That wistful thought brought her head snapping back from the window. What the hell? Where’d that come from?
Chapter 19
Luna heaved out a frustrated breath and popped herself on the forehead. You know exactly where that came from, idiot. What did you do with Bryan? Yep! Jumped right in his arms the second he looked like he could sweep you away from your troubles. What’d that get you? More trouble, that’s what.
Growling in frustration at her obvious weakness for bad boys, Luna headed for the closet and flung open the door. She reached down and grabbed her suitcase. She hesitated and ran her fingers across the black bungee cords holding it closed. “Well, he didn’t lie about that.” She started to turn and stopped in her tracks. “Wow! It smells fantastic in here.” It wasn’t a cologne she recognized. It was unique, like a cross between summer rain, leather, and vanilla. No, it wasn’t vanilla, but close.
Luna set the suitcase aside and ventured further into the ridiculously large closet. She ran her hands down the long row of T-shirts hanging on the rack. Most guys just folded them, but he apparently liked his hung. She chuckled. “That, or tossed on the floor.” Without thought, she grabbed an armful and buried her face in the soft cotton. They all smelled of laundry detergent and dryer sheets.
Disappointed, she pulled back and walked further down the rack. Her eyes widened. “That’s it. It has to be.” Reaching up, she pulled a black leather jacket off its hanger and gasped when it thudded to the carpet. She hadn’t realized how heavy it was. She sat on the floor and pulled it around her shoulders. It completely swallowed her. “Yum!” It felt like being in a cocoon and the smell was heavenly. She’d always had a sensitive nose and she found this combination intoxicating. It was him. She remembered his smell.
Suddenly, an image of a broad, hairless chest and squashing her nose into it made her laugh. Get a grip, Luna. You had your nose smashed against his neck. Keep his chest out of this. You obviously still have brain damage. Turning her attention back to the coat, she flinched at the overwhelming desire to roll around the floor on it and cover herself in his scent. “What the hell is wrong with me?”
Frowning, Luna realized he could return at any moment and wouldn’t she look the fool when he found her in here. Quickly, she scrambled out of the coat and made several attempts to get it back on the rack. Eventually, she gave up and shoved it up against the wall and hoped he wouldn’t notice. He’d probably think it fell off on its own. The damn thing felt like he lined it with fifty-pound slabs of metal. Gravity obviously won.
Breathless and arms burning from the wasted effort, Luna drug her suitcase out of the room and pulled it down the hallway. She found a bedroom next to his and lugged the case inside. “Geez, this is gorgeous!”
This one was just as lavish as the last, just smaller. She found the bathroom and stood in the doorway with her mouth hanging open for a few beats. The same light wood covered the walls and she instantly fell in love with the stone-lined shower. It was huge with three showerheads, a bench seat, and plenty of slots for whatever she wanted to stuff in them. She could’ve spent an hour checking out all the amenities, but she wanted out of the ugly hospital clothes, and fast. One last thing to remind her of that night. She turned the water on and found towels folded neatly on a marbled stand.
Running back to her case, she released the cords and flipped it open. She picked up a clear, plastic bag containing all of her bath supplies and smiled. This wasn’t hers. He must’ve put all of her stuff in here to protect her clothes. “What a thoughtful and rare man,” she mused. Setting it to the side, she pulled out her favorite bike shorts and faded Slipknot T-shirt. Frowning, she lifted the material to her nose and promptly threw them on the floor. She picked another shirt up and did the same thing. Everything smelled faintly of rotting food. “Where’d he find it? In a damn dumpster? Crap! What am I going to wear?”
Eyes widening, she rushed back to his closet and started rifling through the T-shirts. Well, look at this. At least he likes the same music I do. He can’t be all bad. The best heavy metal bands on Earth were represented in this closet. Slayer, Pantera, Black Sabbath, and Metallica were familiar and inviting. It was a tossup which to pick. Grabbing a Slipknot shirt, since she was in that mindset anyway, she hauled ass back to the bathroom, grabbed up her toiletries, and locked the door. She jumped in and took the quickest shower of her life. She really wanted to wash all of her hair, but she settled for just the portion not in the braid. She’d take her time tomorrow.
Wrapped in a towel and feeling a thousand times better by the second, she strolled back into the bedroom and slipped the T-shirt over her head. It fell to her knees. This was good. She needed to wash her clothes, so she was going to be sans underwear for a bit. Unwilling to put the stinky clothes next to her clean skin, Luna wrapped them up in the damp towel and started looking for a washing machine.
She gaped at the unbelievably beautiful kitchen she flew by and made a note to spend some time snooping in there later. If those two huge logs holding up the ceiling were real, she’d flip. She saw a door off to the side and figured it might be the washroom. As she juggled the loaded towel in one arm and tried to open the door, she wasn’t prepared for something to brush up against her leg. She screamed and clothes flew everywhere. She stared openmouthed as one of her shirts began to walk across the floor. Eventually, a gorgeous, golden-eyed, black ball of fur crawled out from underneath it and promptly stole her heart.
“Oh, my goodness! Come here, you beautiful creature. Your master just scored some big-time brownie points.” Luna laughed when the cat leapt into her arms. He was purring so hard, she could feel it vibrating her chest. She buried her nose in his velvety fur and talked kitty to him for a good five minutes. Reluctantly, she set him down and rounded up her clothes. “Sorry, Mr. Kitty. I have to get these washed. You can come with me, though.”
Thankful the door led to the laundry room, she dropped her clothes inside the washer and was just about to close the top when she thought of the shirts strewn around his room. She made a quick pass through the rest of the house and brought back enough shirts and jeans to make a full load. The damn thing looked like an industrial size and could definitely handle it. She leaned back against the dryer and looked down at her new best friend. He hadn’t left her side since she’d found him.
“I’m going to need another tour of the house, big guy. I’m still freaking on the quick glimpse I got of the great room. This is the best-looking house I’ve ever been in. It’s too much to take in at once. It has to be savored. Until then, let’s go watch some TV. You game?”
Mr. Kitty swirled around her legs and shot out the door. Luna followed him and ended up in a room with a decent-sized TV and the largest sectional couch she’d ever seen in her life. It stretched the entire length of one wall and had extensions on each end that could have been used for a bed. It was definitely the den, or should she say “man cave.” She’d missed this room on her clothes hunt. Picking up four shirts, a grease rag, and three socks, she looked down at the cat and snorted. “How do you live with him?”
She took the clothes to the laundry room and threw them in a basket. Ten minutes later, the den was presentable. What looked like a carburetor was now on the floor next to the doorway with a piece of newspaper under it. She didn’t think it should remain as a centerpiece on his luxurious coffee table. Twenty Car and Driver magazines scattered all over the room were now stacked neatly on his ample shelving, two pair of boots were lined up next to his backdoor, and various tools were residing in a small, cardboard box she’d found in a closet. Other than his tendency to leave things where he last needed them, the room was surprisingly clean and free of dust bunnies.
Luna located the remote and plopped down on the couch. It was buttery soft and she sank in with a contented sigh. Taking another glance out of the large windows giving her a fantastic view of the side yard, she pulled a soft blanket across her legs and waited for Mr. Kitty to settle his warm body on her stomach. Flip
ping through the channels, she found a show Bryan never let her watch and leaned back in contentment. “Now this is what I’m talking about.”
* * * *
Cato set the bags of groceries on the kitchen counter and walked quickly to his room. He didn’t think his heart could beat any faster without exploding. He’d been kicking his own ass all the way back to the house for not taking her with him. It’d sounded like a good plan when he’d thought of it. Pop a squat and I’ll feed you. What was he thinking? She was probably hoofing it through the woods and calling him all kinds of gnarly-sounding names. He’d been surprised there weren’t ten police cars in his driveway waiting for him to arrive.
She wasn’t in the room and panic started to set in. He flung the closet door open and groaned when he saw her case was missing. He leaned against the wall and took a few breaths to clear his head. Wait! He’d told her to make herself at home, so maybe she was in the bathroom. That hope went out the window when he saw the opened door and no activity inside. He walked into the hallway and immediately called himself all kinds of stupid.
Veering to the right, he opened the bedroom door next to his and felt his muscles go loose with relief. Her suitcase sat in the middle of the bed and the bungee cords were lying to the side. He glanced to the bathroom and noticed the door was open. He softly called her name so he wouldn’t freak her out if she was tending to business. He frowned when he received no response. Taking tentative steps inside, he smiled when he saw the plastic case he’d given her sat empty on the sink. The air was still humid from a recent shower and he noticed she’d placed all her bath items in the various slots on the wall. He liked the feeling of seeing them there. It looked right. He’d prefer to see them in his bathroom, but he’d take what he could get. It also meant she was somewhere in the house.
Now that he wasn’t in panic mode, he calmly walked through the house and finally found what he was looking for. Luna was curled up on the couch in the den with a blanket draped across her lap. She also had a ball of black fur tucked in the crook of her arm. They were both asleep. Cato grinned and sat on the coffee table. He pulled his phone out and took a few snaps of them. He wanted to remember it forever. When he headed back toward the kitchen, he noticed the carburetor he’d been working on was next to the doorway. It’d been placed on newspaper and had a grease rag draped over it. He glanced around the room and realized it was tidy, for once.
Grinning, he walked to the laundry room. Sure enough, the washer was silent, yet full of clothes. He started pulling them out to dry and stopped. Her things were mixed with his and it just did something to him. A peacefulness settled into his bones. Something as simple as his socks tangled with her Slipknot T-shirt and a bra snagged to the button of his jeans completely undid him. He wanted to be tangled with her. He wanted to push his energy into her and have her willingly accept it as her own. He thought he might break in half from the need. Taking a deep breath, Cato finished loading the dryer and cleared his thoughts. One step at a time. If he kept thinking to the end game, he’d screw this up royally. She needed to become comfortable with him and learn to trust. Without trust, there was nothing. He shook his head and chuckled. “Food, Cato. You promised to feed her. Let’s start with that.”
* * * *
Cato knelt beside the couch and stared at the sleeping duo. He’d spent enough time looking at her closed lids and wanted to see her beautiful eyes again. He went with the urge to touch her one more time before he woke her up. He reached out then stopped when Donk’s eyes opened. He swore it looked like the cat was judging him. He whispered, “I know. I know. Don’t look at me like that. I’ll behave.”
Rising, he backed up to the archway and called out softly. “Luna.” He was surprised when she immediately opened her eyes and stretched. She was so cute. She had a sleep crease running down one cheek and she stared at him with wide eyes. Donk jumped off the couch and waited patiently for her to follow him. He gestured to the kitchen. “Food’s ready.”
“Oh. Okay.” Lifting herself from the couch, she pushed the blanket away as she stood.
Cato barely succeeded in squashing a groan at the sight. She was wearing his Slipknot T-shirt and it fell to her knees. It was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen. She glanced down and gripped the shirt to pull it lower.
“Oh yeah. I had to swipe a shirt. My clothes smelled like dumpster.”
When she looked up and grinned, Cato tried to keep from dropping to his knees and begging her to never stop. She was exquisite. She glanced down at Donk and smiled.
“Mr. Kitty showed me around your house and we did a load of laundry together.” When she cooed at the smitten cat, Donk jumped up in her arms and pushed his face against hers.
“Donk.” Cato felt like an idiot the minute the word came out of his mouth. She glanced up and frowned. He felt his cheeks warm.
“Excuse me?”
“His name. It’s Donk. Sorry.” He was immediately relieved when she burst out laughing and looked back to the cat.
“Donk? I don’t even want to know how he ended up with that name.”
Cato chuckled. “No worries. I have no clue. He already had it when he decided to claim me.” He watched her head bob in understanding.
“That’s a good way to put it. Claimed. It’s their world and we’re just visiting.”
Cato’s eyebrows rose at the similarity in their thinking. He’d said the exact same thing the night Donk arrived. “Yes. It is. Come. I made you something to eat. Kitchen’s this way.”
Luna followed him down the hallway. He pulled a chair away from the bar and motioned for her to sit. She set Donk in the chair next to hers and glanced around the kitchen.
“I didn’t get a chance to check this room out.” She patted one of the two logs holding up the ceiling and smiled. “This is so cool. It makes the place look rustic, as it should. You have a very lovely home.”
Cato brought over two plates loaded with turkey sandwiches and potato chips and placed one in front of her.
“Thanks. Glad you like it. I didn’t know what you liked to eat, so I figured sandwiches were a safe bet. If you don’t, I bought some other things you can pick from.” He set a bottle of water next to her plate and leaned back against the counter.
Luna smiled and sat down. “No. This is great. I love turkey.”
They ate in companionable silence, the quietness marred only by Luna’s soft chuckles each time Donk tried to knock a potato chip from her plate. Cato was relieved she appeared calm. It seemed leaving her alone to sort things out on her own had been the best strategy after all. When she pushed her plate away, he reached for it and she placed her hand over his.
“Cato?”
He swallowed hard. “Yes?”
“I need to leave. Will you help me?”
Chapter 20
Fascinated, Luna watched a multitude of indefinable emotions wash across Cato’s face before he diverted his eyes and took their plates over to the sink. She hadn’t expected sadness.
“We talked about this, Luna. You need to have a solid plan before you just take off down the road with no idea where you’re going. Bryan won’t stop looking for you.”
Luna slipped off the stool and made her way around the bar. She leaned against the cabinet so she could gauge what he was thinking. He wouldn’t look at her as he ran water over their plates.
“I know. I’ll be careful. I thought about it while you were gone. I just need to get to my bank. I’ll take a cab out of town and catch a bus somewhere else. There’s no reason for me to stay.” She watched as he dried his hands on a cloth and glanced up when he turned to her. Her gut clenched at the intensity of his gaze. He had the most beautiful eyes she’d ever seen. They pulled her in and locked her in place. His somber words surprised her.
“I don’t want you to go.”
When he didn’t say anything else, she snapped out of her stupor and snorted. “I don’t see how you can mean that. From what I can figure, it sounds like I’ve been a burden. Yo
u’ve done so much already. I can’t pay you back and won’t even pretend that I can. You’re a nice man that felt sorry for me and took pity. I’ve taken enough of your time, Cato.”
When he stepped closer, she straightened and backed away. He hesitated and swallowed hard. His voice was huskier than she’d ever heard it.
“You could never be a burden to me. You don’t understand. I need you to stay.”
Even though he hadn’t moved a muscle, she slid further back and bumped up against the other counter top. She wasn’t frightened of him and it surprised her. It was the way his gaze traveled around her face and the subtle increase of his breath that had her heart pounding in her chest. She felt something inevitable was about to happen.
“What do you want from me, Cato?” She inwardly cringed at the breathless quality of her words. His eyes narrowed and a corner of his lips twitched.
“I love hearing you say my name. Say it again.”
“Ca…Cato.” She struggled to swallow when he took a closer step.
“Yes. Like that. Say it again, Luna.” He took another step and she could feel the heat of his body inches from hers. She gripped the countertop and wished she had the strength to run away. He mesmerized her. She was unable to pull her gaze away from his or understand the tingling buzz beneath her skin that had her nipples beading into tight points. She tried to break the spell and released a nervous laugh.
“Cato, this is silly.”
Fueled by Lust: Cato (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 16