“What? You did? It was that obvious, huh?” My cheeks burn, but the smile stays on my face.
I’ve never been shy about how I feel about Maeve, but I didn’t realize my coworkers were takingbetson it.
“The coffees, the longing looks?” Ramona says knowingly. “Come on, Ivan. If I didn’t know you, I would have thought you two were together.”
Hopefully soon, I think.
Mine,my inner Alpha agrees.
“Yeah, well, wish me luck,” I say.
Ramona scoffs. “Like you’ll need luck.”
“Wish it anyway, Ramona, come on.” I’m still smiling like a lovesick teenager, high off the scent that’s wafting into the building that I’ve missed so much.
“Fine,” she says. “Go get em, tiger.”
Not even bothering to change out of my scrubs, I exit the clinic and take the few steps into Furs and Purrs next door.
When I enter, Maeve and Piper are at the front desk, picking dark tabby striped kittens out of a cardboard box. Piper is chatting with the woman that brought the kittens in, giving instructions on how to foster them.
Maeve is all smiles with pure delight on her face while she holds one kitten at eye level, speaking in a high, bright tone.
Mine.
When she sees me watching her, she beams, and I forget how to breathe.
“Ivan!”
Mine. Mine. Mine.
I head toward her, breathing in her delicious, tempting scent.
She holds out the kitten to me, her eyes warm. “Want to hold him?” she asks.
I want to holdyou.
It’s always been difficult for me to say no to a kitten, though.
“Sure,” I say. “After you answer my question.”
Her brow furrows. “What’s up?”
“You want to go to the bookstore and get dinner?”
Piper, Maeve, the foster parent, and the cats all stop to look at me.
There’s a moment of silence where no one moves, and then…
“Hell, yeah. Took you long enough,” Maeve says, then hands me the kitten.
I’m greeted with a purr, and Piper gives me a knowing smirk.
“About time,” she says.
“Congrats,” adds the woman. “That sounds very sweet. You two have fun.”
I catch Alvin, who was watching the kittens with interest, slow blinking at me.
