Lord, she was tired. Her back hurt from the weird angle she must have twisted herself into to put her head down on the table.
She looked up and met Caleb’s gaze. He had a small smile on his face. “Look.” He pointed at the box.
The little sick kitten was up on his feet and cautiously checking out the other kittens in the box. They all sniffed each other.
“He’s okay!” she said, jumping up. She hopped around the table. “He’s okay!” Then she threw her arms around Caleb.
She hadn’t meant to. The joy of watching that little kitten standing and beginning to engage with his brothers and sisters had overwhelmed her, and she’d just reacted. But now that she had her arms around Caleb and she could feel just how strong and solid he was, well… It was hard to let go.
Was she really so hard up that rubbing the surprisingly well-muscled arms of a man who clearly disliked her seemed like a good idea?
She kept a hand on Caleb’s bicep but glanced back down at the kittens. The little one waved his little tail as he investigated the other kittens. Caleb’s arm came around her.
“I can’t believe I fell asleep.”
“Itisthree in the morning.”
Caleb was warm and he smelled good. Slightly medicinal, like the medical-grade antibacterial soap near the sink, but he must have used some kind of piney cologne or aftershave, too. Caleb was handsome in an effortless way, like he rolled out of bed like this every day. Pretty with smooth skin, albeit prickly. But now he wasn’t being condescending or mean; he was staring at her like he might like to eat her for breakfast.
Or she was reading too much into it. But what else could that look mean?
She shifted her weight and turned to face him. He gazed down at her, a smile playing on his lips. He was tall and… Well, he had nice shoulders and a trim figure, and he was pretty foxy. Her first impression of him had been that he was the kind of guy she might like to get to know in a naked way, after all.
“I’m glad he made it,” Caleb said.
“Yeah.” Lauren met his gaze and stared at his eyes, which were grayish-blue and intense. His light brown hair was tousled in a very 3:00 a.m. kind of way, like he’d been up for many hours consecutively and was too tired to care what he looked like. Lauren put her hands on his shoulders to steady herself, because just looking at him made her feel warm and tingly. And being this close, touching him, smelling him, well, the tingles were in very specific places. “I’m so happy.”
“Me, too. I honestly didn’t think he’d make it through the night.”
She leaned a little closer feeling his breath on her face. “I’m just…ah… I’m so relieved,” she said softly.
“Mmm. Me, too.”
“We’re, ah, not fighting with each other.”
“Nope.”
Then Caleb swooped down and kissed her.
Warmth spread through Lauren’s chest. She put her hands around Caleb’s neck, trying to hold on because she knew this was fleeting, some bit of temporary insanity, but she was enjoying it a great deal.
He pulled back slightly. “We’re kissing.”
“I’m fine with it. Good, even.”
He smiled. “Well, all right then.”
He kissed her again, but this time, he hoisted her up on the counter, right next to the box of kittens. The stainless steel was cold on the back of her legs, but it didn’t bother her much. She wrapped her legs around his hips and he pressed forward. She could feel him hard against her; it thrilled her that he was just as turned on as she was.
He brought his hands to her face, sliding his tongue into her mouth. She tangled her tongue with his in return. She put her arms around his strong shoulders and held him there.
The kittens were fine and Caleb was kissing her like the world was ending. What a crazy night!
But…
She pulled away. “I don’t think I can do this in front of the kittens.”
He chuckled and rested his forehead against hers. “Fair.”
