Which included giving her a spectacular orgasm each night. Yum.
He’d also taken over or was helping her with a number of the jobs left for the wedding. In just over one week she’d be Mrs. Bear Macall. She giggled to herself.
Humming, she walked over to where he usually left her a note. She was totally getting into this Christmas advent thing. The first day, Bear had given her a task. Which was to be naked and lying on the bed, legs spread wide, when he came home for lunch. That had been awesome. It had also felt a little naughty. The second day had been a gift. Some pink, sparkly hair ties.
She opened the note for today.
Good morning, baby girl.
Daddy’s task for you today is to create him a big Christmas-themed picture. I’ve put all your coloring pencils and crafting material on the coffee table for you. You’re not to do anything else this morning, except create this picture.
Just a few days ago this would have caused her anxiety. Not because she didn’t love creating pictures. That was pretty much her favorite thing to do, other than hang out with Daddy, but because she didn’t have the time to spend all morning on such frivolous things. But now that Bear was helping her with the final jobs that needed doing, she had more free time.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d spent all morning just playing. Which Bear had probably noticed and was why he’d given her this job. Not wasting any time, she made herself a piece of toast and then she got creating.
For the first time since Ellie had moved in with him, Bear felt reluctant to go home. Because the time had come to tell her about her parents. And he knew that was going to cause her pain.
He just hoped he’d given her a carefree morning with the task he’d left.
Feeling the burden of what he knew, Bear walked slowly up the stairs and opened the door. He saw her kneeling by the coffee table. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun on her head, a few curls having escaped and fallen down her back. She was kneeling on one of the large cushions he’d gotten her for just this reason.
And her tongue was poking out as she concentrated on carefully tipping some glitter out onto the large piece of paper spread out on the coffee table.
“Hi, baby girl.”
“Hi, Daddy,” she said distractedly. He didn’t take offense. Her glasses were perched on the end of her nose, almost in danger of falling right off and into the pile of glitter and glue. He dragged off his jacket and boots, leaving them by the door. Then he walked towards her and crouching down, reached out to grab her chin, turning her face towards him.
“Daddy! I’m busy creatin’,” she complained.
“Too busy to greet your daddy properly?” he said in a low voice.
Her eyes widened then she gave him a smile. “Of course not! Hello, Daddy!”
He leaned forward and lightly kissed her lips. “Hello, my baby. Had a good morning, then?”
“The best!” She bounced up and down on her knees. “Look at my picture.”
He looked at it. And he had absolutely no idea what he was looking at. This wasn’t unusual. Ellie loved to draw and create things. But mostly, he had didn’t have a clue what she’d created.
“It’s amazing, baby girl.”
“What is it?” she asked him.
Crap. She was gonna play this game. “A snowman.”
“Daddy! It’s Santa!” She glared up at him before worry filled her face. “Daddy? What’s wrong?”
He hated to pull her out of her happy place. But he had to tell her and it had been weighing on him, keeping this from her.
He sat on the sofa and patted his knee. “Come sit with Daddy, baby girl.”
She immediately came to him and he lifted her, settling her on his knee. He looked down at her hands which were covered in glitter and pen marks with amusement. “Looks like someone needs a bath to get rid of all that glitter.”
“I love glitter.” She sighed, gave him a worried look. “What is it?”
“Baby, there’s something I need to tell you. About your parents.”
She stiffened. “What about them?”