Page 57 of Pack Scratch Fever
“Fuck yeah, I did,” he says, that same tuft of inky hair falling into his eyes. “I spent all last night going down a rabbit hole. Did you know there’s an entire debate about whether to give cats raw food?”
I nod. “Yeah, I know. But why did youdothat? I can’t imagine reading up about cat food was that interesting to you?”
Maddox leans forward in his chair and rests his forearms on his knees, looking straight ahead. “All I do most of my time is stare at a computer and code,” he sighs. “I mean, I like it, it pays the bills, and I’m really fucking good at it—wait, can I swear in front of the cats?”
I let out a laugh. “Yes, you can swear in front of the cats, Maddox.”
“Okay.” He taps the toe of his boot on the ground as he waves a hand. “Like I said, I’m really fucking good at it—but it’s tedious as hell after a while. Anything is more interesting than spending half a day trying to fix an error in a program.”
“Including cat food?” I ask.
He nods and runs a hand through his hair. “Including cat food, gorgeous. When I was redoing your website, I spent a good amount of time looking at the portraits of cats that Avery took. I decided that they didn’t need to be eating cheap food that leaves them susceptible to diseases.”
I stare at him curiously. “You really did go down the rabbit hole,” I murmur, my stomach fluttering.
“Hell yeah, I did.” He turns to face me, scooting his chair slightly closer to me. “If I’m interested in something, I end up learning everything about it, then spouting off facts later and at random times. So, I’m warning you in advance. Poe’s already sick of hearing about different fish oils.”
I can’t help but smile. “So, you’re just kind of a dork?”
He narrows his eyes. “I wouldn’t gothatfar, Princess. Also, this is important to you, and I want it to be important to me.”
I don’t even mind the pet names at this point. I just grin like an idiot, pleased that he seems so invested in the health of the cats.
“I’ll recite all the breeds of cats if you keep smiling like that,” he says, smirking. “Who knew the way to your heart was through cat facts?”
I shake my head. Maddox is more than I thought he was. He’s handsome and flirty, but he’s also quirky and smart as hell.
The fact that he learned about the catsandcares about them makes my chest ache.
“You don’t have to keep doing that, you know,” I add, and he frowns, his blue eyes searching mine.
“Doing what?”
“You don’t have to call me Princess, or gorgeous, or anything like that,” I mumble.
He looks at me as if I’ve lost my mind. “Wait. Do you think I’m lying? That I’m just saying those things to get into your nest or something?”
Yes,my inner Omega purrs.Yes, come into my nest and let’s frolic until we’re naked.
“I…well…”
“Shit, babe,” he chuckles. “They just come out when I’m with you. When I look at you, I automatically thinkbeautiful. In my head, you’re already my princess.”
Thatshouldbe concerning.
I’m aware that alarm bellsshouldbe blaring in my mind.
I should tell him he’s presumptuous as hell, and just because he learned about cat food doesn’t mean he has any claim on me.
Just because he’s sitting with me at a pet store doesn’t mean we’re together.
I swallow nervously, and he notices.
He smirks, and he’s just like the Maddox I met the first day he walked into the rescue.
“You want to know something else?” He leans in closer, so close that if anyone saw us, they would think he’s about to kiss me. “I know you want to be my princess as well.”
Theaudacity.
