“What the hell! Ow! Ow! Get off me you damn monster!” Andrew’s angry voice reverberated through the tiny room.
Casey was shocked awake. What was happening? What was all the noise? As the morning sun blinded her, she panicked and the noises that had shocked her awake were relegated to the back of her mind. They had slept together all night!
She remembered the long, slow lovemaking and curling up contentedly in Andrew’s arms afterwards. She remembered talking about favourite colors, families and dreams. She didn’t remember falling asleep.
How did Andrew see their actions? Did he think they were moving too fast? Was he afraid she was looking for more commitment than he was willing to give? Was this morning going to be uncomfortable for both of them?
She unwound herself from the sheets and turned hesitantly to look at Andrew. Suddenly the meaning of the loud yell that woke her was clear.
Still naked, Andrew sat on the side of the bed shaking one long tanned leg.
Casey looked closer and choked back a giggle. All her questions and concerns about this morning vanished in the face of such a hilarious tableau.
Tigger was suspended only by his claws from the end of Andrew’s moving leg. Cursing the animal under his breath, Andrew was trying desperately to free the cat’s razor sharp talons. But so far the cat didn’t look as if he planned to let go any time soon.
Realizing that Andrew wasn’t finding the situation funny, Casey grabbed up her robe from where it lay on a chair next to the bed and pulled it on as she rushed over to help with what was rapidly becoming a battle of wills.
“Stay still.” She commanded forcefully and knelt down at Andrew’s feet.
“You try to stay still with a large mangy beast attached to your leg!” Andrew roared but obeyed her request. He stopped thrashing his leg and remained quiet, the look on his face alternating between anger at the animal attached to his legs and the pain caused by the tiny claws gripping his flesh.
Casey took hold of Tigger by the scruff of his neck.
With a tight grip on her vicious beast, she slowly removed each claw, one at a time from Andrew’s leg. Andrew winced but remained stoically silent.
Casey opened the bedroom door and dropped the cat, now liberated from Andrew’s leg, into the living room. She closed the door with a click and turned back to where Andrew was reclining against the pillows examining his wounds.
She grabbed a bottle of peroxide and gauze from her first aid pack on the dresser and sat down to clean the cuts.
“That was my cat.” She said. “His name is Tigger.” A small smile played around the edges of her mouth. “He’s a bit nasty.” At that obvious understatement she risked a glance at Andrew’s face. He was not smiling.
Taking the bottle and gauze away from her he placed them on the nightstand then grasped her under the arms and pulled her up on the bed until her face was level with his. “I don’t like your cat.” He growled.
She gave him a wry, apologetic, look. “I don’t think he likes you either.”
“Let’s get out of here before he tries to strike again.” Andrew scowled at the closed door. He leaned forward and gave Casey a hard kiss.
“That might be a good idea.” Casey could control herself no longer and burst into gales of unrestrained laughter. She fell over onto the other side of the bed.
Andrew shook his head, gave her a dirty look and strode, naked, to the bathroom. “Get dressed wench, it’s a beautiful day, let’s go enjoy it.” He smiled back at Casey still helplessly laughing into her pillow and shut the door behind him.