caught up in the fun to be nervous.

And what fun it was!

The air rushed around her as she cut through it, swinging on the rope and going further than Ella had. She swung back and forth several times before finally letting go. She plummeted down, her laughter interrupted by a playful scream. The scream didn’t last long. In reality, the drop didn’t last long either. It wasn’t as high up as it seemed when standing on the ledge.

Blue, orange, yellow, red, and green balls shot into the air as she disappeared in the pit. They rained down with a plastic clatter and she appeared a moment later.

“That was amazing!” she yelled as the other Littles cheered.

She swam out of the way in time for Levi to take his turn.

He went far, but didn’t match what Daisy had done. By the time he landed and broke the surface, everyone was ready to crown her the winner.

“Nicely done!” Levi said.

“That was impressive,” Ella said.

“Thank you,” Daisy said with a little giggle. It felt amazing to finally have Little friends. And even though she’d only just met them, she could tell they’d all get along great. If she continued to see them, that is. Once the week-long cruise ended, she may never see them again.

“Is this your first time on the Little Star?” she asked them.

“No,” Ella said. “I don’t live on here, but I spend a lot of time on the ship. My kids are away at college. My Daddy is one of the ship’s doctors, so he works on the cruise one week a month. So, I’m here pretty regularly.”

“That’s awesome!” Daisy said. “What about you?” she asked Levi.

“My Mommy works here on the ship, too. So I’m always here. She owns the spa.”

“That’s awesome!” Daisy said.

How cool would it be to live on a cruise ship? She then realized she’d soon find out. As an employee of the Little Star, it would be her home, more or less. That is, if she didn’t move to Daddy’s farm. Hmm. How would that work?

She’d have to ponder that later. Right now, she wanted to have fun with her new friends.

“What about you? Is this your first time?” Ella asked.

“Yep. But I might be here a lot. I opened up a store.”

“Ooh, Little Daisy’s Curiosities,” Ella said.

“You’ve heard of it?”

“Yeah. I heard Captain Reagan and Nelly talking about it. And my Daddy dropped in and got me a toy there this morning. He said the store was really busy.”

“We were! So busy, in fact, that I have to make more stuff.”

“Congratulations,” Ella said. “But I have a question.”

“Go for it.”

“You said you might be on the Little Star a lot. Is everything okay?” Ella said.

Daisy grinned as she took a moment to form her reply. “I met a Daddy.”

“Oh!” Ella said, sharing her new friend’s smile. “Go on.”

“Well, he lives on a farm in Georgia. He’s actually going to open it up as destination for Littles.”

“Little Star Farms!” Levi said. “I heard my Mommy talking about that. Captain Reagan shared the plans with her. It sounds pretty cool.”

“I heard my Daddy and the captain talking about it, too,” Ella said. “A whole farm for Littles? That sounds amazing. He said there’s going to be a petting zoo, and hayrides, and all that fun stuff. Daddy said he’ll take me, too.”

Daisy grew excited, thinking about the possibility of living on the farm with Wyatt. Is that what would happen, though? Was it too soon to talk about moving in together?

She suddenly wanted to have Wyatt’s attention.

She could see him from the ball pit as he talked with a group of Bigs that included two Daddies and a Mommy. She funneled her hands around her mouth and yelled, “Hey, Daddy! Watch this!”

She didn’t wait to see if he heard her before jumping out of the ball pit and hurrying toward the stairs that led to the platform. She was nearly to them when she heard Evan say, “You called?”

She turned to face him. He was wearing a cocky grin. Something looked wolfish in his eyes, as if he was aiming a predatory gaze right at her, zeroing in on his prey.

Or was he just a Daddy wanting a Little so badly that he was coming off a bit strong? Did he mistake his obnoxiousness for charm?

Again, Daisy had to concede that he hadn’t outright done anything bad. It was just a feeling she had.

And a look in his eyes.

“I was, uh, calling my Daddy,” she said.

“You’ve found a Daddy?”

That’s none of your business, she thought. Nothing about me is any of your business. She didn’t want to be rude, however, so she didn’t give voice to that sentiment.

Evidently, she didn’t answer fast enough for him, because he didn’t wait any longer, saying, “That was fast.”

Fast or slow isn’t any of your concern, she thought. Again, she didn’t voice it. She didn’t owe him an explanation and she was just ready for the encounter to be over.

“Excuse me,” she said, stepping away.

He cut over and blocked her path.

“Hey,” she said.

He was still grinning. “I just want you to know that when it doesn’t work out with this guy I’ll be here. Waiting.”

Now she didn’t care about being polite. “That’s a horrible thing to say.”

He spread his hands. “I don’t mean any offense. But when I see what I want, I go for it. Hard. And I want you to know that I’ll be around, waiting.”

“Well, offense taken,” she said.

“I’ve seen this before. Littles and Bigs are so eager to find each other that they latch onto the first one they come across,” he said. “But it often doesn’t last very long.”

She thought of telling him that the statement was ironic.

Wasn’t that what he’d done? He saw her, came on strong, and hadn’t let up since. Talk about moving fast.

She couldn’t find her voice, though. No matter how hard she tried, she was too nervous to stand up to him. She cleared her throat and tried to loosen her tongue from the roof of her mouth. But it still seemed glued there. Fear came washing over her. This wasn’t like back in that bar’s parking lot in Georgia, she reminded herself. She was on a crowded ocean liner. There were plenty of people around. In fact, she spotted her new friends, scrambling out of the ball pit. They kept their eyes on her, letting her know they were coming as backup.

But they wouldn’t be needed.

Daisy felt Wyatt’s presence behind her before she actually heard him. She also saw the fear in Evan’s eyes. He recovered quickly, but it was obvious that he was uneasy with the strapping farmer’s arrival onto the scene.

“Is there a problem here?” Wyatt asked.

“Ah, you must be Daddy ,” Evan said.

To his credit, he wasn’t pissing himself in fright. His voice hadn’t trembled, either.

But he was clearly guarded.

Daisy turned so that she could see Daddy and Evan. Talk about a contrast!

Evan was sleek and tone, with soft, manicured hands and a somewhat snooty air.

Wyatt, on the other hand, didn’t look like a bodybuilder, but he was rippling with muscle born of manual labor. The tan he wore came from hard work in the sun, unlike Evan’s—which had come from a tanning salon membership.

The contrasts didn’t end there.

Wyatt’s hands were far from manicured. Those farm chores had produced callouses—along with thick, bulging wrists and forearms.

Daisy didn’t know anything about Evan’s world, but she knew Wyatt wouldn’t be at home there.

And Evan sure couldn’t hack it in Wyatt’s world. He wouldn’t survive a week.

Wyatt ignored Evan’s statement and said, “Is everything okay?” He was talking to Daisy.

“Everything’s fine. I was just telling Evan that I’m with you and…I want him to leave me alone.”

Wyatt looked proud of his baby girl. When he faced Evan, his approving smile had faded. Now he was all business. “You heard the lady.”

“There’s no need to get testy here,” Evan said.

“Testy?” Wyatt said.

Evan held up his hands in surrender. “I’m just saying, your little girl is beautiful. She’d turn any Daddy’s head. Congratulations. She’s something special.”

“I agree with you on that,” Wyatt said. “Have a good day.”

“Evan,” Evan said, offering his name.

“Didn’t ask,” Wyatt said. “Have a good day,” he repeated.

Evan nodded and then walked away. Once he was gone, Daisy threw her arms around Wyatt and said, “Thank you, Daddy! Remember when you told me to trust my gut?”

“I sure do,” he said.

“Well, I did it. That guy kinda gives me the creeps.”

“And he’s the reason Captain Reagan asked me to watch over you,” Wyatt pointed out.

“Yep.”

“Well, he’s bothered you for the last time. I’m here now. You’re safe, baby doll.” He smiled. “Now, why were you calling me over here?”

“To show you how far I can swing out over the ball pit.” She giggled.

“That I have to see!” he said, giving her a kiss and patting her bottom. “But be careful on those stairs. No running. Understand?”

“Yes, Daddy,” she said.

She scampered up to the platform. Levi and Ella cheered her on as she took the nylon rope back over the pit and fell into the bright balls. Daddy clapped, too.

His little sweetie was sure adorable.

He helped her from the pit and said, “You swung far! Was it fun?”

“It was a blast!”

“Well, maybe you can do it again in a little while. Right now, though, you’re due a diaper check. Come here, sweetie.”

It was a common sight on the Little Star, but it didn’t make it any less embarrassing as Daddy pulled the back of her nappy away and peered down to inspect her bottom. He then grabbed the swath of cotton and plastic between her legs and found that it was squishy.

“You’re a clean baby girl but a wet one. Come on, cutie. To the changing station you go,” he said, picking her up.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder, soaking in the embrace as he carried her across the deck.

“Bye, Levi! Bye, Ella! I’ll play later,” she called over Daddy’s shoulder.

Her friends waved back, telling her they couldn’t wait to see her again.

Life was amazing on the Little Star, Daisy thought.

And amazing with Daddy.