"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked cautiously.

His head slowly cocked to the side as he looked me over. "Come here." There was no room for discussion, it was a command.

I took a deep inhale and walked around the counter towards him. When I stopped just a foot shy of him, he looked down at me and tutted.

"Come here, little one," he said softly and it melted something in me.

As quickly as I could, I threw myself at him and ...