Page 59 of Just A Little Magic

“What emergency? Did something break?”

“Nah, I needed them to build a catio.”

“Oh my God, you did not.”

Why did this man always do the things that made me want to jump on his dick? Of course I did notice he’d built it at his house so I’d have to bring Elizabeth and myself into his world.

“Oh, but I did.”

He tugged me forward and was jumping around like an oversized kid. I followed him out to what used to be a covered back porch. What I found was a kitty paradise. He’d enclosed the area with glass windows that slid on a track so it would be easy to get fresh air. There were multi-level catwalks, allowing Elizabeth to run and jump overhead. And higher swinging options in a few different resting places. It included an enclosed walkway that led to a fully enclosed fence around some grass and garden beds so she could feel the grass too.

I tried to be manly and stoic, but I failed. My chin started to tremble and my eyes leaked. My attempts to hide were given away by obnoxiously loud sniffles. Bear turned back to check on me and then enveloped me in a tight hug while he chuckled.

“Babe, don’t cry. I wanted you to like it.”

“I do like it. That’s why I’m crying…how is anyone supposed to measure up to you? You built me a catio.A catio!What other man would do that? I don’t know a single one.”

“I’m not going to apologize for ruining it for other men. Sorry, not sorry on that front. What other men? The Canadians were aspirational.”

Ugh. This man was so dense sometimes. Obviously, I knew I was the one who hadn’t explained anything in a way that made sense, but he was my best friend. Why hadn’t he figured out how to read my mind? A real friend would have done it by now. Hell, even Elizabeth seemed to know what I was thinking before I even thought it. I huffed a breath because it was slightly more socially acceptable than screaming.

“Hey, Itty Bitty, let’s get you out of here, and I’ll show you your cool new room while your Owen has an existential crisis of his own making because he refuses to explain anything.”

Barrett turned the carrier I’d placed on the countertop toward him. He unzipped the enclosure and lifted her out. Her soft meows sounded questioning. I reached up to scratch her ears. My annoyance was never directed at her.

“Bitty, your Daddy is so silly,” Barrett murmured.

Another ugh. Seeing this giant of a tattooed man cuddle and coo to my tiny cat—even if he was talking smack about me while he did it—made me want to tell him the whole embarrassing story.

Barrett took her into her new space while I stood in the kitchen contemplating my fate. Once I figured out they were gone, I followed them in there. The lump in my throat was still there, but I’d gotten myself under control enough that the threatened tears weren’t so prevalent. Bear put her down on the ground and let her explore independently. As she sniffed around, he came over to where I stood in the doorway and dropped his arm over my shoulders.

“Do you really not like it?”

“What? No, I love every inch of it. How on earth did you get so much work done so fast?”

Elizabeth explored over our heads and occasionally yipped down at us. Barrett still had me cuddled up to him while we watched her jump and prance along the catwalks.

“I paid a shit ton of overtime to his crew and did a lot of begging. I just had the basics done and weatherized. There was no way I’d try my hand at the decorating part. Good thing I won a design consult. Gabe may or may not have had a hand in figuring out the layout. ”

“Why did you do this?”

“Because I want you to understand that I want every part of you in every part of my life. I’m tired of pretending I’m cool with being best friends and nothing more when I want every messy part. I honestly don’t understand why you pulled away back then or shut me out now.” Bear paused to take a breath before he continued, “And since we’re laying shit out on the table, it hurts my damn feelings that you don’t trust me to keep my word to you.”

“Bear, I trust you.”

“That’s not true. You didn’t tell me the truth when you lied about the fucking Canadians.”

This wasn’t how I imagined my sleepover would start, and suddenly, a thought crashed into my brain like a freight train.Just tell him.If I told him everything, then whatever happened would happen.

I’d spent ten-plus years worrying I’d be judged or left behind or some other horrible fate. Suddenly, I was exhausted. Not quite exhausted enough to tell him I’d had a crush on him for ten years even though he could probably sus that out on his own. That was one humiliation too many for today.

I turned and encircled Bear’s torso. I leaned against his chest and felt his arms tighten around me. “I was scared.”

Bear moved his hands and framed my face. “Babe, when?”

“Can we go upstairs?” If I was going to tell him everything, I wanted to be in my favorite spot in the house.

“Of course, let me get Bitty.”

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