I’ve always adored Dáithí. He’s the best person I know. Should I send him a thank-you gift? I stay as still as I can—and, given my training, that’s very still and quiet—and wait to hear what’s said next. If Felix was turned on by me, that could be my chance. I’d be okay with being used for my body and sexual prowess, if it gave me the chance to impress him with my other qualities in the meantime. I’ve been told I’m an excellentboyfriend, except for my inability to open up about my past. That’s almost a direct quote from one of my previous partners—it haunts me almost as much as the past I don’t like to talk about.
“You’re joking, right?” Felix’s reply is so incredulous that my hopes sink. “I can’t do that!”
“Why not?” Jared asks gently.
“Because it’s weird and creepy! He’s being a friend, and you want me to take advantage of that? It’s sleazy.”
“Ughhhh,” Dáithí groans. “Nobody’s saying take advantage. I don’t even see how you could—Ari’s a grown adult, and you don’t have any power over him. He’s had casual sex before, you know, so I don’t understand why you think there’s a problem with offering him some.”
Felix doesn’t answer, but both his friends sigh.
“Coward,” Dáithí says. “You can’t hide from this conversation forever.”
“Dáithí,” Jared chides. “We can’t make him do it. Felix, we’re not trying to bully you into this. We just thought it was a good idea.”
Felix still doesn’t reply, and I make myself continue down the hallway. I’ve been gone too long, and it doesn’t seem that I’m going to hear anything else of interest.
Pausing outside the door long enough to ensure I’m not wearing a disappointed expression, I take a breath and enter the room.
My gaze lands on Felix, and I immediately understand why Dáithí said he was hiding from the conversation.
“Oh,” I breathe. He’s shifted into his felid form and is curled up on the same sofa cushion he was sitting on before. I never knew a cat could be so pretty.
“Felix has decided to have some kitty time,” Jared says dryly.
“Yes. Is he okay?” I can’t stop myself from asking, even though I already know why he shifted.
Dáithí shrugs. “He’s fine. Just stubborn and frustrated.”
The hissed snarl that comes from Felix’s mouth is vicious and… mesmerizing? This is somewhat disconcerting. I’ve seen a lot of shifted felids since I came to Earth. Why is Felix having such an impact on me?
“Can I sit by him?” I ask, and all three of them look at me as though I’m crazy.
“He can understand you,” Jared reminds me, and I flush.
“Of course, I know that. I’m so…” I turn to Felix. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean any disrespect.”
His pink tongue darts out to lick his whiskers, and I swallow hard.
Then he extends his paw to pat the cushion beside him, his beautiful cat gaze on me, and I take that as an invitation to join him.
“Thank you.” I sit carefully, making sure to give him space, but even as the conversation resumes, he edges closer to me. Is… is this a subtle way of sending me a message?
Then his head nudges my hand, hard, and Jared breaks off midsentence with an exasperated sound.
“You cats are all the same, aren’t you? It doesn’t matter whether you shift form or not, you’re all monsters for being petted.”
I blink down at Felix in surprise. “You want me to pet you?”
He nudges my hand again, and I take that as a yes.
His fur is ridiculously soft under my fingers, a few shades lighter than his hair in biped form. The rich, warm brown suits him somehow, and I can’t tear my eyes away from his blissed-out face as I stroke his head and neck.
This should be awkward—I’m literally petting my friend—but as Felix makes a deep purring sound, I honestly couldn’t care less about the boundaries of friendship.
“I’m just saying,”Niamh whines, “if you’re going to get social time with Consort Jared, we all should.”
I take a brief pause from my policy of ignoring this conversation to wonder if my agreeing would make her go away.
