stabilize her as they walked from the car, now parked at Shelby’s house. As they rounded the hood, Kenzie felt her face heat. Not wishing to meet the other Littles wearing a revealing blush, she fanned her face trying to cool off.
“No one will judge you here, Baby girl.” Osiris squeezed her close for a few steps as they threaded their way through the parked vehicles.
“All these people live here?” she asked.
“Yes, there are more people every month. Shelby’s Daddy, Jeremy, started building the first house here. When Beau joined them, they made some alterations to the house to care best for Shelby,” Osiris explained. “I like this big deck.” A mongrel rushed down the stairs to join them with a joyous bark.
“Look, they’re here!” A slight brunette jumped up from her seat on the deck to rush forward.
“Don’t mob her, Lindy,” an authoritarian voice directed.
“I won’t, Daddy,” she promised in return before signaling all the others with an energetic wave of her hand.
They were too friendly to be a mob, but it was a bit intimidating to have everyone rushing toward her. Kenzie looked at Osiris, and he immediately lifted her into his arms, straddling his hip.
“Whoa, Little girls and boys. How about lining up to tell Kenzie your name?” Osiris suggested. After much discussion, the crew assembled themselves into something approximating a line or a crooked squash that curved so everyone could see.
“Hi! I’m Shelby! You’re going to stay with us tonight. I’m so glad to meet you!” She rushed forward to press her head against Kenzie’s arm in a facsimile of a hug.
Kenzie liked her immediately. “I’m okay, Daddy. You can put me down.”
She wasn’t going to get far from Osiris. Braced against his hard stomach, she smiled at the next person who rushed forward to greet her.
“I’m Lindy. That’s my Daddy.” She pointed at a man slightly smaller than Osiris.
Kenzie could tell he was older by the grey at his temples. His expression was stern, but his gaze revealed a soft side as he watched his Little girl. Looking back at Lindy, she whispered, “Is he a fireman, too?”
“Close. Daddy is a retired police officer.”
“My Daddy was a soldier. Hi! I’m Priscilla” a young woman called from her spot, waiting in line.
Lindy waved her forward before whispering, “We’re glad you’re here.”
“Hi, Priscilla,” Kenzie greeted the slender brunette with the most beautiful blue eyes.
“Hi! I talked to Samantha this morning. She told me how nice you were. They’re coming later.” Priscilla looked up at Osiris and then stepped forward to whisper loudly into Kenzie’s ear, “She’s going to smuggle us some chocolate.”
Kenzie looked over her shoulder at her Daddy. There was no way he hadn’t heard that. He appeared to struggle to keep a straight face. “I’m sure Samantha will share two pieces of candy with each of you. Anything else will go to your Daddies to give you later.”
Priscilla and Kenzie looked at each other. Priscilla broke their silent communication. “I need to learn to whisper. Maybe you can help me?” she asked with a wink that made Kenzie laugh.
“You bet,” she whispered back.
The next Little shyly offered Kenzie a small bouquet of fragrant flowers. “Hi! I hope you like flowers. These yellow roses signify friendship—and they smell so good. Welcome to SANCTUM, Kenzie. I’m Poppy.”
The dark-eyed woman next in line asked, “Do you like to ride horses?”
“I’ve never ridden one,” Kenzie confessed. “Is it hard?”
“I don’t know either. Nicky’s going to teach me next week.” She turned to pull a slender man in amazing condition forward. “I’m Rita, and this is Nicky. He’s a famous rodeo star.”
“I’m not that well-known,” Nicky said as the tips of his ears turned red with embarrassment.
“He’s that famous. He’s amazing. You could come to the lessons, too,” she suggested.
“I’ll check with my Daddy first,” Kenzie said carefully.
“We’ll talk about it,” Osiris echoed the plan.
“Are there only two Little boys?” Kenzie asked curiously after noting that only two more Littles stood in line. One was also male.
“No, Hunter comes to visit also. His Daddy still works in a nearby town, and Hunter owns a tattoo parlor. His skills are incredible,” Nicky shared. “And this is Ace and Ali. They have the same Daddy.”
They were the last in line. Kenzie relaxed against her Daddy’s hard frame. “Hi! Are you brother and sister?” she cautiously asked. They didn’t look alike, but they had that air of having known each other for a very long time.
“We kind of are now, but we grew