She snorted. “Nice try but we can text. Besides, I’m going to the animal shelter.”
“A cat, right?”
She stared back at him.
Kane smiled gently. “Brick said you were considering it a while ago, but never pulled the trigger. I’m glad you decided to adopt. You deserve to have a companion who loves you unconditionally. You’ll be a great mom.”
She blinked rapidly, as if he’d surprised her with his words and she didn’t know how to process. Too bad. She deserved to have consistent compliments and appreciation from a man she invited into her life.
But it must’ve been too much. His question made her slam down a wall between them.
Damn. One of his faults was going too hard, too fast.
She looked down at her lap, as if gathering her thoughts. When she lifted her chin, the mask was back in place. “I have to go.”
He nodded. Kane realized she needed space from him to process. “I got the bill. Drive safe, Sierra.”
Gratitude shone in her hazel eyes from the easy escape. “Thanks. You, too.”
She walked out of the restaurant, her heels tapping across the floor. But the encounter only proved things between them had only just begun.
Kane smiled as he settled up and headed home. Sierra wasn’t interested in dating anyone else. He just needed to be patient and wait out her stubbornness. There was no real reason they couldn’t be together now. Yes, he needed to gain her trust, but with Brick and Aspen’s wedding, they’d be forced to spend more time together.
He was in a damn good mood. Finally, he was rebuilding his career, and Sierra was back in his life. Things were finally on the upswing.
At this point, what could go wrong?
Chapter Twelve
“Shoes are the quickest way for women to achieve instant metamorphosis.” – Manolo Blahnik
He knew about shoes.
The thought kept dancing in her mind as she drove to the animal shelter. Sierra went over last night’s encounter and poked for specific reasons Kane Masterson was a con man.
After all, he’d interrupted and ruined her date. Fed her oysters like he was her lover. Complimented not only her personality, but her worthiness. Created a detailed spreadsheet most men would never try to embark on.
And knew exactly what shoes meant to her.
God, it was awful. Even worse? She was terribly attracted to the way the man wore his clothes…and footwear. There was a pride in his appearance, and the way he seemed to realize fashion didn’t have to be about ego or money, but personality and choice. Kane could come out of a second-hand shop and still look as delicious as he did in custom designer suits, because he wore his clothes—his clothes did not wear him.
It took a mighty ego and confidence to own such male potency.
Sierra shook off her thoughts as she pulled into the Dare County Animal Rescue. She’d called for an appointment and was excited to hear they had a new litter of kittens to consider. Yes, a kitten would be a lot of work, but the idea of being the first to shape their infancy was enticing. Of course, she’d consider an older cat if she was friendly and well-behaved. Her new companion needed to fit into her shop well and not intimidate her customers. She imagined one of those bookstore cats, quiet and unassuming, prowling around the shelves with dignity and restraint as people browsed.
And of course, she did not want a male cat. Flirt was female driven, which was important to her.
Colette greeted her with a warm smile. “It’s so nice to meet you, Sierra. Mal told me you’d be coming in, and I’m really excited for you meet all our cats today. Your application was approved so we’re all set to find you a forever fur baby.”
Sierra smiled back, loving her energy. With a messy ponytail, make-up free face, dusty jeans and work boots, the young woman gave off vibes that screamed animal love. They chatted a bit as she was brought across a small field to the main cat shelter. Crates were lined up, stuffed with blankets and various toys. A main play center with towers, balls, and tunnel mazes was in the rear, and Sierra saw a couple playing with a tiny gray kitten.
“This is our cat room. We have the kittens out in the play area so you can spend some time and see if you bond with any of them. And of course, we have various ages to pick from. Some were strays. Others were given up by their owners.” Colette’s brown eyes filled with sadness. “So many families just can’t afford pets, or to spay their cats so they go on to have multiple births and the population explodes.”
Sierra nodded. “I can imagine how hard it must be nowadays.”
The woman’s face cleared. Freckles sprinkled her nose. “Yes, but you’re here today and will make a big difference. The names are on their cage. Do you want to see the kittens first?”
“Yes, please.” Excitement and nerves sparked. She wished Aspen was here, but Sierra had wanted to do this herself and rely on her own intuition. She entered the cat room and Colette spent some time pointing out the various kittens, citing names and sexes. Sierra sat down on the rug while eight small balls of fur mewed and tumbled over one another in obvious joy. She nodded at the couple, who seemed to have fallen in love with the charcoal one, cuddling to their chests. Sierra got choked up when she spotted tears in their eyes, as if they were adopting their first child.
