Loosening the Bun

Gavin's heart fluttered. He wanted to reach over and hold her hand but didn't want to push things. He wasn't ready to leave either, so he continued the conversation. "Do you have any pets?"

"We had a cat when I was little, but Gran wouldn't allow any, no matter how much Bruce begged."

"You didn't beg?" he asked.

"I wanted a pet so badly, but I tried to make Gran's life as easy as possible. She took us in after all. And after my mother was such a difficult child for her, I wanted to be perfect for her. She told me all the time how I was unlike my mother, and to her, that was the best compliment she could give. Bruce was a boy, and she'd never had a son disappoint her, so she wasn't as strict with him. Not that she treated me badly! Quite the opposite."

"You're amazing to have tried to be everything that she thought she missed with your mother. But it wasn't fair of her to put those expectations on you." He sighed internally. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me to say."

"It's hard to hear, but you're right. After I got married, I spent those ten years trying to live up to Robbie's expectations, which I failed at." She paused to take a sip of her drink. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm telling you all of this. This is not conversation fit for a cup of coffee."

"Says who?" he countered. They'd go back to her supposed failure later.

She blinked at him and then smiled. "You're right. Anyway, Robbie didn't want pets either. I've been seriously considering going to the shelter to adopt a cat or two. I'm off tomorrow, maybe I'll go see what's available. Do you have pets?"

"Yep. A mutt named Balooga, and a cat named Minnie. There's nothing like coming home to pets happy to see you. And I'm lucky enough to have a neighbor that stops in to let Balooga out when I'm working. I'd love for you to meet them sometime."

She tilted her head to the side. "Baluga like the whale?"

"B-A-L-O-O-G-A. Because of the sounds he made when I first adopted him. He sounded like an old-fashioned alarm going off."

She graced him with a smile again. "That's cute. And he gets along with Minnie?"

He snorted. "Oh yes. I'm convinced they're planning world domination."

"Would you...no, listen to me, that's too much to ask." Her face was turning that pretty pink again.

"Would I? Please continue." This time he did reach across the table and hold her hand. His skin tingled at the contact. She met his eyes and didn't pull away.

"Would you like to come with me to the shelter tomorrow morning, if you aren't working?"

His heart did a flippity flop and his smile took over his face. "I'd absolutely love that. Bruce can open the store. I gave him a key earlier today."

She gave him one of her genuine smiles and he had to physically tense his back muscles to keep from leaning over the table to kiss her.

"Yay!" She pulled her hand away from his and clapped both hands over her mouth as if she couldn't believe what had just escaped. Her blue eyes were full of laughter, and he couldn't help but laugh along with her.

He pulled out his phone. "Here, let me send you a text so you can send me your address."

They exchanged information.

He stood and offered her a hand. "Thank you," he called out to Celia.

"Bye guys, have a good night!" Celia replied cheerfully.

"I really enjoyed our coffee date," Gavin told her as she unlocked her car. He intentionally used the word date so that there wasn't any question about his intentions. "I'd very much like to hug you goodbye. Would that be okay?"

She nodded. He opened his arms, and she stepped in. Her smaller frame fit into his perfectly and he rested his chin on top of her head. She was stiff at first but then seemed to melt into his embrace and he felt her breath leave her in a sigh. He squeezed her a little tighter and dropped a kiss on top of her head before releasing her.

She shocked him by going up onto her tiptoes and pecking a kiss on his cheek and then gently tugging his long beard. "Goodnight, Gavin."

"Goodnight, June."

Chapter 4

The next morning at 9 am sharp, there was a knock at her door. She had dug through her closet and found an old pair of jeans (they had pleats but were still jeans) and a tee shirt advertising an old CROP-Walk from the 90s. She hadn't been able to muster up the strength to wear her hair differently, but she was proud of herself for taking baby steps. Even if her fashion wasn't from the current century.

She opened her door to find a smiling Gavin holding two cups of coffee. The weather was warmer this morning, so he was wearing a short-sleeved tee. Her eyes caught on the tattoos covering both arms from wrists to under his shirt sleeves. Her mouth went a little dry. "Oh, how dreadful!" Gran said in her head. June, not Gran, found the art of his tattoos to be fascinating and very well done.

"Good morning, Gavin."

"Good morning, June. You look lovely. I didn't think you owned a pair of jeans." He bent down to kiss her on the cheek.

"I might be offended if I didn't have to dig these out of the vault. Bruce would tell me that the 1990s phoned and asked for their apparel back." She thought for a moment. "Or something like that. I'm probably saying it wrong."

Gavin chuckled. "Close enough. This might be a weird thing to say, but I'm proud of you."

Her scalp tingled at his praise. Something about his nature with her just felt...right. "Thank you for saying that," she replied softly.

"Here, this is for you." He handed her one of the cups. "I stopped by to see Celia on the way. No whipped cream today, though."

"That was so thoughtful, thank you. Are you ready to go? I'm so excited!"

"Yep, all ready! I'll let you drive since I have the truck today."

She led them through the door to the garage. "Does that mean you have more than one vehicle?"

"I have a motorcycle and an old beater car that I drive when I need a back seat."

"You look like someone that would ride a motorcycle," she said as they buckled in. Oh, June. "I'm sorry, that was so rude of me!" Humiliation settled in her stomach.

He threw his head back and laughed. "You aren't the first to say that and you won't be the last." He buckled his seatbelt and reached over to squeeze her thigh gently. "And I would prefer that you don't try to filter yourself. I'd like to get to know you. People say silly things sometimes. We can laugh about them and then move on. And you weren't wrong anyway. I used to be part of a Motorcycle Club called The Metal Rocks."

She backed carefully out of the garage and onto the street. "The Metal Rocks?" She tried to work through that in her head.

He must have interpreted her confused tone. "Like Heavy Metal and This Rocks. Not like rocks made of metal."

She laughed. "That makes so much more sense. That is, however, an odd name."

"Yep. It was just a small club with a good group of guys who liked riding and wearing leather. We only kidnapped a few people over the years," he said lightly.

She almost ran the car off the road and corrected at the last second. "Only a few...wait, you're kidding, aren't you?" She glanced over to see his shoulders shaking with laughter. "Gavin Conover, that was mean."

"I'm sorry, June. I couldn't resist." The smile in his voice was audible.

"Tell that to Bruce but make it a whole elaborate story about how you got away with it. Don't tell him you're joking for a couple of days." If she could have turned around and looked at herself in disbelief for that statement, she would have.

"Can I call him BB while I tell it?" he rumbled out.

She giggled. "Please! And I want to hear all about it."

"Can I call you JB?" he teased.

"Absolutely not," she answered out of habit. She thought about it for a moment and responded slowly. "But...maybe it's okay if only you call me that."

She heard his quick intake of breath and risked a glance in his direction. He was staring at her profile with an intensity she couldn't quite name and didn't want to think too hard about.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

After that, they rode in comfortable silence. She appreciated that he didn't seem to need to talk. When his hand snuck onto her thigh about halfway there, she allowed it to stay. His palm was warm, and it made her feel tingly.

They pulled into a space close to the entrance, and he came around to open her door. He took her hand and intertwined their fingers, looking at her for confirmation that it was okay. She smiled in acceptance.

As they entered, they were assaulted with a smell that reminded her of something from her childhood. It wasn't completely unpleasant. Just...animally?

"Good morning," someone with a shirt bearing the logo of a volunteer greeted them. "Are you here to adopt today?"

"I hope so," June replied. "I'd like to look at the kitties."

"Great! Go down the hall to the right. Let me know if you'd like to interact with anyone. We're at capacity right now, so I'm sure that someone will pick you out."

"They'll pick me out?" June asked.

"Animals will often show you when they want to adopt a human. And sometimes, you'll just feel it," the volunteer told her.

They walked down the hall into a large room that smelled of bleach with a hint of ammonia. Immediately, some of the kitties started to meow. Her eyes were drawn to a white, adult cat on the top row. Her tag read: This is Mitzy. She's been here for over a year. She has a strong maternal instinct and will accept most other cats. She's very calm but shies away from children. We often put new cats with her when they get here to make them comfortable. She's an asset to us, but we'd much prefer she found her forever home!

"Hi, Mitzy," June said softly. She put a finger in the cage and Mitzy butted her forehead against it. "Is that it? Did she choose me?" She scratched Mitzy under the chin and earned a purr.

Gavin laughed and squeezed her hand. "Maybe, but keep looking."

There were cats of all ages, shapes, and sizes. Some were cowering at the back of their cages, others came immediately for pets. Some meowed incessantly. There were kittens housed together that June assumed had come from the same litter. Each time she passed a tiny orange tabby, he would stick his paw through the bars and try to catch her. His tag read: My name is Jumbo Shrimp because I stole one. I'm only nine weeks old and I'm a handful. My nails are sharp, but I never use them to be mean. I like to play. I'd be good to adopt with another cat because I have a LOT of energy. Will you take me home?

June didn't realize that Gavin had let go of her hand, but he walked back into the room with the Volunteer who opened Mitzy's cage and gently pulled her out, then opened Jumbo Shrimp's cage. Gavin took Jumbo Shrimp.

"Right this way," the volunteer told them.

"What's going on?" June asked Gavin.

The volunteer led them to a room with a couple of benches, a cat tree, and a bunch of cat toys. She put Mitzy on the tree. "Just let me know if you want to meet anyone else! Take your time." She left and closed the door behind her.

Gavin set Jumbo Shrimp on the floor, and he immediately pounced on one of the toys. Mitzy jumped down and rubbed against June's legs. June sat on the bench and Mitzy threw her body against June's calves, purring.

Last night, June had spent an hour researching before bed and knew that this was very positive body language. "She likes me!"

"She does." Gavin threw a toy and Jumbo Shrimp bounded after it. He pounced on it and then attacked the cat tree, rabbit kicking it with his back feet. "He sure does have a lot of energy. He's adorable."

Suddenly, Jumbo Shrimp ran and leaped at Mitzy. Mitzy flipped him like a pro wrestler and started licking his head. Jumbo Shrimp started to purr.

"I want them both," June declared.

"I knew you would. I'll go get the volunteer."

June felt a bright giddiness. She picked Jumbo Shrimp up and he immediately headbutted her nose and swatted at her hair, his nails pulling a piece free. She went to fix it out of habit but decided to just tuck it behind her ear instead.

"I think you're making a great choice," the volunteer said as she reentered the room. She picked Mitzy up and hugged her. "I'm so happy for you, sweet girl. You're getting a good home and a baby to play with."

June's eyes started to tear up a bit and she hugged Jumbo Shrimp.

"Let's leave them in here for a few minutes while we finalize some paperwork and then you can take them home today! They're both fixed and have had all their shots."

June filled out the paperwork while Gavin was a warm presence beside her. When she pulled out her wallet for the adoption fee, Gavin put his hand on top of hers.

"I'd like to pay for this for you, if that's okay with you, JB." His warm voice rumbled through her.

"O...okay, yes. Thank you." The use of her new nickname made her feel gooey inside. She impulsively kissed him on the cheek.

"We have a store right here where you can purchase carriers, food, toys, and anything else you need. All proceeds come right back to the shelter, so we'd love it if you'd shop here, but of course, it isn't required," said the volunteer.

"Yes, that will be quite convenient. I hadn't thought of what to do while we shopped." June took recommendations on food and picked out two carriers, litter boxes, litter, and toys before loading the kittles up and strapping the carriers into the backseat of her Volvo. This seemed to be some kind of signal because both started meowing. Loudly.

June buckled in and looked over at Gavin with wide eyes.

Gavin laughed and kissed her hand. "This is normal. Most cats hate riding in the car."

"Oh, thank goodness. I was afraid there for a minute." She put the car in gear and aimed for home.

The kitty chorus settled about ten minutes in but picked up ten-fold when she turned into the driveway. They got out and each took a carrier inside.

"Do you have a guest room?" Gavin asked. "It would be best to let them out in there so they can have a home base to come back to until they get used to everything. We can also close the door while we bring everything else inside."

"Yes, over here." She led the way into the room, and they set the carriers down. Mitzy put a cautious nose out, but Jumbo Shrimp had no reservations and scaled the bed, his tail puffing up as if he were attacking an enemy.

"He's adorable. How attached to your furniture are you?" Gavin asked playfully.

She couldn't seem to stop smiling. "If I get to watch him be silly, I don't care." Most of it had been Gran's anyway.

"Come on, let's bring everything else in."

They trekked back out to the car and managed to bring it all in one trip. It didn't take long to get everything set up and open the guest room door.

"Now we get to sit back and enjoy. Don't be surprised if they don't come out right awa..."

Jumbo Shrimp bounded out and attacked the couch before doing a sideways crab walk. Mitzy poked her nose around the corner and stalked out low to the ground.

June was suddenly hit with a pang of nervousness she hadn't felt all morning. What now? She started to pat down her clothes and fisted her hands at her sides to stop it. "Would you like something to drink, Gavin?" A good hostess should always offer drinks. Imaginary Gran told her.

"Come here, JB," Gavin insisted softly.

The nickname made her breath hitch. She turned to him, and he led her to the couch, sitting down beside her. He wrapped a warm arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side. She fought the urge to turn her head and breathe in his fresh scent.

They sat quietly and watched the kitties explore until it was like Jumbo Shrimp got unplugged and he started dozing off while standing up. Mitzy cautiously walked over and licked his little head then curled up around him.

"I've missed out on so many years of this simple joy. They've been here 30 minutes and I already feel like my life is completely different. What else have I missed out on?" She turned her head to look at Gavin and found his eyes focused on her lips.

Could she? A proper lady wouldn't...She cut Gran off and tilted her chin up, grazing Gavin's lips with her own. Gavin made a noise deep in his throat and cradled her cheek in his large palm. He pulled back, and his steel gray eyes bore into hers for a moment before he kissed her for real.

Her breath came in little gasps and the hair on her arms stood up. Is this what a kiss was supposed to feel like? His beard tickled her chin, but his mustache was soft. His lips were plush, and she tentatively tasted one. Gavin groaned and deepened the kiss, now cupping her face in both hands. As their tongues touched, her little bud started pulsating and she wiggled, panting.

"Okay?" Gavin panted into her mouth. "Too fast?"

She nodded her head affirmatively. "No."

He pressed his forehead to hers and nuzzled her nose. She could feel his smile. "So, which is it?"

"Uh-huh," she breathed and touched their lips together again. Was she supposed to be able to think? What question was she answering?

"God, you're sweet," he told her as he pressed kisses to her forehead, eyelids, and cheeks before moving back to her tingling lips.

She fisted a hand in his soft beard and pulled his lips back where she wanted them. Lust was beginning to cloud her mind, and she was acting on instinct. She went up on her knees to try to get closer, and his arm banded around her lower back to hold her in place. She heard herself whimpering, and a distant part of her brain was appalled, but she was too far gone to care.

"Baby...we need to slow...this down," he grunted out between kisses.

She whined and kissed him harder. Her nipples were starting to tingle, and her panties felt wet. Had she started her period? The seam of the unfamiliar jeans was right up against her little bud, and her hips were jerking.

Her breath started coming faster and she felt as if she would hyperventilate. Suddenly, Gavin abandoned her lips for her neck. The softness of his lips with the tickle of his beard made her hips jerk faster. When he scraped his teeth under her ear, she wailed, and her little bud started going crazy. She thrust against the seam of her jeans as hard as she could and felt like she exploded all over the room. She saw stars and fireworks and hearts.

"That's it," he whispered in her ear. "So sexy, baby. That was the single hottest thing I've ever seen." He kissed her neck and cheek gently while rubbing up and down her back.

She came back to herself slowly and her body started to stiffen. Oh, my heavens. How I've just behaved...he must think I'm a harlot. But...no...he just said it was sexy. She opened her eyes to find him staring at her with an emotion she couldn't pinpoint, but it wasn't negative. Her eyes were drawn to his lap where a long phallic shape stretched down his left thigh and a wet spot marked the end.

Before she knew what she was doing, she reached a tentative hand out and put it on the phallus. It was hot under her hand, and she could feel his heartbeat. She was about to squeeze it when he removed her hand and kissed her palm.

"As much as I want that- and JB, I really, really want that- I'm going to get you a glass of water, and then I'm going to go in the bathroom and take care of this. I really like you and I don't want you to have any regrets. I'd rather slow down and do this right." His voice was gentle and kind.

Her eyes welled with tears. Had she disappointed him as she had disappointed Robbie? Had she been too wanton after all?

Gavin gently pinched her chin and turned her head towards him. "June, listen to me. That hard cock you felt?"

She gasped at his crass language and then mentally rolled her eyes.

"YOU did that to me. Just from kissing me. I haven't been that hard from kissing in many, many years. Believe me, I'd like nothing more than to lay you back and make love to you right here, but you're not ready for that yet. And if you keep touching me, my dick is going to take over."