Page 62 of Cats Never Fly

Idon’t know how many songs we listened to on the way home, but evenVanwas tapping his steering wheel in time to the music when we arrived back atWillowLake.Vantook us straight to my apartment, where we unloadedOgden’smany, many suitcases.

Asthey drove away,IheardDillonsay toVan, “Canyou imagineJeremyandOgdenfighting over the jukebox at the pub?We’llnever hear another new release.”

Iwasn’t sureIwas ready forJeremyandOgdento hang out together yet.Iwanted to keep my dragon to myself.ButIdidn’t have any food in the house, at least nothingI’dwant to feedOgden, so we might meet up withJeremysooner thanIwanted.Ogdendeserved so much better than canned spaghetti.Although… now thatIthought about it, didIeven have any of that left?Imight have eaten the last can a couple of weeks ago.

Yeah.We’dneed to either go out or order in.

“Let’sget this stuff upstairs,”Isaid.

Iset everything inside the door, even thoughIwantedto carry it straight through to my bedroom.Afterall the kissing and other stuff we’d done this afternoon,Ihad ideas—many, many ideas—for what else we could do, but wasIbeing presumptuous?

Ogdeneyed his luggage sitting in the empty dining room area, then looked at me. “Ididn’t last long on the couch last time.Doyou want to try that again?”

“Uh… no.”

“Thenwhy aren’t we taking my bags through to your bedroom?”

Whyindeed?

Myheart thudded hard in my chest asImoved the bags.Idon’t know why it took seeing his suitcases in my bedroom to make me realize how quickly all this was happening.Butthis was it.Hewas staying here.Withme.Inmy bed.

Iswallowed hard.Mybody heated asIremembered what had happened in his apartment.Inhis hoard room, specifically.

Butinstead of pushing him onto the bed likeIwanted so we could continue where we’d left off, we moved back to my sparsely decorated living room.Idetoured to the kitchen and grabbed a couple of glasses of water.Unfortunately, allIhad to offer him was water, althoughIwishedIcould give him a fancy coffee or a soothing tea.Ireally needed groceries.

Assoon asIsat beside him on the sofa, he swung around to face me.Hedidn’t straddle me this time though.Insteadhe sat with his back against the armrest and his legs stretched over mine.

WhatwasIsupposed to do with my hands?CouldItouch him?Restmy hand on his thigh?Putmy arm around his shoulders?

Sincehe wasn’t straddling me and he’d accepted the glass of water,Ididn’t think this position was a precursor for sex… at least not immediately.Iclutched my glass in one hand, andImade sure at least an inch of space separated my free hand and any part of his body.

Hesmiled at me, likeIamused him, as he motioned for my hand. “Giveit here,” he said. “Iwant you to touch me.”

“Oh… uh… right,”Imumbled.

Heplaced my hand so my palm rested on his leg, just above his knee.Thenhe placed his own hand on top of it.Hesipped his water and leaned into me.Iexhaled slowly and felt the tension ease away.

“That’sbetter,” he said.

Wesat in silence for a few minutes, andIrelaxed more.Ididn’t remember ever sitting quietly with someone before and having it be so comfortable.Mybrothers were always arguing or teasing or being a-holes.Mymama was always spreading advice or asking questions.AndPopswas never without my mama, althoughIsuspected he would like to sit quietly sometimes too, if given the chance.

ButmaybeIshould take this time to get to knowOgdenbetter.

“Yourapartment is nicer than mine,”Isaid.

“Thankyou,” he said, obviously used to compliments. “Ithink it’ll be easy to sell.”

“Sell?”

Henodded. “I’llhave to set up a meeting with a realestate agent soon.Iwant to get it on the market before fall.”

“Whydo you want to sell?Isit because of thatWesleyguy?They’regoing to catch him, you know.”

Henodded, then he cocked his head and looked at me. “Ohdear.Witheverything that’s been going on,IguessInever talked to you about…”Forthe first time since meetingOgden, his cheeks darkened.

“Areyou blushing?”Ireached up and traced my finger over his heated skin.

Hischeeks darkened even more.