Taming Beasts | MxM | Petshop

Part 29

Vince had prepared our breakfast accompanied by a lot of annoyed groaning and brief glances in my direction, indicative of all the thinking going on in his head. He really wasn't good at that, but I refused to help, partly because I was certain that he would misunderstand and start down some ridiculous path yet again.

Besides, he needed to figure this out on his own. And he could be glad that I wasn't giving him more of a hard time. He well deserved it. I briefly remembered throwing doors shut in his face, and the feeling of releasing my anger on him brought a smile to the corners of my lips.

Vince had barely touched his food, staring at it like he could intimidate it into being more tasty. Eventually, he gave up with yet another groan.

"Let's go."

My ears perked up. This was usually the time he left me behind to go to work, whatever that entailed.

Vince halted in the doorway to the living room, apparently debating something to say because he opened, then closed his mouth a good three times. He left without saying a word.

Somehow, I found myself missing his over-confidence.

I trailed after him at a safe distance, weary that he wasn't going to be able to stay composed much longer. He glanced up from his phone when I entered the living room. "You want to put on some pants?"

I growled my disapproval, then remembered Leah telling me acting more human would help my case. I nodded reluctantly. "Yes."

"Fine," Vince grunted rather displeased, then rubbed his brow and scurried off into the bedroom to get the pants he'd just offered me, apparently despite wanting differently. My tail mopped the floor in annoyance. This was bad - and I was tempted to tell him.

Then I remembered what he'd done, and my heart sank, and my eyes narrowed, and I delved into my anger to drown out the hurt. My throat reverberated with a silent growl.

When Vince returned with pants, he handed them over rather carefully, maybe actually noticing my mood for once. He just stood there while I got half-dressed, staring at me. Glacing aside. Staring again. Fingers twitching. Lips parting to say something. Not making a sound. Weight shifting, causing his clothes to rustle.

He was driving me crazy.

"Vince," I snarled.

He finally stilled, and his eyes narrowed. "What?"

We glared at each other with thrilling intensity. His biceps twitched as if he was about to reach for me, and the mental image brought forth a flood of conflicting feelings and desires. I wanted to fight him. And I wanted that to end with us entangled in the sheets.

Only that this heat was bound to die down and leave me empty.

I broke eye contact. "Let's go."

Vince grunted something intelligible, brushed back his hair, and made for the door. I crawled after him obediently.

The car ride was awkward and silent. I was trying to look anywhere but at Vince, and the occasional glances I snuck at him told me that he was doing the same. Something was off, and I didn't know whether we could get it on again, and what it would mean if we didn't.

The office building where Vince worked was clean to my every sense with it's bright stone walls, shiny tiled floor and the fake plants that had never seen a speck of dust. It reeked of the same cleaning agent that Vince had been over-using when I first moved in. Scrunching my nose, I crawled after Vince as we made our way to the elevator.

People greeted him respectfully and didn't spare me more than a curios glance. There was a number of whispers once they had passed, though, but I didn't care and Vince was still rather preoccupied with thinking.

When we left the elevator, my nose immediately picked up Vince' scent, leading my gaze straight to his office. Leah and Joe were already inside, staring each other down. When they noticed us approaching, Leah's expression brightened immediately - and Joe's darkened accordingly.

"Moondrop!" Leah greeted enthusiastically as she opened the glass door for us. She stepped around Vince to hold her hand out to me, and when I gave her my paw, she pulled me to my feet, then clapped my shoulders approvingly. "That's a good boy. And you're wearing pants today! Very good."

She nodded to herself before letting go of me, then turned her attention towards Vince. He slumped down in his chair, looking rather defeated already.

"My dearest boss!" Leah exclaimed dramatically, "Your business partner," she gestured towards Joe with a dismissive flick of her fingers, "wishes for a spontaneous appointment that I am certain ha-"

Joe groaned. "Shut up for once, will you?"

I growled at him, and he shot me a glare. "Of course you're on her side. Your both such a pain in the ass."

"Joe," Vince intervened half-heartedly, then sighed. "What's going on? Why are you here?"

"I was hoping we could speak alone." He looked at Leah and me pointedly. She put her hands onto her hips, and I pushed my ears back.

Vince raised his eyebrows at Leah, and she stalked off with a huff, her heels clicking on the floor. He regarded me next, then took a deep breath and turned towards Joe. "You were saying?"

"You're not making him leave?" Joe asked disapprovingly.

Vince sighed heavily. "I don't think he wants to. Can we move on?"

"No, we can't. What's up with this?"

"Nothing is up with this," Vince replied tersely. "Fucking nothing, ok?"

He locked eyes with Joe, and all his pent up frustration was raging in his eyes. I dropped onto my front paws and ducked, while Joe stepped up to Vince' desk and leaned closer, putting his hands onto the desk without breaking eye contact.

"Vince, take some friendly advise, will you? This isn't you, and it's not going to make you happy," Joe said, an unexpected tenderness to his voice.

"Then what's going to make me happy?" Vince snapped.

"Not that," Joe replied, finger pointed straight at me.

"I'm taking my chances. So can we discuss this some other time? And if it goes wrong, you can be all up in my face, saying 'I told you so' and be a dick about it. Just not now."

"Fine."