I was about to expire from cuteness. The same grump who’d refused to let me in when I’d first knocked on the door of the house he’d rented, had later stayed on the floor cause I was cozy on his lap. Wait, had it been his lap?
Tentacles floated all around him, then he took a deep breath and they settled along his body. No wonder I’d thought they were snakes in my sleep. He was wearing the sameSwimming with the SharksT-shirt as before, but now had a blanket over his lower half. I took him in—from red and black hair, muscular arms, to slim waist—and frowned.
“Where are your legs?”
So technically, I had slept on his lap. So he had two human arms, a set of four upper tentacles, one on each side and two shiftable legs. “Do you shift when you sleep?”
So technically, I had slept on his lap. “Do you shift when you sleep?”
“No. I shift when I want to, but I’m most comfortable in my natural form.” He answered automatically, as if he didn’t mind my questions at all. But now, he was looking at something behind me with an expression full of curiosity.
I followed his gaze. Shit, my tail was out.
“I keep it hidden in my hoodie,” I said, curling the orange fur behind my back. One could assume that a dude made mostly of tentacles wouldn’t mind my ears and tail, but I’d met with intolerance often enough to get used to hiding everything different about myself from strangers.
A small smile played on his handsome face as he shifted to follow the tail’s movement. “It’s so fluffy, even more than your ears.”
“So what?” I pulled the hood over my head with a sharp tug.
“It’s cute.”
“Don’t treat me like a child,” I snapped, shuffling back.
“I’m not.” His tone was calm, putting me at ease. “I like your fur. It’s different.”
I snorted. “Says a guy with wiggly legs and suckers.”
“Exactly.” He gave me a pointed stare.
I didn’t think he was making fun of me at this point. “Sorry. I better see if anyone replied to me.”
“Go ahead.” He unplugged my phone and handed it over. “But it’s three in the morning. You can crash in the guest room and check when the sun’s up. How’s that?”
I weighed my options. I had nowhere to go, and Spiro returned my connection to the outside world. No major red flags so far. Although I’d been known to be drawn to those like a moth to a flame.
“Sounds amazing, thank you.” I held onto the blanket and grabbed the charger from the table.
A whoosh and a gust of warm air hit me, and I jumped, startled.
Spiros stood in front of me on two smooth burgundy legs, wearing only a pair of loose boxers. “Sorry. I weirded you out enough today, but I wanted to walk with you.”
“Oh no, it’s fine. Can I touch one?” I pointed to one of the tentacles on his side, underneath his arm.
“Go ahead. You used my legs as pillows for half the night, after all.” He directed us farther into the house while letting me inspect his tentacle.
I felt heat fill my cheeks as I imagined snuggling against the smooth appendages. Stroking the soft tip, I marveled at howthe suckers farther down contracted and expanded. I’d expected them to be slimy, but the delicate skin was pleasant to stroke. My finger pricked as if stung by static electricity. Ouch! That hurt, but not in an unpleasant way. Was that static electricity, because of the blanket I’d been wrapped in? I let go of the tentacle and shoved my hands into the pockets of my hoodie.
The en suite guest room Spiro had shown me into had a king bed in the middle covered in white sheets. The neutral colors of the walls and light wooden furniture had a generic look while giving off cosy vibes, like the rest of the house.
“Can I shower? I feel nasty.” I glanced at Spiro and wasn’t sure if he was judging me or if he had that curious look when it came to me.
“Of course,” Spiro said but lingered in the doorway.
Whenever I met someone new, they were confused with my feline nature. They were usually human though.
“What? I like water, okay?” Another tidbit that set me apart from my relatives was my positive relationship with water. My siblings and parents, even extended family, hated getting wet, whether it was rain or a swim in a lake. They showered of course, but not because they liked it. I was just the opposite. “It relaxes me, and the hum of the ocean calms me down.”
“Oh, I totally get that. I’ll leave you to it.” Spiro nodded once and closed the door behind himself.
