The door closed as I raced back down the hall and pounded on his door.
No one came.
I smacked the palm of my hands against it harder in a slapping motion. “Open the damn door!”
Nothing.
“Fuck,” I kicked the door.
If he had my cat, so help me God I was going to rip him to sheds. What kind of psycho steals a cat?
I reached out, my hand wrapping around the knob. I twisted it and relief flooded me when it turned. I pushed it open and stepped inside.
“Caelan!” I screamed.
I stormed inside, turning my head left then right, in search of the resident asshole.
I found him lying in bed, and there was Brutus snuggled up beside him.
Anger simmered inside me, churning and heating, ready to burst from me like a volcanic explosion.
I stomped over to where he was spread out across the bed fast asleep. He wasn’t under the covers, and all his shirtless glory would normally have been a feast for my eyes but I was too angry.
My hand smacked sharply against the bare skin of his chest, the sound echoing through the room. Air gusted out of his lungs as he came awake and sat fully upright.
“What the fuck?” He looked at me with wide blue eyes. “Did you just hit me?”
“You stole my cat!” I screamed. “Hitting seemed reasonable. So does murder. You better hope I don’t find a shovel because I’m not against smacking you over the head with it and burying you in the courtyard.”
“We don’t have a courtyard,” he muttered, rubbing at the red imprint of my hand on his body.
“Then I’ll toss your body off the roof and make it look like an accident,” I glared.
Laughter burst forth from his lungs. I didn’t think I had ever heard him laugh before. It was a shock to hear—oddly warm and masculine, I wanted to wrap myself up in it like a warm sweater.
Wait, I should so not be thinking such pleasant thoughts about the cat kidnapper.
“You’ve really thought my murder through,” he tilted his head, still massaging the sore area. I was starting to feel bad that I hit him so hard but he had stolen my cat. “I’m glad you’re so thorough. I believe I have some of those nasty smelling medical gloves around here somewhere if you’d like to use them so you don’t leave behind any fingerprints.”
“I hate you,” I said through gritted teeth.
“I assure you, the feeling is mutual.” He reached for Brutus and shoved the cat into my arms, his claws scratching my skin, clearly not pleased at having his slumber so rudely disturbed. “And just so you know, Sutton,” he said my name slowly and with irritation, “I didn’t steal your cat. When you left, the door didn’t latch, and he got out. I found him outside my door.”
“And if my door didn’t close, you didn’t think about maybe, I don’t know, putting him back inside and closing the fucking door?!”
“You’re a very ungrateful person,” he remarked. “It didn’t seem fair to leave him by himself when he so clearly wanted my company.”
“Do ridiculous things just fall out of your mouth? Or do you think you’re cute?”
He shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. “Don’t act like you’re not attracted to me.” He slowly raised his head, his eyes connecting with mine. My pulse jumped in my throat. The look he gave me…it was indescribable. I was once again reminded of this insane thing between us. “I’m glad you don’t deny it.”
He stood from the bed, getting into my personal space once more. Brutus, clutched tightly in my arms, was the only thing keeping our chests from touching.
My breath quaked and then stopped all together as his thumb brushed against my bottom lip.
I desperately wanted to close my eyes to avoid his stare, but I couldn’t. I was riveted, wondering what he was going to do next.
He was so hot and cold that it made him completely unpredictable.