Authors: Lawna Mackie
“
Catz
?
”
Meeka
called
out.
“I’m
here.
I
could
use
a
nap,
too.”
Meeka
envisioned
him
sleeping
in
the
sa
m
e
bed,
his
naked
body
touching
the
sa
m
e
s
heets that
w
ould
cover
hers.
Sweat
broke
out
on
her
forehead.
L
o
rd,
help me.
I
really
need
to
stop
thinking like this.
Kerrigan set
her
on the bed.
The room
s
e
e
m
ed
bathed
in
his
scent,
causing
her
body
to sh
o
w ph
y
s
i
cal
sig
n
s
of
betr
a
y
a
l
.
S
he
w
a
s
glad
to
be
wearing
the
s
weatshirt
to
hide
her
hardening nipples.
It
see
m
ed
i
m
possible
to
stop
the
ever
-
encroaching
e
m
o
tions.
Hanging
her
head
in confusion,
she
didn’t
kn
o
w
what
to
do
next.
He
knelt at
her
feet and took
hold
of
her
hands.
His
e
y
e
s found
hers.
“I’m
sor
r
y
this
is
all
so
difficult. I
truly
couldn’t
begin
to
i
m
a
g
ine
w
hat
y
o
u are
feeling.”
N
ow
she
felt
what
she
was
feeling.
The
tingle
from
his
touch
stopped
all
her
thoughts.
Her te
m
pe
r
ature
rose
and her
pulse
raced.
The
sparkles
around
the
two of
them
started
again,
but
this time,
she
was
prepared.
Stay
calm.
T
ake
deep
breaths...
I
did
it!
The
sparkles had
stopped,
though
she
was
still
nose-to-nose
with
h
i
m
.
“I'll
be
oka
y
. Thank
y
ou for
y
o
u
r
concern.”
She
eased
herself
toward
the
pillow. “Wait.”
Kerrigan
al
m
ost
y
e
l
l
e
d
.
“
P
lease.
Close
y
o
u
r
e
y
e
s
for
m
e
.
”
I
m
me
d
iat
el
y distrustful of his intentions,
Meeka looked to see
w
hether
Catz and Pad
d
y
were still
present.
Relieved they
were
still
in
the
roo
m
,
s
he
did
as
he
asked.
A
silk
y
,
warm
s
ensation
s
pilled
over
her
heated
skin,
and
she
opened
her
e
y
e
s.
Satin
and lace
the
color
of
her
lilac e
y
es
brushed
over
her
sensitive
bo
d
y
. It
w
as
beautiful.
“Good night, Meeka.
Y
ou
on
l
y need to
y
e
ll
if
y
o
u
require
an
y
t
h
ing.”
After kissing
her hand, he
vanished
into
thin
air.
I
m
me
d
iat
el
y
,
her
heart
ached
with
his
absence.
Sadness
engulfed
her,
and
she
wondered
if
s
he
m
ig
h
t
cr
y
.
Catz
ju
m
ped
up
beside
her
and
sat.
Paddy
fussed,
turning
the
bed
covers
down, and
then
patted
the
spot
where
s
he
was
to
m
ove
to.
Meeka
could
still
s
m
e
l
l
his
m
asc
u
line
scent per
m
e
a
ting
the
roo
m
.
Her
bo
d
y
m
oved
as
if
in
a
trance,
slowly
scooting
over
and
off
the
top
of the
covers.
“Tsk.
Such
a
y
o
u
ng
thing,
and
y
ou
have
been
through
s
o
m
uch
alrea
d
y
.
Kerrigan
should
not have
vanished
in
front
of
y
o
u
like
that.
I've
never
seen
him
behave
like
this.
But
then
again,
I’ve also
never
s
een
him
show
a
n
y
sort
of
affection
to
an
y
o
n
e
other
than
his
father
and
m
y
s
e
l
f
.” Paddy
snickered
quiet
l
y
,
and
then
leaned
over
to
whisper
in
her
ear.
“
I
think
he
likes
y
o
u
,
my dear.”
Gent
l
y
,
she
p
u
shed
Meeka
down
toward
the
pillow,
and
then
pulled
the
quilt
up
and
over her
shoulders.
“Catz,
can
I
get
y
o
u an
y
t
h
ing? Are
y
ou co
m
for
t
able enoug
h
?
” “Thank
y
o
u for
asking,
but
I'm
fine
as
long
as
Meeka
is
fine.”
Meeka
reached
out
from
under
the
covers
and
found
Catz.
Soft
fur wove around
her
fingers,
s
oothing
her
worries
aw
a
y
.
She’d
noticed
the
twinkle
in
Pad
d
y
's
e
y
es
when
s
he
s
poke
about Kerrigan.
It
w
a
s
a
m
o
ther's
look
of
love
for
her
child—so
m
e
thing
Meeka
had
never
kn
o
wn,
but desperate
l
y
wanted.
Stifling
a
y
a
wn,
she
m
umb
l
ed
a
thank
y
ou
to
Padd
y
,
and
her
e
y
es
closed once
again.