Chapter 9
Bastet
I stretched awake to find the spot in the bed next to me empty but warm. Disappointment welled up within me about Ptah sneaking out without even waking me until I heard clattering and cursing from downstairs.
I flung off the covers, unsure whether it was the small space, or one of the cats causing Ptah's problems, but either one of them needed to be sorted out before things got much worse.
I grabbed a robe and wrapped it around myself before hurrying downstairs.
"What's going on?" I asked as I entered my living space to find Ptah standing there with a frying pan in one hand and a bottle of milk in the other.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" The guilty look on his face sent a wave of affection through me.
"I don't think so. But I got worried when I heard...whatever this is." I waved my hand around the room as if to encourage some kind of confession from him.
"I thought I'd make you breakfast, but I don't seem to be doing very well.
And then this little guy hopped up onto the counter.
" He gestured with the bottle of milk to Felix, one of the newest arrivals at the sanctuary.
He was only a couple of months old, but had the daring of a much older kitten.
"I thought I'd give him some milk to distract him. "
I tutted. "You know they're not supposed to have milk."
"I forgot," he admitted sheepishly.
"Luckily for you, he just wants attention. Why don't you see to that while I make us some eggs." I made my way over to him and went up on my toes to press a quick kiss against his lips before taking the pan and milk from him.
He didn't seem surprised by my actions, which I assumed meant that he welcomed them. I certainly hoped so.
Ptah scooped up Felix and took him over to the sofa to play with while I got some breakfast ready. Luckily for me, he'd already managed to locate most of the ingredients I needed, so it was only a matter of putting it all together.
I kept half an eye on the two of them while I whisked up the eggs and dropped them into the pan. It wasn't going to be a particularly fancy breakfast, but I hadn't shopped with the intention of sharing my morning with anyone. I'd have to change that the next time the two of us had a date.
My gaze shifted to Ptah again. Not that I minded. Last night had been everything I remembered being in bed with Ptah to be like and more. I supposed they did say that distance made the heart grow fonder, perhaps that was true of time too.
It didn't take long for the eggs to be ready. One of the advantages of keeping it simple.
I took the plates over to the sofa and handed one to Ptah.
"I'm sorry it isn't fancier."
"That's okay, I didn't give you much warning that I'd be needing bed and board." The way he grinned at me was somehow both playful and seductive at the same time.
Felix decided that now we had food, he wasn't going to be the centre of attention and wandered off into the other room to play with some of the other cats. I left him to it.
"I'd have had better food choices if I'd known," I admitted. "There's some melon in the fridge, but nothing else."
"Maybe I'll take you out for breakfast tomorrow?" he suggested.
"A second date? How presumptuous."
He chuckled. "You're the one who invited me to come in."
"And you never even got your coffee."
"Or did I?" He all but winked at me.
I shook my head in amusement. "You're incorrigible." I ate my eggs, barely tasting them while my attention was on the man sitting next to me.
"I'd say the same of you," he countered. "These are good, by the way."
I glanced away, a little embarrassed by the compliment. "They're just eggs."
"And they're better than I'd have made you."
"Are you trying to tell me that you still can't cook? I thought you wanted to take lessons?"
He shrugged. "I never got around to it," he admitted.
"Maybe it's something we could do together?" The suggestion was out before I could think about it. Though I supposed that didn't matter so much after the night we'd shared together. I set my empty bowl down on the coffee table.
"I like the sound of that." The way he looked at me made my heart skip a beat.
How had I been avoiding him for so long? Had I lost out on years of mornings waking up next to him and nights of falling asleep in his arms?
I pushed the thoughts aside. They weren't worth dwelling on, not when it was something I couldn't change.
At least we were both immortal, and we'd have the years to enjoy one another's company and to reacquaint ourselves.
While it had become clear that many things hadn't changed at all, I was certain there would be new things to discover.
I had no idea if Ptah preferred soft rock or cheesy pop.
Or what he thought about chocolate. They weren't things that could break our relationship, but they were things I looked forward to discovering.
"I have to open the sanctuary today. I have a couple of prospective adopters coming in to meet the cats. But if you're free later, then perhaps you could come back?" There was a note of hope in my voice that I did nothing to hide.
"That sounds good," he agreed. "Or we could meet in the god realm for dinner and then come back here? I'm assuming you won't want to leave the cats alone overnight?"
"Not if I can help it," I admitted. "They'd probably be fine, but you know what kind of havoc they can cause if they're given any kind of leeway."
Ptah chuckled heartily. "I remember them giving your priestesses the run-around."
"Exactly. And now I don't have the same level of help."
"Maybe you should put a job advertisement in the local paper."
I raised an eyebrow. "Ancient goddess seeks priestess to worship her and her cats?"
"I'd be signing up in a heartbeat if it meant I got to worship you."
"You worshipped me plenty last night," I quipped.
"And I plan to again this evening. Unless you have time before your first appointment, then we can get an early start on the worship." A mischievous grin spread over his face.
"I think I can spare some time for you." I got to my feet and made my way towards the stairs, only stopping when I reached the bottom.
I looked over my shoulder and slowly untied my robe, letting it fall to the floor.
Ptah was on his feet and following me up the stairs within moments.