That First Special Kiss

“Cassie’s such a good hostess,” Kelly commented as she and Shane began the quarter-mile walk to his house. “She’s so careful to make sure everyone has a good time.”

“She enjoys entertaining. Dad’s gotten accustomed to having a crowd underfoot—even seems to like it most of the time.” Shane knew how much adjustment it had taken for his father, who’d been a loner all his life, to suddenly find himself part of a large, demonstrative family. Shane had taken to their new life immediately, but Jared had needed a bit more encouragement. He’d found that motivation in his love for Cassie.

Paulie, the border collie, came running up to meet them as they approached Shane’s house. Shane absently patted the dog’s black-and-white head. Kelly greeted him with more affection, bending down to stroke him into a frenzy of delight. “Good dog,” she said. “You’re such a sweet boy.”

Shane had a sudden image of those soft hands stroking his body. He cleared his throat abruptly. “Do you like kittens?”

With a final pat for the dog, Kelly straightened. “Who doesn’t like kittens?”

“Lots of people. There’s a new litter on my back porch if you want to see them. A pregnant stray showed up a couple of weeks ago and Molly talked me into letting her stay.”

“Marshmallow.”

He sighed. “Yeah, I know.”

“How many kittens did she have?”

“Three.”

“And Paulie doesn’t bother them?”

“Paulie’s used to all kinds of different critters being around. Molly would have a whole zoo if Dad and Cassie would let her.”

Kelly took one look at the furry family nesting on Shane’s back porch and fell instantly in love. Shane stood to one side and observed indulgently as she fell to her knees beside the bed he’d fashioned from a cardboard box lined with old towels. The mother cat, surprisingly friendly for a stray, made no effort to stop Kelly from admiring the babies.

Shane found himself getting aroused all over again as he watched Kelly run a fingertip slowly over a soft, sleeping little body, a look of sheer delight on her face, her eyes soft with pleasure. He shifted his weight, drawing her attention away from the kittens for a moment.

“They’re precious,” she crooned. “Especially the little white one with the gray spots. Are they boys or girls?”

“The white one is female, I think, and the two graystriped ones male. It’s hard to tell with kittens, but that’s my best guess.”

She looked down at the kittens again. “They’re so sweet. I always wanted a cat when I was growing up.”

“Why didn’t you have one?”

“My mother was too ill to deal with pets when I was little. And then I moved in with Mrs. Fendel, who was allergic to cats.”

“There’s nothing to stop you from having a cat now, is there?”

She looked intrigued. “I don’t know. I haven’t given it much thought.”

Kneeling beside her, he gently lifted the white-and-gray kitten. He placed it in Kelly’s hands. “This little girl needs a home.”

Temptation warred for a moment with wanness, and then Kelly smiled and lifted the mewing little creature to her cheek. “Will you teach me how to take care of her?”

“You bet. It isn’t that hard. Cats are pretty self-sufficient. She’ll need her shots in a few weeks and you’ll want to have her spayed as soon as she’s old enough—just as I’ll have the males neutered before I find homes for them. After that, it’s just a matter of giving her affection and attention and yearly booster shots.”

“When will she be old enough to leave her mother?”

“A few weeks yet, probably just after Christmas. And in the meantime, you can visit her any time you want.”

“Thank you, Shane. I’ll give her a good home.”

“I know you will. And I think you’ll enjoy her company.”

Tenderly Kelly returned the kitten to its mother. “Will she miss her mother and brothers when we separate them?”

“For a few days,” he answered candidly. “and then you’ll take their place.”