Page 49 of Learn Your Lesson

Because my daughter, the one who was unfortunate enough to have a grumpy brute for a dad, waslaughing.

“I’m so sorry,” Chloe finally said, and I realized then that she was wiping tears from her eyes. “They shouldn’t be in here. I promised I’d keep them under control and I… I’m sorry.”

She made her way over to me, bending to grab the white one first, who let her scoop the thing into her arms.

Its blue eyes sparkled at me, and I swore it smiled in victory.

“It’s my fault,” Ava finally said once she was able to control herself. “I left the door open.”

I let out a heavy sigh, but forced as much of a smile as I could. “It’s fine, Pumpkin.”

“I think they like you.”

I arched a brow. “Mm, lucky me.”

Another fizzle of laughter seeped out of her, and when I slid my gaze to Chloe, I saw her eyes well again. She glanced at me, her cheeks turning pink when our gaze met, and just like Arushi, she didn’t have to say a word for me to understand those tears weren’t from laughing too hard.

It was another part of her mission.

She’d made Ava smile, and now, her stupid cats had made Ava laugh.

The corner of my lips tilted up.

I couldn’t even pretend to be mad now.

“Why don’t you help Miss Chloe get them back home,” Chef suggested to Ava. “Dinner’s almost ready.” She disappeared into the kitchen then, but not without watching me a little too closely, a smirk on her lips like she was hiding a secret.

“I can take Coconut,” Ava offered, reaching up her hands for the white cat.

Chloe blinked out of her daze and smiled, handing off the fluff ball. “Make sure you shut the door behind you, okay?”

Ava nodded and walked carefully toward the back door.

When she was gone, Chloe turned her wide, glossy gaze back to me. “Did you hear that?”

“I did.”

“Shelaughed.”

“She did.”

“It was so sweet,” shewhispered. “It was…”

I couldn’t respond, but I nodded, my throat tight with emotion.

Chloe covered her mouth, shaking her head for a moment before sucking in a long, deep breath. Then, she turned to assess my situation.

“I really am sorry,” she said. “I will make sure this never happens again.”

She reached for the cat in my lap.

Which should have been fine,wouldhave been fine — if in the process of scooping the orange terrorist up, her hands didn’t slide right over my fucking cock.

But they did.

I sucked in a breath I couldn’t let go of at the first graze of her warm hand, the thin pajama bottoms I wore doing absolutely nothing to shield me from the touch.

Then, the cat wriggled out of her grasp, doubling down on the fact that it wasnotready to leave my lap.