“You’re not going to thank me?”
“I think it’s your aunt I need to thank, isn’t it?”
Dex grins. “One of my cousins, actually. I bribed him with chocolate.” At the look on my face, he says, “What? It’s not like he has anything better to do over summer break!”
We’re barely into discussing our dinner options—instant noodles or instant noodles—when I hear a plaintive meow outside the door.
“Was that a cat?” I ask.
“Probably not.”
I open the door anyway, and there it is, a scrawny black kitten that’s as bedraggled as I was yesterday. I can’t help myself—I crouch down and reach out a hand.
The kitten approaches warily and touches its nose to my finger. When it rubs its face against my knuckles, I give it a good scratch behind the ears and then reach forward and scoop it into my arms. For a moment it stiffens, but then it’s nuzzling its head into my hand and purring loudly.
“You’re not feral at all, are you,” I croon. “Where are your humans?”
“I doubt anyone has lost it,” Dex says. “Sometimes people come here for the season and just abandon their pets when they leave.”
“That’s fucked-up. Who could abandon someone as precious as you?”
The kitten rubs its face against my chin.
“Oh my god, this is amazing,” Dex says. “I had no idea all it took was a cat to turn you into a complete sap.”
“Shut up,” I say, still giving the cat all my attention. I’ve always loved cats. “We’re keeping him, right?”
“We?”
I throw Dex a look. “Clarification:I’mkeeping her. If you’re allergic or you don’t like cats, you can get your ass into a different house.”
Dex doubles over laughing. “No, no, keep her. She’s cute. She reminds me a lot of you, actually.”
Is he saying I’m cute? Or bedraggled? Or desperate for attention? I’m not sure I should try to figure this one out.
Then I remember we don’t have money.
“How are we going to feed him?” I ask.
“I might’ve grabbed a can of tuna when we were at the supermarket. Something to fancy up our noodles. I bet the little furball would enjoy that.”
“You’re a savior.”
Dex digs out the tuna, and as soon as the can cracks open, the cat is on high alert. He wriggles out of my arms and jumps down to start meowing desperately at Dex’s feet.
“Oh, you little suck-up,” Dex says. “Don’t make those eyes at me.”
The cat gobbles down half the can of tuna and then leaps back onto my lap, now reeking of fish. Dex seems to have taken over cooking, so I lean back and stroke the cat, watching Dex covertly. I can see every contour of his muscles through his shirt, from his powerful shoulders to his abs, and I notice for the first time that he has a damn fine ass.
My traitor mind won’t stop going back to the sight of him naked and hard in the shower.
Even though I’m not the least bit attracted to him, I’ve been alone for so long that my body is starting to get a mind of its own. All I can think about is his fingers kneading into my shoulderblades and the firm pressure of his hand on my dick. I fucking want more of it.
My cock is stiffening against my will when a knock comes at the door.
“Come in!” Dex shouts out.
I position the cat on my lap just in time for Chief Rhodes to push the door open.
