Page 4 of Stars and Swipes

I found the tuna and the can opener and quickly opened it, pushing the thought of my parents’ loss out of my mind.

For right now, I had a kitten to get out from underneath my porch. Hopping down the steps, I purse my lips and make little kissy noises at the little thing.

“What the hell are you doing out here? Are you stalking me?”

Whipping my head around, I can’t help smiling when I see the hazel-eyed temptress who kept me up all last night. “Well, well, kinda looks like you’re stalking me, Red.”

She rolls her eyes and smirks. “Red? That’s the best you got?”

“Gimme a little more time and I’ll come up with something.”

“Not necessary, sparky. I think I can survive without a special nickname from you.”

I cock my head at her, grinning. Lord, she’s snarky! I like it.

“Well, as much as I like playing with you, Red, there’s a kitten underneath my porch that I need to save.”

“Really?” She shoots me a skeptical look but she bends down next to me when I stick the open can of tuna down next to the opening. A tiny calico paw slips out from underneath the porch and slips left and right, claws extended as she grabs a hold of the can and tries to pull it under the porch, growling like a little tiger.

I grab it, keeping her from pulling it and she growls louder, until she belly crawls carefully out, her ears turning back and forth like she’s getting radio signals or something.

She’s almost as adorable as my little kitten when she catches sight of the little terror and grabs hold of her scruffy little body, lifting her up to hold her in from of her face, smiling joyfully.

“Awww. Aren’t you adorable? Who do you belong to?”

The little terror instantly turns into a purring mass of lovey and she pulls it closer, letting it bump its tiny little fur ball head into her chin, its body vibrating with happiness.

“Oh my gosh! Aren’t you just the sweetest? How about we go to my house and I’ll find you something good to eat and we’ll take you to the vet and get you checked out.”

She turns and walks away, chit-chatting in that little girl voice to the fur ball.

I watch her go and wonder what the hell just happened. I was just talking to her, scrapping with her actually and then I got left in the dust so that she could take off with the little monster.

I won’t say that I’m used to women actually paying attention to me or I’m stuck on myself but Jesus! I was right there and she just left me standing.

Great! I’m fucking jealous of a cat. I growl under my breath. Well, that is not going to work for me. Picking up my can of tuna, I stalk after her disappearing figure.

When I reach her door, I knock at it and stand there, tapping my foot.

No answer.

I knock again. Twice.

No answer.

I take a deep breath and bang on the door until it shakes. Within seconds, the door swings open and she glares at me, the little calico kitten lying in her arms, on her fucking gorgeous breasts and staring at me like he’s got just what he wanted.

And I lose my fucking mind. That’s my gorgeous chest. Where my head should be. Not the cat.

But I reel it back in. Kind of.

“Hello,” I bite out. “I think you forgot that we were talking over there.”

She cocks her pretty head at me, her ginger curls slipping on her narrow shoulders. “I don’t think we were talking. We were just standing there and then I saw this little cutie and I had other stuff to do.” Her eyes dart away from mine and her hazel eyes crinkle at the corners and that’s when I realize she might be a bit older than me.

Not that I fucking care. I want this woman.

And maybe the cat. Although the way it’s staring at me while perched on her tits, I’m starting to wonder what I’m gonna do here. Seems like she thinks that Promise’s boobs are hers and that’s not the case at all.

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