Page 13 of Catnapped

“FBI!” I squeak. Holy crap. That’s a totally different level of law enforcement. “That’s kinda cool.”

“It was all right.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal.

“All right? I’ve never met someone in the FBI.”

Carson keeps getting cooler by the second.

“I’ve never met someone who could talk to cats.” He shoots me a handsome smirk that makes butterflies explode inside me. I can feel the heat rise on my cheeks. I bet he’s taking in every detail of my reactions to him.

“Well, I can sleep for fifteen hours straight,” Mousey chimes in, not wanting to be left out.

“What did you do in the FBI?” He’s piqued my interest now. I have a million questions that I want to ask.

“I bounced around for a bit before I landed in missing persons. Look there.” He points at a spot where the grass is trampled down as he drops to his haunches. “That’s too much bent grass to have been just the cat. Someone was out here waiting. They must’ve lured him to this spot, then scooped him up and headed into the woods. With what Mousey said, that means there are least two accomplices–one who left the scent inside the house and another who was out here waiting.”

“Bounced around?” I’m stuck on the first part. I want to know more about him.

He stands, and we continue toward the woods, his gaze on the trampled grass. “Everyone tends to be good at something. I’m good at finding shit.”

“I bet he’s good at a lot of things,”Mousey says, garnering a glare from me.

“You are a little hussy,” I hiss at Mousey.

“Takes one to know one.”

“Oh, whatever.” I roll my eyes. “I’ve never even done it,” I blurt out.

Oh crap. I cover my mouth with my hand. Both Mousey and Carson stop walking, surprised at my small outburst. Okay, not small. It’s giant. So much so that I wish a hole would open and swallow me.

Carson begins, “May–”

“I can’t believe I said that.” My face is an inferno of heat. “This is your fault.”

“Mine?” Both Carson and Mousey speak at the same time.

“Yes, yours.” I wave my hand toward both of them. They’re equally to blame; Mousey for being such an instigator and Carson for making me so flustered all the time.

“Sorry?” Carson offers an apology.

“I’m sure the big guy here can help you out with that problem.”

“I’m not around a lot of men, or whatever.” I should stop talking. Maybe glue my mouth shut so I can’t speak for a very long time. “Or people. You know, doing the whole ‘talking to people’ or ‘being with people’ or just, I mean, you know, ‘peopling,’ so I don’t, um, I haven’t … It’s not like a big thing. I’m not forty or anything yet, and it wouldn’t be a big deal if I were forty. Some people never do that, of course. Some people are happy by themselves, you know? It’s not–”

“May.” Carson takes my elbow, pulling me toward him. “As pretty as you are when you blush, there is no reason to be embarrassed.” He quickly puts me at ease as I stare into his eyes that have gone soft on me.

“Okay,” I whisper out. Did he just call me pretty? Is Mousey right? Would he want to help me with that? My mind is racing now. My eyes go to his mouth. I lick my lips. “I’ve never been kissed either.”

Oh my God. I need to keep my mouth closed. Why can’t I shut up? Carson smirks, leaning down toward me. Shutting my mouth for me.

9

CARSON

Before I can even think about what I’m doing, my mouth is on hers. Warm and soft and sweet. I press her tightly to me, kissing her harder, unable to do the right thing and back away. Something in her touch, in her taste, has sent me over my finely honed edge of control.

She’s never been kissed. This is her first. I want it for myself. I’m fucking greedy for it. I run the tip of my tongue along the seam of her mouth. She makes a high-pitched sound in her throat and opens for me. When I delve inside, I realize I’m in over my head. Because fuck, she’s soft and wet, her mouth a playground for my tongue and a springboard for my imagination. Gripping her hair gently, I angle her mouth, kissing her deeply as she melts, her body going lax as her tongue shyly prods mine.

Kissing me back. She’s kissing me back, and something inside my head pops like a balloon. I’m lost to her, to this mysterious woman who appeared in my life out of nowhere. Was it only hours ago that we met?

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