Page 127 of Under Her Protection

A beat.

"Leo."

"Yes."

"I would like, also, to have a cat."

"A cat."

"A cat. I have not had a cat since I was nine years old and I really love cats. Maybe we could look at rescue cats in the new year?”

Leo smiled and put her arms around Vivienne.

"Vivienne."

"Yes."

"You are giving me notice about a cat."

"Yes."

"I love you."

"Mm."

"I am in. I am in on the cat."

Vivienne smiled. Leo leaned in and kissed her holding her close.

"Good," Vivienne said as they broke the kiss.

EPILOGUE

The first thing Vivienne Strauss heard when she woke was Leo swearing quietly at the cat.

It was not, she reflected, an unpleasant way to begin a Sunday.

“Marie.”

A pause.

“Marie, move.”

Another pause.

Then, with considerably less authority, “Come on. You have the entire damned house.”

Vivienne kept her eyes closed.

The morning light was warm against her face, softened by the curtains and the gentle quiet of the countryside beyond them. Somewhere outside, birds were making an unnecessary amount of noise. The bedroom doors leading onto the terrace were slightly open, allowing a breeze to drift inside.

And beside the bed, Leo Cole was apparently losing an argument with a twelve-pound rescue cat.

Vivienne smiled into the pillow.

“Are you laughing at me?”

“No.”