the awkwardness between Lee and I. I wanted to say something to relieve the tension, but nothing came to mind. By the time Lee pulled up in front of my apartment building, it felt like ants were crawling up my nerves.
“Home sweet home,” Lee said, the first thing since we’d left Carson’s apartment.
“Yeah,” I replied, giving him a smile I could tell didn’t look right. “Thanks for the ride.”
I reached for the door handle to get out when Lee touched my arm. I looked back, expecting more questions I wasn’t going to answer.
Lee slowly nodded as he dropped his hand. “See you Monday morning?”
“Of course, see you Monday.” I hopped out of the car and raced toward my apartment. I didn’t look back to see if Lee was watching as I stepped inside and closed the door. Turning the lock and the deadbolt, I dropped all my stuff on the counter and reached for Cinder as she wound between my legs.
I lifted her to my chest and buried my face into her fur. Crossing the room, I dropped into my chair and settled her little body in my lap. I focused on the way she butted her head against my arm, demanding more pets instead of the fear I felt swirling in my belly. After a long while, I finally felt safe and secure enough to let all my emotions and thoughts rush to the surface.
“What are the odds, Cinder?” I asked as I laid my head against the back of the chair and closed my eyes. “I run halfway across the country and find myself right back where I started.”
I laughed, hating the bitter sound. “Is it something about me?”
I lifted my head and looked at Cinder as she licked her paw. “Well, I’m not going back, and you can’t make me.”
Cinder stared at me, refusing to look away first.
I stuck my chin up into the air stubbornly and shook my head. “I’m not! I don’t care they didn’t say or do anything kinky. I don’t want to be around them again. I’ll get complacent, and then before I know it, I’ll be tied up in some sex dungeon with some scary guy in leather named Steve who has a whip and a foot fetish!”
Cinder blinked.
“Of course, Lee is different!” I defended. “You know what, I don’t want to talk about this with you anymore. It’s over. I had a good time while it lasted, but I’ll let Lee know on Monday that I don’t want to go again.”
Knowing what would distract her, I reached for the small bag I kept nestled under the cushion where she couldn’t reach. “Wanna treat?”
Her ears perked up as I shook the bag. “Does my little Cinder wanna treat?”
She meowed and purred, rubbing her head against the bag in my hand. “You’re a good girl,” I said, praising her as I placed a few treats on the arm of the chair. “Even when you’re kind of mean, you’re such a good girl.”
Watching her eat, I felt some hunger pangs of my own. Lee had promised me dinner after the game when he’d picked me up, but of course, that hadn’t happened. Standing, I placed Cinder on the chair and ventured into the kitchen.
I opened all my cabinets and studied the contents of the refrigerator twice before settling on some good old mac and cheese. It was comfort food at its finest. I set a pot of water on the stove to boil, opened the box of noodles, and pulled out the package of powdered cheese. Deciding to get fancy with it, I got some shredded cheese out of the refrigerator and toasted some breadcrumbs to sprinkle on top. Once the noodles were done a few minutes later, I danced around the kitchen, tossing in my cheeses, a heaping of butter, and a splash of milk. Wiggling at the cheesy goodness as I served myself a big bowl, I reached for the breadcrumbs and sprinkled them on top.
Balancing my bowl of food in one hand and a glass of milk I’d filled to the top in the other, I walked slowly to my living room chair, watching both intently. I placed the glass of milk on the coaster first before I spilled it and then gingerly set my bowl on the last remaining space on the edge of the table. I let go but held my hands close as I waited for it to fall, but it stayed in place. Returning to the kitchen,