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It's one thing to check someone out, to be attracted or interested in a person. Actually having feelings takes it to a whole new level.
DoesRoman have feelings for me? Is that why he asked me to stay here with him? Was that why he was okay when I sprang the kiss on him?
So. Many. Questions.
Questions I intend on getting answered very, very shortly. Right after I discover what he's up to.
Since I can't see Roman anywhere out back, I let myself out and quietly scuttle along the patio. I poke my head around the side of the house. There's no sign of him there.
I walk around the front. The yard is clear.
So is the street.
Where can he be?
As I look around I notice there's a light on in one of the rooms in the shelter building closest to the house. Huh. A staff member must have forgotten to turn it off. I head over to it, darting my head about, still on the lookout for Roman.
Once inside, I can see that the light is coming from the third room on the left. That's a private, temperature-controlled room reserved for the most vulnerable animals, usually those who are tiny or have suffered the worst kind of abuse.
When I reach the door, I come to a complete halt, ducking behind the wall so that Roman doesn't see me.
Not that he'd notice me, or even if the world was on fire, given how much attention he's paying to the…the… I lean around the doorframe and squint to get a better look.
Is that a litter of kittens?
I strain so I can hear what he's saying to them, his voice lower and gentler than I've ever heard it.
"You're so well behaved, Joey. Did you enjoy your meal? I have to say, I'm very pleased with how you're coming along. You're even looking at me. I count that as progress. We're so on the way to becoming besties."
Roman rolls his eyes as if Joey actually answered him. "Okay, maybe besties is a stretch. For now. But don't underestimate me. I'm gonna keep working on you until you practically beg to be my friend."
Just as he says it, another kitten wobbles over to him. Roman brushes his thumb over the kitty's back and they let out a tiny purr. "See, Chandler here is in the running for best friend status, too. So, what I'm saying is, don't sleep on me for too long. I'm not gonna stay single on the bestie friendship market forever."
He drops his voice even more so I can't make out what he's saying as he continues to feed and fuss over the litter.
I lean against the wall, my heart flipping, as I take in the sight of him huddled over the table, speaking softly and handling the kittens with such love and care, like he's afraid he'll break them.
The light falls over him, lighting up one side of his body. It really accentuates the contrast in size between him and the tiny balls of fluff he's fawning over. He looks like a giant.
A gentle giant.
A gentle giant who's made some mistakes in the past but is making up for it and rebuilding his life.
Who caught me in one of my worst moments, didn't judge me for what I was about to do, and then offered me a roof over my head and stubbornly refuses to let me pay rent.
Who kissed me so fiercely last night that my skin pebbles with goosebumps at the mere memory.
The man who's currently holding a ball of fluff in his massive hand, with his head cocked, and those dark intense eyes of his roaming over me.
Oh. Shit. When did that happen?
"Locky. What are you doing here?"
I step in from the hallway and answer in a hushed tone so as to not startle the kittens. "I thought you were smoking."
Roman frowns. "Smoking?"
"Yeah. That that's why you were leaving the house so often. To sneak in a ciggie."
