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Chapter Fifty-Four
The room I awoke in was familiar and foreign at the same time. I clutched the bedcovers to my chest as I scanned my surroundings, getting my bearings. The room was large, dark, and moody. Beyond sheer curtains, floor-to-ceiling windows framed a decadent view of the city.
This was Neil’s bed, in Neil’s bedroom.
The memories of last night came flooding back all at once, my body tingling with the echoes of Neil’s passion. After our tryst in my apartment, we had relocated here because Neil didn’t want to leave his pets home alone all night.
I drew in a stunned breath as I turned my view to the man beside me. He lay on his stomach, face half-mashed into a pillow, one arm curled beneath his head. The other arm was slung over my hips in a possessive hold. His bare, muscular back rose and fell with each breath. I smiled, drinking in the rare, unguarded sight of him. I stroked my fingertips over his shoulder blade, which made him grunt, eyelids fluttering. For a second, I wondered if I had woken him, but he nuzzled further into his pillow without opening his eyes.
As much as I wanted to stay and snooze next to him, my bladder had other ideas. I extricated myself from under Neil’s heavy arm and slid from the bed, then padded to the ensuite. I caught my reflection in the mirror as I entered. Oof. Limp hair, smudged mascara, blotchy complexion. A far cry from alluring. I splashed cool water on my face and raked my fingers through my messy hair to revive myself.
When I left the bathroom, I paused at the sound of scratching coming from the bedroom door. Huh? What is that? I hurried over to investigate. As I cracked open the door, two inquisitive feline faces peered up at me.
I should have known.
“Shhh,” I whispered, slipping into the hallway and pulling the door almost closed behind me. But it was too late. The cats darted between my ankles and into the bedroom before I could stop them. I grimaced as Chichi leapt onto the bed and strutted up Neil’s body, meowing in his ear.
“No, Chichi!” I tried to shoo her away. “Let Daddy sleep.”
Neil stirred with a sleepy grunt. Dark lashes flitted open, blinking up at the cat now kneading his pillow. “Attention seeker,” he huffed, giving Chichi’s ears an affectionate scratch. Then his gaze settled on me. The unrestrained tenderness in those inky irises made my muscles feel weak. Suddenly shy, I hugged my arms around myself.
“Good morning,” Neil said, his voice gravelly from sleep.
I climbed into bed next to him and pulled the sheet up to cover myself, sitting up against the headboard. “I tried to keep her out. Sorry she woke you.”
“Don’t be. This is my preferred wake-up call—and with you here, all the better.” He sidled up to me. “You’re not a dream, are you?”
“Definitely not a dream. My bedhead and morning breath couldn’t be more real.”
Neil chuckled. “I think you’re gorgeous. However…” His gaze dropped to my sheet-covered chest. “I would prefer you without the modesty act.”
I gave his shoulder a playful swat. “Neil! Your children are watching.”
He bellowed an even heartier laugh, scrubbing a hand through his dishevelled hair. Next to him, Chichi continued to knead the pillow. At the foot of the bed, Bowey stared balefully up at us.
“I think they want breakfast,” I said.
“Yes, apologies, Your Highness,” Neil said to Chichi. He glanced at the glowing digits of the bedside clock. “It’s past their usual mealtime.”
“I’ll feed them.”
“Are you sure?”
I nodded. “I’m fully awake now. You can have a snooze.”
Neil acquiesced with a sigh, sinking back against the pillows.
I pulled on the change of clothes I had brought with me the night before, then headed to the kitchen. Both cats twined figure-eights around my ankles, their mews growing more insistent.
I poured cat biscuits into two bowls decorated with paw prints. Chichi and Bowey immediately attacked the food, their crunching filling the silence. Smiling to myself, I peeked inside the cupboard by the fridge until I located the dog kibble.
Now, where’s Archie?
I found the old dog curled up in his plaid dog bed, snoring gently. He lifted his grizzled head at my approach, tail sweeping back and forth across the tiles.
“There you are,” I crooned, giving him a good scratch behind the ears. “Are you hungry too?”
He gave a throaty woof, his back end rising to stand. I refilled his water and food bowls, then gave him belly rubs as he munched away.
