surprised to see Daniel still standing in the hallway warily eyeing her and her cat.
She smirked as she approached him, Lady cradled in her arms. âI can bring you a pillow and blankets if you prefer to sleep in the hall.â
With a grimace, he entered the apartment and shut the door behind him. Lady instantly struggled out ofher arms, bounced to the ground and made a beeline for the new guy. Her internal motor turned up to its highest setting, Lady coiled around his legs, basting his pants with her soft, dark fur. He sidestepped with an amazing amount of grace, but heâd met his match. The cat anticipated his moves, and no matter how much dancing he did in the foyer, Lady wouldnât let him get away.
âWhat is she, in heat or something?â
âYou do have that effect on women,â Abby quipped, shaking the bag of treats up at Black Jack, who seemed much more interested in his companionâs obsession with the new guy than he did in the tuna-flavored crunchies.
âItâs a curse,â Daniel said, balancing on one foot to avoid stepping on Ladyâs serpentine tale. âKnow how to break it?â
She snorted. If she knew how to fight the allure that was Daniel Burnett, she wouldnât be in this situation at all, would she?
âJust pet her,â she advised. âIf cats think you donât like them, they never leave you alone.â
âSo if you like them, they ignore you?â
âPretty much.â She slid a footstool to the cabinet and climbed up to collect Black Jack, but he had no interest in coming down. He lifted his big furry body and backed into a corner with a hiss.
âOh, really?â she challenged, annoyed. Her pets werenât accustomed to guests of the male persuasion, but she didnât expect open hostility. âNo treats for you, you nasty traitor.â
âTalking to me or the cat?â
Daniel was directly behind her. She gasped, surprised heâd come so near without her hearing himâwithout her feeling him. He had Lady curled up in his arms, her eyesat half-mast while he scratched her chin. Abby couldnât remember her cat ever looking quite so hypnotized.
She remembered the sensation very well.
âGive me a second and Iâll get you set up in the guest room,â she said, turning so she could back her way down the stoolâbut not before he took a bold look at her ass, which was right at his eye level.
âIs that my only option?â
His voice was silk and sensuality, not unlike the sound emanating from the back of her catâs throat. She allowed herself a split second to fantasize about him caressing her as he did her pet, but then skewered him with an exasperated look that was more for herself than for him.
Daniel exuded sex to strangers. To a woman whoâd experienced the skill of his sly hands, wicked tongue and generous mouth, his allure was doubly powerful.
With their shared past, her attraction to him wasnât rational. It was chemical.
âUnless you want to sleep out here on the couch with the cats, yes, Daniel, thatâs your only option.â
âIf we skip the sleeping part, do my choices expand?â
His shamelessness was both infuriating and exhilarating. He had no boundaries, no limits. She couldnât help but laugh. Sheâd never met anyone like him and she doubted that once he left, sheâd ever meet anyone like him again.
At least, not if she could help it.
âSorry, but thatâs the best I can offer.â
He eyed her couch and then the cat, who was now stretching up and burrowing her head beneath his chin. âThe guest room will be fine.â
âGood choice. Make yourself at home and Iâll show you around in a few minutes.â
Abby went into her bedroom, kicked off her high heels, then unhooked her earrings as she sauntered into her bathroom to take off her makeup and brush her teeth. Thinking it might not be a good idea to