Family Affair Read Free

in a panic.
    She stopped cold in her tracks at the sight that greeted her.
    “Cleo!” Her cat was in the throes of passion with a long-haired feline she didn’t recognize.
    Placing her hands over her mouth, Lacey sagged against the wall. She wasn’t going to need the Irish woman after all. Cleo had already found her mate.

Two
    “S top!” Lacey demanded, already knowing it was too late. The two cats ignored her. So much for the thrill of being a cat owner.
    Knowing only one thing to do, Lacey raced into the kitchen and filled a tall glass with water. She’d get the lovers’ attention soon enough. Rushing back into the living room, she tripped on a throw rug and staggered a few steps in a desperate effort to maintain her balance. By the time she reached the cats, most of the liquid was down the front of her blouse and only a few drops landed on the passionate couple.
    By then they were finished and the strange cat was looking for a way out of her apartment. Typical male! He’d gotten what he wanted and was ready to be on his merry way.
    Lacey was about to open the sliding glass door that led out to her balcony when someone rang her doorbell. Frowning fiercely at the alley cat, Lacey traipsed across her living room and checked the peephole.
    It was her Don Juan neighbor, fresh from his argument with Sarah. “Hello again.” He flashed her an easy smile which, Lacey hated to admit, hit its mark. She didn’t know what was in her personality profile that made her vulnerable to this type of man, but whatever it was, she sincerely wished it would go away.
    “I don’t suppose you’ve seen my cat?” he asked.
    “You own a cat?”
    “Actually, he allows me to live with him.”
    As if she’d planned it this way, Cleo strolled past, her tail in the air, giving the impression of royalty. The long-haired mixed breed followed closely behind, looking as if he’d rested enough for a second go-round.
    “There’s Dog,” Jack said.
    “Dog? You named your cat Dog?”
    “Yeah,” he said, walking past her. He reached for his cat affectionately and cradled him in his arms. “I wanted a dog, but I had to compromise.”
    “So you got yourself a cat named Dog.” In light of how she’d met his faithful companion, Lacey wasn’t amused.
    “Exactly.”
    “Well, listen here, your Dog has stolen Cleo’s virginity. What do you plan to do about it?”
    Jack’s eyes widened. Lacey swore the man looked downright pleased. “Dog? What do you have to say for yourself?”
    “It’s you I’m asking,” Lacey said, squaring her shoulders. “As a responsible pet owner, you have an answer, I hope.”
    His dark eyes narrowed. “I can only apologize.”
    “Then I accept your apology,” Lacey murmured. It seemed darn little in light of the possible consequences, but the less they had to say to each other the better. Lacey wanted as little to do with Jack as possible. The more she saw of him the more attracted she was, which made absolutely no sense. She was like someone on a strict diet, irresistibly drawn to a dessert tray.
    “Listen, I was hoping for an opportunity to get to know you a little better,” Jack said, as if he planned to stay awhile.
    Lacey couldn’t allow that to happen. She all but opened the door for him.
    “We’ve been neighbors for the past several months. I think we must have gotten started on the wrong foot,” he said, showing no signs of leaving. “I understand you aren’t interested in dating, but we could be a bit more neighborly, don’t you think?”
    Lacey nodded politely, if reluctantly. It would help to have someone to feed her cat and collect her mail on occasion. She would be willing to do the same for him, but she wanted it firmly understood that this was the extent of what she was offering.
    She told him so.
    “Friends?” he asked, holding out his hand.
    “Friends,” she agreed. They exchanged handshakes. She found his grasp secure, but his fingers held hers far longer than necessary. She