Kittens: The Tie That Binds Them

Cats! Don't like them? That's fine, don't read this, but mostly, please don't hurt them. Evil humans are the cause of issues with outdoor cats. I know it's normal in some countries. How many cats have you lost because you've let your cat out and it got hit, poisoned, or just never came back at all? And every, please SPAY AND NEUTER your pets! Do your part! Be responsible! ~SD~

Suddenly six pound and a half balls of fluff came skittering and tumbling across the floor. A black and black tuxedo and white kitten could not stop, slid into our feet and barrel-rolled right over top. The two calico's and a tiger jumped on each other like they were in a barroom brawl, and the ginger-colored runt was shoved aside no matter where he went. I picked him up and cuddled him.

"Kittens!" my date exclaimed, horrified as one began started to scramble up his pant leg. He looked around as though looking for a place to escape.

Another guy to ditch. Love me, love my foster kitties. Although I'm thirty-five, I'm not desperate for a man. I support myself well, but can't say that loneliness does not hit on occasion.

I pulled the kitten off his leg and said, "Maybe we'll do this another time. Make sure you get out the door quickly, I don't you to let the kittens out."

The look on his face was priceless because I had dismissed him so quickly, but I was already rolling a jingling ball across the floor and watching all six scamper after it.

I began fostering when I realized how many were killed within twenty-four hours in shelters, due to no space or they were just too young to adopt out. Euthanasia quickl took care of their problems.

I learned there were more abandoned adult dogs and cats because their owners no longer wanted them because they were old, they had a baby coming and would be on to other interests, or any number of lame excuses people use when they bring their pet to a shelter.

And when I discovered that too many people were out and out idiots that did not spay and neuter their pets, I knew I had to try to do something about it.

Starting my own small rescue wasn't easy. I searched out volunteers that would help me trap and foster those we caught. I went to many animal clinics until I found one that would work with me on low-cost spaying and neutering the kittens and cats that we trapped. After that, it was finding pet stores, veterinarian's offices, or anywhere would be seen so we could place them for adoption.

I started small and only took in a few at a time. As I added volunteers, I could take in more felines. By far we got in more kittens. Kittens wandered into the traps and Mom usually followed her nursing kittens. But once they were past weaning age, Mom was more wily.

When we did trap a cat that wasn't friendly, they would get spayed or neutered and I could look on a local list for farms, factories, and other businesses that wanted cats to eradicate rodents. It was a win-win. Cat could live on its own terms, easily find food, and the adopters did not have to worry about rodents on their premises. The only thing they had to promise was to never use any poison for pest control because if a cat eats a mouse that ate the poison, it would likely die as well. Either use a cat or poison, not both.

The next morning my volunteer trapper Max was at my door with two kittens and a caramel latte. The first thing I did was take a sip of the steaming hot latte.

"You're spoiling me, Max. Not to mention making me fat," I said, still continuing to sip the shot of caffeine that I was going to need after checking the kittens he brought.

Max is younger, and a big burly sort of guy that loves nothing more than to have a bunch of kittens on his chest. Can you say chick magnet, I chuckled to myself. So I was very grateful when he could take time off of his motorcycle sales and repair business to volunteer. The dark beard and perennial lock of hair over his eye made him bad-boy handsome.

He flashed white teeth in an ornery grin. "You?! Fat? Never." He frowned. "I hope you don't really feel that way about yourself. I've read about women that worry so much that they have eating disorders."

"Nah, I'm too old to worry that much about my weight, but I never did anyhow. I try to watch what I eat but don't obsess."

Truth be told I used to obsess when I was much younger. I always carried a few extra pounds in the way of thirty-four C breasts, wide hips, and butt to go with them. All in all I was, as they say, proportioned.

"Good, I hope not." He still had look on his face as though trying to decide if I was truthful or not, then added, "Old." He frowned again and shook his head. "Ridiculous."

I drained my latte and said, "Let's see what little muffins you brought me today."

I pulled out a tiny kitten that was so filthy it was hard to say if it was white or gray. Sad bright blue eyes peered out of her dirt crusted face.

I found its sibling to be an equally disturbing mess. And sadly the long hair tiger-striped kitten was matted and just as much of a mess.

"I set a trap this morning and an hour later these guys were in wolfing down the food. It didn't even faze them when I put them in the car."

"Poor little things."

Max often helped me and it went quickly. I washed and removed as many fleas as I could, then Max would dry and pick through the fur for the rest. Then I gave them a once over, flushed their eyes of whatever icky was still there, ear clean and put them in the dryer box. I picked up my phone that held the before and after pictures.

Max needed to get back to his shop and I had to get back to reading manuscripts. As an editor, I could read any time, anywhere, something my long time with the published was happy to give me.

The door closed behind him, then opened again and he stuck his head back in. "Hey, how was your date?"

I rolled my eyes. "Don't ask!" He grinned and was gone.

After the new kittens were thoroughly dry, I had a few last-minute things to do for them before I took them to their foster.

"Here's your new cuties!" I said holding up the carrier when Francine opened the door.

"Yay! It's always like Christmas when you bring me kitties."

She peered into the door of the carrier. "Oh my god," she whispered. "So adorable." I laughed because we all say that about every kitty we get.

She had a small clear plastic-sided playpen set up in the corner of her living room and took them over and got them all situated.

"No offense Emily but I was hoping Max would drop them off. I may be his granny's age, but I can still look," she laughed.

I grinned. "I hear you. You should see him when he is at an adoption event. He could adopt them an alligator and they wouldn't care." We laughed.

Through donations we did not have to purchase food or litter. So many people that might not be able to afford to volunteer, could foster simply because there was no money out of their pocket. Since Francine was retired, the donations allowed her to help us at no cost to her. She claimed fostering gave her a new purpose after retirement.

I stretched out on my sofa and began to read the latest manuscript, just one of many on the pile. Several hours and a book and a half behind me, my phone dinged. I saw it was Max, surprised because he usually contacted me early after trapping.

hey em what r u doing

reading more pulitzer prize to be

lol there is a concert in the park tonight u want to go

an evening out with people, but of course, I thought.

sure

pick u up at 7

ok

Even thought it was July, it could get chilly after the sunset so I opted for jeans, a t-shirt that had a kitten with a bloody ax in its paws, and a light jacket.

I opened the door to Max, who burst out laughing as he saw my t-shirt and handed me a black leather jacket. Since it was similar to what he wore, I assumed he was on the bike.

I looked down at the kitten, "Too much?" Maybe a bloody ax on thirty-four C's was too much.

He laughed again. "No! Not at all! I love it, Em." He pushed a stray hair off my cheek and I nearly jumped at his touch. Get a hold of yourself, Emily, I thought. "I'm afraid you're going to have to let your hair down for me even more," he grinned. He held up a helmet.

"Oh, right," I said, still flustered like a debutante by his nearness.

I rarely let my hair down because it was easier to just pin it up. I pulled out the pins and the long thick brunette waves tumbled over my shoulder.

He whistled through his teeth and I blushed. I slipped the oversize leather on and he strapped on my helmet and held my hand out the driveway. I used to ride with an old boyfriend, so Max was impressed.

We walked through the crowd at the concert Max had his arm around me, then dropped it and hooked his thumb in my back jeans pocket. I felt so owned! We found a low wall along the edge of the lake to sit on and listen to the music. It was away from the crowd and in the shadows. In silent music times, I could hear the water lapping on the shore behind us.

"Em," Max whispered, and put his finger on my jaw encouraging me closer to his waiting lips. My eyes fluttered closed when he brushed his lips back and forth across mine. I could already feel the tingle through my needy body. His mustache softly brushed along my lips and he pressed a little harder, but then backing off, but never losing contact.

I don't remember starting but found myself stroking his beard and at the same time flicking my tongue across his lips. He moaned softly and wove his fingers into my hair, holding my head while he took the kiss deeper and hotter.

Nearby applause at the end of a song brought us back to the reality of where we were, but he gazed into my eyes for a moment before he let me go.

We sat there and held hands for the remainder of the music. Never in a million years would I have thought this was going to be a date, I thought to myself. How did I deny the attraction that I obviously feel towards him now? How did I not see his interest? He's a good-looking man and would have his choice of anyone, and certainly more towards his younger age. Could be just a little fun on a weeknight and no big deal. Probably what it was, right.

We stopped for a burger at a neighborhood bar near my house. We sat at the bar and ordered after the bartender brought us a couple of long necks.

"A beer girl," he said smiling. "My luck just keeps getting better and better."

" Yes, but I'm very picky about my beer. If you would have wanted to give me some of that," I said, pointing to the best-selling beer, "I'd have written

you off!"

"Oh really," He turned on his stool to sit sideways, his knee bumping my butt and the other my knee. "I'll have you know that I don't much care for that one either. Ever since they ate up my favorite craft beer, I never touched it or any of their brands. Matter of principle."

A guy went by and clapped Max on the shoulder and said as he walked by, "Great to see you again, Max!" He gave him a quick glance, a greeting, and turned his attention back to me.

"I'm going to step away for a moment. I'm not sure I can trust you not to fill my seat while I'm gone." When he stood up he was crowding me. Definitely in my space. His lips brushed my ear, "Sweetheart, order yourself another beer and get me a soda. One is my limit when I"m riding." He pushed past me, then over my shoulder said, "You behave yourself."

I was warm and took the leather jacket off and folded it across my lap. The bartender set two more beers on the bar in front of me.

"Oh, no, I just wanted one-" I started to explain, but at the same time he nodded his head towards a body that was at the same time squeezing in next to me. A stranger. "I'm with someone!" Just then Max appeared behind me. His size says more than words and the stranger backed away.

Max sat down facing me again and slid the two beers in front of me. "I can see I'm really going to have to keep my eye on you. I only just found you and someone wants to steal you away already."

I laughed it off just as our hamburgers arrived. He turned to face the bar and we ate. He encouraged me to drink the beer and as soon as I finished one the bottle was whisked away and the third beer was there.

"I hope I don't get woozy, I don't drink this much normally."

"Woozy huh," he said, wiping his mouth, tossing the napkin on his empty plate, and pushing it away. He turned on his bar stool. "I'd never ever take advantage of a drunk girl, but I think woozy is a gray area?"

I giggled. I couldn't eat with him paying such close attention to me. "May I have this to-go?" I asked the bartender. He winked and whisked both plates away.

He grinned. I studied him a moment. "Do you have dimples under that?" I asked, tapping his beard with my finger. He laughed loud. Then I noticed the crinkles at the corner of his black-brown eyes and stared at them for a moment, which was about the time I realized I was definitely woozy.

"An hour ago I would have said, I don't know why don't we go somewhere more private so you can check, but...."

I blinked. Then blinked again. Then picked up the beer and downed what was left in the bottle. "Now! Now. Now. Now I'm woozy!"

"Oh boy." He turned and said something to the bartender. Then took me by the elbow, helped me off the stool, and went to a small table in the corner.

"This is the private place you wanted to take me to?" I asked quizzically, looking around.

He laughed. "Nope. I want you to be fully understanding and functional when I seduce you."

The bartender brought two cups of steaming hot coffee. "Here, drink this before we leave. I don't want you falling off the back of the bike. I almost lost you to another guy earlier. I'm not taking any more chances."

"Awww, aren't you sweet?" I leaned over and kissed him before he could react.

"Mmmm, but that's not saying we can't practice before we get to the real thing," he whispered against my lips.

I had no clue what he was talking about at that point but didn't care because he was kissing me back. I ran my hands over his muscular chest under his jacket. I moaned in his mouth. His nipple poked through his tight t-shirt and I began to toy with it. Then up over his hard-muscled shoulders but couldn't go far because of his leather jacket. I whimpered.

"Oh babe, you're killing me," he murmured against my lips. He sat back and picked up his coffee. "Drink your coffee, Emily."

"Yes sir!" I retorted and he laughed and shook his head

After coffee and talking, I felt a little more myself and we decided I was good to go. He zipped my jacket up and strapped on my helmet. I'm pretty sure I held on to him tighter on the way back to my house than I did earlier.

He patted my hand when we stopped at a light and I wondered if he could feel the heat from between my legs. I dated on and off but never had a reaction to any of them like I do with Max. I tried to enjoy the feeling and not the reality that I was too old for him. I would have to think on all this tomorrow when I could think more clearly, but I knew I was headed to nowhere-land and hoped I wouldn't get hurt there.

The next morning the local pet store called and asked if we could do a kitten adoption event. Of course. It was win-win. We could adopt kitties out and they reaped the reward of more customers who would likely buy food, litter, and toys from them.

I called an animal hospital that keeps a large cage in their waiting room with several kittens that they will adopt out from there. They had them all with their families so I could take them more. I coordinated with the fosters to either pick them up or they would bring them to the event. I dropped a silky coated black kitten and a fluffy calico off at the animal hospital and circled to pick up some from the fosters that would go to the event.

I got back home and wanted to get more reading done. It was a beautiful day so I sat on the back deck to read another manuscript hoping it would be better than what I had been getting.

My phone dinged. It was Max.

y didn't u text me

about?

the adoption event

oh I thought u worked

i can sched around things

ok sorry I promise next time

He had me feeling guilty that I hadn't let him know. He is the best at talking to prospective adopters, so I wasn't sure why I didn't call him. Because you are afraid of getting too close to him, I answered myself. So what if I am. Self-protection isn't a bad thing. Not unless you let it hold you back from living, my wise self said.

The next afternoon I pulled up to the curb in front of the pet store and unloaded several cages of kittens. The volunteers came out to take them in and I parked the car in the lot.

I opened the door and just stepped out when Max whipped in on his motorcycle. "Can you take time off after this?"

"I guess so. What do you need?"

He crowded me against the car and slid his hand around the back of my head. "That is a loaded question. Do you want me to tell you what I need?" He brushed his lips on mine and pushed his tongue into my mouth. I moaned and his grip tightened as his fingers flexed. "That for one, this is something I need more of from you." He backed off and I looked around the parking lot to see if anyone watched us.

He laughed, put his arm around my shoulders, and walked me in. One of our teenage volunteers whispered in my ear, you lucky thing you, and I laughed.

I enjoyed watching Max use his charms on prospective adopters. Whether female or male, he made an impression and you could tell he made an impact on their decision. He adopted the kittens and one of the volunteers to the new family around the store to choose what they would need to start. Eight kittens were adopted out and we all were thrilled. Even the store manager came over and congratulated us.

"I'll meet you at your house," Max said and zoomed off.

He was waiting when I got there. I noticed then he had two helmets. "Much as I would love to feel the heat of you behind me, you probably should change."

"Oh. I'm going?" He smiled, catching my drift.

Not sure where we were going I slipped on an aqua t-shirt that was a little snugger than my normal, jeans and a pair of work boots.

He nodded his approval at my footwear and his gaze lingered on my breasts that were held snug in the knit t-shirt. I took the helmet and strapped it on. He double checked to make sure it was tight, got on and backed the bike around. I got on and wrapped my arms around him.

We headed out of town and down some country roads, slowing down through cooling canopy roads. Finally, he pulled into a gravel road and drove back about a half-mile. He stopped and I slid off the bike.

"Where are we?" I could hear a rush of water not too far but was not visible. We left the helmets and he took my hand guiding me down through weeds and brush that could in no way be construed as a path. The woodsy scent drifted as we crunched through.

Suddenly we stepped out into a swath of grasses. So soft they swayed gently in the breeze. Beyond that was a wide stream with outcroppings of rocks that the water cascaded over, which was the sound I heard.

The water was clear and reflected the dark blue sky. I watched the water swirl between and around the rocks, the sight and sound mesmerizing.

Max cleared his throat behind me and I turned to see a blanket, cooler, and picnic basket with him stretched out on his side, head on his hand.

"Are you kidding me?! Where did that come from?"

He patted the blanket next to him. "C'mere and I'll tell you all about it." I looked at him suspiciously. He smirked. "I have some candy for you little girl."