Page 45 of Facing Off
“So?”
Panic flits across his features. “Think of my conscience. I’ll die of guilt if something…” He stops and rubs the back of his neck, adding quickly, “I mean…Quinn. He’d be so mad at me if he found out. I have to look after his sister.”
“I don’t need you sleeping in that chair again.” What I really mean is that I don’t wantmyselfto have any more dreams like that one. And I’m bothered that if I stay, I will.
He must hear something tense in my voice, because he immediately retreats, putting space between us. “Not if that makes you uncomfortable.” Hughes points to the bedside table on the left. “There’s a charger wire inside. For your phone, in case you need to call me. I’ll be close by, but not here if that’s better. So just stay.”
Before I have a chance to argue, he’s gone.
Alone now, I flop back on the bed, cover my face and swear. Ten minutes later, I decide I’m still leaving. I need to get out of this house, away from any more confusing, inappropriate dreams, and then I can act like myself again.
The door opens.
Seriously?! Is the man psychic or preternaturally lucky, able to sense when women want to flee his presence?
But no, it’s not him.
There are no sounds of footsteps, but something lands on the bed. It’s a furry white muppet. That moves. Is breathing. And is very, very ugly. Like possibly the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen with its very scrunched up features, heavy brow bone, and crooked teeth. But also cute because of the explosion of white tufts of fur underneath its chin and around its pointy ears. A cat…maybe?
It hisses viciously at me.
And that? I deeply connect with. There are more than a few days where I could just blatantly hiss at people.
The muppet-thing pads closer.
I brace myself, remembering how sharp claws can be.
Yellow-green glowing eyes judge me.
“Don’t worry, I’m leaving. You’ll never have to see me again.”
It licks its paw, bored. My comings and goings are notrelevant to it, so I should talk about something more interesting.
“I had a dream…” I shake my head. “Wait. Never mind. I’m concussed. Potentially. That’s why it happened.”
The muppet creeps closer.
“Don’t look at me like that. I don’twanthim. There’s absolutely no attraction. He’s ugly. So ugly that when he walks into a room, I can’t look away from his ugly, wretched face?—”
It nudges my arm with its head.
I’m confused.
It nudges me again until I lift it.
Suddenly, I have a warm muppet on my chest.
“Okay, what’s your name?” A collar winks at me in the darkness. I inspect it. My finger traces the letters. “Hey, Diana. I’m Sonya, and I’ve never had a pet before, so I don’t know what to do.”
Her little nose touches my hand.
It takes some time, but I tentatively stroke the fur on Diana’s belly. She lets me.
“Is this okay?” I whisper.
She flops further into my arms, purring.
“Oh, that’s a really cool sound.” This strange contentment sinks into my chest. This is…good. Nice. I don’t mind it at all.
