Page 96 of Love Me Like It's Real
“What are you doing here? I thought you hated all Season of Love events. Oh shoot, wait. Are you here to steal all the cats?” A few people glance at me and frown before looking back at Hayworth who laughs aloud.
“No. I’m not here to steal all the cats, although I’m tempted to take Mrs. Lacey here.”
He looks down at the tabby and she nuzzles his fingers without opening her eyes. I don’t know who I’m more jealous of. The cat for being held by this sexy man of mine, or Hayworth for being the recipient of such affection.
“I’m volunteering at the shelter,” he adds.
“But the festival?—”
“The festival doesn’t count when it’s about these little innocent creatures,does it Mrs. Lacey? Oh no it doesn’t!” he coos at the cat as if she’s a baby and my heart flutters a little.
Could I love him any more? Apparently the answer is yes, because I didn’t know he had a soft spot for animals.
“So you’re not against love anymore?” I ask and thankfully, the crowd around him clears a little so I can step closer to him.
“Hmm. I’m working on it. Hi, girls,” he says to Elsa and Arya who hug him but return to trying to get the attention of the cats in the enclosure.
“Working on it, huh?” I take another step and lift my hand going for his face but before I even touch him I drop my hand on Mrs. Lacey’s cheek.
“Yeah. See, I used to be against love but things are…changing.” He wiggles his eyebrows and flashes me a pearly white smile that makes me chuckle.
“Used to? What happened?”
I stroke the cat and get so close to him if anyone was watching they’d think we’re both holding the cat together. But I don’t care anymore. I don’t care who watches. Because this is real.
“Yeah,” he says. “See, I met this guy who made me believe in love again.”
“Okay,Cher.”
He scoffs. “Okay,Sonny. Although I should point out the lyrics arebelieve in life after loveand that’s not what I said so…”
“So you’re not Cher.”
“I can be, if you want me to,” he murmurs and I purse my lips to hide my grin.
“Are you going to kiss me, or what?”
“Don’t mind if I do,” he says and leans forward.
“I don’t,” I answer and he stops inches from my mouth.
“I was talking to Mrs. Lacey.”
“Of course,” I whisper, staring into his beautiful chocolate eyes that make my heart beat faster and the blood rush to my head, and I feel almost dizzy.
And to think when we first met I couldn’t tell the color of his eyes and now…
Well, now I would know them in a sea of people.
“I hear no objections,” he murmurs and finally traps my lips with his.
I can’t help but lean against him, close my eyes and savor this moment as if it’s the most precious thing in the world.
Because it is.
Of all the men on this planet, Hayworth fell for me and I fell for him, and well, isn’t that something utterly unique? Something that needs to be cherished, like any other love?
We both breathe in before we let go and when I open my eyes I realize it’s awfully quiet. Hayworth raises his eyebrow and blinks until we both turn to the girls.
