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"Sure But it also includes me eatin’ over here"

I’m dumbfounded "Here? Why here?"

He takes a moment to answer, then says with a bland expression, "I like your cat"

I narrow ley behind his ears "Won’t that interfere with your naked poker parties and standing door sex with strangers?"

Amusement flickers in his eyes "No, I’ll justme, which he seems to really love, so I keep nore it "So to clarify, the deal is seven hoe for payment on the roses and no loud htly, which makes me suspicious

"And that’s it?"

"I can throw in a daily viewin’ of the family jewels if you like"

His voice is rich with suppressed laughter, and I want to hurl the meat loaf pan at his head "No, thank you But it occurs toit will take you to eat your meals here"

He arches his brows "You want a time limit, lass? That’s a trifle insultin’"

"I just want toon my couch"

"What if you invite or, honestly!"

"It’s a legitih to believe it You could very ind up throwin’ yourself at me, darlin’, and then where would we be? Just clarifyin’, like you said"

I close my eyes, inhale a slow, deep breath, and run ain, I find Caht"

The grin doesn’t budge "I’m not a competitive eater, lass, you can’t expect me to shovel an entire pie down my throat in less than half an hour"

"Fine Thirty minutes"

"One hour"

"Forty-five minutes"

He assesses the look on eneral impersonation of a stick of dynamite with a lit fuse and relents "Forty-five otiated peace in the Middle East "Deal Now sit there, and try not to be annoying while Icoain I’ether,moistened oats with the meat--until I feel a presence behindnot two feet aatching ?"

"Did you forget I was here, lass? Is your attention span that short?"

He’s laughing atin his eyes as his lips curl up at the outer edges I yank a wooden spoon from a ceramic crock on the counter and slap his shoulder with it "Get over there! Go sit down at the table, and stop loorouses, but he says it armth in his voice, so I can tell he actually likes it Which works out well for both of us, because I can see a lot of beatings in his future if he keeps this up

He lowers hi up all the space in the roo way he has I throw a dish towel at him, which hits him in the face

"Can you please cover yourself?"

"With this?" He holds the dish towel up to his broad torso It covers about a quarter of it When I frown, he chuckles "Is the sight of roan, rolling o insane"

"Aye With lust"

"Oh My God"

"You can just call h it’s accurate, God seems a wee bit formal"