Chapter 131

"I’ll sleep with you." William scooped her up and carried her back to bed. The calico cat was sprawled belly-up in the middle of the mattress. When it saw him, it gave a lazy flick of its tail as if saying “oh, it’s you.” "Another little freeloader," William muttered, picking the cat up and gently placing it into the plush, untouched cat bed. He looked the confused feline straight in the eyes. "You're not a baby anymore—time to sleep on your own." The soft light from the bedroom floor lamp barely lit the room. He closed the door, pulled the covers over them, and lay down, immediately getting pulled into Elsie's arms. She nestled quietly against his chest, catching a whiff of his crisp scent mixed with a hint of alcohol. "You didn’t change clothes." She thought about letting it slide for once, letting him “pollute” her bed just this time. William raised an eyebrow, teasing, "Then should I take them off?" "...Don’t bother," Elsie replied, shifting a little away from him just in case. Her