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Adrien sunk down into a squat and held out an inviting hand. “Hello,” he cooed. His voice was so gentle and soft that I reeled a bit, watching as Toebeans slowly approached him and sniffed his fingers.
I held my breath, waiting for the incoming hiss and swipe of an angry grey paw.
Except… it didn’t come. Instead, Toebeans leaned a satisfied cheek right into Adrien’s open palm and happily accepted the pets and scratches that followed.
My mouth popped open.
“You’re so soft,” Adrien praised, fingers continuing to scritch and scratch. “And such a good boy.”
The only thing I could do was stand there and stare as Toebeans started to purr, moving closer and closer to Adrien until he was practically puddled on his lap.
And then Adrienpicked him up. Andcuddled him. Right to his chest.
And Toebeans let him! The stupid cat melted right into his embrace!
What the hell?
My jaw was hanging all the way open now. Not that either of them noticed.
“You’re going to get cat hair all over your suit,” I pointed out to Adrien because he clearly hadn’t thought that part through. “He sheds like crazy.”
But instead of putting the cat down, Adrien nuzzled him closer. “What’s his name?”
I could honestly say that I’d never been more shocked in my life. Ever.
“Um…” I swallowed, giving my head a quick shake. “Toe—uh, his name is Toebeans Maguire.”
I didn’t know why I stuttered. My brain felt a little fuzzy, and something had started whirling in my chest, sending color to my cheeks.
Adrien rasped an entirely too-soft chuckle, his warm gaze glued to the loud purring machine attached to his broad chest.
Chest—just chest. Not broad.
Sorry.
Who are you apologizing to?
“Clever,” he said. “I’m assuming you didn’t come up with it?”
Fucking rude.
The whirling grew, shooting more heat through my body. Jamie had come up with the name, so he was right, but I wasn’t going to admit it out loud.
Plus, Toebeans was purring so loudly now that Adrien wouldn’t have been able to hear me anyway.
I glared at the two of them, my fingers curling into fists as Adrien nuzzled, scratched, and murmured the sweetest little praises to the shameless traitor in his arms.
“I have a roommate!” I blurted. Because watching their interaction was doing things to me that I didn’t understand, and I really needed it to stop now.
Adrien finally—finally—managed to peel his eyes away from Toebeans and look at me.
The gentle and warm affection coating his features burned to a hard crisp the second his gaze met mine. “What?”
“I have a roommate,” I said again. “That I brought with me. Here. Without telling you. Toebeans is her cat.”
Was it just in my head or was my voice all puffy?
“Jamie, you can come out now!” I called loudly, sounding a bit too manic even to my own ears.
