“He’s up for adoption.” Those two were kind of cute together, and Susanne would rather Anja cuddle with a cat than with some other woman…or man. She didn’t want to examine that thought too closely. “His owner just had a baby, and he’s not a fan. So if you want him…”

Anja leaned forward and rubbed her cheek over Muesli’s head. “I wish I could. But my apartment is too small for a cat. It wouldn’t be fair to the poor animal.”

Just like it wouldn’t be fair to Anja to start something between them, Susanne reminded herself.

“What’s his name?” Anja asked.

Susanne watched the cat rub his nose along Anja’s in a feline version of a kiss. “Lucky.” God, had she really just said that? “Um, Muesli. That’s his name. Yeah. Muesli.”

“Muesli?” Anja laughed.

Susanne held out her hands. “Hey, don’t look at me. I didn’t name him. But he really seems to love muesli, so the name fits.”

“Cats.” Anja shook her head and continued to pet him. “I could do this forever, but I’ve got confetti stuck in my shirt, and it’s starting to itch like crazy.” She rubbed one shoulder against the back of the recliner and then stood, lifting the cat up with her.

“Come on. I’ll put him out and point you to the bathroom.” Susanne took the cat from her, and Muesli immediately snuggled up and brushed his head beneath her chin. Anja’s scent clung to his fur, making her want to bury her face in it. She gave herself a mental kick and showed Anja to the bathroom, still holding the cat.

At the door, Anja turned back around and reached out to pet Muesli, who seemed completely relaxed about being carried around, his front paws hanging over Susanne’s arm. “Oh damn! I got lipstick from the heart on my cheek all over his fur.”

“Really?”

They both bent over him to look for traces of red in his fur. There were indeed a few red streaks on the back of his head, where Anja had rubbed her cheek over his fur.

“Ah, it’s not too bad,” Susanne said. “I’ll clean him up before I put him out.”

When Anja straightened and looked up, their faces were only centimeters from each other.

Susanne’s breathing picked up. Her gaze darted back and forth between Anja’s eyes and the soft curve of her mouth. She knew she should step back. They needed to work together. She would leave in six weeks. But she stayed where she was, staring into Anja’s eyes that seemed to draw her in.

The world around them receded as they gravitated toward each other, Anja rising up on her toes and Susanne dipping her head, both watching each other for any signs of hesitation until the very last moment.