I shake my head at him.
“You are a noob to the animal world. They’re extra spicy and sometimes lacking a brain cell or two.”
I look him up and down. “Tracks.”
“Yeah. Wait...” He lifts a hand to smack my arm, pulling it back at the last minute when he catches sight of my raised brow, daring him to try that.
“Fine, you can come in and say hi, but then you’re out. I need to take a shower.”
JJ bounces in ahead of me, but he must be a little too much for the cat. Bluebeard darts under the bed in an impossible flash of grey.
“Aww, I’ll win him over.”
“I’m sure you will. Now out.”
I heave a sigh of relief as I’m shutting the door behind him and turn to see Bluebeard’s little whiskered face poking out from under the bed. He seems to be asking for permission to come out. At least someone in this house respects my boundaries.
We eye each other. Neither one sure about this situation. I take slow steps over to the bed, trying to be as nonthreatening as possible. The mattress sinks under my weight, and I pat the spot beside me.
The cat takes his time, but when he’s ready, he slithers out and jumps up to land beside me, defying gravity with his smooth leap.
I hold out my hand to let him sniff me, and then he curls up next to my leg, a warm and comforting presence. His trust in me is unfounded. I don’t even trust myself with this. What do I know about cats? What if I mess this up and traumatize him?
I slip my phone out of my pocket and start scrolling through cat websites and books on cat care until my brain is spinning. I order the top five recommended books and drop my phone when his little head nudges my thigh.
“What have we gotten ourselves into, sir?” He blinks up at me, stretches his mouth in a wide pink yawn that exposes sharp little fangs, then rests his head on my leg. As if to say, we got this.
Chapter 16
Lights, Camera, Tension
Luna
Sinworkedhermagicagain, snagging us time at the arena to do a photo shoot for Paws. It’s an almost impossible task given our practice schedules and all the other bookings for ice time. But she is a PR miracle worker. She’s going to do big things after graduation.
The original plan was to bump the calendar production to later in the spring, but with the influx of new cats at the facility, they need funds urgently. The shelter is bursting at the seams, and it needs all the support it can get. Once we get the initial photos in, we’ll set up a preorder for the eighteen-month calendar.
I’m struggling to tape up a Paws banner in the gym when someone steps in close behind me. I feel the heat of his body behind me.
“Need a hand?” I’ve missed the now familiar rich tone of his voice. All the former irritation I felt when he spoke to me has been chased away by his actions. But without that irritation, and with a growing awareness of his kindness, I’m not sure where we stand anymore.
“Nah, I got this.”
The banner slips from my fingers for the fifth time, and I let out a frustrated groan as I bend to retrieve it.
“You sure about that? There’s no shame in asking for help, Wilder.”
Why is it so hard to accept help? Especially from him. He’s right. At five-nine, I’m by no means a short woman, but he still has half a foot on me. Genetic perk I should take advantage of.
“Fine.” It sounds ungrateful even to my own ears. I try again. “I mean, yes please. Could you hang it up by the ceiling there?”
Before I can move away, he reaches past me to snag the corner of the vinyl banner. A tingle shoots up my arm when his fingers close over mine.
“Right here?” His voice comes out with rougher edges as he strains to reach the top of the wall. Except he’s not even straining that hard. He doesn’t even need to stand on his tiptoes to reach the corner.
I back away, ducking under his arm to escape the heat. I tilt my head, studying the banner through narrowed eyes. “A little higher; it’s crooked.”
He shifts it up. “Too much.” Back down it goes. “Perfect. Right there.”
