Kane’s jaw dropped. He stared at the cat in confusion, and the entire scene began to strike her as hysterical.
Holy crap, Montgomery had completely dissed him.
Sierra started to laugh as Kane tried to regather his composure and get off the floor. Swiping at his pants, he glared at the cat.
Montgomery glared back.
Yeah, it was officially war.
“He won’t let you buy him off,” she said. Humor danced in her voice. “Has there ever been anyone in your life you couldn’t charm?”
“No,” he admitted. “But I don’t think Mo is normal. Why couldn’t you get a cute, cuddly kitten?”
“They were boring,” she said. “I like complexity. He’s definitely an alpha and doesn’t like being challenged.”
“Sierra, you have to be careful. Don’t bring Mo to the shop. He’ll threaten the customers and cause issues.”
She looked down at her protector, who had settled and was nicely licking his paw, haunches firmly planted on her sock-clad feet. “His name is Montgomery. And I think he’ll be great.”
Kane groaned. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
Sierra grinned. “Yep. Kane Masterson has finally met his match. You can’t buy him, charm him, or intimidate him.”
“Very funny. Can we go back into the kitchen and finish our conversation? Maybe close Mo—umm, Montgomery—off in his room until we’re done?”
She regarded him thoughtfully, then made her decision. “No. I think it’s time you went home. Montgomery’s still getting situated, and I don’t want to force him to spend time with someone he doesn’t like.”
Kane blinked. “You’re throwing me out for a cat?”
Sierra smiled with satisfaction. “Absolutely. There’s a reason he doesn’t trust you and until that’s settled, I’m not ready to dive into any type of relationship. When he’s comfortable in your presence, we can discuss our next steps.”
Those green-gold eyes widened. “You want Mo to make the rules for us? A stray cat you picked up in a shelter two days ago? An animal that doesn’t know me or you or what we shared years ago?”
“Sounds good to me.” She scooped Montgomery into her arms and walked to the door. “I appreciate all the gifts, Kane. More than you know.”
It was the most she could give at the moment. She prepped for an argument, but he only followed her out, pausing on the threshold. His gaze took in the cat firmly held against her chest, then rose to her face. His voice was a husky murmur of sound, wrapping around her like a seductive cloud of darkness. “I hope you feel safe tonight, sweetheart. Tucked in your bed with your feline guardian. But if you believe I’d back down from any challenge to keep you from being mine, you don’t know me. You bought a little more time. Time means nothing after years of waiting, so I’ll do what you need. Prove myself. Make that damn cat love me. Wait on the sidelines until you decide the reward is bigger than the risk to give me a chance.”
A smile touched his lips and then he turned, disappearing into the shadows.
“Good night, Montgomery.”
His sentence drifted in the humid air, as much a warning as an endearment.
Sierra shivered and stepped inside, shutting the door behind her.
Damn that man.
Chapter Thirteen
He’d been cockblocked by a cat.
Kane drove home, still off-kilter from the way the evening ended. He’d been ready to take Sierra’s offer and rid her doubts in the bedroom. Words could get twisted and tangled in context and intention. But his body couldn’t lie—the way he craved to hold her, to not only bring shattering pleasure but a safety he knew Sierra desperately needed. She pretended to be open to love, but Kane clearly saw her skills of protecting herself. The easy way she placed distance between any interaction or experience that could hurt.
Loss did that to a person. First her parents, then her husband. Each event forced her to dig deep and restart, stronger than before. The problem was with each rebuild, she’d lost a piece of her trust and confidence.
He knew her heart because his was the same.
They’d just gone different ways to deal with the crap. He’d avoided all romantic relationships, choosing to put his effort into work and chasing security. It was cleaner. Kane had never been left, but betrayal had been a cruel teacher.
