by Nina Lindsey
She filled a separate dish and set it close to him. Only when she backed away did he edge forward to eat.
After refilling the water dishes, she tied the full trash bag and headed out the back door to put it in the garbage bin. A thick layer of ocean fog and encroaching rainclouds covered the sky, blocking the sunset. Though the April weather had been temperate, evenings were cool in the coastal California town of Bliss Cove.
It was Aria’s favorite time of year—warm days bursting with color and new life followed by chilly nights of sweatshirts and bonfires. But this spring was more important than all previous ones because before summer arrived, Aria’s mother and two older sisters would see that she could not only follow through with a plan, but make it a success. She’d finally prove that she was stronger and smarter than anyone—herself included—had believed.
The backdoor of the café creaked. A large calico peered at her from the crack in the open door, which she never forgot to close.
Until now. Not the greatest start to smarter.
“Hey, boy.” Keeping her voice soft, she locked her gaze to his. “Go back inside. I’ll…Porkchop!”
Faster than a blink, the cat shot into the alley and ran.
“Porkchop!” Aria slammed the door shut so the other cats wouldn’t escape. She hurried around to the front of the café just as his swishing tail disappeared around the corner. “Who knew you could move so fast? Porkchop!”
Soon it would be dark and rainy. Breaking into a run, Aria followed the cat away from Mariposa Street. The rundown historic district was at least three miles from the center of downtown. Shops and restaurants lined the streets converging toward the popular and busy Starfish Avenue.
Annoyance flickered through her. In the two weeks she’d had Porkchop, he’d proven to be both wily and smug. He’d chewed rolls of paper towels, shoved other cats off the windowsill, and Aria swore he’d deliberately broken one of the cat figurines in the lounge.
There! A black-and-orange furball was just visible under a parked pick-up truck. She crept forward and extended her hand.
“Come on, Porkie Pie,” she crooned. “Come back home and I’ll give you some nice tuna fish…Porkchop!”
He darted away. Several passers-by paused to try and catch him. The overweight cat continued to move surprisingly fast, evading every grasp.
Aria’s lungs started to burn. Skidding in her flat, strappy sandals, she caught sight of him crossing the street to the ramshackle Outside Inn. The old Queen Anne building sprawled over an expanse of tree-dotted lawn with a trail leading to Pelican Beach.
Heavy raindrops started to fall. Aria hurried up the pathway to the wrap-around porch. Thick shrubs and overgrown weeds lined the foundation of the inn underneath the multiple lighted windows. Porkchop shot behind a dense boxwood.
“You little…” She pushed through the shrubs, cursing as her flowy cotton skirt caught on a wet branch and tore. “You’re lucky I took you on, you ungrateful little mouse catcher. If it weren’t for me, you’d be…Porkchop!”
Tail swishing, he bounded to the corner of the inn. If he took off toward the beach trail…she’d never find him on the dark shoreline. But under the awning, he was protected from the rain. Maybe he’d opt for comfort over risk and adventure.
Comfort is a far better choice, my feline friend. Trust me on that.
The cat stopped. His whiskers twitched. His yellow eyes gleamed. Aria gritted her teeth.
“You come here right now.” She clapped her hands sharply and raised her voice. “I work very hard to give you and your fellow feline brethren a nice place to live, and I do not appreciate being forced to race through the—”
A window slammed open right above her. “What the hell is going on out here?”
The deep male voice boomed like thunder. Aria’s heart jumped into her throat. Forcing an apologetic smile onto her lips, she straightened and looked up. Right into the scowling face of a man whose glare burned right into her.
She opened and closed her mouth. No words came out. Her heart raced.
“Well?” His black eyebrows snapped together over his intense dark eyes. He was still holding the window sash up, and the lifted position of his arms stretched his white dress shirt over impressively bulging biceps.
“What are you doing out here?” he barked.
“I…there’s a cat.” Trying to gather her scattered wits, she ran shaking hands over her dress. “Uh, I was just—”
“You were annoying the crap out of me is what you were just doing.”
Irritation stiffened Aria’s spine.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to annoy you.” She indicated Porkchop, who was still sitting at the corner of the inn, staring at the man as if he, too, were transfixed by his sheer potency. “I’m trying to save my cat.”
His mouth twisted sardonically. “Your cat.”
“My felis catus, if you want the Latin term.”
He expelled an impatient breath, his scowl deepening. Letting go of the window sash, he raked a hand through his disheveled dark hair. His sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, revealing tanned forearms corded with muscle.
Good god. Who was he, this man whose glower ratcheted up his sexiness by about a thousand degrees?
And what was she doing fixating on him when she still had to catch Porkchop? The rain was coming down harder.
“I apologize.” She drew her shoulders back and met his smoldering black eyes. “My cat escaped and made his way here, for some reason. I’m trying to catch him.”
He shot a glare at the animal, who was still staring and twitching his tail. “Given his size, it doesn’t look as if catching him should be that hard.”
Aria frowned, stung by the dig about Porkchop’s weight. “I’ll thank you not to insult my cat.”
“You named him Porkchop.”
“I didn’t name him. And he is on a metabolic feline weight management program.”
“Maybe that’s why he ran away.”
“I know this doesn’t look plausible, but he’s led me on a wild goose chase…or maybe I should say a wild cat chase…” She chuckled at the joke. Glowering Stranger did not. “Anyway, my point is that despite his girth, Porkchop can run pretty darned fast.”
He turned his scowl on to her. An oddly pleasurable shiver raced down her spine, which made no sense. Before she could move, or even think, he hefted himself over the window sill and landed onto the ground in front of her.
Aria’s breath stopped. Like, stopped, right in the middle of her chest.
In addition to being dangerously sexy, he was also big—well over six feet with wide shoulders and a broad chest that was no doubt a landscape of hard muscles. With him standing right in front of her, she practically felt the power and energy coiling through every millimeter of his body.
The garden lights cast shadows over his strong features, emphasizing the cut-glass lines of his jaw and cheekbones, his thick-lashed eyes, and a beautifully shaped mouth that looked as if it were made to do dirty things to a woman.
Parting her lips, Aria forced air into her lungs before she started getting dizzy.
“If you’ll step aside, I’ll get my cat.” She managed to sound both haughty and cool, even though her blood was hot and her heart pounding.
“Been real successful at that so far, haven’t you?” Arching an eyebrow, he turned toward Porkchop.
After admiring the fact that his back was as appealing as his front, Aria edged away. If he approached the cat from this side, and she darted around behind Porkchop, they might be able to box him in.
He took a few steps toward the cat. Porkchop blinked at him. Glowering Stranger made a deep, rumbling noise that was obviously meant to soothe the animal, but that also had the strangest effect on Aria—like a hot wave rolling over her skin and settling right into her core.
Suppressing the ridiculous sensation, she prepared to move around and surround the cat as soon as the man got close enough.
“Good boy.” Glower
ing Stranger bent and picked Porkchop up as if the cat were…well, a docile, pick-up-able creature who hadn’t just fled through the streets of Bliss Cove like an escaped felon.
Aria gaped. Porkchop just...curled into the man’s arms as if he didn’t have the slightest interest in getting away. In fact, the little traitor even nuzzled his furry head against Glowering Stranger’s chest.
Aria had the fleeting thought that she’d like to do the same thing.
“Well.” Wiping the rain from her face, she extended her arms. “Clearly he was exhausted from all that running.”
“Clearly.” Though his voice was dry, faint amusement sparked in his eyes.
No, she was imagining that, or it was a trick of the light. No way did this man possess the slightest bit of humor.
Closing her arms around the damp Porkchop, she stepped away. The cat stiffened and squirmed. She tightened her hold.
“Thank you for your assistance,” she said coolly. “I’ll be going now.”
“You’re fortunate you ended up next to my room.” Folding his arms, he pierced her with a disapproving glare. “Anyone else would have called the police if they heard someone prowling under their window.”
“I’ll just consider myself a lucky duck, then.” She backed off through the bushes.
A ripping sound filled the air. Her heart sank. Gripping the cat with one hand, she pulled at her skirt and tried to dislodge it from another sharp branch.
Glowering Stranger walked toward her.
Great. Not only did he have to rescue Porkchop, he also had to rescue her.
Bending, he released the material from the branch with a deft flick of his fingers.
“Thank you.” She lifted her chin, her face heating. Based on the feeling of cool air brushing against her leg, she’d ripped her dress almost up to her thigh. Not that she was about to look down and check, thereby drawing attention to her mishap.
Porkchop wiggled and clawed at her arm. Troublemaker.
“Good night.” Mustering her dignity, she turned and walked away.
The cat squirmed again. His fur was getting wetter every second. She tightened her grip, praying she could manage to hold on to him for the walk back to Mariposa Street. Porkchop was not only big, he was strong and knew how to hold his own. He meowed and twisted wildly.
“Pork…oh, no.”
With a hard pull, the cat jumped to the ground and took off into the backyard of the inn.
“Porkchop!” Panic flared.
The animal ran toward the trail leading to Pelican Beach. Aria started after him when a large hand clamped around her arm.
“He might be running because you’re chasing him,” the stranger said.
“I have to catch him!” She tried to yank her arm from his grip. She’d never forgive herself if she lost the cat. He’d been through enough in his life, and he deserved a good home. “He’s heading for the beach, and I’ll never be able to find him in the dark.”
He bit out a sharp curse and released her, turning back to the open window. Aria flew after the cat, her flat-soled sandals skidding on the wet grass.
Just as she reached the trail, a pair of heavy male footsteps sounded behind her. The wide beam of a flashlight shone on the path. Glowering Stranger appeared at her side.
For an instant Aria wondered how in the heck he’d managed to procure a flashlight so fast. She caught sight of a tail swishing through the grass.
“There.” She pointed.
He swung the flashlight toward the dunes and increased his pace, his much longer stride taking him past her in a blink. Aria rushed after him. The tall grass whipped against her legs as they emerged onto the open beach, where the waves lashed the shore and a wind pushed the rain sideways. Tangled piles of seaweed and driftwood littered the sand. The multicolored carnival and Ferris wheel lights lining the boardwalk sparkled against the angry storm clouds.
Cold prickled Aria’s skin. Glowering Stranger moved quickly, his body a large shadow skimming against the dark blue ocean and metal-gray sky.
He stopped and held up a hand. Aria came up behind him and peered around his shoulder. The cat was huddled beside a “No Lifeguard On Duty” post, licking his paw.
“He’s playing with us,” Aria whispered. “Do that rumble thing again.”
He shot her a frown. His wet hair fell over his forehead and made him look even more menacing. “The what thing?”
“You know, that noise you made in your chest when you caught him before. It sounded like a cat purr. Well, a big cat purr, like from a tiger or something, if they even purr, which I don’t know if they do. But that’s probably why he let you pick him up. Do it again.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Just try.” She poked him in the arm. “Before he runs again. Give me the flashlight.”
Somewhat to her surprise, he handed her the flashlight. Slowly he made his way toward the cat. Over the noise of the waves and wind, Aria couldn’t tell if he was tiger-purring. Right before he got close to the cat, a clap of thunder boomed.
Porkchop freaked out. He bolted a foot into the air, flattened his ears, and ran.
Aria gasped. The stranger cursed. The cat let out a yowl and streaked toward the boardwalk. He careened through a tangle of seaweed and suddenly jerked to a halt.
Aria and the stranger ran toward him again. The icy tide splashed over her sandals.
“Porkchop!” She shone the light onto the cat, who pulled frantically to free his left hind leg from a rope of seaweed.
His defiance replaced by fear, Porkchop began to shake and mewl in little terrified bursts. He was soaked, his fur spiky with rainwater, and his frantic struggle to free himself seemed to be tightening the noose.
Glowering Stranger reached the frightened animal in a few long strides. He crouched and grabbed Porkchop by the scruff of the neck, then untangled the seaweed from his leg. Straightening, he hauled the frantic, dripping cat out of the trap.
Relief flooded Aria.
“Oh, thank you.” She pulled in a heavy breath and held out her arms. “I’m really sorry about all the trouble and annoying the crap out of you and getting you all wet, and I swear I’ve never had a cat run away before, especially in the rain, but he’s just so much faster than I expected him to be and—”
He walked past her, still holding the drenched cat. Porkchop twisted and protested, but there was no escaping the man’s strong grip.
Since Aria didn’t relish the idea of trying to wrestle a large, angry wet cat into submission, she hurried after the stranger as he started back to the Outside Inn. He lifted Porkchop into both arms and against his broad chest. The cat kept meowing, but stopped squirming.
No surprise this time. Likely the animal was absorbing a ton of the man’s warmth. Even soaking wet, Glowering Stranger probably generated enough body heat to power the entire West Coast. Maybe even the whole country.
Shivers rippled over Aria’s skin. Her teeth chattered. They emerged into the garden lights, and he strode back to his room. He hefted Porkchop through the open window and lowered him to the floor.
Aria stopped, stunned. She’d fully expected him to hand her the cat and walk away.
Oh, no. Was he going to call animal control now?
“Um.” She rubbed her goose-bumpy arms and tried to stop her teeth from clacking together. “Can I have my cat back, please?”
“After you’re both dry and warm.” He frowned. “You can go in the front door, but there’s a good chance you’ll run into the innkeeper.”
Aria opened and closed her mouth. Animals weren’t allowed at the inn. As he’d clearly guessed, Mrs. Higgins was both chatty and gossipy. Aria had no desire to explain the current situation to her.
She also had no desire to enter a stranger’s room, but she wasn’t leaving without her cat. She’d already learned that she wouldn’t be able to walk home carrying the hefty creature, especially in the storm. Another clap of thunder, and he’d bolt again.
With a groan, she edged through the bushes, careful this time not to rip her already torn skirt. Her instincts told her that regardless of the stranger’s glowers and frowns, she had nothing to fear from him. But in the event that her instincts were wrong—which had certainly happened before—his room was close enough to the lobby that there were likely other people close by.
He took the flashlight from her and tossed it through the window. She put her hands on the sill and tried to haul herself up over the ledge. His big hands settled around her waist. Aria’s breath caught.
Despite the rain and the fact that he’d just been carrying a cold wet cat, his hands were shockingly warm, sending heat clear through her dress. As if she weighed no more than a cotton puff, he lifted her up so she could clamber awkwardly inside. As she swung her leg over the sill, a ripping noise announced that she was pretty much destroying her skirt.
She managed to get herself into the room—which was a kaleidoscope of floral rose wallpaper and chintz upholstery—before he climbed through the window after her.
Porkchop shook himself off, settled right in the middle of the rose-printed comforter, and licked his paw.
Scoundrel.
“You need to change.” After closing the window, Glowering Stranger walked to the closet and removed a white terrycloth bathrobe that looked way too small for him. “Mrs. Higgins told me the robes are one size fits all.”
Clearly a man like him wasn’t included in the all.
He extended the robe and raked his gaze over her wet dress, which was plastered to her body and no doubt displayed details better left concealed. He lingered his attention on the length of her bare leg.
Her belly tensed, almost as if he’d stroked his hand over her skin. For a heart-stopping second, her mind flashed with an image of him trailing his fingers over her knee to her inner thigh, gliding upward until he found the—
She cut off the thought and pulled in a breath. How long had it been since she’d actually let a man touch her? Her recent tentative foray back into the dating world hadn’t incited any great desire or passion, but she didn’t want that.