How to Tame a Cat (ManxMan)

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Sudden Apprehension

~Chapter Twenty-Seven: Sudden Apprehension~

"Yes, Mom, I'm fine," I say, for the umpteenth time today. Every other question in our conversation has been a question about my health. The blame falls on me, though, for taking a full week to answer her many voice messages.

The last time I talked to her was last Saturday, after some pestering from my sister. It is not that I refused to talk to her on my own – and I have been meaning to do it for some time – but every time I am about to call her, something comes up. Riley wants to meet to do some kind of project; Ryland is feeling needy and wants a kiss that leaves me unable to remember what I was trying to do before; I fall asleep because the couch or bed is too comfortable.

Speaking of needy...

The door to the bathroom opens and I peek over the side of the couch to see my temporary roommate enter the room, wearing only a towel around his waist. I must have made a sound, because Ryland snaps his head around to look at me, eye widening a fraction. Almost immediately, I drop back behind the couch to avoid looking at him further.

"Cade, are you still there?" My mother asks, her voice rising a little in concern.

It takes me a second to realize that she must have said something, "Sorry, yes. What were you saying?"

"I was talking about the gathering next weekend. Your father and I will be flying there on Friday night," my mother repeats, sounding rather excited. It has been some time since I last saw either of them, so this will probably be their way to check up on me.

Despite living in Oregon, both of my parents are still considered Colorado cats. My parents only moved out to Oregon one year ago and never bothered to attend the Washington-Oregon-California cat meeting, which means they are still on the Colorado cat roster. Something about having too many friends in the state and getting to see me after I decided to stay here when they moved, though I did move upstate quite a ways, settling two to three hours from where my family used to live. I was not fond of cities like my parents were.

"I forgot about that. Are my sisters coming, too?" I ask, despite dreading the answer. While I would love to see Victoria, there is no telling when she will have that kid and Heather is, well, too smart. She already knows about Ryland, but a lot has happened this week. Such as, I am now willing to admit that I am lusting for the lion.

While I probably have been for a little while, it was yesterday's early morning experience that woke me up to the reality. Otherwise, I would have felt angry and aggressive, not pleased and compliant when he decided he wanted to be close yesterday evening. Not a lot happened after Cameron kissed me and I expected him to be angry or pushy, but instead he just wanted cuddle while I did my homework...tried to do my homework.

"Yep, though Victoria might have to leave early," my mother explains, the concern returning to her voice. She sounds so proud, yet so worried at the same time. It is my sister's first kid, after all. We are all worried something might go wrong.

Ryland's head suddenly appears over the back of the couch and he leans down to capture my lips, but I turn my head in time to keep it from turning into one of those mind-losing kisses. His lips brush my cheek before he pulls away with a sigh. "Almost," he mutters, shaking his head.

"Sweetie, do you have someone over?" She asks. One guess to where Heather got her detective skills, even if hers are more refined and more commonly used than my mother's.

"Uh, no," I reply, dragging it out as I try to think of some explanation for the sounds Ryland made, but nothing comes to mind. And technically, I am not home, so I cannot 'have someone over'.