Page 19 of Catnapped

“Oh, yeah. Dudley sent me an email with the name and address of some hotel in the city. I guess I’ll–”

“You’re staying with me.”

“At the hotel?” she asks as I open the car door for her.

“No. I have a place in the city.”

“You live here?”

“No.” Once she’s sitting, I reach across and fasten her seat belt.

“Then why do you have a place here?”

“I do a lot of traveling for work, so I have homes in a few major cities.”

Her mouth drops open. “Homes, plural?” She turns her head to where Mousey is now awake in the back seat. “I guess you were right. Heisloaded.”

I stifle a laugh, barely. “Let’s get some dinner, and we’ll discuss our next moves. Sound good?”

She turns back to me, her pink tongue darting out and wetting her lips as she glances at my mouth. “Yes.”

Because I can’t help myself, I kiss her. Not rough, not deep like I’m desperate for, but enough for her to know this is more than just a business dinner. More than a simple business relationship. Whatever this is between us, there’s nothing simple about it.

12

MAY

“Ithink I got myself a sugar daddy.” Mousey meows from the back seat. Her paws peek out the window. I spot Carson coming toward the car. His arms are loaded with bags. I snort a laugh and jump out of the car to help him.

“What?” Carson pauses.

“That’s more than what was on the list,” I point out. We stopped at the pet store to pick up a few things before we go by Carson’s place to drop Mousey and everything off before dinner. I’d given Carson a list of things she’d need in order for us to stay with him.

As much as I love animals, pet stores are not my favorite place. Not when there are rows of kittens and puppies begging to get out. I can’t resist going over to them, and then I’m heartbroken when I can’t rescue them all, especially when they sometimes beg me to take them with me.

At the shelter, it is different. I spend time with all of them and form some bonds. I know they are being taken care of, andwe’re searching for their forever homes. The pet store is just so depressing.

“I wanted to make sure I got it all.” An almost sheepish expression crosses his face, making my insides melt.

The fact that mere hours ago he didn’t even like cats and now he is going out of his way for Mousey warms my heart. If I’m not careful, this man is going to make me fall in love with him. Carson reminds me of the husband you send out for cereal you’re craving from the store, and he returns home with ten boxes of all different kinds.

“You’ll turn her spoiled rotten,” I tease, opening the back so that he can put everything inside.

“Don’t ruin this for me!” I roll my eyes at Mousey. “No one treats me with this much respect in that other place. Let me have this.”

“It’s already starting.”

“What did she say?” Carson asks curiously.

“That she got herself a sugar daddy.” His eyebrows rise, making me laugh more. I shut the back. Carson, being a gentleman, once again goes around and opens my door for me.

“Thanks.” I slip back inside.

“Now don’t get jealous that he’s buying me things.”

“I’m not jealous.” I’m smitten is what I am.

It doesn’t take us long to get to Carson’s place. I’m a bit taken aback when I step off the elevator into an open loft layout. The place is nice. Like,reallynice. Everything is modern and updated. It gives off more of a staged feel because of how clean and minimal it is when it comes to the furniture. There aren’tmany personal touches from what I can see at first glance. He did say he has a few homes, so I suppose he doesn’t spend much time here. It’s a far cry from what I’m used to back in California, though I’m perfectly happy with what I have. As long as I can give the shelter animals a promising life, that’s all I need.

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