She was upstairs in the music room, I could hear her playing the piano. I opened the lid and the kitten stared up at me with its green eyes narrowed. It locked gazes with me and hissed softly, threatening me. This was a terrible idea and I was going to kick Aloysius’s ass as soon as he was big enough to defend himself.
I put the box under my arm and moved down the hall to the music room. The door was ajar and she looked up as I slipped inside. My stomach felt oddly weightless at the sight of her sitting there in her oversized sweatshirt and knee socks. Maybe she had panties on underneath, maybe she didn’t. As soon as I got this cat out of the way, I was going to find out.
“How was Aloysius?” she asked. “What did he need?”
“Nothing,” I lied. “Drama at school.”
“Poor thing,” she said, sliding the keyboard cover down. She swiveled and crossed her legs, balancing on the piano bench.
“I have a gift for you,” I said, lifting the box.
She studied the cardboard box critically. I’d never given her anything that wasn’t gift-wrapped or in a branded bag. Then something sparked in her dark eyes and she shot to her feet, almost running to me. Were her fingers shaking as she attempted to open the lid? Her shoulders heaved and her eyes were wide as she managed to pry the top flaps apart and pull them aside.
“Oh my God,” she whispered. “Oh my God, oh my God.”
She looked up at me, tears on her lashes.
“Is that mine?” she breathed.
Well, fuck me, maybe Aloysius was onto something. I nodded and she smiled through the tears slipping down her cheeks. Reverently, she slipped her slender fingers around the tiny kitten and pulled it to her chest. It flipped its head and stared up at her, but it didn’t hiss the way it had with me. In fact, it almost looked satisfied.
“I love it so much,” she whispered. “This is the best thing you’ve ever given me.”
She pulled me close with one hand and kissed my mouth, slow and deep, and I knew I was going to have the best night of my life. The kitten whipped its head around and hissed lightly. I scowled, realizing that this cat and I were most likely not going to have a great relationship.
“I love you more than anything, but that cat will not be sleeping on our bed,” I said firmly.
“But, Peregrine, it’s tiny,” she begged.
“It can be tiny someplace else, like the living room or the kitchen.”
“It’ll be scared. Please can’t it just stay in our room tonight?”
I shook my head. “Absolutely not. Over my dead body.”
I meant that. Our bed, like my studio, was a sacred space and nothing would compromise that. She pouted for a moment, but was quickly distracted by the kitten clawing up her sweatshirt and nesting in her hair. She beamed up at me and my chest tightened. The moment felt incredibly vulnerable and I still wasn’t used to this. I took a quick breath and smiled back at her and she kissed me again.
“Thank you,” she said, her gaze adoring. “I love him so much.”
“It’s a boy?”
“Looks like it. I’ll call him Mozart.”
“Perfect,” I said. “I’m going down to my studio for a bit, angel, but don’t forget we’re going out tonight. And you have a dick appointment after that.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ll pencil it in.”
“Good girl.”
She stared after me with her lips parted. She loved being praised in bed, but even more than that she loved it when I threw it out there casually like I didn’t know what I was doing to her. Feeling vaguely pleased with myself, I headed down the hall and took the spiral staircase to my studio.
It had taken several weeks, but I started carving again. The things that came from my mind were subtly darker now, but they were some of the most beautiful works I’d ever created. There was something about being seen by her, being truly accepted, that set me free to create without reservation.
I set the record player up and poured a drink and got my tools out. Lining them up on the table. Then I set aside my jacket and vest and rolled my sleeves up. My current work in progress was in the center of the floor with a single shaft of light falling over it like a spotlight. When I pulled the cover aside, the dust exploded in an array of color.
A kaleidoscope.
Time slipped away and I scarcely noticed when the light from the window faded and the timed lamps came on. Nothing broke me from my reverie until I heard a gentle knock on the door and a little creak. I turned, blinking, and my eyes fell on my wife. Heat shot down my spine and pooled in my groin.