4. Kade

CHAPTER 4

For two days she manages to avoid me and I'm starting to get desperate.

Until Tigerlily turns up at my door wearing a pink, sparkly collar that she's growling and snapping at, trying to yank it off.

I pick her up when she's distracted and tap her little nose. "What are you doing over here, sweetheart? Did you get lost?" I nod at the house next door. "Your mistress is over there."

But she just glares at me while her tiny claws dig into the pink, sparkly monstrosity on her. It even has a tiny pink bell on it that jingles merrily when she manages to grab ahold of it before her paw slips off.

I chuckle at her antics.

"I know I'm a bit much and so are you apparently. But I think that Promise needs you more than I do. So let's get you on home."

I tuck her into my arms and head next door. But when I tap on her front door, staring at the window boxes full of bright flowers and the rose bushes alongside the door. Climbing roses wrapped around trellises on the door jamb are a bright riot of color on the soft gray walls of the cottage and the deeper gray of the door.

It's a gorgeous display of beauty and grace just like the woman who lives here.

Who is still not answering her door.

I turn around and stare around me and see the little path to the antiques store next door and I follow it with my eyes until I spot a bright red head of curls moving in the aisles.

"Well, well, well. And there she is. I guess I better go check out my girl's business and make sure that you get back home, tiger."

The kitten leans back in my arms and rolls over on her belly, batting at my fingers with her paws and purring like a mad thing. I scratch her belly and she latches onto my fingers and growls low in her throat.

"Yeah. You do scare the hell out of me, tiger! Let's go find your mom!"

I walk across the sidewalk two doors down from me and my eyes take a good look at the cute little shop. I push open the door and a bell tinkles over it. A sweet voice calls from the back, "I'll be right there. Take a look around and holler if you need help!"

I don't bother answering because I want to get a look at her shop before she comes storming out here and I know my little kitten. She's got a big cat's territorial impulse and she would be out here spitting fire in seconds, trying to chase me out the door.

The shop is bigger than I thought it was from the outside. It's full of open space that's full of beautiful old furniture with open drawers full of silky fabrics and a big, old armoire full of color-coordinated glittering costume jewelry that screams antique treasure. The room is well-lit with chandeliers of various sizes and metals that gleam off of the matching mirrors that line the walls and some of the huge dressers around the space. Ceramics and other little knick-knacks litter every surface around the room and it should all be a bit much but it's actually very charming to look at.

It's cute…just like my little kitten. My head jerks up when she stomps out of the back of the store. "What the hell are you doing over here?" she snaps.

I hold up tiger and smirk at her. "Something of yours wandered over to my place."

Her face flushes and she groans. "I'm sorry. I had her locked up in the house. I don't know how she got out."

I shrug my shoulders and watch her eyes follow the movement, heat firing up in her golden-brown gaze. Her little teeth digging into her lip as I stalk closer to her, slow and careful. I don't want her to run and after our last meeting, I have a feeling she could run for a long time.

She watches me like a hawk, her eyes widening to deep pools of glistening amber when I get closer to her. Her breath speeds up and I see her pulse throbbing in her pale throat. I hold the kitten out to her and she takes it slowly, her eyes locked on me like she's hypnotized.

If only.

But then when the kitten purrs in her arms, she shakes her head and glares at me. "Thank you. I appreciate you running her over here even though you could have waited until I got home."

I laugh out loud at the bite in her frosty tone. "I have things to do too, kitten."

Her pale cheeks flush and she gnaws at her bottom lip again, making me fight hard to resist the urge to reach over and pull her lip out of her teeth. "I'm sorry. That was rude. Of course you do. Thank you again."

I can see she wants me to leave but instead I start to wander around the store, my fingers touching a blue and white pitcher here and a piece of sparkling, bright glassware there. She follows along behind me breathlessly, her steps shadowing me quickly.

"Ummm. Can I help you?"

I glance back at her and smile. "I'm just looking around. I've never been in your store. It's really cute."

She stiffens and glares at me. "What are you trying to say?"

I laugh. "Are you always this testy, kitten? I'm just saying that it's nice."

She steps back when I turn around and smile at her. I reach out a hand and run my fingers down her cheek, feeling how soft her skin is. She flinches back and stares at me, her lovely mouth hanging open, giving my very lurid imagination even more to play with.

"You need to go."

I glance around at the store that's only got one person over in the corner shopping.

She sighs. "It's my lunch-time. I close the store for lunch because it's just me here."

I frown at her. "You shouldn't be cooped up all day in this store alone. It's not safe."

She throws her head back, laughing. "Magnolia Point is one of the safest places in the world." She gives me a pitying look and sighs. "I know you're used to the big city and don't know how the small town works but I'm as safe here as I am if I'm sitting in the police station."

I smile at her and step back, knowing it's time to go. I don't want to push too much. I want her to want to see me.

"I need to get back to work. I'll see you later, kitten."

And I turn around and leave before she says what I can tell by her eyes that she's getting ready to say.

I consider this to be a win and head for the pet store a couple of towns over even though I should be working on the lobby again. I need to get Tigerlily a catnip mouse because that kitten is like my wingman at this point!

I whistle and drive out of town, my fingers tapping on the steering wheel, my favorite eighties music on as I listen to the singer singing about wearing sunglasses and slip my own on, the sun's glare hitting me right in the eyes.

I don't care if my kitten sees what's hiding in my eyes. I'll gladly show her. I'm ready to win my little kitten.

But after a week, I'm just about desperate enough to break into her house and tie her pretty ass to my bed until she talks to me.

Which is when her best friend shows up at my door and smirks at me even though I have no idea who the hell she is

"I think we need to talk."