Luca chuckled. “No shit. I’m not sure you could keep a small mammal alive if you tried.”
“I don’t plan on trying, so there will be no testing that theory.”
Weston slapped Luca’s bicep with the back of his hand. “None of what you just said explains why you were running late this morning.”
“I was getting to that.” Luca hit Weston in retaliation. “I woke up to my cat sitting on my chest, staring at me.”
Chills ran through me. “Yeah, I’m really not a cat person.”
Luca and Saoirse’s cat was fine. Mildly cute even. But she just…walked all over their apartment, demanded attention, and the two of them got off on watching her sleep in a sling attached to their window. I’d stopped by their place recently, and they’d spent most of the visit staring at the damn cat, whose tail occasionally twitched. That was it. She didn’t even chase a laser beam or anything mildly impressive.
I didn’t get it, but Luca and Saoirse were thrilled by their strange life with their orange cat, so I let them have it. Just because I didn’t understand didn’t mean I wasn’t fiercely enjoying their happiness.
“Anyway,” Luca went on, “Clem started making biscuits on my face.”
“Speak people talk, Rossi,” Weston admonished. “No one knows what you’re saying.”
“I don’t know, Saoirse says it’s a thing. She informed me the internet calls it making biscuits when cats knead like they would on their mom to get milk,” Luca explained.
“So, your cat was kneading your face, trying to milk you?” I asked.
“And this is why you were late?” Weston added.
“Yes, and yes. Saoirse thought it was cute, so I let it happen. And because I let it happen, my wife was extremely happy with me, so…”
He trailed off, and the blanks did not need to be filled in.
Happy wife, happy life. The old adage seemed to be holding true in Luca’s case.
“The most valid reason you’ve given for being late,” Weston said.
“Damn straight.” Luca chuckled. “And it’s why Elliot’s always on time everywhere.”
I huffed. “Really, Rossi? Bragging is unbecoming, and I’m not late because I choose not to be. It has nothing to do with who is or isn’t in my bed in the mornings.”
He held his hands up. “It wasn’t a brag. I was answering a question.”
Weston cocked his head my way. “It’s not like you don’t have the opportunity, so it’s difficult to pity your celibacy.”
“Celibacy? That’s a gross exaggeration.” I slowed my treadmill to a fast walk.
“What’s it called when you don’t even try to get laid for months?” Luca asked.
“It’s called being busy and a shift of priorities. Unlike the two of you, getting off has never been my ultimate goal.”
Luca and Weston may have been devoted to their women now, but they’d spent many years sowing, and sowing, and sowing their wild oats. While I was no monk, I’d never had the urge to spread my seed as far and wide as they did. And as I got older, meaningless hookups became less and less worth the effort.
But celibate, I was not. I loved to fuck, but my time and attention were currently being taken by other things. Picking up a woman in a bar didn’t hold any attraction to me at the moment.
Luca waggled his brows. “World domination is a lot more fun with a beautiful woman by your side.”
“Life in general,” Weston agreed.
I hit the stop button on my treadmill and wiped my sweaty forehead off with a towel.
“While I appreciate the two of you are happy as clams now that you’re wifed up, I don’t need any help in that area.” I tossed the towel over my shoulder. “Once I get the Rockford project launched—”
“You’re still calling it that?” Weston asked.
“Yes.” I grimaced slightly. I tried not to think about Donald Rockford when referring to his former property, but it was almost impossible since it still bore his name. “It’s temporary. Catherine helped me rename the Singapore property a few months back. Her instincts are in line with mine, so I emailed her a list of possibilities for Rockford, but she hasn’t gotten back to me yet.”
“She’s still working?” Luca counted on his fingers. “Isn’t she due soon?”
“In a week, though medicine hasn’t advanced enough to give a definite day. It’s all approximate,” I answered.