Page 9 of Swept Away

Of courseI can’t keep Gizmo.

The second I enter my place, he struggles to free himself, and I’m forced to let him down.

Someone must’ve put a spell on this cat.

He dashes to the window as if he’s done it many times before, jumps up on the armchair, and then the windowsill, and then straight into the tree.

And we’re back to square one.

“Motherfucker Gizmo,” I say before sighing and finally letting my hair free and removing my bathrobe.

Rivulets of sweat trickle down my chest as I check the thermostat to make sure the AC is working.

Yes, it is.

A smile grows on my lips.

That stranger’s eyes still haunt me, making me hot.

Before checking my phone–because I’m curious to learn his name–and arming myself with patience to lure that little kittyinside, I go to the refrigerator, scoop out a bottle of water, and gulp half of it down, drops trickling down my chin.

Finally, I straighten and run the back of my hand over my mouth when I hear a knock on the door.

Startled, I set the bottle down.

Who the fuck is that?

I’m not expecting guests.

And it can’t be one of my neighbors.

They are very private, and we keep our interactions short and preferably confined to working hours.

The person in the hallway knocks on the door again.

“I’m coming,” I bark from the kitchen before checking the time on the wall clock.

It’s ten past ten.

I move swiftly to the door and crack it open. Not one door has a peephole in this building.

The silhouette of a man fills my view, and a fluffy orange cat is wrapped around his hand like it was outside.

The man turns to me, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

“I think you’ve lost your cat again.”

My mouth falls open as I look at the kitten purring in his grip.

Why is he always behaving when he’s with him and never when he’s with me?

“Yeah… Sure. Well, he jumped out the window the moment I brought him in,” I say, opening the door and stepping on the threshold before taking the cat from him, absolutely convinced he’ll run away as soon as I set him down again.

The man’s eyes go down over me swiftly, glinting with satisfaction.

I wish I could hold something bigger than the kitten and conceal parts of my body, especially those that churn out heat.

He lifts his gaze from the apex of my thighs, and I lock my jaw and swallow hard.