Page 40 of Creed

Rooster whistles and resumes his position behind the bar.

I take Lottie to the kitchen and sit her on the counter. She doesn’t argue. She sits quietly while I grab the cheese and butter from the fridge. Going through the motions of lightly greasing the pan and turning the stove on, I butter the bread and add garlic salt to the spread. Lottie’s favorite comfort food has always been a garlic grilled cheese with provolone and colby jack.

“You remembered.” Her tone comes out softer and sweeter.

“I remember how to handle you when you get hangry. I remember everything about you.”

“How to handle me?” She purses her lips, and I can tell it’s to prevent herself from smarting off.

“Yeah, babe. Going to feed you, then fuck the rest of that attitude out of you.”

“Ha. Who said anything about letting you back in my panties?”

“You can pretend all you want to that you’re going to deny me, but I bet when I drive you home, my motorcycle won’t be the only thing that’s purring. My baby has claws. A true hellcat.”

“You’re so full of it. You don’t know when to quit, do you?”

“Go ahead, deny it.”

“Shut up and make my sandwich, and you better have ketchup.”

“Bossy,” I mutter but crack a smile and glance at her out the corner of my eye as she hops off the counter and goes to the fridge to help herself to a can of Coke.

Minutes later, she’s sheathed her claws and is disgustingly dippingher sandwich in ketchup.

“I don’t remember inviting you to stay.” Lottie bats her lashes at me from her preferred side of her bed.

After feeding her, I returned her keys and followed her back to her place. This isn’t going to work if I steam roll her at every turn. She’s always had a streak of independence about her.

“I don’t recall asking permission.”

“And you call me bossy.”

I grunt as I look for somewhere to lay my cut and settle for folding it over the footboard of the bed.

“You can hang it in the closet if you’d rather it not get knocked to the floor.”

I don’t comment on how she wants to give me space in her closet, but doesn’t want me spending the night. “Do you have a spare toothbrush, or should I use yours?”

“Second drawer of the bathroom vanity and absolutely do not use my toothbrush.” She makes a gagging expression of sticking her finger in her mouth.

“Can stick my tongue in your ass, but don’t touch your toothbrush. Got it.”

“Maybe don’t talk either.”

In the bathroom, I glance up from pissing to see Lottie standing in the doorway watching me.

“You want to hold it for me, make sure I don’t piss on the seat?”

“Funny. I need to brush my teeth too. And you could have closed the door.”

“I wasn’t expecting a viewing party.”

“I’m going to smother you with my pillow.”

“I’d go happily if it were your pussy instead.”

“You’re literally the worst.”

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