The tip tap of the rain against the panes of glass wakes me slowly. I swim up through the layers of consciousness reluctantly, feeling a pleasant warmth plastered against my back and the dead weight of an arm slung over my waist. There’s a very loud, distinctly feline purring next to my ear in direct contradiction to the very human appendage pinning me to the bed.
I turn my head carefully and look over my shoulder to find my cat, Jacob Marley, currently curled up on the side of my boyfriend’s head, his tail curling around Danny’s neck like a facehugger from the film Alien. I can barely see Danny’s face, just a nose and mouth, and I suppose I should be grateful my cat is allowing him to breathe at least. Although, saying that, I know he’d never do anything to harm Danny. Jacob Marley has made his preference very clear; Danny is his prince and the rest of us mere mortals are nothing more than peasants.
I watch as Jacob Marley opens one sleepy eye and stares at me lazily as if to say, Yeah? What are you gonna do about it, peasant…
I suppose I should also be grateful Danny doesn’t have any allergies or his head would be the size of a watermelon by now. Turning away from the territorial glare of my cat, I snuggle back down into Danny’s warm embrace and sigh in contentment.
The rain has risen to a clatter as the heavens open outside. I’d forgotten to close the curtains again last night when I crawled into bed to wait for Danny. I must’ve fallen asleep by the time he got in. We’ve barely had time to see each other lately between my job at the mortuary and his job as a detective. It’s frustrating when our schedules don’t align for weeks on end. Most of the time he’s at his flat and I’m at mine. If we do manage to see each other we don’t always get the chance to do more than sleep and occasionally have breakfast together.
But not today. I grin to myself.
Today is one of those rare days when serendipity has aligned to give Danny and me twenty-four glorious hours together with no interruptions.
I glance back at the window again. Who said April showers were a pain? I can’t think of anything better than snuggling in bed all day, preferably naked, while watching TV and snacking in between bouts of really hot ***.
My eyes drift closed again and I’m floating away, surrounded by Danny’s warm scent and the lulling rhythm of his even breaths. I feel like I’m wrapped up in pure bliss, as if contentment were something tangible I could wrap around myself like a blanket.
I don’t know how much time has passed when I notice a loud and persistent dripping above the pitter-patter of the rain against the window. Cranking open one eye, I lock on the source of the sound and sigh inwardly. There’s a large wet spot on the ceiling directly above what looks to be a small lake pooling on the floor.
Lifting Danny’s arm gently so as not to disturb him, I slide out of the bed and flop onto the floor gracelessly. Fumbling for my glasses on the bedside table, I shove them onto my face, almost poking myself in the eye.
Climbing to my feet and scratching my belly absently, I let out a jaw-cracking yawn and stumble out of the bedroom, stopping briefly in the bathroom to pee.
I resume my sleepy amble to the kitchen, almost tripping when Jacob Marley appears from nowhere and twines himself around my legs, trying to take me down like a furry ninja.
As I enter the kitchen, I do my best to ignore him as he leaps up onto the counter with the kind of agility an overweight ten-year-old cat probably shouldn’t have. He plants himself imperiously beside me, tail twitching as he starts up a purr so loud it sounds like a rusty tractor.
“Oh, now you want my attention.” I roll my eyes. “Honestly, I don’t know why I let you treat me like this,” I bemoan as I pick up his bowl from the floor and then automatically reach into the cupboard for his food. “You treat me badly and I still do everything you want.” I place his food bowl on the floor and watch as he nimbly drops down beside it and sniffs at it disdainfully. I place the fresh water bowl down next to it, and he lets out an indignant yowl.
“Oh, for god’s sake,” I sigh as I reach for a clean bowl and open the fridge to pour him a small amount of milk. “There.” I set it beside him. “That’s all you’re getting. It’s no wonder you’re getting tubby.”
He gives a snooty sniff and turns to lap daintily at the milk while lifting his tail and showing me his bum hole.
“You’re a ****,” I tell him with great conviction. “Get a cat, they said,” I mutter under my breath. “It’ll be great company.” I snort as I reach into another cupboard and pull out several large saucepans and pots. “Next time I’m getting a dog,” I tell Jacob Marley, who is flat out ignoring me. “It may drool all over everything and chew my shoes, but at least it will love me unconditionally, unlike you, you spiteful little Jezebel.”
I swear he would’ve flipped me the finger while nonchalantly drinking his milk if he could’ve. Turning away, I spy another rebellious drip from the ceiling. With a sigh of resignation, I place a pot underneath it and head out into the living room. Finding the other leak I know is there, I set another pot beneath it, then listen to the tinkling sound of the dripping for a moment before heading back into the bedroom and locking the door behind me with a perverse little snigger. Jacob Marley won’t be able to get back in and stake his claim on my boyfriend now.
Setting the last pan under the leak in the bedroom, I lift the covers and slide back into bed beside Danny, who automatically wraps his arm around me and pulls me in close, nuzzling into my neck with a hum of contentment.
“Your feet are cold,” he mumbles.
“You know those are some finely honed observational skills. Have you ever thought of a career in law enforcement?” I grin.
I yelp and laugh loudly as he whips me underneath him, rolling and pinning my body to the bed. I can feel his morning glory press against me, making my **** wake up and take interest as he buries his face in the crook of my neck and breathes deeply before kissing my warm skin.
“Want me to read you your rights?” He chuckles as he rolls his hips against me, and I let out a burst of laughter.
“Oh my god, that was terrible.”
“I’ve only just woken up, this is what I have to work with.” He lifts his head and takes my lips as I wrap my arms around his neck and grind my **** against him, trying to get some desperate friction.
“I could handcuff you to the bed again.” His voice rumbles against my lips in amusement. “You know you liked it.”
“Need I remind you what happened last time,” I gasp out as his hand slides into my PJs and fists my **** lazily.
“That wasn’t my fault.” He smiles against my mouth, his voice deliciously gravelly as he continues to stroke me slowly. “I could’ve sworn I put the key on the bedside table.”
My eyes roll back in my head and my toes curl as he adds that little twist he does with his palm when he reaches the head of my ****. His tongue slides back in to tangle with mine as his fist tightens, and I moan obscenely into his mouth. A shiver rolls down my spine, and I can feel my balls tightening.
“Hold that thought.” He pecks a quick kiss to my lips and jumps out of bed, leaving me splayed out like a starfish with my rock-hard **** poking out of my PJs.
“What?” I blink through a haze of lust as Danny shoots me a grin and disappears into the bathroom.
“Sorry, my bladder was about to explode,” he calls through the open door to the accompaniment of a thin stream hitting the water.
“And they say romance is dead.” I drop my head back against the pillow and stare up at the ceiling morosely.
