Page 24 of Total Abandon

Zeke:You think so little of my ability to control my temper?

Chase:Who said anything about anger ;)

ZEKE

Having followed the sounds of my son’s excitement, I lean against the doorframe and silently watch as Chloe and Diego interact. He’s clinging to her like a limpet, and she’s wrapped her arms around him like it’s the most natural thing in the world. For the look in his eyes, she may as well have hung the moon. My fingers close a little tighter around my take-out coffee cup.

“Having fun?” Chloe’s eyes jerk my way like she’s been electrocuted. She pats Diego softly on the back to signal him to move and stands, smoothing down the front of her shirt. It’s only then I notice what she’s wearing. Worn acid wash Levi’s that hug her curves like a second skin and a white button-up that hangs loosely from her delicate shoulders, sleeves rolled. There isn’t a scrap of make-up on her face and half of her hair is pulled back into a claw clip. She looks relaxed and…breathtaking. Somehow younger than I’ve ever seen her. “You look…different.” I clear my throat when I see her quirked brow and realize my assessment hasn’t gone amiss.

She glances down, her brows slightly creased. “Oh, these are my home pants.”

“Home pants?” My lip twitches in amusement.

“Yeah, like pants you only wear at home.” She fidgets and smooths her hair back. Using one hand, she gestures between herdenim clad legs and the bedroom. “Home pants, meet new home.” I raise my brows, full on fighting laughter now as she laughs nervously. Diego grins up at her, his pudgy hand on her knee. “What, you don’t have home pants?” She shoots back.

“No Chloe, I don’t have home pants.” It only takes a beat and then I begrudgingly smile, letting out a pull of air and pressing my forefinger and thumb into my eyes briefly. This woman.

“What’s his name?” Diego asks, tugging on the fabric of her jeans. He looks back at the bed with a light frown.

“Erm…” Chloe’s eyes creep between us for a second before she swallows. “Mittens. He’s called Mittens.” She nods, shifting on her feet.

Diego turns and holds out a hand in the direction of what might just be an oversized street rat. “Come here, Mittens.” The cat, if you can call it that, doesn’t even blink the one milky eye he has remaining.

“Is that thing house-trained?” I grumble, eyeing the black tail swishing back and forth like a viper.

“Mittens!” Diego repeats loudly, leaning toward the cat with a frown on his face. Either this cat is deaf, which is a real possibility looking at the state of it, or that isn’t its name. “Are you sure?” Diego blinks back up at Chloe, who is looking decidedly…sheepish.

“Erm, well…” She glances over at me, and it looks like she’s silently pleading with me to save her.

I’ll do no such thing. “What’s the cat really called, Chloe?” I roll my eyes and take a sip of my coffee.

“Pussy Galore,” she says so quietly I almost don’t hear it.

The coffee hits the back of my throat just at the wrong time and I end up choking. “What the fuck?” I mutter under my breath as I cough into my fist.

“Pussy Galore?” Diego is too young to understand why this is a fucked-up name for a cat, but clearly, he thinks it’s odd. “Daddy, what does Galore mean?” His dark chocolate eyes pin on mine, full of innocence.

“Ah, it means lots of something.” I clear my throat, watching the cogs spin in his little head. He pauses thoughtfully and it feels like Chloe and I both wait with bated breath.

“Because he’s a pussy cat and there is lots of him?” he asks brightly, his gaze bouncing between us.

“Yeah buddy.” I clamp down on the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing.

“Somuch pussy,” Chloe deadpans, but her shoulders begin to shake silently, and she looks like she might lose it at any second.

“The biggest pussy I’ve ever seen.” I nod, and a small, strangled sound slips from her lips before she slaps a hand over her mouth.

Diego scoffs, looking at us both like we’re insane. “He’s notthatbig, Papi. The ones on the TV are bigger.”

“Yeah,Papi. Gosh, so silly of you.” Chloe gasps, not even trying to hold back now. And it’s infectious because now I’m laughing too.

“You two are silly,” Diego says, but he’s laughing even though he doesn’t understand why.

“Come on, mi chico angel, Maria is looking for you.” I jerk my head in the direction of the hallway and after a parting grin at Chloe, he obediently trots over. “Let me know if you need anything.” I can already hear Diego’s soft steps tracing cheerily down the hall.

“Like if I can’t find a big enough drawer for my collection of battery operated—”

“Chloe,” I warn, tightness streaking through my gut at the thought of her pleasuring herself just across the hall from my bedroom.