Tame Me If You Can

Chapter 20

*** Warning: This Chapter Includes Steam ***

Chapter 20

There's a wild party outside this cozy bedroom.

Strangers feign to be more connected than they actually are. Trying to belong, laughing too loudly, bumping the music so high it vibrates through the walls.

Yet here, cocooned in a rustic bedroom with dim golden lights, specks of dust dance below the bedside lamp, the faint scent of sandalwood lingers in the air. 

There's him on the sheets, leaned on a headboard with my laptop on his lap. And there's me curled next to him, contently napping in the present moment.

"You're such a kitten..." I hear him murmur.

"Hm?" I rub my face into my tucked hands, pushing my feet against his thigh.

"You're like a little ball...how are you comfortable?"

"Because I'm not a giraffe like you." I lift the blanket over my head to hide from his unnecessary comments. "Mind your own business."

My stomach suddenly gets attacked by a violent hand, tickling me to death. I shriek under the covers and try to push his hand away.

Jake laughs on the other side, continuing his assault until I yank the blanket off, hair all over my flushed face.

"Stop!" I glare, but he just lifts his hand again, bringing it close to me. "No!"

He chuckles wickedly and grabs my belly, shaking me like I'm a fucking pet. And apparently I am, because I can't stop laughing.

"Enough!" I sit up with a warning look. His lips pull up in one corner as he stills for a moment, I bet planning to catch me off guard.

He flings his arm towards me and I catch it with my claws. He throws his head back and laughs wholeheartedly, holding onto his stomach.

"That's what kittens do..." He falls on his side, unable to open his eyes.

I giggle at his ridiculousness. "You know what—"

Someone knocks and my heart beats with panic. We haven't locked the door. 

The knob starts to turn and before my mind can properly think it over, I throw myself off the bed and go under.

"Oh shit..." I choke when my lungs fill with dust and my face gets greeted by questionable items I'm too scared to look at.

"There you are..." I hear Daniela. The black pointy heels click towards Jake. "What are you doing here all alone?"

"Uh... I'm... getting work done." He answers awkwardly. His feet lower on the ground right in front of my face as he sits up. "Do you need to use the bathroom or something?"

"No..." She chuckles. "I'm just tired of all the noise. Came here for a quick break, if you don't mind."

"Uh..." Jake hesitates. "No, it's alright."

Excuse me?

"Thank you." She says coyly and struts towards the bed. The slow pace of her heels are sultry and intimidating, meanwhile I'm consuming dust bunnies.

She takes a seat next to him and the added weight presses the mattress on my back. This is just going great.

"I'm so glad I met you tonight..." Even her voice drips like silken promises.

"Yeah, me too." His answer is quick, loud, and casual. "Thanks for giving me your business card. I'd definitely like us to work together in the future."