Page 20 of Cats Never Fly

Buthe was right there.

DidIsay that already?

Therewas absolutely no reason for him to be naked.Everysingle shifterIknew kept their clothes when shifting.Unlesshe was doing something that required him to be sans clothes whenI’dwhistled.Oh!Sweetmother of kittens.Hadhe been in bed with someone?Andwhy had my brain gone straight to sex?Imean, sure, he could have been having a shower or something…Butthis guy oozed sex appeal.Heprobably didn’t sleep alone very often.Heck, maybe he didn’t shower alone either.

I’dnever understood the appeal of showering with someone else.Ishowered to get clean in the fastest way possible.Showeringwas a functional necessity.But…MaybeifIwas in a shower with a guy like him,Imight consider ways to draw it out just to be close to him naked.

Great.NowIwas picturing his very naked body glistening and wet.

Itwas so wrong to get a boner right now, but my body was doing its own thing without consulting my brain.

“Hello,JustSimon,JustaCat.Myname isOgdenWalsh.”HisEnglishaccent was stronger than it had been when he was in his dragon form.Andthis time, it was definitely sexy, which was wildly confusing.I’dspent my whole life protecting my nine, only to suddenly discover my libido had no sense of self-preservation.Whatwas even happening right now?

Thedragon extended his hand toward me.Istared at it for a long moment beforeIrealized he meant for me to shake it.Iput my palm against his.Hisfirm grip made me shudder and suddenlyIwas imagining all kinds of ways he could use that grip on my body.

Arumbling noise rolled out of me.Ididn’t know ifIwas trying to purr or growl, but whatever my body was doing, it needed to be shut down.Fast.Itightened my control.

Theguy’s eyes crinkled at the sides, like smiling and laughing were common things for him.Itlooked so natural and good on him.

“Hello?”ThewordIsaid was only two syllables, but my voice cracked anyway.Ithadn’t done that sinceIwas going through puberty.Howembarrassing.Heatshot over my face, andIhopedOgdencouldn’t see my blush in the dark.

“So,SimonRivers,DragonSummoner, we need to have a chat.”

“Oh?”Iglanced down at the whistle in my hand, thenIthrust it toward him, even though some part of me still wanted to keep the pretty whistle.I’dbeen carrying itaround for months now.Iwasn’t sure whatI’ddo without it.Butthis obviously wasn’t any normal whistle, andIreally shouldn’t go about summoning dragons.Sadly, it would probably be better if a dragon had it. “Ithink this is yours.”

Ogdenshook his head. “Itdoesn’t work that way,I’mafraid.”

Istared at him.

“Youdon’t know what’s going on, do you?”

Ishook my head.

Hereached out, as if to take the whistle, but his fingers passed right through the metal.Helooked at me like that explained everything.Butit didn’t.Itreally didn’t.Hehuffed out a breath and rolled his eyes.

“Forbetter or worse, you’ve activated an ancient magic and summoned a dragon.”

“Okay.”Inodded like an attentive student. “I, uh, got that.Nowwhat?”

“Summonersusually try to control my kind, try to make us call them master and that kind of ridiculousness.”Excepthe didn’t sound like he was laughing.Hesounded dead serious and rather angry about the whole thing. “Whistleslike that have been banned for a long time.”Henarrowed his eyes at me again. “Buthere you are with one.Doyou thinkI’llcall you master, little kitty cat?”

Ijerked my hand back and dropped the whistle like it’d burned me.Irubbed my hands on my jeans.Thepossessive thoughtsIhad about the whistle and howI’djust ogled the poor naked dragon caught in its magic made me feel dirty.Mystomach turned. “No, that’d can’t be.I’mno one’s master.Definitelynot a dragon’s.”

Ogdenscowled and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’mnot all that fond of the idea either, believe me.”Hepointed his bare toe at the whistle on the ground between us. “Butlet’s not leave that lying about, m’kay?Thelast thing we need is for someone else to come along and blow on it.”

“Areyou sure that’s what it is?”Thishad to be a mistake.

Ogdenshrugged. “I’msure you’ve heard the stories of witches summoning demons.Thereare always memes like that floating around on social media, like it’s some joke.”Hescowled. “Anyway, it’s like that.Therehave always been people who want to control other supernaturals.Thisparticular whistle is for dragons, but there are others for different shifters or… well… you name any kind of supe and there will have been people who tried to enslave it.”

“I’veenslaved you?”Mystomach rolled again, andIwas suddenly thankfulIhadn’t eaten at the pub earlier.Idoubted the dragon would appreciate me throwing up on his bare feet.

Ogdentipped his hand back and forth. “Notexactly.Nowwe negotiate.”

Okay.Thatdidn’t sound so bad. “Okay.I’llstart.Youare free to do what you want.Idon’t want anything in return.”

Helooked like he would accept, but then he shook his head. “Asmuch asIwant to agree to those terms,Idon’t thinkIshould.Notyet.”

“No?Idon’t understand.”