A Game of Cat & Mouse (9 page)

“What are you going to do to make it up to me?”

“What do you want?”

What could he possibly want from his little mate? Truth was he wanted

everything, but they could start with a kiss. So, thinking, Caleb bent his head and took her lips. Miranda responded

immediately, parting her lips to duel with his tongue. She wrapped her hands

around his neck and pulling herself farther into his embrace. Moments later, and far too soon for his tastes, she eased from his kiss, her lips swollen from their brief make-out session, and he only wanted to taste them again.

“Let’s hurry up and finish, Caleb. I suddenly want to go home with my big bad kitty cat.”

On their way home, Caleb adjusted his sun visor against the afternoon sun. He needed to stop at Miranda’s house for her to get some things. Miranda sat in the passenger seat scribbling furiously at her teaching plan. He couldn’t help but wonder where he’d be if he had never met her. On the other hand, what if fate had not chosen her for him? Would he have chosen her had fate not stepped in? The more he got to know Miranda, the more he liked her, but in all honesty, despite her beauty, she was not the type he normally went for. Not that he’d had an enormous amount of time to date, but usually the tall and lean blonde-haired woman caught his eye. Not that Miranda’s curly brown hair and big brown eyes didn’t make him hard in less than a second, but the mating urge only ensured that the two were attracted to one another. It didn’t guarantee love, despite the increased success of it with true-mated pairs.

Caleb knew that Miranda still had

reservations about actually becoming mated. He understood her reticence, and if he’d stopped for a moment to analyze his own feeling about their whirlwind

relationship, he’d have probably felt the same way. Did that mean he was going to give Miranda up? Just the mere thought of losing her brought out his claws. Caleb took a deep breath and looked over at Miranda again. Her presence completed him like nothing else. Did he love her?

Without a doubt, each moment spent with his mate only ensured her permanent residence within his heart.

Miranda stirred in the passenger seat her work placed to the side forgotten.

“Is something burning?” Caleb took in a deep sample of the air, and his nose finally picked up small traces of smoke. They were still quite a ways from her house, but Caleb realized the smell of smoke

intensified with each mile that they got closer.

Miranda’s gasp stole his attention back to her, and he looked up above the

treetops to see an ominous cloud of black smoke pillowing in the late afternoon sky.

Caleb whipped out his cellphone and called the fire department. He quickly told them the general direction of the fire, but that he was not entirely sure of the exact location. Caleb floored the truck, intent on getting wherever the fire was and quickly.

Caleb guts tightened when the smoke got closer along with the distance to Miranda’s house, and judging by how pale Miranda’s face was, she was worried too.

***

Miranda stared in horror at the flames lapping greedily at her house. The wail of the sirens in the distance didn’t send a rush of relief like she always assumed the sound would. The devastation of losing her house and belongings superseded any sense of relief she might have felt.

“Son of a bitch!” Caleb’s yell pulled her from her misery as she realized the fire at her small cottage-like house in the woods caused another problem. The woods

surrounding her home were slowly, but surely, catching fire as well.

Caleb whipped out his cellphone again and explained the situation to ensure the firefighters knew the right place to come.

He hung up the phone and pulled her into his embrace. Miranda allowed him to comfort her.

“It’s all gone,” she said.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll take care of you.”

Isn’t that what it all added up to? Them being there for each other through the good and the bad? She couldn’t believe how readily she trusted Caleb to do just that.

“I know you will.”

Caleb released her when the fire trucks pulled up, their sirens making Miranda wince. Caleb helped them contain the fire and finally put out the flames. Two hours later, the sun was setting, and her little blue cottage lay in ashes.

“Everything is gone.” Miranda couldn’t keep the desperation out of her voice, though she tried. The situation could be worse. She could have been a pile of bones and ash had she stayed home

today.

“Don’t worry, Miranda. We’ll go to the store tomorrow and get a few things. It may not be what you want to hear, but we both knew you’d end up living with me.

It’ll be okay.”

Miranda turned from the remnants of her first attempt at independence. Deep down she knew that Caleb was right. She would end up moving in with him eventually, so in a way, maybe this was a sign that everything in her life was meant to be with Caleb. Caleb opened the passenger door and helped her inside. Miranda offered him a smile, even if it probably wasn’t the happiest.

Miranda took a deep breath and allowed her worry to dissipate with her exhaled breath. If Caleb said it would be all right, then it would. Caleb climbed into his truck and started down the road back to his home. Her home now she supposed.

Miranda reached out and took Caleb’s hand, his presence comforting to her.

“Thank you, Caleb.” Caleb gave her a grin and squeezed her hand gently before bringing it to his mouth for a kiss.

When they arrived home, Miranda was itching for a bath. She smelled just like an ashtray, and her eyes were already running from the irritation.

“I’m going to take a bath, Caleb. I’ll cook when I’m out, okay?” Miranda said, stepping on her tiptoes and placing a brief kiss on his lips. Caleb grabbed her by the waist and held her to him while he

plundered her mouth.

“You don’t have to cook for me, you know.”

Miranda patted Caleb on the chest, and he released her. “I know, but I enjoy cooking.”

“Whatever makes you happy,

sweetheart.” Caleb turned her toward the bathroom and patted her on the butt.

“Take your bath, sweetheart. "She filled the tub with steaming hot water and bubble bath grateful that Caleb had the insight to add such a large and beautiful tub. She sank into the tub and sighed as her muscles relaxed. The tension she’d experienced since her home burned down melted away a bit.

The next thing Miranda knew, strong arms lifted her and wrapped her in a towel.

“I’m sorry.” Miranda attempted to get down. She had to fix Caleb something to eat. Caleb clasped her tighter as he walked back into his bedroom.

“Shh, sweetheart, I’ve got you.”

“I need to fix you something to eat,” she mumbled almost incoherently as the need for sleep fought for dominance. She didn’t understand why she wanted to sleep so much lately, but she’d never been through a mating heat before either.

“Miranda, I can fix a sandwich, baby.

I’ve done it many times before.” After a quick drying with the towel, Caleb set her on the bed and covered her. He placed a kiss on her forehead and turned to leave.

I love you, Caleb. Miranda thought the words, but she couldn’t bring herself to say them, doubt creeping in to stop her. Then sleep took her to a place where Caleb whispered lovingly in her ear, “I love you too, sweetheart.”

***

Miranda woke feeling refreshed, dreams of Caleb loving her for years to come making her smile. She allowed her fingers to trace Caleb’s sleeping brow, her heart swelling with love for this man. Kissing him gently on the cheek, she climbed out of bed.

Small shards of daylight peeked through the closed curtains of the window. Looking at the clock, Miranda confirmed that it was early morning, 7:36 a.m. to be exact. She covered her nude body with one of Caleb’s T-shirts, its large size enveloping her smaller one whole.

Miranda felt the edge of despair at losing everything creep into her mind, but she squashed it down with the realization that she was still alive. She still had Caleb, and things were replaceable. Stepping into his kitchen, she stood for a moment and took in the space. She had been here before, but between the hot sex and search for Gunner, Miranda didn’t have the time to really take in Caleb’s house.

His kitchen was modern with all the gizmos and gadgets one could hope to have. The stove was part of the island in the center. A smooth black-surface electric cooktop was perfectly offset with the beautiful black marble countertop of the island. Directly behind the island, along the wall, a large rectangular window showed off the back yard while a double electric oven, finished in matching black, stood beside the lovely view.

Counter space ran around most of the perimeter with a sink and dishwasher toward the entrance she’d come through.

Straight across from her was the

refrigerator, yet again in black. The large entrance straight across led to a dining room, which was mostly bare except for a dining room table and chairs in dark wood.

It was apparent the dining room was not completely finished because of the paint buckets and ladder littering the otherwise immaculate space.

Miranda never dreamed a male would

have so many pretty things, and she could not think of any other word but pretty to describe the beauty that surrounded her.

Shrugging, Miranda made use of the

generous space in the kitchen by making breakfast. In the refrigerator, she easily found most of the ingredients for a large breakfast of eggs, bacon, and pancakes.

The other items she found in the pantry that was as large as a walk-in closet.

Miranda loved this kitchen!

Miranda allowed herself to zone out, enjoying the mixing and cooking she was doing. Even as a teenager, she’d loved to cook. Living by herself these past few months, and when she’d been in college, she’d not had the opportunity to cook as much. She missed it. Miranda began to sing a tune, one of her favorites from a movie. Soon before she knew it, she was shaking her hips to the catchy rhythm.

Picking a clean spoon from the drawer, she used it as a microphone. She turned, her free arm shooting into the air as she sang her heart out into the spoon. Miranda stopped abruptly and could feel her face heating with embarrassment when she noticed Caleb standing in the doorway, his arms folded across his muscular chest and a broad smile pasted across his face. She was speechless. What did someone say in a moment like this?

***

The smell of bacon drifted across his

nose, rousing him from his latest dream featuring Miranda and her beautiful mouth doing wicked things to his body. He’d rolled over to make sweet love to his beautiful mate and met only empty space.

Disappointed at not finding his mate, he sat up and took a deep whiff of the smells emanating from his kitchen. The sound of singing had him confused, but finally his sleep-addled mind put together that it was Miranda.

Getting out of bed and sliding on some of his lounging pants, he stepped into the kitchen to find Miranda’s hips swaying to a song she’d just started belting at the top of her lungs. The countertops were full of various foodstuffs, and bacon sizzled in the pan on the stove. Pancakes were cooking beside that, and it appeared eggs would also be on the menu.

Miranda turned, her hand held in the air while the other held a wooden spoon to her mouth like a microphone. Her curly hair was a frenzied mess around her head, and she wore his T-shirt that swallowed her entirely. Miranda stopped mid-note when she realized he was watching, her face turning bright red with

embarrassment. She was so sexy.

Last night when he’d found her asleep in the tub, he’d picked her up and placed her in bed. In her sleepy state she’d

whispered, “I love you.” At that moment, his world seemed to stop on its axis. His beautiful mate loved him. He’d kissed her forehead and tucked her wonderfully naked into his bed where he wanted her every night for the rest of his life. Before he left her to fix himself something to eat, he had whispered his love in her ear.

Caleb walked into the kitchen and pulled the embarrassed Miranda into his arms.

Cupping her flame-red face, he placed a soft kiss on her lips.

“Good morning, sweetheart.”

Miranda smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck and brought his face down to hers once more. She kissed him, her tongue sweeping across his lips, begging for more. Caleb complied and kissed her thoroughly. She was breathless when they pulled apart.

Miranda stepped away from him and

finished cooking.

“Did you sleep well?” Caleb asked as he propped himself against the counter to watch her work.

Miranda blushed again. “Yes. I’m sorry for falling asleep, Caleb. I really did intend on making you supper last night.”

Caleb kissed her forehead again before moving to pull the orange juice from the fridge. “Don’t worry, baby. I did just fine.

You were exhausted after the house fire.”

“Thanks, Caleb. Thanks for everything.”

“Sweetheart, thanks aren’t necessary. I enjoy taking care of you. After breakfast, we’ll see if one of the pride members has something you can borrow to wear before we head to town. I’ll buy you some new clothes and other things. I’m not sure what all you lost in the fire.”

“Everything,” Miranda whispered, his heart breaking at the desperation he heard in her tone.

Caleb pulled the finished plates of food from her hands and placed them on the table before pulling Miranda into his arms.

“You didn’t lose everything, baby. You still have me, and I’ll take care of you.”

Miranda snuggled into his embrace. “I know, Caleb. I didn’t mean that I’d lost everything important to me, just that I had lost all of my physical belongings. I just wish you didn’t have to take care of me like that. I don’t want to be a burden.”

“You’d never be a burden, Miranda.”

Miranda pulled back and looked into his eyes, her smile brightening her face. Then she gasped. “Oh my gosh! I forgot to call the landlord and the insurance company and let them know what happened.”

“The fire department called him last night, sweetheart. Insurance company?”