Cat Groove (Stray Cats)
Megan Slayer
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2014 Megan Slayer
BIN: 06884-02217
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Publisher:
Changeling Press LLC
315 N. Centre St.
Martinsburg, WV 25404
www.ChangelingPress.com
Editor: Katriena Knights
Cover Artist: Bryan Keller
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Megan Slayer
He’s found his mate and his groove, but he’s got to convince her they belong together.
Watching his woman with another man just about killed Roman. His heart beat for Jessa. His ability to switch over to his human form has allowed him to show her his other side, but will he scare her away? He’s willing to work his groove in order to win the heart of the woman he loves.
“I’m getting a cat.” Jessa ran her fingers through her hair and smoothed the mess into a ponytail. She doubted the woman with the cats actually cared what Jessa looked like, but better to make a good impression. She whisked her bangs from her eyes and then climbed out of the car. Remnants of Halloween decorations -- a decaying pumpkin if she wasn’t mistaken -- sat outside the gate. Orange streamers fluttered in the trees, making a crinkling sound. A shiver skated up her spine. Most places offering free kittens weren’t this scary. Why did she feel compelled to go to see Hildegard?
Go for what you want for a change
, she told herself. She opened the gate and headed to the house.
“There you are.”
Jessa glanced around the yard. She didn’t see anyone, but she’d heard a scratchy voice. “Hello? Hildegard?” She crept up the walkway. “Hildy?”
“Right here, dearie.” Hildegard stood. The porch swing, hidden from the road behind a thick outcropping of ivy, creaked. “I knew you were coming.”
“How?” Jessa picked at her watch. “I hadn’t decided on a kitty yet.”
“Oh?” Hildegard smiled. Her ragged teeth showed and a lock of her salt-and-pepper hair blew in her face. “There are only two left. One is yours.”
“But how did you know?” Jessa followed the short woman. She’d known of Hildegard for years. Everyone knew about the witch. She kept cats and a myriad of other animals in her ragtag house.
Hildegard reached into a basket and withdrew a kitten. The little one, black with shiny gold eyes, stared at Jessa. The kitten yawned, showing off his bright pink tongue. “He’s very calm and likes to be held. Should be a good fit for you. Be patient with him.” Hildegard placed the kitten in Jessa’s arms. “Enjoy him.”
“I --” Jessa rubbed the kitten’s head against her chin. So soft and cuddly. Yeah, she needed someone or something to take away the loneliness. “Thank you. I’ll take very good care of him.”
“I know you will.”
Jessa glanced over at the last kitten. He seemed so lonely in the box. Should she take him, too? Part of her wanted to give the little thing a home, but two cats would be a lot of responsibility. “What about the other one? Does he have a home lined up?”
“He’ll be well cared for as well. Don’t worry about him.” Hildegard smiled again, then disappeared into her house. At least, Jessa assumed she went into the house.
“Oh.” Jessa tucked the kitten into the space between her windbreaker and her sweater. “You’re coming home with me, little guy. I don’t know you, but I think I’m in love.”
One year later…
“Damn it, Roman, get back here. I’m not very in love with you right now.” Jessa tossed the towel onto the floor, then raced after her black cat. “Whoever said he was calm should’ve had to bathe him.” With him speeding ahead of her, she sprinted down the hallway.
“Come back here.” Her hair flew in her eyes and her chest hurt from the scratches inflicted moments earlier when she’d first introduced him to the water.
Roman backed himself into a corner and hissed, his gold eyes blazing.
“Don’t make me have to tackle you.” Jessa crouched and took her best offensive stance. She counted to three, then lunged. An earth-shattering screech echoed in the room, but she managed to grab him. She looked down into her curled arms. The cat struggled, but couldn’t free himself.
“You are a brat -- cute, but a brat.” She kept him tight in her grasp and marched back to the bathroom. “If you weren’t one gigantic flea, this wouldn’t be necessary.”
Upon entering the bathroom, she kicked the door shut. “Now try and get away.” She glanced around for where the cat shampoo had landed. “This won’t take long.”
The cat scampered from her arms and skidded on the rug. He collided with the bathroom door. When he fell back, instead of a black cat, a man -- a naked man -- lay sprawled in his place.
Jessa dropped the towel she’d picked up and sat down hard on the edge of the tub. “What the hell just happened?” She knew what she’d seen… her cat had morphed into a man.
The guy shook his head, his dark hair ruffling with each shake, then glanced over his shoulder. “Now do you see why I don’t need a flea bath?”
“I don’t understand what I’m seeing.” Jessa balled her fists. What the hell was she supposed to do? Locked in a bathroom with a strange man. “What’s going on here?”
“I’ve got a knot on my head from the door.” The guy turned around and rested against the wooden door. “Remind me not to run full blast away from you.” He rubbed his forehead. “But I’m kind of glad this happened. I was tired of being a cat.”
Jessa sagged in her seat. Tired of being a cat? Nothing made sense. She wobbled. Her balance shifted. “Oh!” She plopped backwards into the bathtub. Suds surged into the air and her clothes stuck to her body from the water.
“Let me help you.” The man stood over her. He offered his hand. His eyes glittered. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have scared you.”
Jessa scrambled out of the tub. She shoved the man out of the way and wrestled with the door handle. She needed out of there. The door didn’t budge. No matter how hard she yanked, nothing happened.
“Jess, wait.” His voice calmed her a bit, but she wasn’t falling for false security.
“I’ll call John.” She whipped around and grabbed the tube of toothpaste. “I’ll clobber you with this.”
“Jess.” The man stepped backwards, giving her space. “You wouldn’t have smacked me when I was the cat. Why would you now?” He crinkled his nose. “And why would you get John? He’s an asshole.”
“You’re stalking me!” She wrestled with the door handle again. This time the knob budged and she opened the door. She’d call her boyfriend, John. He’d do something. Jessa raced through the apartment, then stopped at the front door. What a turkey! She’d had her cell phone in her back pocket the whole time. “Damn it.” She dialed John’s number.
The man from the bathroom stood in the hallway. He’d wrapped the towel around his nakedness. In the natural light from the living room, she noticed the dips and valleys of his body. She would have to end up with a good-looking stalker. Black hair sprinkled across his chest -- enough to notice, but not enough to be gross. The muscles in his torso flexed as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. His dark hair had been slicked back off his forehead and a bit of scruff darkened his cheeks.
“Jessa,” a voice said.
She watched his mouth. The man hadn’t spoken. Then who was talking to her?
“You must’ve called your boyfriend.” The guy stood in the hallway, arms folded. “Better answer him before he comes over here and flips out.”
She lifted the phone to her ear. “John?”
“Jessa, you called me. What’s wrong? Who is that in the background?” John demanded.
“I --” Jessa stopped. She couldn’t tell John about the cat. He hated Roman, and he’d never believe the feline had shifted into a man. “I missed you.” She squeezed her eyes shut tight. “Thought I’d call you out of the blue to tell you.” She hated lying to him, but she needed help.
“I’ve got a schedule. I can’t take calls like this until after five.” John snorted. “I’ll be over once I’m done with my workout. Whatever the problem is, it can wait.” The call disconnected as he hung up.
Jessa slid down the front door. She never should’ve invested her faith in John. The man did what he wanted and expected everyone else to fall into line behind. She stared at the man in her hallway. Nothing made sense. The whole world had gone topsy-turvy.
“I don’t understand,” she murmured.
The man inched closer to her and then crouched in front of her. “I can explain a lot of this. I really can. I don’t want to hurt you and I’m not a stalker. Give me a chance.”
“How? I don’t know who you are.”
“I’m Roman.” He sat down before her and arranged the towel to cover his manhood. “You’re never going to believe me, but I’m a shifter.”
Roman wanted to hold her. He needed to tug her onto his lap and kiss away her upset, but he knew better. She’d called John and, from the confusion on her face, he’d be willing to bet John hadn’t listened to her. The man didn’t deserve her. The jackass treated her like an object and only paid attention to her when he felt the need.
“Do you remember when you adopted me?” Roman fought the urge to reach for her. “Hildegard said I’d make you happy. She said I was a good fit for you. She wasn’t wrong. Think of all those times we’ve talked. All those times you petted me to feel better. I cherish those moments.”
“But you’re not Roman -- the cat. You’re a man,” she whispered. “I’ve never seen a shifter before.”
“Yes, you have,” Roman said. “There was the story on the television. Those two men are my brothers.”
“Your brothers?” She shook her head. “I don’t believe you.”
“Jessa, there are four of us. We shift from house cats into men.” How could he make her see she belonged to him and he belonged to her? Goddess, how could he do all that without scaring her? “Just… shit.”
For the first time since he’d shifted, she smiled. “You honestly want me to shit?” She bit back laughter, but the giggles burst out anyway. “Look, I’m not sure what you are, but if you are my cat, then prove it.”
Sounded like a plan to him. “I can’t go berserk and do this a ton of times, but yeah, I’ll shift.”
“Wait.” She stood and waved her hands. “Not here. I want you in a controlled room. Somewhere where you can’t pull a fast one on me.”
“Like the bathroom?”
“Yes.” She rested her hands on her hips.
Roman’s cock twitched beneath the towel. She would have to pick right now to want him to shift. He’d have to ditch the cover-up and she’d see his erection. Great. She’d think he was nuts and a perv. Whatever. No one had said finding his mate would be easy and he doubted convincing Jessa they belonged together would be a small task. He stood and followed her back to the bathroom. Along the way, she grabbed a baseball bat.
Now she wanted protection. He sighed. He’d do whatever he needed to in order to make her feel safe. He waited as she closed the door.
“Okay. Shift.” Jessa stared at him. “Do it.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Roman crouched down and closed his eyes. His back itched as fur sprouted from his skin. His bones popped and shrank. Tendons shortened and his claws protruded from his fingers. He shook his head and then opened his eyes. The change had worked. She had to be his mate! He stared up at her and meowed.
“But…” Jessa reached for him. “Roman?” She clutched him in her arms. “How? Why?” Tears slipped down her cheeks. She held him up to her face. “Brat. You watched me change and shower… you know everything.” Her voice trailed off. “Everything.”