“I can show it to you now. Only my ass sticking out. Helpless for you.” Kaos made as if to stand up.
I squeezed him tighter in my embrace. “Stay here. Relax for a moment, you ball of endless energy.”
With a bratty sigh, he hung his head back, exposing his long throat, and a nicked spot under his chin.
“Did you shave this morning?”
He nodded. “I have every day. Well, my face. I do my balls and crack every other day.”
How methodical. “Do you like it that way?”
“Most of my lovers did, so I got used to it.” He shrugged. “No one likes a hairy twink.”
What? “I do. Don’t shave on my account. I love your fuzz.” I ran a hand up his thigh.
“You’re different.” He nuzzled my chest and placed a kiss on my nipple.
You too. You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met.“And you’re so comfortable around my tentacles that it’s hard to keep them away from you. They have a mind of their own, and they’re now craving your touch.”
“Good.” He offered me a tired grin.
“That’s new to me. It takes time for everyone to get used to them and all the weird stuff that comes with being a shifter with so many appendages.”
“Weird in a fun way.”
I scoffed. “Not what people normally say.”
Kaos propped himself up and looked into the distance with a serious expression.
“I’ve been called an abomination and a freak before.” Kaos’s voice was eerily calm and quiet. “One guy was unable to fuck me because he was disgusted by my tail. I was on my hands and knees when I looked behind me to see his limp dick and a grimace on his face. And once I was dating this nice girl who asked me to keep my hat on whenever we were out in public. At first, I thought nothing of it, but then she flinched when I lowered my hoodie as we were making out. She couldn’t stand my ears.” He swallowed, kneading my tentacle in his hands like a squishy toy. “I hoped she’d get over that, but she broke up with me a week later. Then I finally found a girl that I hoped liked all of me, but apparently my ex-boyfriend had something I didn’t. Or maybe he didn’t have something that I couldn’t cut off.”
“Don’t say that.” I held him tight as my heart shattered into a million pieces and fury rose in my gut. I’d experienced a similar rejection to what Kaos described, but Kaos didn’t deserve it. No one did. But especially not my lovely kitten.
He shrugged. “It’s true.”
“If it means anything, to me, you’re absolutely perfect.” I kissed the sharp line of his jaw.
“That’s everything I’ve ever wanted to hear,” he whispered, buried his face in my chest and fell quiet.
His breathing hitched from time to time, so I knew he wasn’t asleep, but I didn’t bother him. Only held him in my embrace. My kitten.
Chapter Twelve
Kaos
During the week we’d been stuck in the house, the padded egg chair had become my favorite place to curl up when Spiro was cooking and couldn’t hold me on his lap. At first, I’d sit on the counter and watch him cook, but some days he spent hours there and my ass hurt from the marble. Eventually, I asked him to haul the chair into the kitchen so I could continue to observe his masterful skills in action while making videos of his hands and tentacles creating insane culinary marvels.
Now, Spiro was wearing boxers, and a black apron that was dusted with flour and sugar. Should I ask him to forgo underwear altogether? Yup, definitely.
“I can’t believe you’re comfortable in that chair. All I can see is your tail wrapped around you and your head peeking out.”
I stuck my foot out and wiggled my toes clad in flamingo-patterned socks. “I like tight spaces.”
“You’re showing off your ability to turn yourself into a near-liquid state.” Spiro chuckled.
“Nah, I’m just that flexible.” I made kissy lips at him, loving the reaction that had on him.
His eyes glowed soft red for a moment before he blinked and regained composure.
