by Hart, Emma
My feelings for him were very real. Maybe they were based on lust, maybe they were based on my heart, or maybe it was a mix.
I didn’t know. Maybe I would never know.
The only thing I was sure of was that Isaac Cooper was worming his way into my heart, and I was completely powerless to stop it.
And I was more than a little okay with it all.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN – ISAAC
Cats Everywhere
“Stop looking at me like I’m going to hurt him.”
Hannah pouted, clutching Lucifer to her chest. “You’re holding a needle. That’s going to hurt.”
I sighed, setting the capped vaccination down. “I’ve told you this. It’s like a human getting a vaccination. It’s sore for all of two seconds and then it’s over.”
She looked down at the kitten before she put him back on the exam table. “If you hurt him, you’re in trouble.”
“Duly noted. Can you hold him? One hand at the front, the other at the back. Bum down, make sure he doesn’t move.”
I could swear she whimpered, but she did as I asked.
“Hey, buddy,” I said, pinching the scruff of his neck gently. “Such a good boy.”
I pushed the needle into his skin. Lucifer cried out, but by the time Hannah was done gasping, I’d already injected him and was removing the needle from him.
“You said it would be like a human!” She glared at me.
“That was like a human,” I said, capping the needle and disposing of it safely. “You inject a ten-week-old baby and they cry, too.”
“I’m mad at you now.”
“I’ll survive. It’s a necessary evil.” I washed my hands and fetched two treats from my jar before putting them down in front of Lucifer. I already knew he was a fan of these, and I wasn’t shocked at all when he hoovered them up in seconds. “See?” I said to Hannah. “He doesn’t care.”
“Mmph,” she responded.
I ignored her. “Now, he might get a little lump where he’s been injected. Some cats have a mild allergic reaction to it. It’s nothing to worry about. If you’re concerned, I’ll just come take a look at him.”
“Are you kidding? After what you just did?”
“One week ago he wasn’t even your cat, now you’re mad at me?”
She blinked. “You’re right. It’s slightly irrational when you say it like that.”
“Slightly?” I fought a smile and turned to my computer. “I’ll book him in for three weeks for his next set, that way there’s a little time if you need to cancel. Ten-thirty on the twentieth okay?”
“Fine.” She was still pouting.
I booked him in and printed off the appointment card. “Here you go.”
“Thank you.” She put it in her pocket and bent down to see Lucifer. “Poor baby.”
“I’m sure he’ll be fine once you’ve fed him that salmon in your fridge you’ve been telling me is yours,” I said dryly.
“It is mine. I never said I was eating it.” She sniffed and put Lucifer back in his carrier. “Anything else I should know?”
“Yes.” I grinned and rested on the exam table on my forearms. “I’ve been thinking about something.”
“Oh, God. Is it me? What did Grandma do now?”
“Yes, but not specifically, and nothing,” I answered. “I think I want a cat.”
“Why are you asking me? I’m hardly the best judge of such a thing.”
I laughed. “I think I want to go to the rescue and see what they’ve got. I don’t want a kitten because I work too much to be able to look after one, but I think an older one might help.”
Her brow furrowed a little. “Help with what?”
“It gets a little lonely,” I admitted. “Until recently—”
“Until we sexted,” she said.
“Until we sexted,” I repeated, trying not to smile too much. “I didn’t really have anyone here and I was lonely. You and I are still at the beginning of our relationship, and while I’m going for a beer with Mason and Maya’s stepdad this week, I think I need a cat.”
“You know they’re assholes, don’t you?”
“Ah, you’re learning the way of the cat. Nice job.”
“Shut up.” Her eyes shone with laughter. “I think it might be good for you. So you want an older one?”
“Nothing too old. Maybe two or three years old. Would you come with me?”
“To the shelter? Have you seen my willpower? I rescued that little shit as a full-fledged member of Team Dog and now he sleeps on the end of my bed.”
“I know. He woke me this morning by biting my toes.” I shot a glare his way. “We have got to get his foot fetish under control, by the way. I’m not dealing with that on a regular basis.”
“Who said you’re sleeping in my bed on a regular basis?”
“Fine. I’ll send you batteries for your vibrator and you can see how well that cooks you breakfast.”
Hannah paused. “Point taken. Until the robots rise up, you’ll do.”
“I’ll do?” Laughing, I pushed off the exam table and walked around it to her. I pulled her against me and kissed her, taking her lower lip between my teeth and dragging slowly.
She let out a breathy moan and sagged against me. “Stop it.”
I released her with one final laugh. “Go now. I have appointments all day and I can’t handle you getting me riled up.”
“You kissed me.” She sniffed and picked up the carrier. “When do you want to go to the shelter?”
“Shall we get dinner tonight and work it out?” I asked, opening the exam room door.
“Sounds good.” She smiled shyly. “See you later.”
“See you later, love.”
Her cheeks flushed pink.
That was the only reason I called her that. She blushed every time, and there was something so fucking adorable about making her blush that way that I couldn’t help myself.
She was going to kill me for it one day, I was sure of it.
She took Lucifer to the reception desk and shot one more look my way, but this look wasn’t the annoyed one she’d given me in the exam room. This one was filled with a softness; a softness I was coming to know and love about her.
Love.
That was such a big word, and one I wasn’t comfortable throwing around freely, but it was the correct one here. I was slowly falling in love with all the things that made her Hannah, and it wouldn’t be long until I knew I’d start falling in love with her.
I just hoped like hell her grandmother didn’t kill me first.
The woman was a trip.
Hannah shot me one last smile and waved before she left, and I watched her go for a minute.
“You’ve got it bad,” Jo, today’s receptionist, said.
“Oh, be quiet.”
***
I hated shelters.
I hated the animals left here with nobody to love them. I hated that none of them had a home to go to, that the only time they were really let out of their crates was for necessary exercise or to meet potential adopters.
I hated that some of these animals would die needlessly.
Everything about obtaining a pet sucked. There were people on both sides of the fence—those who believed it was their right to choose a pet from a breeder and those who believed breeders were the devil incarnate.
I stood firmly in the middle.
I believed everyone had their place in society and the animal world, even breeders. Some people didn’t have a choice—maybe they were allergic and needed hypoallergenic breeds. Maybe some people had special needs or their children did and they had to be mindful of the breeds they chose to get.
Then? Breeders were vital. It was important that everyone was able to get the pet they needed that would fit into their lifestyle, because that was how it worked. Unless you were buying a farm.
There was no chance you were fitting a pig into your lifestyle. You were changing yours.
The bottom line was that the man
ner of obtaining a pet didn’t matter. Whether a puppy or a kitten came from a shelter or a breeder, there was one point that so many people seemed to miss: they all needed a home regardless.
Take my grandma for example. She’d never once rescued any animal unless it was a hedgehog—then she rehabilitated those for the winter before letting them go. She’d also saved an owl once.
All right, I’ll rephrase.
She’d never rescued a pet before.
She worked a farm. She needed purebred working dogs to herd the sheep and cattle, and then she always had a terrier around to be her ratter.
All purebred. All perfect. All needing a home just as much as the others.
Her needs were different.
My aunt, however, refused to buy from breeders. The woman had four cats and three dogs and every single one had been rescued from various shelters back home in England, but she never judged her mom, my grandma, for her purebred babies.
Because it didn’t bloody well matter.
Just like me and Hannah. She’d mentioned last night that if she had been in a position to choose to get a pet, she would have gone to a breeder for a pedigree puppy. A smaller breed that would be easy for her to look after, one that she really loved.
It made sense.
Sure, she’d ended up with a stray kitten, but life was funny like that. I wanted to believe that Lucifer had found her for a reason—and maybe that reason was us.
Without him, I don’t know if we’d ever have figured out who we were texting.
Like I said, life was funny.
Me? I didn’t need a pedigree animal. I didn’t want a cute little baby. I wanted a cat that was fully trained, fully grown, and needed a home. One who could slip into my lifestyle, but also one I could take to work if I needed to.
That was the beauty of a cat.
They slept all the bloody time.
“Do you have one in mind?” Hannah asked, slipping her hand into mine as we approached the shelter doors.
“Nope,” I said. “I just wanted to see what they had. Maybe go to another if they don’t have what I’m looking for.”
“I think I can lend you enough of my time for that,” she teased. “Let’s do it!” She released my hand and bounded toward the door, yanking it open before I could do it for her.
I followed her inside, catching hold of the door before it closed on her arse.
“Hello!” A bright young woman said from behind the counter. “How can we—oh, Dr. Cooper!” She grinned, and I recognized her as Alesha, the girl who usually brought us pets to be looked at.
“Hey, Alesha, I didn’t know you were working today.” I stepped up to the counter. “How is everything? How’s Moses?”
She beamed. “Moses is doing great! He’s still a little wobbly on his leg, but he’s in with you next week to be X-rayed again.”
“Great to hear. Hannah, this is Alesha. She usually brings the sick or injured rescues down to the clinic to be seen.”
Hannah smiled. “It’s lovely to meet you, Alesha.”
“You, too.” She returned the smile, but it was a little tight.
Great.
I knew Alesha had a crush on me because I’d turned her down before, and I knew Hannah wouldn’t miss that part.
“What can I help you with?” Alesha asked, turning her attention back to me.
“I want a cat,” I said simply. “I’ve decided I need a friend, but I don’t want a kitten. Maybe one around two to three years old. Do you have anything?”
She nodded slowly. “We have a few cats around that age, sure. Is your friend looking for a cat, too?”
Hannah bristled beside me.
Well, this wasn’t bloody awkward at all.
She wasn’t my friend, but she wasn’t my girlfriend.
Ah, fuck this shit.
“Nope. My girlfriend already has a kitten. Showed up on her back step and never left.” I grinned at Hannah and squeezed her hand.
She met my eyes, her gaze equal parts shock and happiness.
Well, at least I knew she’d say yes when I officially asked her to be my girlfriend.
Alesha’s smile was tighter than ever. “Come on back. I’ll grab one of the girls to show you around.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that.”
We followed her through the door marked ‘Staff Only’ after she’d punched in the code.
“Audrey! Dr. Cooper is here to adopt a cat.” Alesha knocked on a door just inside the back area. “She’ll be right out.”
With that, she left.
“That wasn’t awkward at all,” Hannah said quietly.
“Tell me about it,” I muttered in response.
The door opened and Audrey came out with a huge smile. She was a homely woman, a few inches shorter than me with a motherly figure and a smile that exuded so much warmth it’d melt the North Pole.
She could also be my mother.
“Isaac!” She wrapped me in a huge hug. “Who’s your friend?”
“This is Hannah,” I said, releasing her. “My girlfriend.”
That was twice.
I guessed she was my girlfriend now.
“Pleasure to meet you, my darling!” Audrey said brightly, clasping Hannah’s hands. “Wait—don’t you work in the art store? Jen’s granddaughter?”
“And my grandmother’s reputation precedes me again,” Hannah said jokingly. “Yes, that’s me.”
“Ooh, you and Imogen have some craft sets coming in for my grandbabies when they come to stay this summer. I’m so excited.” She scrunched her shoulders right up with a grin. “Now, Isaac, what cat do you want, dear? We have lots.”
I repeated my preferences to her.
“I think we have several that fit that, yes. As you know, adult cats are the hardest to get adopted, but I’m not surprised you want one. You’re a good egg, Isaac.” She patted my shoulder. “Come on through and we’ll take a look see.”
Hannah slipped her fingers through mine as we walked, lightly squeezing me. I wasn’t sure if it was a reassuring squeeze or one that said we were going to talk later, but I hoped it was a little bit of both.
I had no idea how to introduce her.
Thankfully, I think she knew that.
“This one is Horace. He’s four, fully vaccinated and neutered, and he’s a lovely old thing,” Audrey said. “He’s a total lap cat, but he’s blind in one eye.”
I released Hannah’s hand and stepped forward. He was beautiful—one hundred percent black with green eyes and a big fluffy tail that he currently had wrapped around his body to keep him warm.
“He’s beautiful,” I said.
“He is. Let me show you the others and we can circle back to any of them you like.” She shuffled us along a few cages. “This one is Spring. She’s around two years old, again spayed and vaccinated, but she has a few behavioral issues we’re working on.”
“Behavioral?” I asked, taking a step closer. She was almost pure white except for one black ear and the tip of her ear. Her blue eyes peered out of the cage at me and tugged at something deep inside. “What are her issues?”
“She’s a little vicious,” Audrey admitted. “Honestly, we found her with her litter of kittens. She had four we found them with her. They were all dead. She was still trying to nurse them and look after them.”
Hannah inhaled sharply, gripping hold of my arm.
“We think she’s grieving them,” Audrey said softly. “She’s a lovely thing, and I’m only showing you because you’ll know how old she is. I don’t think she’s ready to be rehomed yet until we’ve got her behavior sorted out.”
“I understand.” I reached over and squeezed Hannah’s hand.
“Let’s move on.” Audrey marched ahead, but it took me a good moment to unstick my feet from the floor.
Something in that cat’s eyes called to me, and I was afraid to look at any others, because I feared I already knew who was supposed to be mine.
Next, I met a big fluffy ginger tabb
y named Lightwood. He was eighteen months old, playful as hell, and the perfect candidate for what I was looking for. After him was Charge, another male. He was a little older and not quite as crazy as Lightwood, but we moved on and saw three more cats who fit my preferences before Audrey clapped her hands together.
“Well? What do you think? Anyone you want to open up and see?”
I glanced at Hannah and met Audrey’s eyes.
Audrey’s smile dropped. “Isaac—”
“Please,” I asked. “She’s beautiful, Audrey, and you know I could help her.”
She took in a deep breath so harshly that her nostrils flared. “Two minutes, and if anyone asks, you’re checking her over, understand?”
I nodded once.
Hannah bounced beside me. For someone who didn’t like cats until a week ago, she was all about Spring.
Audrey lead us back over and stopped in front of her cage. Spring was lying at the back, watching us intently. Reluctantly, Audrey undid the cage door and stepped aside so I could approach her.
“Hey, Spring,” I said softly, gently reaching my hand toward her. “Aren’t you a lovely thing?”
Audrey twitched as Spring moved.
“It’s okay.” I kept my voice low and my hand near the bottom of the cage. The last thing I wanted to do was spook her now. “Here. I’m a friend.”
I waited until she moved toward me. Every bit was tentative and it took her a few minutes of silence, but she stretched her neck and sniffed my hand. After she’d had a moment to do that, I moved my finger and gently smoothed the side of her face. She had a beautiful, fluffy neck ruff, and my finger glided over her thick fur.
“My goodness,” Audrey breathed.
Spring didn’t move, but she allowed me to take my finger from her neck to her ear, then to the top of her head. She didn’t move into me, but I didn’t expect her to. Distrust filled her eyes, and I was careful not to maintain eye contact for a prolonged period of time.
I didn’t want her to think I was a threat.
I was able to move from her head to stroke her entire body. Audrey watched, shaking her head in wonder, while Hannah clasped my free hand tightly.
“I want her,” I said, stilling my hand while Spring sniffed me more. “She’s mine, Audrey.”