Page 21 of Unfulfilled Promises
Snapping my head to the side, I looked down to see a tiny gray and black cat rubbing against my leg. “Hello there,” I remarked, and Seth chuckled as he glanced to my other side.
“Let’s get him fed so we can get to dinner,” Seth said then looked down at his black-on-black outfit and gave me a concerned look. “Would you be okay if I jumped in the shower and changed real quick?”
I got down from the chair and looked up at him. “Why don’t you show me where Edgar’s food is, and I’ll take care of him while you get cleaned up.”
He nodded and moved to the other side of the kitchen to grab a can of food and a tiny silver bowl. Handing them to me, he said, “Edgar likes to eat on the island or the top of the dryer.” He pointed to a closed door at the end of the kitchen. “I’ll be in the room at the end of the hallway of you need me for anything.”
“I think I’ll be okay until you get back.”
Edgar meowed again as Seth walked out of the kitchen shaking his head with a chuckle. The cat kept bumping his head into my leg, so I looked down and asked, “Are you always this demanding?”
Meow.
I went to the island and placed the bowl on the counter before opening the stinky food and plopping it into the bowl. Edgar still bumped into me, looking up at the cabinet. Unsure if he was able to jump that high, I picked him up, snuggling him to my chest before placing him on the counter.
Immediately, he planted his face into the bowl and made little grumbling noises as he devoured the food. I watched the tiny animal eat through the entire bowl before Seth even returned. Reaching my hand out, I scratched Edgar’s head, and he leaned into my touch before walking over to me and carefully crawling into my lap.
I petted his back and listened to him purr contently while we waited for Seth. A few minutes later, he returned and walked up to me, placing a kiss on my cheek from over my shoulder. Reaching down, he attempted to pet the cat, only for Edgar to hiss at him and swat his paw out, catching Seth on the hand and poking his claws into the tender flash.
“Damn it,” Seth remarked as he pulled his hand back from Edgar. “I feed you, you sleep on my bed, and I still can’t pet you. Asshole.”
What started out as a stifled chuckle soon turned into laughter as I continued to pet the cat’s back while Seth ran his cut under water. He turned and his face was full of joy as I wiped the tears of laughter from my cheeks. Edgar, adding insult to injury for Seth, sat up and pushed the top of his head under my chin, purring louder as I scratched his neck and upper back.
Seth watched from his position on the other side of the island with a smile on his face. Finally, he admitted, “I don’t think he likes me very much.”
I rubbed my nose onto the top of Edgar’s head before gently placing him back on the counter. Looking across at an amused Seth, I remarked, “Cats and dogs are drawn to me. They always have been. So, don’t take it too personally.”
“That means they know you have a good heart.”
I shrugged as he approached me. “I don’t know about that.”
If he knew what I’d done to save myself, he wouldn’t entertain the notion of my goodness. He, I’m sure like everyone else in my life, would shun me and force me out into the harsh world alone, and that was the last thing I wanted.
“What are you in the mood for?” Seth asked, and I lifted my gaze to him, forcing my mind back to the present.
“Whatever you want is fine with me. I’m not too picky.”
“Do you like video games?” Seth asked, and I gave a shrug. “How about Dave and Busters? We can have dinner, play some games, and if you want to have a drink, it’s not too far so we can take a rideshare both ways.”
I cast my eyes down, then back to him as I asked, “Can we go someplace quieter?”
“Whatever you want, beautiful.”
He took my hand and spoke to Edgar. “We’ll be back in a little while. Try not to throw up on my bed while we’re gone.”
His comment made me start laughing again, and the smile he gave me as we walked outside was perfect. The way he looked at me, the way he treated me, like I was normal and not broken, was perfect.
And now, I began to worry about what would happen if and when we took the next step. Was I going to be able to share myself with him, or was I going to freeze?
Would he understand, or is no physical relationship a deal breaker for him?
All I knew was Seth was the first person I’d shown any interest in since Devlin and James rescued me from that house close to four years ago. I thought that part of me was closed-off forever, but being around Seth has made me think what I’d lived through, not only in the house in Tennessee but what I’d survived with Sergey and Kelly, wasn’t the end of me but merely just the beginning.
Now to get my brain and my body on the same page.
Chapter 11
Seth
