2. Kade

CHAPTER 2

The saw cuts into the rotten boards on the front porch and I pause for a minute, adjusting my noise-cancelling headphones, bobbing my head in time to the heavy metal 80's song that I'm listening to.

I like all kinds of music but heavy metal fits my mood this morning. My body has been humming with energy since I met the gorgeous redhead last night and had my hands all over those luscious hips of hers.

I have been busy since then but all I can think about is finding her and touching her again.

Something touches my leg and I scream and jump up in the air. A streak of ginger, black and white scrambles under the porch and I groan.

"Hey, kitty kitty." I put my saw down and carefully slip down off the porch and peer under it. A pair of glowing eyes stare back at me. "Hey, kitty kitty! Come on! I've got some tuna that you can have….you want some tuna?"

Instead of moving towards me, the little kitten moves backwards, pushing herself even further under the porch. I groan and lay down flat, moving like a worm under the porch. "Hey, sweetie! Come on…I'll get you something to eat and take you to to the vet so we can find you a new home, little one. All you've got to do is come to me."

"Meow," it says softly and I chuckle.

"You're alright, little one. Just come here." But she slips further and further away from me and I groan. "You're gonna make me go get the tuna and crawl back under here, aren't you?"

The little monster ducks back even further and ducks her head into her paws.

"Fine. I'll be right back."

I shimmy my ass out from underneath the porch and grunt, getting to my feet quickly and walking into my parent's house, now mine. I spot movement at the little cottage next door to mine that's next to the antique store that my parents loved to visit. I know that they liked the owner and often visited with her. They both always wanted me to go meet her but I hadn't had time to visit since I graduated from college. I'd worked my ass off all through school to make sure that I had the best options for jobs after school. And I got my dream job a year ago. But it's made it impossible for me to come home to see my parents after they settled in this little town.

But for as long as they've been here they've been talking about their next-door neighbor. How great she was. How sweet she was. How much they liked her.

To tell you the truth, sometimes I hated that woman. They seemed to think that she could do no wrong and that's a hard thing to hear from your parents when maybe they don't think the same about you.

I know that they wanted me to come back here and see their new place. But honestly…they weren't that old and I thought I had plenty of time. I was growing in my new job and working non-stop. They came to see me last year at Christmas for a week but it had been a little rough for me since I am not much of a cook. I hired a chef so that my mother didn't have to help me but she was actually a bit insulted about that so it backfired on me.

But that's often how our relationship went. We tried and we loved each other but sometimes it was just a struggle because my goals were not the same as theirs.

But now that this happened…I'd decided to come back to their home and restart my life. I was going to use my business degree for more than just making money for the company that I worked for.

I found the tuna and the can opener and quickly opened it, pushing the thought of my parents' loss out of my mind.

For right now, I had a kitten to get out from underneath my porch. Hopping down the steps, I purse my lips and make little kissy noises at the little thing.

"What the hell are you doing out here? Are you stalking me?"

Whipping my head around, I can't help smiling when I see the hazel-eyed temptress who kept me up all last night. "Well, well, kinda looks like you're stalking me, Red."

She rolls her eyes and smirks. "Red? That's the best you got?"

"Gimme a little more time and I'll come up with something."

"Not necessary, sparky. I think I can survive without a special nickname from you."

I cock my head at her, grinning. Lord, she's snarky! I like it.

"Well, as much as I like playing with you, Red, there's a kitten underneath my porch that I need to save."

"Really?" She shoots me a skeptical look but she bends down next to me when I stick the open can of tuna down next to the opening. A tiny calico paw slips out from underneath the porch and slips left and right, claws extended as she grabs a hold of the can and tries to pull it under the porch, growling like a little tiger.

I grab it, keeping her from pulling it and she growls louder, until she belly crawls carefully out, her ears turning back and forth like she's getting radio signals or something.

She's almost as adorable as my little kitten when she catches sight of the little terror and grabs hold of her scruffy little body, lifting her up to hold her in from of her face, smiling joyfully.

"Awww. Aren't you adorable? Who do you belong to?"

The little terror instantly turns into a purring mass of lovey and she pulls it closer, letting it bump its tiny little fur ball head into her chin, its body vibrating with happiness.

"Oh my gosh! Aren't you just the sweetest? How about we go to my house and I'll find you something good to eat and we'll take you to the vet and get you checked out."

She turns and walks away, chit-chatting in that little girl voice to the fur ball.

I watch her go and wonder what the hell just happened. I was just talking to her, scrapping with her actually and then I got left in the dust so that she could take off with the little monster.

I won't say that I'm used to women actually paying attention to me or I'm stuck on myself but Jesus! I was right there and she just left me standing.

Great! I'm fucking jealous of a cat. I growl under my breath. Well, that is not going to work for me. Picking up my can of tuna, I stalk after her disappearing figure.

When I reach her door, I knock at it and stand there, tapping my foot.

No answer.

I knock again. Twice.

No answer.

I take a deep breath and bang on the door until it shakes. Within seconds, the door swings open and she glares at me, the little calico kitten lying in her arms, on her fucking gorgeous breasts and staring at me like he's got just what he wanted.

And I lose my fucking mind. That's my gorgeous chest. Where my head should be. Not the cat.

But I reel it back in. Kind of.

"Hello," I bite out. "I think you forgot that we were talking over there."

She cocks her pretty head at me, her ginger curls slipping on her narrow shoulders. "I don't think we were talking. We were just standing there and then I saw this little cutie and I had other stuff to do." Her eyes dart away from mine and her hazel eyes crinkle at the corners and that's when I realize she might be a bit older than me.

Not that I fucking care. I want this woman.

And maybe the cat. Although the way it's staring at me while perched on her tits, I'm starting to wonder what I'm gonna do here. Seems like she thinks that Promise's boobs are hers and that's not the case at all.

"Do you need help with something?" She asks me when I don't immediately turn around and leave.

"Yeah. You've got my cat."

Her head cocks again and she grins at me. "Does she know that? Cause she seems perfectly happy where she's at!"

"I just caught her."

She shrugs at me and lifts the cat up so that she can rest her chin on the cat's head. Her eyebrow lifts and she smirks. "I think I caught her. You were playing with tuna. Which I'm not sure how great tuna is for kittens."

I huff. "I was going to get her something else after I got her inside my house. That was just to catch her."

"I didn't need tuna."

My temper starts to rise and I growl under my breath which makes her smile even bigger.

"Fine. You caught her. But she was on my property so I think that makes her mine."

She laughs and the kitten blinks at me like it can't believe that I said that.

"Well, don't worry about it. I'll take care of her and I'll make sure that I tell the vet that it was found on your property. But this little cutie is going to stay with me. So…thanks for stopping by but I've got some things to take care of. Bye, bye!"

And she shuts the door in my face.

And I walk back to my yard, wondering what the hell just happened and how long I'm gonna be playing this game with my little kitten.

Because she is mine. I'll win her over, one way or another. And I intend to enjoy the fight because I know damn well that woman is gonna make me work for it.

I'm no slouch. I like to work especially if I have a goal in mind.

My goal is my woman. And a bed and breakfast, okay. But mostly my little kitten. Sooner or later, she's gonna be purring in my arms and digging those little talons into my back while I fuck her senseless and that's all there is to it.

She's mine.