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Eddie digests that, like he’s really pondering whether that’s an acceptable level. “All right. Let me grab her bag from my vehicle and⁠—”

“Perfect.” I tilt my head toward my back door. “Come on in when you’ve got it, I’m going to jump in the shower and—” I wave my free hand in a circle over my head because all of this needs to be addressed. “Help yourself to the coffee. I’ll be super quick.”

Bouncing up the steps and through the back door, I take a brief look around. My little house isn’t too shabby. It’s clean, could definitely use a quick tidying, but I need to get myself in order first. I take the quickest shower in the history of mankind—that’s likely an exaggeration, but for me, it’s ridiculously speedy—and throw on shorts and another tank top, this time with a bra. I don’t need feral boobs if I’m running around after a toddler. I aim my hair dryer at my head and hit the button. It doesn’t take long to get my dark, wavy tresses mostly dry, and I allow myself the luxury of swiping a quick coat of mascara on my lashes.

Good enough.

Almost.

I swipe some tinted matte balm on my lips giving them the barest hint of color.

Now to go face my biggest want and my greatest fear.

Chapter 6

Disasters

EDDIE

What the fuck did I get myself into?

Jess’s house is not at all what I expected. It’s organized with a chaotic kind of charm; clean, but not necessarily tidy. Like she was overly committed to putting everything in its perfect place, and while on that journey, things just went awry.

I set Evie’s bag on the dark gray stone countertop and adjust her tush on my forearm. She’s growing so quickly—too quickly for my liking. I wish I could keep her little and safe forever, simultaneously wishing she was already grown and far, far away from this town. It’s a conundrum.

As is my whole fucking life lately.

I unzip the bag, one-handed, and pull the lunch Chantal prepared this morning before she fled the apartment in tears. Something about a text and a boyfriend and the hateful sac à merde that he is.

Not the way I thought my day would start.

When I open the fridge, it’s surprisingly neat. As if the chaos actually submitted to order in the confined space. I tuck the bright red container into an open spot on the top shelf and shut the door.

Evie squirms in my arms. I can fight it and try to contain her, or I can give in and watch her explore the environment she’ll spend her day in.

I set her down and watch as she takes in the strange place. In a stroke of parental genius, I crouch down behind her and look at the room through her eyes, or at least from her level. There’s not much that concerns me. Nothing scary, nothing sharp. Nothing that has me fearing for my child’s safety and running away as fast as I can with her tucked under my arm, her lunch be damned.

Evie roams around the room checking in with me periodically or when she finds something of particular interest. Like the small square throw pillow tucked into the floral chair.

I don’t blame her for liking it. The white bunny in the center of the square has a soft, fluffy tail. But Evie’s wide eyes and chubby fingers go straight to the tiny little ladybug embroidered on the bunny’s nose.

She turns to me, her eyes bright, and says, “’Cinn-ay?”

My lips tug into a smile. “Coccinelle, sweet girl. Do you like the ladybug?”

Evie nods, her gaze darting to the hallway behind me. “’Cinn-ay. Bunny. ’Cinn-ay.”

I have no doubt that she’s talking to Jess, but the breathy little moan from over my shoulder has me thinking dirty thoughts. Literally… dirt. Garbage. Ash. Because my brain is pretty damn sure that’s what she’d sound like if I sucked on her clit.

This is so not the time to imagine that happening.

Evie clutches the pillow and takes off for Jess, repeating her baby babbles as she goes. The distraction is enough for me to do what I can to adjust my dick to a less obtrusive showing as I stand from my crouch.

As I rise, Jess drops to her knees. Not right in front of me, thank the Lord because that would be a problem.

“What’ve you got, baby girl?”

Evie repeats her observations in her cherubic way, pointing to each animal in turn, and Jess stays fully engaged.