Glancing at the clock on the nightstand, I realized I was already fifteen minutes late for my appointment. I hurried out of my room with the box of supplies I’d bought from Fran the day before. Tossing the box on the backseat, I threw the vehicle in gear and headed toward my destination. I smiled for the first time since leaving Ashton earlier as I pulled into the dirt parking lot. Phase two of making Ashton mine was waiting for me just beyond the door in front of me.
Chapter 23: Wilma
Ashton
Two hours later, I was ready and sitting on my couch watching another episode of my show when he knocked on the door once before entering. Relieved he was back, I jumped to my feet as he strode across the room and gathered me in his arms.
"Woman, what kind of spell have you cast over me that I don't like to be away from you for even a few hours," he said, showering kisses over my exposed neck.
"Well, I may have slipped you a love potion," I said without thinking. I instantly regretted my words, wishing I could recall them. Mentioning "love," no matter how innocent, went completely against the rules we had set.
He stiffened for a moment and I wished I could've bitten off my tongue. "It must be working because I feel completely intoxicated when I'm with you," he finally said, cupping my face in his hands and placing a kiss on each corner of my mouth before going all in. Thank god he didn't take my words seriously.
"By the way, you look amazing," he said, breaking the kiss. "Did you wear your hair up again to drive me nuts?" he asked, fingering a tendril that had escaped the elaborate twist I had gathered my hair in.
"Why, is it working?" I asked with false innocence.
"If you consider the inner battle I'm struggling with: whether I should take you out and let other guys gawk at you, or whether I should drag you to bed and show you just what your pinned up hair does to me," he growled, pulling me close.
"I thought guys liked girls to wear their hair down?"
"Not with a delectable neck like yours. Your neck begs to be kissed. It's as appetizing as any banquet and twice as appealing," he murmured. "Now, stop distracting me, I have a surprise for you," he added, suddenly looking jittery.
"A surprise?"
"I left it in the car. You wait here," he said, still looking slightly off.
Puzzled at what the surprise could be, I waited in the center of the room for him to return.
"Okay, sit on the couch and close your eyes," he said, cracking the front door open a fraction to give me the instructions.
I settled on my couch, mystified with my eyes closed. I heard him push the door open and then shut.
"Okay, open your eyes," he said just as I heard a little meowing noise.
"Oh my," I gasped, taking in the little fluff ball in his hands. "You got me a kitten?" I asked, quietly.
"If you don't want her, I'll keep her," Nathan said, sitting across from me with the small orange kitten cradled in his hands.
"I've always wanted a cat, but the time never seemed right," I said, stroking a finger down the soft fur of her neck.
"Right now sounds like a good time to me," he said, handing her over.
"Oh my," I repeated. "She's so tiny and fluffy."
"She's the runt of the litter and the last one to be claimed."
"I know nothing about cats," I objected, knowing it wouldn't be fair to take her when my future was so uncertain, and yet, I wanted her with a sudden passion that shocked me. Maybe it was her soft purring or the way she snuggled in my lap, but she already felt like mine.
"That's the wonderful thing about Google. Any questions you have are at your fingertips. She's already been fixed and given a clean bill of health from the vet."
"When did you set all this up?" I asked, stroking a hand down the kitten's back.
"I went and picked her up yesterday. She spent the night at the vet and is ready for her new home."
"What should I name her?" I asked, holding her up so I could look in her cute squished face.
"Whatever you want. She's all yours."