Page 67 of Cat’s Guide To Romance

Lucien notices immediately. His hands settle carefully on my waist. “You okay?”

I nod.

His thumbs brush over my sides. He doesn’t pull me closer. Doesn’t kiss me. He just waits.

So I kiss him again to gain my confidence back.

His mouth opens beneath mine, and my purr starts before I can stop it. I’m beginning to think Lucien considers that sound a personal victory because his hands tighten on my waist for half a second before relaxing again.

I kiss him until I’m breathless. Until my ears are hot. Until I’m very aware that I’m sitting in the lap of a demon who’s been chasing me.

When I finally pull away, Lucien looks a little dazed. Good. I like that.

I run my fingers through his hair, careful around his horns.

He grabs me around the waist and drops sideways onto the bed, making me yelp as I land against him. I’m still laughing when he kisses my cheek, then my jaw, and I shove at his shoulder without actually trying to escape.

“This is my apartment,” I remind him. “My bed. My rules.”

Lucien lifts his head. “And what are the rules?”

I think about that. I’ve never had rules that were only mine. The thought should feel heavier than it does.

Instead, I smile and settle against him, my tail curling over his legs. “Rule one, no magical explosions.”

“Reasonable.”

“Rule two, if you make a mess, you help clean it.”

Lucien glances toward the paint covering both of us. “Less reasonable.”

I poke him. He catches my finger and kisses the tip. My heart does that flippy thing again.

“Rule three?” he asks.

I look around my room. At the walls that are slowly becoming the exact shade of lilac I chose because I wanted them that way. Then I look at Lucien.

“Rule three is that you can come over whenever I invite you. You don’t have to use the door.”

Something soft passes over his face. “I like rule three.” Lucien kisses my forehead and pulls me closer. I don’t think about what needs to be done next.

The dishes are still in the sink. Half my bedroom isn’t painted. There are boxes everywhere. None of it needs me right this second.

So I stay curled against Lucien, listening to the steady beat of his heart, and let myself enjoy being exactly where I want to be.

23

LUCIEN

I stare at the door, then down at the pie in my hands. It suddenly seems inadequate. Maybe I should have brought another one. Or flowers. Flowers would have been nice. Sparkle’s mother might like flowers.

Sparkle nudges my shoulder with his. He looks fucking adorable tonight, his ears perked beneath his hair and his tail lazily swaying behind him. “You’re nervous.”

“I am not nervous.” I straighten my shoulders and adjust the collar of the shirt I changed seven times before coming here. “I’m a higher demon of the second ring of the demon realm. I don’t get nervous.”

Sparkle catches my free hand, threading our fingers together. His tail bumps mine before curling around it, and some of the tension finally leaves my shoulders.

We’ve been dating for a few weeks now, and somewhere along the way, I’ve become part of Sparkle’s life instead of constantly trying to shove myself into it. I still go to Wick’s most mornings, but now there’s a chair for me at the table. Wick has learned my coffee order. Beau sends me ridiculous pictures of Sparkle when he thinks Sparkle isn’t looking. Gabe no longer watches me like he expects me to stuff Sparkle into a sack and run off with him. Lark feeds me information on Sparkle’s favorite things. And Wren encourages all my shenanigans. Talon doesn’t glare at me anymore, thankfully.