Noah kissed her deeply, still buried inside her. With a groan, he wrenched his mouth away and burrowed his face in her neck. “Don’t make me get up.”

Alexis ran her hands up his spine. “Sorry. But I have a lot to do to get ready for the tests.” They were going to drive down to Huntsville tonight and stay in a hotel, because she had to be at the transplant center in the morning to start the physical evaluations. “And you have to help Mack with the seating chart.”

His groan this time was of the disgusted kind. He rolled off her. “I can’t wait for this wedding to be over.”

A laugh bubbled from her chest as she curled against his warm side. Noah picked up her hand from where it was splayed between his pecs and brought her fingers to his lips. “Are you packed and ready to go, or do you need to come home again before we leave?”

“I’ll take all my stuff to work so you can just pick me up there.”

Noah yawned. “I think the guys are going to pick me up here for wedding shit. Then I’ll run home to pack a few things before coming to get you.”

Alexis kissed his jaw. “You’re a good man, Noah Logan.”

He turned his head to catch her lips with his. “You make me want to be a good man.”

Alexis melted on the inside. Noah wrapped his arm around her shoulder to palm the back of her head as he kissed her again. Soon, he rolled her onto her back, and his hand began its exploration again, and—

“Shit.” Noah froze, eyes wide, unblinking, and staring off to the side.

“What? What’s wrong?” Alexis followed his stare. Beefcake was beside the bed, paws perched on the mattress as if he wanted someone to pick him up.

Noah’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “If I move slowly, maybe he won’t hurt me.”

“He’s not going to hurt you.” Alexis patted the mattress. “Come on, Beefcake. You can do it.”

Noah rolled off her and managed to throw the comforter over his naked lap just in time. Beefcake leaped onto the bed, lumbered over Alexis, and went straight for Noah.

Noah held rigidly still, not even breathing, as Beefcake stepped gingerly onto his chest.

“Oh shit.” Noah gulped.

Alexis scratched Beefcake behind the ears. “Good boy,” she cooed. “Noah is our friend.”

The gravel of a deep purr vibrated through his thick fur. Eyes closed, Beefcake began to knead his front paws into Noah’s chest.

Alexis gasped. “Awwww . . . look at that.”

Noah swallowed hard. “Wh-What’s he doing?”

“It’s called making kitty biscuits.”

“It’s called tenderizing the meat.”

“It’s a sign of affection.”

Beefcake began to purr louder as he folded his legs under him and settled into a rectangle on Noah’s chest.

“A full meat loaf,” Alexis whispered, emotion choking her.

“What the hell does that mean?” Noah hissed back.

“That’s what you call that cat position. A meat loaf. They only do it when they’re truly relaxed and content.”

Beefcake was the picture of relaxation—eyes closed, purring with a steady motor, head lowered. “Pet him,” Alexis whispered.

Noah’s hand rose slowly from the mattress and hovered above Beefcake’s back. Then, inch by inch, he lowered it until his fingers brushed Beefcake’s fur. The purr became a rumble.

Alexis lowered her cheek to Noah’s shoulder and sighed. “My two favorite men. Friends, at last.”

* * *

* * *

Alexis was still melty and deliriously happy an hour later when she sat down with Jessica at a bistro table with her laptop and her daily planner. Two of the part-time college students who worked there manned the counter. It was past nine, so the worst of the morning rush was over. Still, she wanted to keep the meeting as short as possible. Even taking two days off for the physical evaluations was going to be tough, and she had an intimidatingly long to-do list to get through today. She shuddered to think how much she was going to have to do if she actually went through with the surgery. She’d be off work for a minimum of ten days.

Jessica pushed a plate bearing a scone and a cup of cut-up fruit closer to Alexis. “I haven’t seen you eat anything.”

Alexis popped a grape into her mouth as she pulled out a copy of the schedule she’d put together that morning. “Let me know if this works for you. Liv and Mack are both available to help out anytime you need it.”

“Beth and I can handle it,” Jessica said. “Don’t worry.”

“If anything comes up, just call me. If I can’t answer, call Noah. He can get messages to me.”

“Seriously, Alexis. We got this. You just focus on what you need to do.”

Alexis closed her planner and ate another grape. “Thank you for pet sitting.” Jessica had agreed to stay at her house while Alexis was gone. Beefcake wasn’t exactly kennel material. He had a tendency to pee on cats he didn’t know. “He’ll be mad that I didn’t bring him to work today, but just give him a treat, and he’ll get over it.”

A ding from the café door interrupted. Alexis glanced over and then quickly back with a smile. Bob Brown, the head of the East Nashville district business council, shuffled forward with an apologetic gait.

“Hey, Bob. What’s up?”

“Good to see you, Alexis. Wish I was here under better circumstances.”

A tinge of alarm shot through her. “What’s wrong?”

He handed over an envelope. “Didn’t want you to see this in an email.”

Alexis opened it and pulled out a single sheet of paper. Bob stood nervously by as she scanned the words.

“Oh, for God’s sake,” she breathed, looking up at Bob. “Is this for real?”

“’Fraid so.”

Jessica reached for the paper. “What is it?”

Alexis tried to keep the venom from her voice. “Karen actually did it. She filed a complaint against me. I have to answer to the zoning board.”

* * *

* * *

Noah took a shower at Alexis’s house and did an hour of work while he waited for the guys to pick him up. He’d left his own car at home last night, so he’d have the guys drop him off there after they helped Mack, though he still had no idea why it was so difficult to assign people seats for a wedding.

There was a knock at the front door just as he was shutting down his computer. He crossed the room, opened the door, and found Colton and the Russian standing there. “You could’ve just texted that you were here,” he said.

“The Russian has to pee,” Colton said, brushing past Noah as he walked in. He paused in the entryway and looked around. “Cute place. It totally looks like her.”

“Shut up.”

“All I said was cute place.”

“It was the way you said it,” Noah scowled. “And how the hell would you know what looks like her?”

Colton raised his hands and his eyebrows. “Chill, dude. I know there’s always the threat of me stealing your girl because I’m me, but she’s all yours.”

Noah stepped back to let the Russian in. “Bathroom’s over there,” he said with a nod around the corner. As the Russian wandered off, Noah glared at Colton. “If he has to do more than take a piss, I’m holding you personally responsible.”

Colton shrugged and headed toward the kitchen.

Noah shut the door. “Where are you going?”

“I’m looking around.”

“Just don’t touch anything.” Noah hung a left into the living room where he’d been working. He shoved his shit into his backpack and walked into the kitchen to find Colton peering in the fridge.

“What are you doing? Get out of there.”

“I’m hungry.”

“You can’t just take shit from her fridge!”

Colton swung the door shut. “There’s nothing good in there anyway. Just a bunch of weird shit.”

“It’s not weird. She’s a vegetarian.”

Colton’s gaze landed on the red harness hanging from a hook by the door to the garage. He grabbed it and let it dangle suggestively from his fingers. “Kinky. What exactly do you and Alexis do?”

Noah yanked the harness away. “It’s a cat leash, douchebag.”

“A cat leash?” Colton laughed. “You’re kidding.”

“Beefcake needs regular exercise.”

The toilet flushed, and a moment later, the Russian wandered into the kitchen. “Where is kitty?”

“Hiding. He doesn’t like strangers.”

Colton suddenly froze. “Wh-What is that?”

Noah followed Colton’s terrified gaze. Beefcake had appeared out of nothingness, a furry, motionless apparition at the end of the hall. A dark silhouette with glowing eyes.

“That’s Beefcake,” Noah gulped. Morning truce aside, he was still sort of afraid.

“No,” Colton breathed. “That can’t be Beefcake. There’s no way that’s a cat.”

“That is no cat,” the Russian said, reverence in his tone. “That is a majestic animal. Like Siberian tiger.”

Noah inched along the wall, feeling with his fingers until he found the hallway light switch. Golden light flooded the space, and Colton let out a scream. Because Beefcake had somehow teleported ten feet forward.

“Pretty kitty,” the Russian cooed, dropping to one knee.

Noah held his breath as the Russian crouched low and held out his hand. Beefcake rolled at the Russian’s feet and began kneading the air with his paws.

“What is that noise?” Colton asked.

“He’s purring.”

“That’s a growl. He’s going to kill us. You actually put a leash on that thing?”

“He can’t be let out on his own anymore. He kills birds.”

“I’d be more worried about him luring a small child into the sewer.”