Page 62 of Bones
I nodded, but he frowned.
“There’s a nest of kittens in the hayloft,” he explained. “You want to see ’em?”
Surprise and something unbearably soft overwhelmed me for a moment. Kittens. He wanted to show me kittens.
I nodded again, not trusting myself to speak.
“Here, you stay here and I’ll bring a couple down.” He grinned, and the warmth of it made me feel even more unsteady.
I waited as he disappeared up the ladder. The barn smelled like oats and animals, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Tools and various pieces of equipment lined the walls in an orderly fashion. Trey let out a curse from somewhere up above me.
“Trey?”
“I’m fine. Just this little one has a strong bite.” He came down the ladder, grinning and climbing easily despite holding a kitten in each hand. “Reminds me of someone else I know.”
I scowled at him and his grin widened.
“You want the little one who bites or the sleepy one?” he asked, approaching me.
I reached out and took the little one from him. I had a point to prove now. The kitten had grey stripes and hissed as I took it from him. It glared at me with blue eyes, baring its teeth as it growled. I placed it on my chest directly above my heart and covered it with my sleeves so it didn't feel so exposed. Trey raised his eyebrows as the kitten quieted.
“Are you using your powers?” he playfully accused.
“No,” I said indignantly. “It’s just scared. You gotta give it somewhere to feel safe.”
“Hmmm,” Trey hummed, a corner of his mouth twitching up.
“What?”
“Nothin’.” He grinned.
“What?” I glared at him.
“It’s just good advice,” he said, but his grin softened into something that made soft and terrifying feelings stir to life in my chest.
My heart started beating faster and my cheeks warmed.
“Never woulda thought you were a secret wild kitten tamer.”
“It doesn’t need to be tamed,” I shot back. “It just needs to know you aren’t gonna hurt it.”
Gods, that smile.
“You’re right,” he murmured.
If he didn't stop looking at me with that soft, warm gaze, I would do…something, something stupid. He wasn't standing that close to me, but every part of my body buzzed with awareness of him like I stood where lightning was about to strike.
“Where were you tryin’ to go?” Trey asked.
My brow furrowed in confusion.
“When the mercs found you,” he clarified. “Where were you going?”
Oh.
“I didn’t really have a plan,” I mumbled.
He looked taken aback. “You didn’t?”
