The Bet

Chapter 2

Emma: so I take it you did steal my book?

I'd been staring at the message for quite some time, thinking of a good response. I was rather flattered that she'd even decided to text me, but I didn't want her to regret it.

Regina: pretty smooth, huh?

It wasn't the best reply, but starting a text conversation with her was oddly exhilarating. I needed to play my cards right to wrap her around my finger and I was beginning to love this game.

We'd only met yesterday, it could only get better from this point forward. I'd asked Killian about her and he was enjoying it all as well, but he was still convinced he was going to win. It was cute, though untrue.

Yes, he'd been the first to set an actual date with her, but the conversation yesterday had given me an opening. She didn't hate me and that was one step further ahead of most people I'd met in my life.

Rocinante was purring loudly in my lap. I'd feared something had been wrong with her, yesterday night, but it had been false alarm. She'd been okay. Now, however, she got off my lap and waggled away to her spot underneath the coffee table. The noises coming from her became even louder and I wondered if now was the moment she'd give birth.

Emma: I don't know whether I should be scared or impressed.

Regina: I think my cat's about to give birth, so I'm definitely scared.

I wasn't sure why I shared this information with her. It wasn't interesting for her, but I'd gotten on my knees and felt the soft moves in Rocinante's stomach, which got on my nerves. I wanted everything to go alright and I'd read up on cat births, but it hadn't been my intention to get kittens.

My apartment was pretty small, but for now, it was all I could afford. I still had to pay off my student loans and I was a simple employee in a fashion shop, hoping to someday get a more enjoyable job in fashion and design my own clothes.

The cat was something the previous owner had left to me. I now lived here for about half a year and I'd really grown to love the fluffy animal, but I didn't know how or when she'd gotten pregnant. Recently, I went to a vet who told me the news and he'd given me some advice, but I was still afraid something was going to go wrong.

Emma replied to my text offering help. I figured any time spent with her would be a win for me, I just didn't know if spending time during a cat birth would work in my favor.

Anyway, any kind of help would be appreciated and I didn't mind some company, so I texted her my address, while I kept stroking Rocinante, muttering soft words to calm her.

Ten minutes later, I heard a knock on the door, and it wasn't until I got off the floor that I noticed I wasn't dressed to meet anyone. It was just past noon and because I didn't have to work today, I was still wearing my pajamas. My pajamas being an old oversized shirt that I'd once stolen from one of my hookups which was long enough to cover my panties.

There was no way I could fix myself up and left Emma waiting outside, so I put on a confident smile and opened the door.

"Hi, glad you could make it," I said and let her inside. She was wearing her red leather jacket and glasses with the black frame again, but a slightly darker pair of pants than the day before. I could see right through her top and I wondered if she was aware of that. I wasn't complaining, though.

"I have an afternoon to fill, anyway, and what's a better way to do that than to go to the apartment of a stranger that I only know because she robbed me?" she replied playfully and it turned my smile into a genuine one.

I led her to the living room, which, fortunately, was always ready to have people over. Because my place was so small, I made sure it was always clean, to save space.