Page 98 of Unravel Me

THE OTHER SHOE

ROSIE

“Why doeshe have so many toes? Is that normal? Cats are little freaks, aren’t they?”

“Mittens is polydactyl,” I tell Marco, scratching my fluffy friend’s chin. “He’s got extra toes. And cats are not little freaks. Little demons who terrorize you in the middle of the night, yes. But little freaks, never.”

“How many times have you asked Archie if you could bring a cat home?”

I frown, scooping Mittens against me. He purrs, nuzzling my cheek. “Too many to count. He won’t let me. Says he doesn’t want cat hair all over the furniture. Funny thing to say for someone who gets so excited when his new hats come in the mail for his cat photoshoots.”

Marco rolls his eyes, spinning around me so he can lean on the cat condos with one hip. He’s been following me around for the last fifteen minutes, waiting for Archie to finish work. “I’m ninety-nine percent sure he’s gonna be a crazy cat dad when we get our own place and I’m gonna be subjected to a lifetime of cat hair on furniture. There’s just not enough room right now for all the cats he plans to bring home.”

My smile starts to fall before I paste it back on. “Connor and I will be out as soon as we can; I promise. I know it’s not ideal, and—”

“Rosie, no. That’s not what I meant. You can stay as long as you need to.”

“I know you’re waiting for us to move out so you can move in. There’s not enough room for all of us; I get it.” I tuck Mittens back in his home, and he gives me those huge, sad eyes of his, paired with the tiniestmeow, because he hates being alone in here. He’s a people person, although he seems to be very particular aboutwhohis people are. His favorite so far has been that tattooed man that came in here with his friend, and I really thought he’d be back to adopt him. I think Mittens and I are both upset that he hasn’t. “I was planning on moving out after grad next spring, but now, with losing the scholarship—”

“Rosie.” Marco grabs my hands, stopping my spiraling thoughts. “I know you think so, but you aren’t holding us back. There’s nowhere else Archie would rather be than with you and Connor right now. And I stay there most nights anyway. But we’re happy, okay? Really, we are. Plus, my mom isn’t ready to let me move out yet anyway.”

“You hate living with your mom.”

“Because she drives me up the fucking wall. But I’m her favorite child—naturally—so I persist.”

I drop my stare to my runners. “If I ever become a burden—”

“You are family, not a burden. I love you, Ro. You’re like my annoying little sister. I can’t get rid of you, but no part of me actually wants to.”

I give his dark hair a tug before turning back to the cat dens, checking on a litter of kittens and the stray mama who were brought in last week. “You’re way more annoying than me.”

“Watch your filthy mouth.”

“Can’t. I just let it run.” I press a kiss to a tiny, gray-striped kitten before tucking it back in its bed. “Archie should be out of surgery soon. Are you guys going out for dinner?”

“Nah. We’re gonna grab Connor and pick up some takeout.”

My head snaps up. “What?”

“Archie told me what Brandon said about you yesterday. We’re gonna pick up Connor on our way home so you don’t have to.”

“You’re going to say something to him.” If it’s not Marco, it’ll be Archie. Hell, it might be both of them.

Marco smirks. “What would we possibly say?”

“Marco.”

“Imightdrop that you got dicked so hard last night you’re limping today.”

“I amnotlimping!”I’m definitely fucking limping.My legs might’ve worked well enough today if we hadn’t used that last condom this morning. But instead Adam drew a total of four orgasms out of me while he was inside me—on my back, my legs over his shoulders, on my knees, and up against the wall—before hefinallycame. When I stood up to follow him to the shower five minutes later, my legs shook so hard my ass was a split second from hitting the floor when Adam caught my waist and scooped me against him.

I got dicked so hard I feel it in my brain.

“Rosie, you got dicked so hard you’re staring off into space whilegrinning.”

I snap my mouth shut. “I am not.”

“Hello,” Marco breathes out, shoving me aside. He puts his sunglasses on just so he can shift them down his nose as he stares out the window. “Hottie alert. And he’s got flowers.”

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