Page 53 of Cat’s Guide To Romance

“It was bothering me.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

I put my hands on his hips. “Are you enjoying this?”

“So much.”

Sparkle is close enough that I can smell him beneath the scents of alcohol and the club. His hands settle against my chest, and the teasing slowly slips from his expression.

“I really did come here because I wanted to see you,” he says.

My heart gives one hard thump. “I’m glad you did.”

“I had fun last night.”

“So did I.”

Sparkle laughs softly, but he doesn’t move away. If anything, his fingers curl tighter into my shirt. My gaze drops to his mouth before I can stop myself, and his tongue darts over his bottom lip. Fuck.

I want to kiss him. But his guide said slow kisses. Fireworks. Cannon fire. Something memorable. Not after a sweaty shift while I smell like booze and exhaustion.

Sparkle leans closer, his hands sliding higher on my chest, and I stop breathing.

“Can I kiss you?” he whispers.

Every thought in my head disappears. I stare at him, trying to make sure I heard him correctly. “You’re asking me?”

His ears flatten into his hair, and he starts to pull back. “I can change my mind.”

“No.” My tail curls around his waist before he can retreat, but I keep my hands loose on his hips. “Absolutely not. No changing your mind.”

Sparkle smiles, then rises onto his toes and kisses me. His lips are soft and warm against mine, tentative for all of half a second before I kiss him back. I slide one hand up his back and hold him against me while my other cups his cheek. Sparkle makes the sweetest little sound and presses closer, his fingers clutching my shirt as a quiet purr starts against my chest.

Slow kiss. Check.

But what about fireworks? Cannon fire?

Oh, fuck yes. I’ll make this a perfect kiss.

I flick two fingers behind Sparkle’s back, sending a burst of purple and gold exploding across the ceiling. The illusion fills my office with sparkling light before the first massive BOOM rattles through the room.

Sparkle jerks so hard his forehead slams into my chin.

“Ow!” My head snaps back.

Sparkle is already shoving away from me. “What the fuck?” His ears flatten completely as another illusion erupts overhead with a deafening boom. Sparkle shrieks.

His tail puffs to three times its normal size, every bit of fur standing on end as he drops into a slight crouch and whips his head around like he’s searching for whatever is attacking us. Oh shit.

I snap my fingers, immediately killing the illusions. The office goes quiet except for the muffled music vibrating through the floor and Sparkle’s furious breathing. He slowly straightens and turns toward me with enormous eyes while I rub the spot beneath my chin where his forehead nearly took me out.

“Darlin’?”

His eyes narrow. “What. The. Fuck. Was. That?”

“Fireworks?” I offer carefully, pointing toward the ceiling where they most definitely no longer exist. “And a little cannon fire.” I pinch my forefinger and thumb together.

“I know what fireworks are.”