When I press her back against the bed, a sad meow breaks out.
“Oh, Bentley!” She reaches for him, and he crawls between us, laying claim to her right in front of me. “Did we squish you?” She scoops him closer.
“He’s fine.” I sit up, my hands still itching to pull away the covers and see if I’m right to hope for no panties.
He starts to purr. The little shit.
“Sorry, baby.” She hugs him again.
It isn’t normal to be jealous of a cat, but here I am, shooting daggers at him with my eyes. He shoots them right back.
“So did you find anything at the trailer?” she asks.
“Yes.” I give Bentley one more glare and pull the picture from my pocket. “Do you remember where this photo was taken?”
She sits up, and Bentley scampers away to the end of the bed. “That was last year at the fair close to the waterfront. You know the one with the big yellow and purple tent they put up?”
“Barnaby’s.”
“That’s the one.” She nods. “We had so much fun! Oh my God, I thought I was going to throw up when we were at the top of the Ferris wheel. I didn’t know I hated heights until it stopped with us at the tippy-top.” She grimaces. “But Xanny talked me through it. She was always–” She chokes up. “I meanis, sheisalways there for me.”
I don’t waste a second pulling her into my arms and holding her in my lap. “Hey, we’re going to find her, all right? That was the deal, and I don’t break my promises.”
“Never?”
“You’ll see, little one. I’m a man of my word.”
“I believe you.” She sniffles. “You’ve been nothing but kind to me. You saved my life and gave Bentley and me a place to stay … at least for a little while.”
I tilt her chin up. “You’re going to stay here for as long as you like.”
She blinks several times, her tears wetting her lashes. “What?”
“You heard me. I promise you and”—I cast him a sideways glance—“even Bentley can both stay here for as long as you like.”In fact, forever sounds good to me.
“Really?” She bites her bottom lip.
I press my forehead to hers. “I don’t break my promises, little one. Remember that.”
She breathes out, her breath soft against my skin. “I remember.” When she leans in, I take her kiss, take all of her I can get.