Page 99 of Hunter

Before he can take it, Sofia appears like a furry missile, letting out a loud, demanding meow and immediately trying to climb my leg.

Charlie sighs dramatically. “Such a traitor, I swear…”

I laugh, hand the coffee off to Charlie, and crouch down. “There’s my favorite little demon.”

Sofia meows again, louder, and rubs her face aggressively against my knee. I scratch under her chin with both hands.

“Missed you, too, you know that?” I murmur. “Been thinking about you almost as much as your dad.”

She purrs like a broken motor and headbutts my hand, demanding more. I oblige, running my fingers along her back while she arches into the touch, clearly pleased with herself for interrupting.

Charlie watches us with a fond smile, leaning against the doorframe. “So you do like cats.”

I look up at him, still petting Sofia. “Only the ones connected to you.”

The words come out softer than I meant them to, but I don’t take them back. Charlie’s cheeks flush a pretty pink, and he bites his lower lip like he’s trying not to smile too wide.

“Come on in before she decides your jeans are a permanent climbing post,” he says, stepping aside.

I stand up and follow him inside. Sofia trails after me the whole way, purring loudly and occasionally bumping against my calf like she’s making sure I’m really here to stay.

The apartment smells like him—faint paint and that warm, clean scent that’s just Charlie. He sets the drinks on the counter while I look around. Everything is the same, yet it feels different. Safer. Like maybe I’m allowed to be here again.

Charlie leans against the counter, watching me with that quiet, searching look.

“So,” he says, a little shy but still teasing, “you really missed my demon cat, huh?”

I shrug, smiling as Sofia winds between my legs again. “She’s part of the package. Couldn’t miss one without missing the other.”

He ducks his head, smiling down at the floor for a second before looking back up at me.

“I’m glad you came,” he says quietly.

“Me too.”

We stand there for a beat, the silence soft instead of strained. Sofia meows again, clearly done being ignored, and leaps onto the counter to investigate the coffee cups.

Charlie laughs under his breath and scoops her up, cradling her against his chest. “Alright, you attention whore. You’ve had your moment.”

I watch the two of them, the easy way she settles in his arms, the way his fingers automatically find the spot behind her ears. It tugs at something deep in my chest.

“You want to sit?” he asks, nodding toward the couch.

“Yeah.”

We move to the living room. I take one end of the couch and Charlie settles on the other, Sofia still in his lap like a furry chaperone.

Sofia immediately starts kneading his thigh, purring like a motorboat. Charlie winces but doesn’t push her off.

“Demon,” he mutters fondly, then glances at me with a sly little smile. “She’s showing off for you. Usually she only does the aggressive biscuit-making when she wants attention from someone she likes.”

I raise an eyebrow. “So she likes me?”

“Apparently.” Charlie’s eyes sparkle with mischief as he looks me up and down. “Can’t blame her. You do fill out a shirt pretty well these days.”

Heat hits me square in the chest. I lean back against the cushions, letting my arm stretch along the back of the couch, fingers just barely brushing the shoulder of his sweater.

“Careful,” I murmur, voice low. “Keep complimenting me like that and I might start thinking you’re flirting with me, Charlie.”