"Mrr?"
"No, Maddie, I'm reading."
"Wrr-lrr."
Vlad simply continued to flip through the newspaper. Maddie squeaked, rubbing up against his ankles. The man just laughed, reaching down to scratch her behind her ears. She purred, climbing up his knee and stretching her paw out to him. He grabbed her, pulling the cat into his lap. Maddie trilled happily, kneading his thighs.
"Ah, ah, Maddie, not your claws..." Vlad flinched, carefully taking her front paws. She just squeaked louder, wriggling and clenching her claws around his thumbs. Her tail looped around his arm, her purring making her whole body vibrate.
"You spoiled little monster," he murmured with a warm smile. But she was his spoiled little monster, and he couldn't think of any other time he'd been happier.