The Caveman and the Devil by Kat Chris T

Author:Kat, Chris T. [Kat, Chris T.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2013-04-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

BOTH of us looked like death warmed over the next morning. First, the cubs demanded to be fed during the night. Then, between one and two, they decided it was playtime, and nothing we did could convince them to sleep. So we ended up chasing two little lion cubs through the living room and rolling around on the floor with them. Of course we had to consider our neighbors and keep our playtime as silent as possible—a feat in itself when the cubs didn’t care about anything but having fun. Despite the late hour and the need to keep it quiet, we had laughed a lot.

But now that it was morning, Noah could only stare blearily into his mug, his eyes half-lidded. I wasn’t faring any better. Putting two slices of toast on his plate in front of him, I urged, “Eat.”

“One-word sentences? Didn’t get enough sleep, huh?”

I stooped to press a firm kiss to his tousled hair. Clasping my hand around his neck, I gave it a light squeeze. Noah looked up at me, his eyes brimming with tears. Shocked, I exclaimed, “Christ! Noah, what’s wrong?”

I had never seen him that close to tears. I had never seen him seriously tearful, period. Subdued or chastised, maybe, but never this scared.

He wrapped his arms around my neck and hid his face against my chest—all without saying a single word. I lifted him in my arms, then sat down on his chair and pulled him onto my lap. His trembling body felt unfamiliar and for a short moment I had absolutely no clue what to do. What had happened to my Noah?

“Noah?”

He didn’t answer, merely clutched me tighter. I cupped the back of his head with one hand and stroked his rapidly heaving back with the other.

Very softly, I asked, “Noah? Come on, tell me what’s wrong, sweetheart.”

“I’m scared. What if they fire me?” he choked out.

They’d be doing their job.

At least I had enough common sense left to keep that thought to myself. Taking a deep breath, I replied, “I’ll put in a good word for you, and, despite your lack of common sense sometimes, you are a good worker. I don’t think you have to fear more than a written warning.”

“Are you sure?”

“No, I’m not.”

“That’s not what I wanted to hear.”

A flash of annoyance shot through me. I didn’t want Noah to jeopardize his health and safety, and what had he done? I appeased myself with the fact that Noah’s heart was in the right place—that he never intended to worry me.

Noah lifted his head from my chest and gazed at me with red-rimmed eyes. He searched my face—for what, I didn’t know—then spoke. “You’re still angry with me, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” I confessed.

I’ve never been good at pretending, so why start now? Noah swallowed convulsively and averted his eyes. I waited as he stared at my chest and fiddled with the buttons of my shirt.

“I’m sorry, Paul. I really am.”

He looked at me but seemed unable to keep eye contact for more than a few seconds.

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