Page 110 of Daddy By Design

“Gizmo is a sweetheart. He just likes to climb on things.”

“And the running water.”

Her cheeks pinked up. “Yeah, he really does love that for some reason.”

The black and white cat squirmed free and jumped down to wind around my ankles before climbing up my leg. “Ow.”

“I need to clip his nails.”

I picked up the cat and held him in front of my face. “How much trouble are you going to give me day to day, huh?”

Gizmo patted my face and just blinked at me.

Hell.

I curled him into my chest. “I don’t suppose you have a carrier?”

“I do.” She popped up and about killed me when the robe opened to flash her entire thigh at me. “I have food and all the things. You know what? I’ll just help you set up.”

I collapsed back against the cushion, and the cat inched up my chest to tuck himself under my chin.

Promptly, he fell asleep.

I was so very screwed.

TWENTY-TWO

I didn’t let him have a second to rethink his yes.

Okay, so it wasn’t even really a true yes, but I was taking the win.

Flushed with victory, I rushed around my apartment to get his carrier, favorite toys, and a week’s worth of food.

Nolan remained on the couch with him, and the two were definitely bonding.

I had everything stacked up, and I was about to go get dressed when I glanced back to find the both of them out like a light. Nolan’s eyes were closed and his hand cupped Gizmo’s butt to make sure he didn’t fall.

My heart somersaulted as I had to take a step back.

Oh, no.

I wasn’t allowed to start falling for this cranky pain in the ass.

But he was so good with Gizmo. In all his grumpy posturing, there wasn’t a single bit of it with my cat. In fact, the jerk had actually relaxed enough to sleep.

I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen Nolan relax about anything.

Unsure what to do, I tossed my throw blanket on top of them and went down the hall to my bedroom. It wasn’t terribly late, but I was in that fuzzy post-drinking tired place.

Maybe if I just rested my eyes for a little bit.

Next thing I knew, there was a cat sitting on my chest, patting my face.

I opened one eye and groaned as sunshine filled my room. Gizmo crawled off me to the other side of my bed where a very large man was on his stomach, one arm under one of my decorative pillows and his face slack with sleep. He still wore his T-shirt and stupid jeans.

How on earth was that comfortable?

I’d been officially naked with him three times, and he still didn’t trust I wasn’t going to run screaming at his scars.

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