“You can sleep on the couch.”
“I saw your couch. It’s shaped like a pair of lips.”
“Then I’ll sleep on the couch. Come on. Just as friends.” His expression didn’t seem to be that of a lecherous seducer. “We’ll settle the cats in, have a couple of beers, play some video games, and shoot the shit. Think of it as a sleepover, minus the hair braiding. Don’t girls like those sorts of things?”
It was the most ridiculous thing she’d heard of. She shouldn’t go. She really shouldn’t . . . but at the same time, she wanted to make sure the cats settled in well. This would just be an extension of her job, wouldn’t it? As a good cat behaviorist?
Oh, who was she kidding? A hot guy with forkloads of money was asking her to come hang out for the evening. Even in a platonic sense, it was a date. And she kind of hated herself for being so weak, but she wanted to go.
But still¸ Edie hesitated. She reached through the cage and scratched at Lady Daredevil’s ear. “I don’t have a change of clothes.”
“You can sleep in something of mine.”
“I have to be back at my house at noon.” The cats would need their meds and it was an easy out for her.
“I’ll have my driver come and pick you up first thing in the morning. Any other excuses?”
He made it sound so innocent, but she knew Bianca would have a fit. This wouldn’t work with Bianca’s utterly careful plan on how to manipulate a man. And that decided it for Edie. Because it had been so nice to be so utterly carefree for a few hours that afternoon that she wanted it to continue on into the night. “All right.”
“Excellent,” Magnus said, and gave her another one of those face-splitting grins.
“Let me text my sister before we go,” Edie said. She pulled out her phone and quickly sent Bianca a message. Hey. Going with a friend to a movie & to play some cards. Back super late, don’t wait up. XOXO.
So it was a tiny white lie. It wouldn’t hurt anything. Once Bianca heard cards she’d run for the hills. She hated Edie’s friends and thought they were boring.
Bianca’s response was immediate and brief. K.
Whew. No questions asked. All right. She was really doing this, then. Edie gave Magnus a nervous smile. “Good to go. Where’s your car?”
He gestured. “Driver should be somewhere over there.”
“Driver, huh?” She looked askance at Magnus as he moved to walk next to her, cat between them. The poor thing gave a confused meow and settled at the back of the cage. “You made a driver wait on you while you went and had fun at the festival?”
Magnus shrugged. “He’s paid to wait on me. Paid really well, I might add. And he could have had a corn dog if he wanted one.” Magnus paused and held out the cage. “Can you hold this for a moment?”
She took it and watched silently as Magnus texted for a moment, scanned the parking lot, and then texted again. Then he took the cat back from Edie and they both stood there awkwardly while they waited on the car.
It pulled up a moment later, a black sedan with tinted windows. A driver got out and, as he did, Magnus offered him the cat carrier. “Put this in the passenger seat, please.”
“Of course, Mr. Sullivan,” the driver said. He barely glanced at Edie, and gave her a nod, then opened the door for her.
She wondered if he saw Magnus take a lot of women home. Then she decided it didn’t matter, because this was about the cats more than anything else. Right? Right. So she got in the back of the car and winced as she slid over, the action hurting her knee.
The back seat was more cramped than she cared for. A normal person could fold their legs and have plenty of room, but Edie needed to stretch her leg, especially after today. Even as she sat, her muscles screamed. She clenched her hands tightly in her lap, determined to ignore it as Magnus slid into the back seat next to her.
Moments passed, the car pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road, and all was silent except for the occasional confused yowl of Lady Daredevil. After what felt like an eternity, the driver glanced in the rearview mirror. “I’m going to shut the partition and give you privacy, if that’s all right.”
“Thank you, Reynolds,” Magnus said, and wagged his eyebrows at Edie.
She didn’t laugh. She was too busy resisting the urge to slam her leg straight out and massage her knee.
He must have noticed her tension. A frown creased his face. “You okay?”
She nodded tightly. “Just tired.” Edie forced a smile to her face. “I had a good time, though. And I think you’re really going to like the cat. She’s such a sweetheart, I—”
“Edie,” Magnus said in a low voice, and goose bumps flicked over her skin. “You’re pale. Is it your knee?”
She tried to shrug it off, and then winced. Damn it, she hated feeling like an invalid. “I just need to stretch it a bit, that’s all.”
“Why didn’t you say so?” He leaned back and then patted his knee. “Put your leg up here.” At her hesitation, he gave her an exasperated look. “I’m not going to fondle your damn knee, Edie. I’m just trying to help you out.”
Reluctant, she slowly stretched her leg and placed it over his knee. The muscles were screaming in protest, and her breath hissed out from between her teeth.
“Does rubbing it help?” he asked.
“A little. I should—” she leaned in to massage her leg.
He batted her hand away and placed his big one on her knee, rubbing gently. Pain flared, and then slowly began to ebb. She leaned against the car seat sideways, some of her tension easing. Edie closed her eyes. “Mmm, thank you.”