Chapter Four
“ D id you just eat a part of my essay?” I asked the orange cat, who tried to inch away with the corner of the page still between his teeth. “Oh no, you don’t!”
I caught Cheddar before he could run away and didn’t let the pitiful meowing discourage me from stomping out of my apartment and delivering my squirming package right to his owner’s door.
Elijah opened the door with a grumpy expression that matched mine, but his face brightened at seeing me.
“Lisa! Has Cheddar been causing trouble again?” the man asked, inviting me inside with a gesture.
I stepped in, closing the door behind me, and only then let Cheddar go. The cat sent me a wounded look and trotted off with his tail high in the air as if to show his dismissal of me.
“He ate my work. That I need to have finished for tomorrow,” I groaned. “I’m only halfway through and it’s so late already.”
University wasn’t only sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes it was an ass-long essay on traditional British animations that I didn’t even have time to touch with everything that was happening.
“I see. I can commiserate. My work may be fiction but I have set a certain daily wordcount to reach my goals and I’m struggling to meet it today,” he gestured at the open laptop on the table, then gave a sigh. “This is going to be a long night.”
“You write?” I perked up with interest. “What kind of fiction?”
“Crime novels. You know, so-called whodunnit. Detectives and all that. Hey Lisa, since we both will be in writing hell tonight, how about we keep together? My work often flows better when there’s even silent company in the room.”
I considered his offer.
“Throw in a never-ending supply of tea and coffee and I’m in.”
“I have a wide selection of teas and… A. Coffee. Maker.”
“Sold!” I said quickly, my eyes widening as I followed Elijah’s smug gaze to a big machine on the counter. This beast looked like something my father would have, so it had to have multiple settings! I could have an espresso. Or a latte. Maybe even a mocha!
Everything was better than the instant coffee waiting for me back at my flat.
A quick trip to my apartment and I had my own laptop and my notes at the ready.
I took possession of the couch, setting everything up for maximum efficiency, and then beelined for the most essential element.
“What kind of coffee do you want?” Elijah asked.
“A fancy one. Surprise me,” I decided.
When I got a mocha with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles I nearly cried.
“You are an angel,” I gushed at Elijah.
The two spots of red on his cheeks looked very fetching, and I decided to endeavor to make him blush again in the future. For now, I let him hide behind the screen of his laptop.
Soon, the room filled with the sounds of furious typing as both of us got immersed in our work. It was a hundred times more pleasant to share the misery with someone than brooding at my flat all alone. Hearing the little sounds Elijah made as he moved, the hums that sometimes escaped his mouth when he was deep in thought, made me relax and the stubborn essay finally started flowing from under my fingers.
“Meow?”
I looked up at the plaintive sound.
Cheddar looked at me hopefully with his big eyes. Apparently, I was forgiven for my misbehavior. The playful tilt of the orange kitty’s head was my only warning before he launched himself at my socks.
I moved my foot away and he chased after it.
“Sorry for that rascal. I will keep him away from you,” Elijah said, embarrassed. He stood up from the table to take care of the hyperactive cat, but I waved him away.
Cheddar had caught me in a bad mood previously but now, with the essay nearly done and a good dose of caffeine in my veins, I was much more chill and the antics of the cat amused me instead of irritating me.
“You wanted to eat this?” I waved the scribbled first version of the essay the cat previously chewed on, which now has been transformed into a beautiful butterfly of a typed document on my laptop. With great prejudice I rolled the paper into a tight ball then threw it. “Catch!”
The kitty bounced after the paper ball, his feet sliding comically on the floor. He hit the wall only once before he caught his prize and reduced it to shreds.
To my surprise, after he was done with the paper ball Cheddar ran to another room and returned with a ball in his teeth. He deposited it in front of me expectantly and sat down, his tail swishing behind him in excitement.
“What are you, a dog?” I questioned but picked the ball up and threw it to the other side of the room.
“He is very intelligent… even if you can’t always tell,” Elijah snorted.
“He is just a funny little guy.” I scooped the cat in my arms and started baby-talking to him. He was just too cute! “You are a sweet little cinnamon roll and there’s not a single thought behind those big green eyes, is there?” I cooed.
The cat blinked at me consideringly, then gave me a satisfied ‘mmrph!’ and a blep.
“Okay, I take that intelligence comment back… really, Cheddar?” Elijah muttered, looking despairingly at the cat with his cute pink tongue sticking out.
I couldn’t help but giggle and cuddle the perfect example of an orange cat to myself. A small break for a petting session couldn’t hurt, right? My fingers turned Cheddar into a purring machine as I smoothed his fur, tickled under his chin, and scratched behind his ears until he finally flopped next to me, content to stay pressed to my thigh.
Before the opportunity passed I reached for my laptop and saw to finishing my essay.
“I’m done! Time to go to bed.” I stretched with a yawn half an hour later. Cheddar immediately took the opportunity of my lap being free to crawl into it.
“It looks like you are stuck now,” Elijah pointed out with a smile.
“What, are you going to offer me not only your couch but your bed now?” I asked, looking at him from under my lashes.
“I wouldn’t be so presumptuous!” Elijah spluttered. The blush was back. Score!
“I know you wouldn’t,” I said. He was too sweet to be so obnoxious. “Thank you. This really was life-saving. Or at least grade saving. Did you manage to get your work done?”
“Yes. You could say I found my muse,” Elijah said, casting me a quick look before he looked away, the blush on his cheeks intensifying.
“Tell me about your books next time?” I asked hopefully. “I’m dead on my feet now, but I would love to hear all about them.”
“I know you only want to come back for the cat,” Elijah joked, but I sensed a painful insecurity behind those words.
“Not only for the cat,” I said solemnly as I transferred Cheddar off my lap to stand up and approach Elijah. He looked at me with wide eyes. I put my hand on the table and leaned towards him. “There’s also…” I was so close it wouldn’t take much for our lips to meet. “…the coffee.” I ran a finger over Elijah’s mug. “Can I?” He nodded mutely, transfixed by my proximity.
My lips touched the rim of the mug and I took a slow sip. The latte was half cold already, but it still tasted gloriously sweet. Was that a hint of caramel? I licked my lips slowly, both for a better taste and because I enjoyed the frustrated expression on Elijah’s face. He swallowed convulsively as I reached for his hands and slid my fingers over his skin as I transferred the mug into his grip.
“Thank you for the taste. Till later!” I threw over my shoulder before I quickly scooped up my things and got back to my apartment.
I wondered about Elijah’s lips pressing against the rim of the mug, sharing an indirect kiss with me.