Page 12 of Scales and Seduction (Monster Match #1)
I wake up to sunlight streaming through the windows. For a moment, I forget last night until I see Noodles curled up on the pillow beside me, and the wave of embarrassment washes over me.
“I can’t believe I did that, Noodles,” I whisper, stroking his back.
My cat opens his huge green eyes at the sound of my voice, and I swear I hear that same voice from last night tell me, “I can…”
“Did you talk to me?” I sit up straight in bed, staring at Noodles as if he’s going to grow two heads. Seconds stretch forever as I sit, patiently waiting for my old cat to say something snarky back to me. He doesn’t; instead, he meows at me impatiently by the door. I decide it’s for the best I get up; maybe I need coffee. Cats don’t talk, even in this world, right?
“I’m losing it,” I whisper, patting his head one last time.
Dragging myself out of bed, I realize the old dirty pair of underwear from yesterday and my sundress are my only options for clothing to wear. I feel disgusted by the idea, but that’s all I have. God, I’m going to meet one of his friends wearing days-old cum-soaked panties and a dress that smells like B.O.
As I open the bedroom door, the scent of something warm and earthy wafts through the air. It reminds me of coffee, but there’s a vague hint of something similar to nutmeg or cardamom too. When I step into the living room, Gideon is standing by the window, his back to me, looking out at the yard. In his hands, he holds a blue ceramic mug that he brings to his lips.
“Good morning,” I awkwardly say. What else do you even say? Thanks for letting me ruin my only pair of underwear. I hope the orgasm was good for you too?
Nope, not saying that.
Gideon turns with a small smile, his golden eyes soft in the early light. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?”
“Better than I have in a while,” I admit, but not without glancing at the couch. “Did you?”
“It was fine.” But there’s a grimace as he says it that makes me think he’s not entirely truthful. His gaze trails up and down my body in silent appraisal, and, unintentionally, my face heats. I’m unsure what he’s searching for, or if he can smell more of last night’s debauchery from this far away.
“I realize now that you’re awake, you have no clothing to wear to go out today. I should have thought of that last night…” Gideon’s face contorts for a moment before he says apprehensively, “I have tunics you can wear, though they will look far less fashionable than your dress. We’ll go shopping for something after; is that alright?”
“I’m more concerned about whether more of your kind can smell me, like you did last night, than what I look like.” I glance down at the floor for a moment and then inhale a breath. “Could I have some of whatever you’re drinking?”
Gideon nods with a small smile. “Of course, I’ll get you a cup.” The way he moves toward the kitchen has me wondering how well he actually slept. His tail drags the floor like he hardly has energy, and his shoulders look tight.
“Are you sure you slept alright?” I’m cautious in the way I ask, fully aware that, because of me, he slept on a couch far too small for him. Still, why would he tell me he’s okay when he’s not?
“I slept perfectly thanks to our extracurricular activities.” Gideon’s tone is playful, and I notice the teasing smirk on his face just as he turns his back to the kettle on the stove.
Heat rushes to my cheeks, climbing my neck like fire. The tension between us hums in the air, a static charge that has only intensified since the moment I met him. “I’d apologize, but I think we both had fun.” A nervous laugh escapes my mouth, and I quickly pretend to be absorbed in the books on his shelves near the mantel.
“Please don’t apologize; it would make me feel terrible. Instead, I’d much prefer that we embrace how much fun we had,” Gideon says as he rummages around in the kitchen.
I stare into the distance, determined not to let my horny mind drift back to his piercing golden eyes as we came. Just the reminder alone makes my body thrum with desire. I’m jolted back to the present. His hand brushes mine. The touch is soft and so quick as he hands me a mug.
“Why don’t you get into the bath?” Gideon pats my shoulder. “I’ll lay out a tunic and feed Noodles.”
“You don’t have to take care of him. He’s my re?—”
Gideon’s stare pins me, and he shakes his head, interrupting me with just the look in his eyes. “You are my guest, Ruby, and I will take care of you both. Don’t worry, he and I have become close pals since last night. He’s quite the little mischief maker.”
There’s something in the way he says “mischief maker,” like he’s tucking a secret away just between him and Noodles. Despite the lingering mystery that is my fat, grumpy cat, the idea of being clean does sound irresistibly tempting.
Gideon’s slender hand lifts my chin, his index finger grazing the soft curve of my bottom lip. The air between us vibrates with unspoken tension, and even that small touch sends a deep ache coursing through me, igniting a desire for so much more. “Let me care for you, little morsel,” he murmurs, his voice low. “At least for the remainder of your stay here.”
He leans down slightly, his finger never leaving its place as his other hand finds mine. His grip is gentle and firm, bringing my hand to his lips and pressing a tender kiss on the back. My chest tightens, and I can’t stop the soft, staggering breath I draw in at the gallantry of it.
“Are you trying to win me over?” I whisper.
“Yes,” he admits without hesitation, his golden eyes steady on mine. “I swiped right for a reason, even if, at first, I assumed there was no way a human woman would be real. I feel strongly that you’re here for a reason. As long as you’re here, Ruby, I want to know who you are deep inside. I want to know everything there is to know about you because, if you are my fated mate—if those old wives tales are to be believed, I want to show you the adoration you deserve.”
“Do you truly believe I’m your soulmate, Gideon?”
Gideon lets me go, giving me a gentle smile that says so much more than any words might. “I do, and there’s something fun about finding out if you’ll believe it too.”