Page 51 of Learn Your Lesson

Like it turned her all the way on.

Andfuckif my cock didn’t jump with the desire to grant her wish.

But what was left of my common sense forced me to close my eyes, and I let out a hot breath through my nose before releasing her hands.

I didn’t dare look at her again. Maybe because I didn’t want to see disappointment.

Maybe because if Idid, I’d cave.

“I’ve got Nacho!”

Ava’s voice made both of us jump, and Chloe snagged the tabby cat from the back of the couch before all but running away from me toward her pool house. She didn’t chance a glance over her shoulder.

When she was gone, I cursed, and Chef Patel peeked around the corner with a smirk.

“Don’t,” I clipped, standing and angrily flicking cat hair off my clothes.

Arushi raised her brows and sucked her cheeks in like she didn’t know what I was talking about, dipping back into the kitchen without a word.

Once the cats were wrangled and hands were washed, we all sat down for what I was sure would be the most awkward dinner of my life. Fortunately, Chef Patel agreed to join us at my request, and she carried the conversation with Chloe, allowing me to brood and eat my vegetables in silence.

Just before dessert, I noticed Ava and Chloe sharing some sort of look, and Chloe winked at her, encouraging her with a quiet, “go on” that I was fairly certain I wasn’t supposed to hear.

My daughter took a deep breath, and then she stood, the legs of her chair scraping against the floor when she did. She held her chin high, looking directly at me in a way that made me feel like I was about to get a lecture.

“Daddy, there’s a school thing on Friday. It’s called Donuts with Dad. And I…”

She looked nervously from me to Chloe, who just smiled and nodded.

“I was wondering if maybe you’d come,” Ava continued. “To my school. To the thing.” I opened my mouth to answer, but before I could, my daughter hastily added, “You don’t have to. If you don’t want to, it’s okay. It’s probably dumb, anyway.”

When she looked to Chloe, her teacher gave her a look that warned she should be honest.

“But I want you to come,” Ava added sheepishly, and she sat back down, forking her first bite of the little tart Chef Patel had just sat in front of her. “If you want.”

I smirked at her, and then there was a clearing of throats.

Chef stood behind Chloe’s chair, and both of them had a whole conversation with me without opening their mouths.

Arushi’s eyes were wide and threatening, and she held my dessert in her hand like the way I responded would determine if I got it or not.

Chloe, on the other hand, was nodding and smiling and holding up two thumbs, as if she needed my reaction to not just be a simple yes, but aresoundingyes, like I’d never been invited to anything so great in my life.

They clearly didn’t know me if they thought I’d say no.

But I guess theydidknow me well enough to know I hadn’t planned to make any fanfare about it.

I rolled my eyes, dabbing my mouth with my linen napkin before I set it aside and reached for my daughter’s hand over the table. I waited for her to look at me, and then I forced a smile that felt so awkward I didn’t know if I looked happy or scary.

“I would be absolutelyhonoredto attend,” I said, squeezing her hand. “Maybe you could wear your hockey gear that Chloe made you, and I’ll wear mine to match. And I’ll bring the best donuts. We’ll make everyone jealous.”

“You’ll really come?” Ava asked, her eyes lighting up.

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

My daughter bit her lip on a smile that was coming more easily nowadays, and then she looked across the table at Chloe, who gave her those two big thumbs up that had been directed at me.

Ava shoved her chair back again, and I prepared myself for a tackle hug.