Sierra began to laugh, looking forward to her new adventure as a cat lady.
Two days later, Sierra stared out the side window, caught between astonishment and a betraying excitement she hated admitting. What was he doing here?
She looked down at her stretchy pants, oversize t-shirt and sock-clad feet. Sunday nights were reserved for cozying up to prep for the rest of the week. Not hosting hot men at her place while eating Chinese straight from the cartons.
“I’m bearing gifts!” he shouted from the porch, obviously aware she was hesitating about letting him in.
Sierra blew out a breath and opened the door.
Kane held two giant tote bags in his hands. A devastating grin curved his full lips. “Congratulations on your new addition. I can’t wait to meet him.”
She rolled her eyes. “Really? You’re here to see my cat? Are we suddenly besties who come over each to other’s houses for late night visits?”
His face fell. The expression only gave him an adorable charm difficult to resist. “Not yet, but I’m hoping. Aspen told Brick who told me so I figured it’d be nice to stop by.”
Damned if her lips didn’t twitch in a smile, but she kept her tone firm. “You can come in for a minute. I don’t want to overwhelm him since this is all new to both of us.”
“Got it.” He stepped through the threshold, sniffing the air. “Is that Chinese?”
“Yes.”
“Any leftovers? I didn’t get to eat today—too busy.”
A suffering sigh escaped. “Why are you reminding me of a stray cat yourself?”
“Because I know how they feel.”
His answer gave her pause. Sierra wanted to ask further questions but he was already setting the bags down and looking around. “Is he hiding? Poor thing. I don’t want to intimidate him.”
“Montgomery likes to sleep in the sunroom but he’ll come out when he’s ready. What did you bring?”
“Montgomery, huh? Very distinguished.” Kane began pulling items from the bags with an enthusiasm that amused her. She hadn’t seen this side of him, like a kid excited about giving gifts to please. “I did some online research and found these were the best food and treats to give. It’s made with real ingredients and not that fake crap manufacturers try to push.” He placed everything on the coffee table in a neat line. “These toys are good for giving mental stimulation. These have catnip, but there’s a lot of disagreement on if it’s good to use but I figured you’d decide what’s best.” He wriggled a large box from the bottom. “This is a cat tower I can build for you. It’s got the highest reviews for safety. And this thing is motorized so he can play chase.” The cute mouse was on roller wheels and made little squeaking sounds when Kane pressed it. “I already put batteries in it. What do you think?”
Crap. What she thought led to danger. He was being sweet and a bit nerdy and her silly heart softened to mush. Once again, she realized how nice it was to have a man take an interest and care about something in her life. Sierra had Aspen and a ton of girlfriends but no men stayed in her life once she shut down the romance.
She stared at him with a new outlook. From the first, she’d been wary of getting her heart broken with this man. It was easier to keep the past firmly in her memory and not spoil the perfect night.
But right now? Sierra wondered if she was playing small in order to keep things in control. What if she gave Kane Masterson a chance? What if she opened herself up to the possibility of not only a great affair, but a great love? Was it just her stubbornness that made her believe they couldn’t try out a real relationship, with morning afters and dating? Could she navigate these type of feelings without constantly wondering if she was going to end up hurt and alone again?
She’d changed over the years. Achieved her dreams of a fulfilling career and independence on her terms.
Wasn’t it possible he’d changed, too?
The questions flooded her with confusion. She needed time to sort things out. One thing was clear—if she was ready to go down that unknown path, she wanted to tell her sister and Brick the truth. And she needed clarity on his actions that led him to jail and fleeing New York.
“You don’t like them?” Kane frowned. “I can return them. I didn’t mean to push. I tend to do that, huh?”
“We both do,” she said quietly. “But this was really nice, Kane. Thank you.”
Their gazes locked. Understanding mingled with the familiar heat, but instead of retreat, Sierra held her stance. “Want some lo mein while we wait for Montgomery? You just can’t judge me for not using plates.”
“I’d love some. No judgment zone. Ever since I moved to my place, I barely put on clothes, let alone use plates.”
A jolt of awareness zapped her. The image of him striding around naked, all those ridged muscles on display for her gaze, made her falter. His wicked grin told her he knew, so Sierra refused to let him win this round. “Me, too. Funny, a few minutes earlier and you would’ve caught me climbing out of my bubble bath. I like to walk around without a robe so my skin air dries. Much healthier.”
She hid her smug expression as she headed to the kitchen. The strangled sound from his lips was satisfying. “That was cruel,” he said.
“You started it. Drink?”
