Page 73 of For The Weekend
Neither one of them consulting me.
Because they’re already teaming up, and I apparently no longer rule the house. If I ever did.
Kicking off my shoes, I watch as Mazie tosses her fairy wings to the floor before jumping onto the couch. She waves at Eloise to follow her. “Come on! Come on!”
But Eloise hesitates for a moment, meeting my gaze. “I’m actually really hot in this. Would you mind…” She lifts her paws, waving them back and forth. “I can’t unzip with these.”
She doesn’t wait for my answer and turns her back to me. I unzip it, feeling exactly how hot she must have been when the material splits down her back, giving her room to step out of it with a burst of humidity. With Mazie busy mashing buttons on the television remote, I take the opportunity to brush my knuckles across the nape of Eloise’s neck. Her skin’s warm and slightly clammy, and I rake my hand down her spine when she bends to step out of the giant onesie.
Once she stands up, she faces me again, hands in her hair, tying it up in a knot on the top of her head, offering me time to blatantly check her out in her thin T-shirt and tight workout shorts. I imagine bringing her to the gym with me, her ass as she squats, her tits jiggling as she runs on the treadmill.
She said she used to be an athlete, and she has an air about her that makes me think she’d give me a run for my money. She’d no doubt want to have some kind of competition.
I’d let her kick my ass, so I could give her the reward and lay her down on the floor and lick up her sweet pussy until?—
“Spookely! Fuck yeah.”
“No.” I lunge at Mazie and steal the remote from her. “Absolutely not. And watch your mouth.”
“Daddy!”
“No.” Ignoring Eloise’s giggles behind me, I point the remote at the TV to stop the goddamn show about the square pumpkin and find something else. Something better. I settle onThe Addams Familyand place the remote on the shelf that Mazie can’t reach, and she whines for a minute. Until I toss her a candy from her stockpile. Then she doesn’t care about what’s on the screen anymore, only how fast she can rip into her haul.
“Have a seat,” I tell Eloise, then head into the kitchen to pour both of us water and pop a bowl of popcorn. It can’t be said I’m not a semi-decent host.
“Ooh, thank you,” Eloise says, accepting the popcorn from me, and I settle on the other side of Mazie, so she’s between us. I stay quiet, enjoying the chatter between my two girls, talking about their favorite candy, sorting it into the good and bad piles. Obviously, they give the “bad” candy to me.
And it hits me while I’m on the third Tootsie Roll how domesticated this whole scene is. How peaceful and nice it is. How this is what I’ve always wanted for Mazie.
And it’s a little too close to reality. A little too fucking scary to realize all it would take would be a few words.
I’m not sure I’m ready.
Distracted by my thoughts, I don’t register how much time passes until Eloise gently taps my arm, motioning to a sleeping Mazie, her head in Eloise’s lap.
My chest aches, and I can’t do anything but smooth my hand over my daughter’s hair. She doesn’t shift or flutter her eyes, conked out. Completely comfortable withEloise.
“I’ll be right back,” I whisper and carefully gather Mazie in my arms. I carry her to her room and tuck her into bed. Still, she doesn’t stir. I should feel guilty about not changing her into pajamas or all the sugar she’s had—I’ll probably pay for it later when she has four cavities—but I know what a dragon she can be when woken up. I press a kiss to her forehead then slip out, quietly closing the door on the way.
I find Eloise in the living room, slipping her shoes back on. She smiles when she sees me. “That was fun. Thanks for letting me tag along.”
I don’t want her to leave yet and move to stand in front of her, effectively blocking her way because I’m a greedy son of a bitch. I want all her attention. All her time. “You’re not in a rush to head home, are you? You can stick around if you want.”
She considers it for a moment, eyes slanting to the door, before meeting mine again and toeing her shoes back off. “Yeah, all right.”
She hops onto the couch, and I internally fist-pump like the fucking chump I am.
She’s staying. In my home. And at least for a little while, she’s all mine once again.
I sit right beside her, draping my arm along the back of the couch, but instead of curling into my side like I expect, she sits on her knees facing me. “So, I think this is when you finally tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
She tips her head to the side. “About Mazie’s mom.”
Chapter 21
Eloise
