Page 46 of Falling With You

This woman.

“Well, he did say that he was just going to let this poor kitten stay at the shelter instead of taking it home and caring for it if I didn’t go on a date with him. Don’t you think that’s pressure?” I looked down at her and scowled.

“That is not how it happened.” I squeezed her shoulder, and she squirmed in her seat, though I didn’t let her go. I didn’t want to stop touching her, even if I knew it was probably not the best thing for me.

“That is totally how it happened.” She looked at me, winked, and then turned back to the couple. “I mean, I probably eventually would’ve said yes if you would’ve just, you know, not threatened a poor wee little kitten.”

She was laughing then, and the couple gave us an even weirder look, but then smiled.

“Okay, I can totally tell that there’s a story there, but I’m a little freaked out,” the woman said. “By the way, I’m Olivia, this is my husband, Derek.”

Derek lifted his chin, and I did the same. “Now, should we report you to animal services?” Derek asked, and I sighed.

“No. Because I was going to take the kitten no matter what.”

“You were?” Sienna asked, turning so she faced the ice but could still talk to all of us. “Oh, by the way, I’m Sienna. This is Aiden.”

“Hi,” Olivia said, the light in her eyes dancing.

I held out my hands, trying not to look like I was a kitten killer or something. “I was really going to take the kitten. Diego. As we named him. But I really just wanted to talk, hence the whole using the kitten to my advantage. But I wasn’t going to just let it stay out in the street crying like that.” I looked up at Derek. “I’m rarely home, but when I am, I now have a kitten on me. And if I could actually bring the little thing to work, Sienna would probably create like a knapsack for me or something.”

“Oh my God, can I make you a knapsack?” Sienna asked, putting her hands together beneath her chin. “Just imagine the little baby kitten in a little sling across your chest. All the swoons.”

Olivia laughed and gave Sienna a high-five. “Seems like totally all the swoons. But you’d probably have to beat women off with a stick if they saw him with that.”

“Hey, I’m sitting right here,” Derek said, wrapping his arm around his wife and giving her a firm kiss on the mouth. “Don’t talk about swooning over another man.”

“Aw, you know I only swoon after you, boo.”

“Boo?” he asked, laughing. “We’re not going with boo.”

“Oh, boo. I’m so sorry that you’re afraid of a cute little nickname.”

“Okay, keep at it, and next time, our little game is going to be a little less subtle when we’re at the hotel,” he glowered, but I could see the laughter in his eyes. I wondered what the hell these two were talking about. Because from the way Olivia blushed, the two apparently had a story to tell.

“Excuse us,” a deep voice said from the other side of me. I looked over at two college-aged guys who already looked like they’d had one too many beers yet still had another in their hands as they tried to find their seats.

“Yeah, dude, I think you’re in our seats,” the one with the glassiest eyes slurred.

“No, I think we’re in the right spot. What seat are you?” I asked, shielding Sienna just a bit. Derek was thankfully already standing so I wouldn’t be alone in case these guys started trouble.

“What the fuck does it matter? These are our seats,” the drunkest man said.

“No, these are ours, but if you show me your ticket, I’ll try to help,” Sienna said from around me. I shifted just slightly so she wouldn’t get within view of the asshole.

“What the fuck ever, bitch,” one of them grumbled, then pulled out his ticket and glowered. I took a step forward, pissed off and ready to hit the smug son of a bitch, but Sienna put her hand on my elbow, stopping me.

“Whatever,” the dude mumbled. And then he stomped off to the row in front of us and they took their seats.

It was only because Sienna was holding me back that I didn’t punch the shit out of him for calling her a bitch.

“Don’t,” she whispered. “I’ll make sure I accidentally kick their chairs all night, but this is our first date, and we’re going to have a good time. Okay?”

I narrowed my eyes, then gave her a quick kiss on the lips that surprised us both.

“I should say something,” I whispered. “He doesn’t get to call you that. No one does.”

“No, he doesn’t get to ruin tonight. Okay?”