Page 81 of Cat’s Guide To Romance

His nose wrinkles. “You don’t have to say that.”

“I know.” I brush my thumbs over his warm cheeks. “You could’ve taken me to stare at a tree in the Redwood Forest and I would’ve considered this an excellent day. I think I like this being wooed thing.”

Sparkle’s expression changes at that. The teasing disappears, leaving something softer behind as he slides his arms around my waist.

“Well, get used to it. Because I plan to continue to woo you.”

My heart does something strange. Usually, I’d make a joke. Instead, I bend and kiss him. Sparkle melts against me, his tail winding around mine as I hold him close. Just Sparkle kissing me beside a Kentucky roadside attraction while a giant mosasaurus looms behind us. Fuck if it isn’t one of the most romantic moments of my entire life.

When we separate, Sparkle stays close. His fingers play with the fabric at my waist while I brush my thumb beneath one of his ears.

“I got you something else.” He reaches into the bag, digs around, and closes his fist around whatever he finds before I can see it. “You have to promise not to make this weird.”

“I promise nothing.”

“Lucien.” Sparkle gives me a look.

“Fine. I will make a sincere effort to limit the weirdness.”

He considers that before apparently deciding it’s the best he’s going to get. Then he opens his hand. A small mosasaurus waits in his palm. I stare at it.

Sparkle immediately starts talking, his words coming faster the longer I stay quiet. “I know you collect silly little souvenirs, and I thought you could put it in your cabinet, but if you don’t like it, that’s fine. They had other things, and I wasn’t sure what you usually get because Lars just said you buy weird shit and⁠—”

I kiss him.

Sparkle makes a surprised sound against my mouth before his arms come around my neck. I keep the kiss soft and brief, mostly because the little mosasaurus is currently trapped between us and I don’t want to accidentally murder my new favorite possession. When I pull away, his face is pink.

“I love it.”

“You do?” His ears perk.

“It’s going in the cabinet. Front and center.” I take the little mosasaurus carefully from his palm before adding, “And you’re coming over when I put it there.”

Sparkle smiles as he watches me turn the tiny thing over in my hand. He laughs and takes my free hand. I slip the mosasaurus carefully into the bag beside my geode before threading our fingers together.

I’ve collected hundreds of souvenirs over the years. Things from places I visited because I was bored. Things I bought because they made me laugh. Proof that, for one afternoon, I went somewhere simply because I wanted to. This one’s different. Someone saw it and thought of me. I lift Sparkle’s hand to my mouth and press a kiss against his knuckles. His tail brushes mine as he leans closer to my side.

“Ready to go home, pretty kitty?”

“Yeah.” Sparkle rests his head against my shoulder as I slide my arm around his waist.

Before I teleport us away, I look back one more time at the ridiculous place my boyfriend picked because he wanted to make me happy. My boyfriend. Fuck. I love this cat.

The thought comes so easily that it takes me a second to realize what I just thought. My magic stutters at my fingertips, the snap I was about to make dying before it happens.

Sparkle lifts his head from my shoulder. His ears tip toward me as he studies my face. “You okay?”

I stare down into those bright green eyes. He’s still holding my hand. My little mosasaurus is safely tucked into the bag. Sparkle’s tail is tangled with mine, and he planned an entire day because he wanted to see me light up over something pointless and ridiculous. The truth settles deeper. Well, shit.

I tighten my arm around him and smile. “Never better, darling.” I snap my fingers and take us home.

28

SPARKLE

I wake up because sunlight warms my face. For several seconds, I don’t move. I’m stretched diagonally across my bed, one leg outside the blankets and my tail sprawled over the pillow beside me. A fat stripe of morning sun pours through the window and covers half my body.

It’s warm. Perfect.