Chapter Fifty-Seven
Allie
“I have an itchy spot on my back,” the little kitten said, and I was amazed that I could understand him perfectly.
“Is that the spot?” I asked as I rubbed his back and listened to him purr even louder.
“So, you like him?” Dylan asked.
“I love him,” I said, trying hard not to cry like a baby. “How did you do this?”
“My mother got him for you,” Dylan began hesitantly. “I took hair from your brush and asked her to make all the arrangements.”
“Dylan, I don’t even know what to say.” I cuddled my familiar even closer. How did I thank someone for the most thoughtful gift I’d ever received? How did I tell Dylan I was falling more in love with him every day?
“You don’t have to say anything,” Dylan assured me. “You should have a familiar, and I wanted to be the one to give you this. Even if you leave me when this is all over, I want to be the man who gave you your familiar.”
“I’m still really afraid of being hurt,” I admitted.
“So am I,” he said. “I can’t promise I won’t screw up, because we both know I will. What I can promise is that I’d never intentionally hurt you.”
“And I can always cut your balls off if you cheat on me,” I said with a smile.
Dylan laughed and leaned down to kiss the top of my head. “I don’t think you need to worry about me cheating on you,” he assured me. “No woman could ever compete with you. I love you,” he said softly, looking as shocked by the words as I was. “Wow! That wasn’t what I planned to say.”
“Just got caught up in the moment?” I asked.
“Sort of,” he admitted. “I’m not saying I don’t mean the words, just that I hadn’t planned to say them now. I’m really screwing this up, aren’t I?”
Shaking my head, I gave him a wobbly smile. “I love you, too.”
“And me?” my familiar asked.
“Of course, I love you,” I said, holding him up so he was looking me in the eyes. “What are we going to call you?”
“I still say he looks like a Socks,” Dylan said.
“I don’t like Socks,” the kitten insisted.
“How about Quincy?” I asked, and the kitten hissed in displeasure.
“Sam?” Dylan suggested.
“I like Sam!” the kitten said happily and began purring again.
“Sam it is,” I agreed.
Dylan closed the distance between us and held me with Sam in the middle. This really was the perfect end to a horrible day.