HUNTER
Iopenedthefront door, and Cosmo ducked under my arms and dashed into the house, his arms laden with shopping bags. It’d been a long time since I’d done the kind of shopping we had today. Everything he’d seen, he’d wanted. Thank god most of the stores had run sales. Shopping with Cosmo was like trying to keep a child on a leash after walking into the candy store. I’d shown him where the men’s department was twice, but both times he’d wandered to the women’s department. So I’d just sat and left him alone to pick out whatever he wanted. When his arms were overflowing with dresses, skirts, silky blouses, and sheer tops, I’d just handed over my credit card at the cash register.
“No running in the house.”
“Sorry, Daddy.”
He might as well have continued running at the pace with which he marched up the stairs. I shook my head and brought the rest of his bags. He’d left his door open, and I walked right in, then stopped. Cosmo was wearing only his briefs. His clothes were in a heap on the floor.
“What are you doing?” I dumped his clothes on the bed and tried to avert my eyes, but he was so lovely to look at. His eyes flashed with happiness, and his cheeks were all rosy.His excitement was magnetic.
“Trying on the pretty clothes you bought me, Daddy. We’ve been out all day, and now I want to play.”
“Play?”
“Yes, playtime. Will you play with me?”
“Sure. When you’re dressed, just come on down.” He hooked his fingers into the waistband of his briefs, and I backed out of the room before I saw anything I wasn’t supposed to. Again. I pulled the door shut behind me and returned to the SUV for the rest of the things I’d bought—mostly food. The dietitian had helped me to handle Cosmo’s food issues. Overeating was a big no. Technically he could eat anything he hadn’t tried before, but moderation was best for now. She’d explained that, in Cosmo’s case, food was linked to a behavior pattern, so I had to be careful with what I gave him.
I packed away the groceries. Apart from fresh fruits and vegetables—even a little meat—I’d bought some baby food. Cosmo had explained he was used to eating that when he was in little space. He was so peculiar that it was hard to think he wasn’t in little space all the time. His whole mannerism emulated little behavior, but I figured he’d been in little space most of the time, so it was ingrained in his interactions at this point.
Next, I prepared a plate with a portion of grapes, apple slices, and strawberries for when he came down to play. I was just finished when my phone rang. Knight’s name flashed up on the screen.
“Neely,” I answered. “What’s up?”
“Just checking on how things are going. We brought in another man from the list the boy provided.”
“Cosmo.”
“I know his name.”
“Then would it kill you to use it?”
“Everything is okay, then?”
“Yeah. I took him to see a dietitian and to get some clothes. He seems happy and settled.”
“Just making himself right at home, isn’t he?”
I sighed. “If you had a problem with this, Knight, why did you agree to it?”
“It wasn’t my place to agree or disagree. I just follow my orders.”
“As I am.”
“That remains to be seen. Just be careful and call me if you need anything.”
I ended the call and stared off into space. God knew why Knight had a thing for me. I supposed it should flatter me, and in a way, I was, but it was disconcerting too.
Soft footsteps alerted me I was no longer alone.
“Daddy, I’m ready to play.”
I forgot how to breathe. If I’d thought Cosmo was beautiful before, he was stunning now. He looked like a pageant princess dressed in a beautiful purple gown with long gloves and heels. When had we bought a tiara? And a wand? The makeup I’d known about and had thought little of, but seeing his face artfully made up, his long lashes coated with mascara, the eyeshadow above his beautiful blue eyes, and the blush that kissed his cheeks, I was at a loss for words.
“Daddy, can we play now?”
I swallowed. “That’s how you’re going to play?”