Albert sat astride his back, twisting open a one-liter bottle of body wash and dumping a generous puddle of it over Hayes's head as he asked, "How does that feel?"
As he spoke, he spread the gel with his hands and began washing the big cat's face. The area here was relatively small, so Albert chose to start with this part.
He was clearly an expert at petting cats. One moment he alternated his hands, vigorously scrubbing the snow leopard's crown; the next, his hands slid down to either side of Hayes's cheeks, scratching at the two round, plush pads of flesh beneath his jaw.
Hayes couldn't hide his feline instincts. Under Albert's gentle kneading, he grew so comfortable that a steady, engine-like purr rumbled out of his chest.
He narrowed his eyes and didn't speak for a long while.
