Oneshots - Kayce Dutton Book 2

Another Happy Halloween

Request – Could you do one where Kayce and the reader take their kid trick or treating for the first time?

"You can wipe that look of your face anytime now," You mentioned to Kayce without looking at him.

You had to bite your lip to keep you from laughing as he glared over at you while he drove into town. It was a cooler Halloween night and you wanted to do your daughter justice by taking her trick or treating. That was hard to do on the ranch. The only place you could "take" her would be the bunkhouse and the foreman's cabin. Now that your daughter was four, she knew was dressing up was and even more...knew what Trick or Treating was.

"Daddy, are you in trouble?" Your daughter asked from the backseat.

"I'm always in trouble," Kayce smiled, looking at her in the rearview mirror.

"Momma...can you not be mean to Daddy for tonight?" Your daughter looked at you. "It's Halloween."

"Whose side are you on?" You looked back at her shocked. "Who got Daddy to drive us down to the square so you could go trick or treating?"

"But now he's grumpy," She giggled.

"He's always grumpy," You laughed, looking at Kayce who still had a smile on his lips. "But we still love him."

"Soooo much!" Your daughter nodded in her car seat.

You reached over and rubbed Kayce's arm as he pulled into a parking spot near the town square. The businesses and shops around the square all came together and created a family-friendly, carnival. There were food stands in the middle, and each location had candy to hand out. You got out, shutting the door and walking to the front of the truck while Kayce picked up your daughter from the backseat. He held her as he walked up to where you were.

Your daughter had decided she wanted to be her Daddy for Halloween. While initially, you were a bit irritated, after you saw her earlier, all of that disappeared from your mind. She had on her black cowboy boots, jeans, a Yellowstone Ranch button-down (that almost swallowed her) and one of Kayce's cowboy hats on. She was precious and you were even more in love with her and Kayce. If that was even possible.

"There's a lot of people here," Kayce said as his eyes glanced around.

"Easy, cowboy," You rubbed his back as you caught a whiff of the popcorn over on one of the corners.

"Momma!" Your daughter looked down at you. "I'm the cowboy!"

"Sorry, baby," You smiled at her. "I forgot, you're our little cowboy tonight."

Kayce rolled his eyes but walked over to the first business, setting your daughter down. You handed her the small orange pumpkin bucket and stood with Kayce as you watched her get in line with the other kids. When she got to the front door, there was a man in a bear costume with a large tub of candy.

"Trick or Treat!" Your daughter yelled.

"Well, we certainly don't have to worry about her being shy," Kayce mumbled to you.

"Aren't you a cute little cowgirl," The man said, handing your daughter some candy.

"Cowboy!" Your daughter huffed. "I'm a cowboy like my Daddy!"

The man glanced up at you and Kayce.

"Hey Kayce," He nodded.

"Hi Mr. Ace," Kayce nodded.

Your daughter walked back over to you.

"What do you say?" You asked her, raising your eyebrow.

Your daughter turned back around and looked up at Mr. Ace.

"Thank you!" She smiled.

"Happy Halloween," Mr. Ace laughed and looked over to the next kid.

This went on for about an hour. You and Kayce walked along with your daughter as she went from door to door along with the other kids. You saw a few of the other moms from the valley you recognized and waved. Next year, your daughter would start school full time, so you figured you needed to play nice because they already looked at you differently for being a Dutton, married to the Livestock Commissioner, and God only knows with what else from being John's daughter-in-law.

Kayce wrapped his arm around your waist as you watched your daughter stand in line for the last door. He had done surprisingly well, seeing as how he threw a temper fit when you told him y'all were doing this. You leaned up on your toes and kissed his cheek.

"What's that for?" Kayce smiled down at you.

"For taking us here," You smiled. "For being a good Daddy."

"You make it easy, baby," Kayce pulled you tighter against his side. "And it's been fun to watch her."

"Told you," You leaned your head against his shoulder. "We can do this every year until she doesn't want to hang with us and go out with her friends."

"Then she won't be allowed out," Kayce mumbled, but you could hear an edge to his tone.

"You're so full of it," You laughed.

"I know," Kayce smirked.

"Momma, look!" Your daughter ran back over with a caramel apple in her hand. "It's so big!"

"Wow!" You leaned down to her level. "Did you say thank you for such a cool treat?"

"I did," She nodded. "It was Daddy's friend...Mr. Johnson, even though he's dressed like a pirate."

"Johnston, darlin'," Kayce scooped her up in his arms and held her on his hip. "But good memory."

"Y'all ready to get home?" You asked. "It's pretty late for one of us."

"It ain't late, Momma!" Your daughter shook her head. "Not for us cowboys, right Daddy?"

"You've created a monster," You rolled your eyes at Kayce.

Kayce drove you all back to the ranch and even took over bedtime duties for the night. You sat back in one of the lounge chairs in the living room, a fire roaring beside you and smiled. Kayce came down a little bit later, you nodded to a whiskey you had poured him. He picked it up before coming to sit behind you so you could lean back against him. One of his arms wrapped around your waist as you felt is heartbeat against your cheek when you turned to look up at him.

"How's our little wrangler?" You asked him.

"Passed out still in my shirt," Kayce chuckled. "Didn't have the heart to wake her up."

"That girl idolizes you," You shook your head but smiled.

"It'll change one day," Kayce sighed, taking a sip of his whiskey.

"Soak it in now," You nodded. "Though...you're the best."

"We make a good team," Kayce squeezed you against him.

"Here," You reached over behind the side of the lounge and pulled out a Butterfinger bar your daughter had collected.

It was Kayce's favorite, so you snagged him a couple while you pulled a few skittle bags for yourself.

"I love you," Kayce kissed your temple as he took the little bar.

"Happy Halloween," You giggled.

"Mmhmm," Kayce nodded, chewing the candy.