“Let me help.”
“I’m fine.”
“Really?” he says as an orange tabby jumps up to join Smoke on the pile of cloths.
“Seriously, guys?”
I scoop a cat up under each arm, one black and one orange, and Beau leans past me to grab the cleaning supplies before any other kitties can join in the fun.
His body brushes mine, leaving a trail of heat like it’s no big deal. Really? This man is swiftly becoming the bane of my existence, but my traitorous body doesn’t seem to get the picture. Off limits. Asshole alert. Nope. All it sees are some beautifully hard muscles pressed against it after a woefully long dry patch.
Chapter 10
One Cage At A Time
Beau
“Aren’tyougoingtobreak out the camera? I thought we were here for the publicity.”
I’m finding it surprisingly easy to be here. Even though it’s clear she still dislikes me, I think we can handle this. But I didn’t volunteer to clean up after smelly creatures to get to know her, as interesting as that’s proving to be. I’m doing this for our teams to catch the white whale of a donor.
Clearly, that was the wrong thing to say. She rounds on me. Any hint of tolerance is replaced by irritation. “We’re here for the cats. We’re here to help them and make their lives a little better until they find their forever homes. At least that’s why I’m here.”
It’s like a physical slap, throwing my defenses back up so I can’t help pushing back. “Yes, but don’t the videos help bring attention and donors to the rescue? I thought this was a joint venture. Help the teams, help the cats. All in one shot.”
She glares at me, pressing her lips together until they disappear. “We’ll film a couple of quick vids first, and then we’ll go live near the end. We can do a Q&A with the cats after.”
“After?” She wants me to go live on camera cleaning litter boxes. Dad will love that one. Not to mention I’ll have to wash my hands several times to satisfy my brain.
“Yup.” She pops her p. “Is that a problem, pretty boy?”
“No problem at all.”
She demonstrates how to give the cage a thorough clean, and it doesn’t look too hard. Luna might not believe it, but cleaning is one of my special skills. The litter box portion, on the other hand. I’m not even doing it myself yet, and I have to swallow back a gag at the smell. I’d almost gotten used to the cat smell until she started scooping, and a fresh assault was unleashed on my nose.
“Are you sure you can handle it? If not, we can call it off. I’ll do the live myself, and we can plan something a little more suited to you.”
I know what she’s doing. Trying to goad me into this. What she doesn’t know is I grew up with a master manipulator. Also, I don’t go back on my word. I promised I would do this, and I’m sticking to it. And not just because I’d look like the piece of shit she thinks I am if I backed out. No animal deserves to be neglected or abandoned. They’re living creatures we’re responsible for.
“I’m good.”
“Perfect. You can do those five cages over on the right side, and I’ll work on this wall. If it’s occupied, you can take the cat out to roam while you’re working. Make sure you get them back in when you’re done, though. They don’t all play nice, so they’ve got a schedule for their playtime.”
“Great. Can’t wait.”
She passes me a blue plastic caddy full of supplies that thankfully includes latex gloves and heads to her section without a word.
I take my time walking to the first cage on my side. It’s occupied, and the cat is glaring at me. The name on his cage says Freddy. I’d swear he was taunting me when I open up the metal gate with a clang. He darts into his carpeted hidey-hole, blinking at me with luminescent green eyes. He growls when I reach in to grab him, and sharp teeth close around my wrist. I yank my arms out, backing away.
“He bit me.”
“Like he broke skin? Do you need a first aid kit?”
I assess, glancing at my wrist. Not even a pink mark. Now that I think about it, he didn’t bite down. It was more of a warning. “No, it’s fine. Never mind.” Now I feel ridiculous.
She turns back to the cage she’s working on, leaving me staring at the beast. I reach out again, but the cat lets out a warning hiss. “Can I just leave him in here?”
“No. Did you need me to take him out for you?” Now she sounds impatient. No way am I letting her win this one.
