by Megan Slayer
“Oh.” She picked at the frayed cuff of her jeans. If she’d known he was going to change into a man, she’d have worn a better pair of jeans and a nice blouse instead of the frumpy T-shirt.
“Jessa, I don’t know how or why I can change now, but I do know you’re the woman for me.” Roman’s golden eyes sparkled. “Crazy, but true.”
The front of the robe slipped open, revealing more of his chest. She longed to run her fingers over the tight muscles and feel his body. She flattened her palms on her thighs.
“I’m dying for you to touch me.” He slid her hand over his and rubbed his thumb along her knuckles. “You don’t know how hard it was to watch you and know I couldn’t say anything. I felt trapped.”
The heat in his touch seared her to the core. Instead of the knots she felt when she spent time with John, her heart fluttered. She’d been told once the flutters were important. A love true enough to create flutters wasn’t one to walk away from. She thought she’d felt that for John. Being with Roman seemed so much stronger.
“I’ve got to be losing my mind.” She blew out a long breath. “You said I was the woman for you. I’m seeing someone.” Not the man of her dreams, but who actually met and married a dream man? God knew her boyfriend, John, wasn’t a dream. John had cheated on her so many times, he’d become a nightmare.
“John is a putz and he’s not worth your time.” Roman inched closer to her. The robe opened more, showing off more of his chest and giving her tantalizing glimpses of his toned flesh. It wasn’t fair. She wasn’t even in the same universe as Roman and yet there he was on her sofa spouting out things about knowing she was his woman.
She needed to change the subject. “What’s your name, then, and where are you going to stay? You can have the spare room, but you’ll have to use the sleeping bag tonight. Or the couch. I can pull out the couch for you.” She grabbed her knees and tucked her legs to her chest, effectively putting a block between her and Roman.
“Slow down.” Roman covered her hands with his own. “My name is Roman. I don’t know why Hildy didn’t give me a crazy name, but she didn’t. You never changed what she said, so yeah, my name is Roman. As for where I’m sleeping, that’s up to you.” He bridged the gap between them. “I’m a shifter.”
“You mentioned that,” she interjected. Jessa allowed him to pry her hands open and nudge her feet back to the floor.
“I did.” He nodded. “Being a shifter means I can switch between my cat and human form, but not at will. I need to find my mate first. That’s where you come in.”
Ah. Now she understood. “I’m the person who helps you find this mate. I’m that girl. Gotcha.” Another go-round as second best.
“I don’t think you do understand.” Roman’s thigh bumped hers. He curled his fingers under her chin. “You’re forgetting I’ve been watching you for the last year. I might have been stuck in my cat form, but I’m not stupid. You cried on me, slept with me, talked to me like I was a human. There’s a bond between us that can’t be broken.”
She wanted to believe him. He’d shown her how he’d switched forms. But wrapping her mind around him changing wasn’t happening very fast.
“I remember why you wanted a cat. Darin, your ex, had just walked out. You needed someone -- me.” Roman stared into her eyes. “I bet you didn’t know why you went to Hildy’s but you had to go. You weren’t sure why she handed me to you, but the moment you held me, you knew I was perfect.”
“You scratched me when I tried to bathe you.” She licked her lips. “You also cuffed my feet when I slept.”
“I did worse to John. He should’ve known better than to strut naked around a cat.” He cupped her jaw and stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “I’m sorry about scratching you. Instinct drove me to get the hell out when I saw water. As for the toes… instinct. I can’t fight what the cat wants to do.”
“I don’t suppose you can.” His touch lit a fire deep within her. She stifled a sigh. He’d be the death of her. So sexy and dangerous.
“I need something very important from you and not just you showing me how to be a human.” He traced the seam of her lips with his index finger. “My cat knew you were my mate from the start. He allowed you to put me in that ridiculous walking harness because he wanted to please you.”
“What about you? Does the man side rule you now?” she asked around his finger.
“The man and the cat are one, and we both agree you’re the one for us.” Roman’s breath feathered over her cheeks and chin. “I need you to believe me. I’ll never hurt you, and I’ll protect you no matter the cost. I won’t lie to you.”
She had to be losing her mind. Everything he said made sense in theory, but what if he was putting her on? Her mind battled with her gut feeling. Deciding to date John, the perpetual cheater, hadn’t turned out so well. Maybe it was time to go with her gut. “I shouldn’t believe you… but I do.”
Praise the goddess. Roman tucked a lock of her honey-blonde hair behind her ear. He needed to kiss her, but he didn’t want to push her.
“This is so crazy.” Jessa giggled -- not pure joy, but uncontained nervousness.
“What?” Roman didn’t give her the chance to answer. Instead he kissed her. The dreams of a slow, sweet joining flew out the window the moment he tasted her. He’d never be the same. He nipped her bottom lip and swallowed her moan. No way he’d be able to find another woman like her. No way he wanted to.
Roman tugged her onto his lap. All the times she’d held him came rushing back. The sensation of her body touching his turned his brain to mush. He needed to do more -- to learn more and figure out how to please her.
Jessa broke the connection first. She touched her lips. “Roman.” She flattened her palm on his chest. “My, you’re hard.” She gasped and her gaze met his. “I mean, we can’t do this. I’ve got a boyfriend. He’s slime, but I haven’t broken things off with him yet.”
“Sadly, I know. I might have been a cat, but I saw everything. Why do you think I spent so much time climbing between you? Because I like you and I hate John.” Confessing the truth felt so good. Another burden on him washed away. “John isn’t -- he doesn’t have your best interests at heart.”
“You’re jealous of him.” She shot off his lap. Her cheeks reddened and her eyes blazed. Just as quickly as the fury blew, it lessened.
Did she understand him or did she just not want to argue? “Yes,” Roman answered. “I’m very jealous. He --” She knocked him so off kilter. “He doesn’t value you.”
“And you will?” She waved her hand at him. “You’re a cat. One magical kiss doesn’t mean this can last forever.”
“It was magical for you, too?”
“Please don’t do this.” She brushed him aside. “John will be here any minute and if he sees me with you, especially with you looking like that, he’ll have a fit.” She winced.
He knew that reaction. Yet another reason John didn’t deserve her. The asshole. Roman gritted his teeth. Time to enlighten her a little bit more. “I hope John does see us. I hope it makes his blood boil.” Roman snagged her in his arms. She didn’t fight him; instead she placed her hands on his biceps. Now he was getting somewhere. “You don’t deserve him.”
“Not you, too.” She shoved Roman and wriggled out of his arms. “Roman, if you’re truly my cat, then you of all people should know I hate that. You sounded just like him. Every day I hear it. I’m not good enough for him. If I lost a little weight and wore my hair differently, then he’d be happy to be seen with me.” Her voice broke. “I should be thankful he chose me.” More tears slipped down her cheeks. “I’m not drop-dead gorgeous and I never will be.” She wiped her face. “But I don’t need you to remind me.”
“Jessa.” He was fucking this all up. He reached for her again. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Just don’t.” Jessa strode away from him and left him alone in the living room.
Roman growled. His first day as a human, and his mate wan
ted to wash him in flea soap. She’d returned his kiss and seemed to enjoy their being together, but when he opened his mouth, he screwed up. Goddess, he had so much to learn.
He closed the front of the robe. At least he was in a loving home with his mate, not stuck outside and struggling to exist. He folded his arms. According to the newscast, two of his brothers were out looking for him. What about Adrian? The last he knew, Adrian was still at Hildegard’s. The news story had shown Hildy’s house as nothing more than a pile of rubble. He needed to find Ascher and Joel. Maybe they’d have suggestions for how to persuade his mate they were meant to be.
The doorknob to the main apartment door jiggled. Aw, shit. John. Roman snorted. What was he worried about? Screw the bastard. John needed a taste of his own medicine. Let him see the competition up close. Roman stretched out on the couch. He crossed his ankles and folded his hands behind his head.
The door flew open and John surged into the room. “Jessa!” He strode to the sofa and stopped. John stared at Roman. “Who the hell are you?”
“Roman.” He sat up and extended his hand. “And you are?”
“Kicking your ass out of this apartment.” John stood over Roman. “Jessa is mine. I’m training her. I don’t need you to cock it up.”
“Cock what up?” Jessa waited in the entryway to the hall. Her eyes narrowed. “What did you mean you’re training me? I’m not a dog. I don’t need to be house broken.”
“Honey, I meant raining kisses all over you.” John stepped around Roman and the couch. “It took me so long to find you that I’m not letting you go without a fight.” He tried to touch her, but she backed out of his way. “Honey, explain to me why there is a naked man in your apartment.” His sugary-sweet tone turned sour. “You can’t be cheating on me.”
“Why?” she snapped. “Because I don’t have the balls to do it?”
“Among other things.” John’s jaw tensed. “Now tell me what the hell is going on. I don’t date whores.”
“Whore?” She sagged against the wall. “You have the nerve to call me a whore?”
“There is a naked man in your apartment. He’s not a homeless man, and I doubt he actually came here because he likes you.” John sneered. “Now spill it.”
Chapter Three
“You don’t deserve anything.” She stood toe-to-toe with her soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend. How in the name of hell had she put up with him for so long? “I know all about what you do when I’m not around. Your partner, Troy, called. Seems Salina was looking for you. She needed to get her panties from your townhouse.”
“It’s a misunderstanding.” John notched his chin in the air.
“Well, misunderstand this.” Her frustration hit the boiling point. No more holding back. She punched him hard in the stomach. “I can have whoever I want whenever I want in my apartment. Roman is a dear friend of mine, and he needed a place to stay. If I want to hump him right here in the living room, then that’s my kinky fancy. You have no say here. Get the fuck out of my apartment and never come back. I’m not grateful you chose me. You should be grateful I allowed you to date me.”
Holy shit. Jessa realized what she’d said. She’d admitted Roman was a dear friend. Well, he was -- as her cat. But as the man… she wasn’t sure what to think.
“You’ll never do better than me.” John yanked his keys from his pocket. He wrestled with the ring until he freed one of the keys. “Here, bitch. This won’t last. I give you three days before you come crawling back because this asshole sees reason. You’re not on the same level. Never will be.”
Her gumption faded. She winced and ducked to miss the flying key. At least he’d given it back.
“You’re right.” Roman’s voice remained level, but he narrowed his eyes. He stepped between Jessa and John. “You’re right. She and I aren’t on the same level -- as you. It won’t take three days for her to come crawling back. Even if our relationship doesn’t work out, she’s strong enough to see past your bullshit. So, thank you for giving her a reason to dump your ass for good.”
Jessa pressed her lips together. She had someone standing up for her. Someone cared and wasn’t insulting her. Maybe her cat wasn’t such a silly animal after all.
“Crazy bitch. You’ll wish you hadn’t told me to go. This asshole won’t be able to make you happy.” John shook his head. “Never.”
“I doubt it.” Roman nudged John into the hallway of the apartment building, then slammed the door. He turned to face Jessa. “Please don’t believe a word he said. He’s full of shit.”
Well, yeah. She didn’t believe John. Everything he’d shouted had been meant to rip her to shreds. Her hands shook and she backed up to the sofa. She sat on the arm of the couch. “Yeow.”
“What?” Roman toyed with the belt of the robe. “Gotta tell me what’s going on so I can help.”
“I’ve never done that. Never told someone off.” She shoved her hair from her eyes. “I’m glad I made him go, but I’m not sure it was the right decision.” John was really gone. If Roman walked away, too, she’d be alone. Alone sucked. Crap. She really shouldn’t have pissed off John.
“Jessa.” Roman bowed his head. He strode past her to the couch. He sat beside her and slipped her hands into his. “I get it. I might have been a cat for the last year, but I picked up a few things from watching you. Ending a relationship is hard, but you deserve to be happy. He wasn’t making you feel like a goddess. Think about this. He called you a whore and didn’t trust you. He cheated on you and used the only thing he has as ammo against you -- lies. He wanted to put you in your place. You showed him he can’t do that. Do you really want to go back to him?”
She bit her bottom lip and mulled his words. He had a point. So why did pushing John away feel so wrong? And why did being in Roman’s arms seem right? God, she was so mixed up. She pulled her hand away from Roman’s. The demons from her past reared their ugly heads. “He was slime, but what if he was right? I’m not beautiful.”
“If a man truly loves you, he’ll think you’re beautiful inside and out. Your charm, heart, brain, caring personality and wit. Jessa, you’ve got it all. That jerk beat down your self-esteem.”
“I’m not perfect.” She knew damn well she had flaws. Lots of flaws. “I’m chunky. I can’t dance and I’m no good with children. I’ve got a quirky sense of style and I hate crowds. Yeah, not perfect.”
Voices from her past shouted in her head. Her grandmother telling her to use more zit cream to clear up her face. Her mother telling her to stop eating so much because a moment on the lips meant a lifetime on the hips, and her hips had seen more than a lifetime of food. John had only added to the problem.
“You’re perfect to me.” Roman cupped her jaw in both hands. “You’ve got a cat shifter who loves you.”
“Because I feed you every morning after you walk all over me.” Which sounded bad.
“Okay. I don’t know how long I’ve got until I’m forced to give in to the cat again. Might be tonight. Might not. I don’t care. I’ve found my mate. I’ll give in to the cat for another year if it means I’m proving how much I care about you.”
“You’re crazy,” she blurted. He said too many nice things. Too many dangerous things that inflated her ego. He couldn’t be serious.
“I’m probably a little crazy. Everyone is.” He shrugged. “I’m not giving up on you or us.”
“I need to think.” She wriggled away from him again. The attraction was there and strong. Too strong. If she lingered, she’d do something she’d regret. But what was there to regret about being in the arms of a hot guy? Only he could break her heart when he realized the world was at his fingertips.
“I’m not going anywhere -- except the third bedroom. I don’t fit in the kitty condo, but I’ve always wanted to try out the bed.” He grinned. “You won’t believe me, but I never climbed on it because I knew you’d shoot me with the water gun. I hate getting wet.”
“You might like a shower now.” She smiled, despite her flip-f
lopping emotions. “Getting a bath when you’re a human is pretty nice.”
“You’ll have to teach me. I’m a human and I don’t know how to be a human. Any help is welcome.” He stroked her shin with the backs of his knuckles. “It’s late. Why don’t we crash and regroup in the morning?”
“You’ll move on,” she whispered.
Roman sighed and tipped his head to the side. “I’ve only been a human for a short while, but I know when I’m not trusted. I don’t expect you to trust me.” He scrubbed both hands over his face. “I’m going to suck at saying this, but you need to follow me. I’m not like the other guys, Jessa. When Hildy put us together, it was because she knew. It took me some time to see the spark, but I do and it’s bright. Give me a chance to sort out how to be a human. Stand beside me and be willing to tell me when I’m screwing up -- kinda like when you litter trained me.”
She sagged against the cushions. He wasn’t asking for the moon and stars, just some understanding. She stifled a giggle. She remembered trying to get Roman to use the litter pan. He resisted at every chance until she tossed him into the litter. Then he understood.
“You were a quick study,” she said.
“I had a good teacher.” Roman smoothed a lock of her hair between his fingers. “Just give me a chance. I’ll make you proud.”
“Roman.” She needed to breathe and think… and not be so attracted to him. “You make this hard. I want to kiss you. A lot. I want to snuggle up with you, but you’re not the cat. You’re a man. I’m not sure what to do.”
“I’ve still got the same soul even if it’s in a different package.” He kissed her cheek, then her lips. “I’m not giving up on you, but to make you feel better I’m sleeping in the guest room.” He stood, but didn’t walk away. “I’ve got the eyes and reflexes of my cat. I’ll keep an eye on you. I can’t help it -- you’re my mate. Will you help me be the man I’m supposed to be? The man you need?”
She stared at him. Not more than six hours ago, he’d been her cat. Part of her wanted him to argue with her and beg her to allow him into her bedroom. The rest of her appreciated the space. “Leave the door cracked.”
