Well, maybe a kitten more than a cat. Striped gray, chocolate, and white, with huge paws and wide blue eyes, it blinked at me warily as we stared at each other. It had an amusing face on it—sort of a tough-guy expression with a pug nose, and a small scar along the side of its face. The baleful glare made me grin. I wasn’t overly fond of cats as a rule, but this one was rather…cute.
I approached the bed slowly. Where the hell did it come from? And why was it on my bed? It stood, stretching, arching its back, and walked toward me, sitting on the edge of the bed and extending its paw, patting my hand. Unsure what it wanted, I lowered my hand and awkwardly stroked the furry head. Immediately, it began to purr, pushing against my hand and looking at me with its blue eyes, pleading.
“Um…hello, cat,” I murmured. “How did you get here?” I sat beside it, shocked when it crawled up onto my shoulder, curling into my neck, purring. I sat for a few minutes, running my fingers through the fur on its back. Obviously, this was Shelby’s handiwork. Maybe she was so lonesome, she thought a kitten would be a good idea. I knew she had trouble sleeping when I wasn’t here, and maybe the kitten helped. Everett told me once she had been like that all her life—unable to sleep in an empty house. He had sheepishly admitted it might’ve had something to do with him forcing her to watch scary movies with him when they were younger. Maybe the kitten made her feel better. I would ask her when she got home.
I settled back against the headboard and let the kitten sleep. I rested my head on the wood, and I felt my eyes drift shut. I’d just sit here until Shelby got home.A noise startled me, and I opened my eyes, meeting the sleepy blues of the kitten, who wasn’t happy about being disturbed. I glanced at the clock and realized I’d been asleep for almost an hour.
The noise came from downstairs, which meant Shelby was home.
I lifted the kitten from my shoulder and got off the bed. It followed me to the edge, giving a plaintive meow as I started to walk away. Turning around, I picked it up, grinning as it settled right back onto my shoulder, promptly digging its claws into my neck and curling up tight. I guessed that was where it liked to be.
Quietly, I went downstairs and peeked in the kitchen. Shelby was clearly not only oblivious to the fact that I was home but was searching for something in the bottom cupboard. All I could see of her was her tight ass sticking out of the open cupboard door, the black yoga pants accentuating her curves. My cock hardened thinking about burying itself between those plump cheeks.
I set the kitten on the floor, ignoring the pitiful look I got from it. Grinning, I snuck up behind Shelby, grabbed her hips, and pulled her sweet ass tight to my groin as I crouched over her. “Tell me, Shelby, why is it I came home to find a strange kitty in my bed? We both know I only want one little pussy waiting for me there.” I thrust forward. “Yours.”
Shelby yelped, her head hitting the cupboard as she pushed backward, scaring the kitten, who was trying to crawl up my leg, causing me to yell as its sharp nails dug into my calf. I stumbled back, taking Shelby with me, landing on the floor with a loud “oomph” as all the air escaped my lungs. The kitten jumped in fright, meowing loudly as Shelby scrambled off me, her pointy elbows digging in. Except as she rolled and sat up gasping, it was my turn to be surprised. Instead of warm, blue-colored eyes, startled, hazel ones met my shocked green.
That was not my Shelby.
From the garage doorway, there was a loud gasp. “Liam?”
I turned my head and gaped at Shelby standing in the doorway. Pushing and scrambling, I backed away from the unidentified woman on the floor, who was staring at me, partially amused, partially horrified.
My gaze bounced between them. The kitten jumped back on my lap, crawling right to my shoulder like that was its rightful place.
Shelby’s voice was dry. “I see you’ve met Fuzzball. And introduced yourself, as only you can, to Caroline.” She waved her hand. “Are you trying to add her to the list of women who have screamed your name, Oscar?”
I shook my head violently. “Bloody hell, Beaker! I thought it was you—I missed your sexy ass, and it was beckoning to me!” I clambered to my feet. “It was all wiggling and lush—”
Her eyebrows shot up, and I realized what I had said. “I mean… Oh shit.” I hung my head in defeat, groaning. “Oh bugger,” I mumbled, squeezing my eyes shut.