“Listen,” she murmured to herself as she approached the sanctuary, “you don’t have time to obsess over your feelings for him.You have dozens of cats to feed.”
Stella would normally have come over on a Tuesday morning to do the feeding, but she had a doctor’s appointment and had told Claire she would be late.Claire should have been up early to take over the feeding duties…only she’d been too sleepy because a certain handyman had pushed her body to its limits last night.Then he’d done it again.And again.
In fact, Nick had made her come so hard that last time, she could almost still feel him inside her.How was that even possible?It was as if she had a case of ghost dick this morning.She could barely scrape the languorous smile off her face.
Claire entered Haven and headed to the B&B, indulging in a couple of quick daydreams of Nick.
When she heard his voice coming from the B&B, she stopped short.She opened the door a crack and looked in.
He was there alone, and appeared to be just finished up filling the food bowls.As he fed the cats, he took some time to pat each one on the head as he dropped off their bowls in their kennels.
“Good morning, Petal.Here’s your chow.You’re very welcome.Hey, Dukey.You’re looking good since I saw you last.Hi, Ginger.Are you hungry today?Of course you are.Okay, okay, keep your shirt on.I’ve got you covered.Marmalade, we meet again.How’s it going?”
There were dozens of cats and he had a quick message for each one.Claire hung back, watching his progress with interest and amusement.
Not a single cat scratched him or hissed.They recognized him as one of their own now.As for Nick, he moved among them with much more confidence.
Claire’s heart did a somersault.She was so pleased he could be around animals that had intimidated him not long ago.When she’d first learned of his fear, she’d had a feeling she could help him work through it.
Had he come looking for her this morning, and seen that the cats needed feeding?
He got to Mortimer’s kennel.“Mortimer, my man!How’s my buddy doing?”He unlatched the little door and replaced Mortimer’s old bowl with a fresh one, taking time to stroke him.“Yeah, I know the drill.You get treats every morning.Did you think I would let you down?”
Claire grinned as he fed Mortimer a few treats from his hand.
Considering that she was just having a physical relationship with the man, her heart was overly engaged.
That might be a problem.
Nick stayed with Mortimer for a couple of moments, gently scratching his back.“Where’s your mom today?She’s normally here by now.Yeah, I know.I could text her, but I don’t want to crowd her.Hey, don’t look at me like that, Mortimer.Claire and I have an agreement and I don’t want to overstep my bounds.”
Mortimer let out a long meow.
“You’re not the first person to say so,” said Nick, still oblivious to Claire’s presence.“My dad said the same thing, said I should lay it all out and tell Claire how I feel.”
Claire froze.He’d spoken to his dad about her?
About his feelings.
That sounded serious.
She dreaded Nick revealing his feelings.It went against everything she had worked so hard to establish.Boundaries.They needed boundaries.
Sheneeded boundaries.
And yet, to hear him admit he had feelings caused all her beloved barriers to vanish.In a way, she wanted him to tell her he cared for her, really cared for her, like she cared for him.
Don’t confuse sex for love.
Love, she scoffed silently.She was getting so far ahead of herself.
Would she recognize love the next time it came around?She wasn’t even sure what it would look like.Would it hit her with a wallop, knocking all the air out of her body, or would it cushion her with certainty and clarity?
With Arthur, it had been a wave and it had gently carried her away.
This thing with Nick…she couldn’t qualify it yet.
Then again, it was possible she was ignoring all the signals.
