Page 27 of Her Purr-fect Christmas Mate

She shook herself. *Sorry? Yes?*

“This is clearly not working.” Mordecai ran his long fingers through his hair and sat back broodily. Outlined by the lights of the city below, he looked like an evil king about to pass judgement. “We’ll have to consider other methods.”

*Other methods like what? Drinking from the wrong side of a cup? Scaring me human again?*

“This is magic, not the hiccups.”

Seeing him sitting so calmly on the chair was . . . annoying.I’d like to see him sprawling on it.

The thought arrived fast and vicious, like a cat-scratch, and filled Peony’s mind. Mordecai lying on his back, all his fastidious calm lost. His shirt—also lost. His lips parted. His eyes black-flooded with lust, but good luck to him if he thought he was going to be able to do anything about it, because this washer—

“Are you listening to me?”

*Y-yes?*Oh sweet baby Santa. I really, really hope he didn’t catch any of that.

He glared at her suspiciously. “Catch any of what?”

*Nothing?*

He sighed, exasperated. “I’m sure you want to get this over with as much as I do. You mentioned your family. If they’ve been through the same experience as you, they might be able to offer you advice—”

*I thought you said this was magic, not hiccups? Why are you trying to scare me into shifting?*She meowed. *Let me just try one more thing.*

“Which is?”

Had she ever thought he was nice? She must have been dreaming. He was back to full Evil Count mode, sitting in that damned chair with his eyes like chips of black diamonds.

*A development of your first theory. Instead of thinking animal thoughts, I’m going to try thinking human thoughts.*

“Human thoughts.”

*You know the sort. Taxes. Laundry.*Mordecai lying flat on his back, his dark hair fanned out around his head in stark contrast to the boring white sheets.

“Those are the things you consider essentially human?” A sliver of life peeked through his icy mask.Aha.

*Some of them. I thought it would be too awkward to bring up the other ones.*Mordecai, hot and bothered, pinned beneath her thighs, straining as he ground his hips against—

The Mordecai sitting opposite her frowned. “What are you thinking about?”

*Human things.*

He leaned forward, his gaze suspicious. “Taxes.”

*Unemployment. Maybe that’s why I’m staying a cat. Don’t need to pay the rent if I can find some nice family to take in a poor sad kitty at Christmas.*

“You—” He cut himself off. His eyes narrowed. “You’re baiting me.”

*You don’t think it’s a good idea?*

If he hadn’t been so iceberg-chill, she expected he would have ground his teeth. As it was, his eyes flashed extremely obligingly. “I thought we established that I regretted walking away from you.”

Her heart fluttered. He was sogrumpy. Would he bring that resentment into the bedroom?

Why was the thought of that so goddamn hot?

*Still, I’m out an apartment. And a job. Thanks to you, my fated soulmate.*She waited a beat. *You have to admit it’s not ideal. Given the circumstances.*

The lines around his mouth deepened. “I agree,” he said, every word a chip of the deep cold between the stars. “The circumstances are not ideal for romance.”

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