Free Foster Siblings 3: Brokedown Hearts by Cameron Dane Page B

edge at the same time.
    “No, I didn’t mean— Crap.” Before embarrassing insanity could grab hold of his tongue again, David snapped his mouth shut, took a moment to breathe, and regrouped. Once the racing in his brain slowed to what he thought felt like a normal speed, he explained, “I’m sorry. Again. I’m acting like an idiot today. Yes, if you’re willing, I’d love some assistance.” He even managed to smile in what he hoped was an inviting manner.
    In response, Ben grinned slow and easy. “Then lead the way.”
    Oh God . David spun and marched to the bathroom, with one wrong, wrong thought filling his head the entire way.
    If he glances down, I hope he likes my ass.

Chapter Four
    Not five minutes into bathing the kitten, Ben howled as the wet animal clawed her way up his arm and set his flesh on fire.
    “Grab her! Grab her!” Spewing a parade of curse words, Ben slipped from his kneeling position, fell on his ass, and banged his head on the wall as the kitten leaped off his shoulder and bolted for the door. “Don’t let her get away!”
    David dived for the kitten, missing her, while Ben slammed the door shut with his foot seconds before she wiggled into the bedroom to freedom.
    “You’re supposed to be holding her and helping me!” Laughing, David oomphed as he rolled onto his stomach. Stretching, he grabbed the kitten by the scruff before she made it to safety behind the toilet.
    “I was!” Glaring, Ben rubbed the sting from his head. “She’s maniacal.”
    Chuckling, David held the squirming kitten against his chest and looked up at Ben with a glitter of blue skies dancing in his eyes. “She’s three pounds. Don’t let her get the upper hand on you.”
    With a groan, Ben pushed off his backside and shifted to his knees. “She’s a slippery little sucker all soaped up.” Grumbling, he added, “And look at my arms.” He thrust his scratch-covered forearms toward David, shaking them. “I’m telling you, she has a killer instinct. She’s strong as hell too.” He looked down at the kitten and found her studying him through tiny slits etched into blue. “And she’s giving me the evil eye.”
    Biting his lip—Ben just knew the guy was laughing at him—David explained, “I don’t even think her eyes are developed enough to see clearly yet, let alone to be directing amoral intentions at you.”
    “They don’t have to be. I can feel her urge to kill lasering into me.” Ben frowned and groused, but truthfully David’s teasing mood made him feel light and bubbly inside. He eyeballed the kitten again and muttered, “She doesn’t want this bath.”
    “It’s for the best. She’ll thank us tomorrow.” David held the kitten up to his face and nuzzled his nose to hers. “Won’t you, baby?”
    The kitten yowled and swatted David’s cheek with her tiny paw.
    David howled this time, and Ben shouted with laughter.
    Moving in fast, Ben grabbed the kitten and helped pry her claws from David’s skin. Still laughing, though, he said, “That didn’t sound like a yes.”
    His cheeks pinking in the cutest way, David picked up the soapy washcloth again. “Well, she’s just gonna have to trust me.” Wasting no time, he gestured for Ben to put her in the tub and then wiped down her little back.
    The kitten mewled like a banshee, but between David and Ben, they were able to keep hold of her and continue with her bath.
    As David moved from wiping the kitten down to giving her a good scrub with his fingers, she shifted from a high-pitched wailing to a low groaning, whining noise, something forlorn that stabbed Ben in the heart. Ben continued holding her and let David do what he needed, but murmured, “Maybe we can bribe her to like us again with a treat afterward.”
    With a sharp nod, David squeezed another dollop of soap into the palm of his hand. “Erin gave me some formula to mix with wet kitten food. We can hope that will do the trick.”
    “Then let’s get this finished before we