“Jesus Christ,” I yelp, fumbling with her bag as I stumble. “What the fuck was that?!”
Amelia doesn’t even stop as she keeps walking up theporch steps like she didn’t just get her ass spiritually guarded by a six-pound demon.
“He saw you checking me out,” she says casually.
I blink. “That’s not illegal!”
Rex hisses again.
“I wasn’t even staring,” I lie, adjusting her duffel as I follow her in.
“He’s a feminist,” Amelia adds, turning her head just enough for me to see the tiniest smirk at the corner of her mouth. “He doesn’t tolerate objectification.”
“He doesn’t tolerate air, light, or joy,” I mutter, glaring at Rex.
The little bastard blinks slowly, then settles back into Amelia’s arms.
“I swear to God, he saw into my soul,” I whisper.
“He didn’t like what he found.”
“Oh, shut up.”
She stands by the front door, still holding that naked gremlin, waiting for me to open it.
I walk past her, purposefully brushing up against her shoulder, and I don’t miss the way she sucks in her breath.
Clicking in the numbers to unlock the front door, I usher her in, my hand ghosting on the small of her back.
Tehe.
She walks into my house, scanning the vaulted ceilings, the matte black beams, and the wide-plank oak floors that extend seamlessly throughout the space.
Lemon and fresh linen permeate the air, a tell that I cleaned the house like a psychopath before her arrival.
Amelia doesn’t speak as she continues to scan the space with her arms still wrapped around her strange little cat, as if she’s judging everything and everyone in it, including me.
I set her bags down gently, not wanting to disturb the vibe.
Hissssssss.
Rex lifts his gremlin face again, and I swear to God he’s got actual beef with me.
“Okay,” I mutter. “We get it, man. You don’t like me.”
Amelia pets him, glaring at me.
“He senses… insecurity.”
“I am extremely secure, thank you very much.”
“Yeah o?—”
She barely finishes her sentence when Cupcake comes barreling in, jumping all over her, trying to sniff Rex.
HISSSSSSS.
Rex loses it, jumping out of Amelia’s grip, scratching her as he runs like a bat out of hell through my house, being chased by Cupcake.
