Page 51 of Return of the Bad Girl (Rock Canyon, Idaho 4)

“You have?” Gabe asked suspiciously, looking down at Caroline.

“Don’t look at me. I avoid talking about you.”

“Actually, Travis told me about you, that you make custom motorcycles. I was thinking I’d come by your shop and see what you can come up with for me.”

The guy was lethal; Gabe would give him that. He’d charmed and disarmed him in five seconds flat. Taking Mike’s still-outstretched hand, he said, “I’m by appointment only until I get all the equipment moved in, but you can usually get me on my cell.”

The two of them exchanged numbers, and as he slipped his phone back into his pocket, Gabe caught Caroline’s irritable expression.

“What?”

“Do you think my date and I can leave now?” she asked.

“Sure, take him. Get him out of here,” Gabe said, but as they started down the stairs, he saw Mike’s hand move to the small of her back.

Gabe knew what she felt like, right there at the curve of her back, and he didn’t want any other man’s hands on her, even if that man seemed like an okay guy. Then Gabe realized he was halfway down the stairs, ready to remove Mike’s arm from the socket if he didn’t stop touching her, and froze.

Caroline turned a few steps down and looked up at him. She must have heard his footsteps or felt the vibration. “Was there something else, Gabe?”

Damn, there was his name again, but this time it had been spoken softly. Their eyes met, and he wanted to close the distance and claim her.

“I just wanted to know if you need me to feed the vermin.”

The small smile she gave him unnerved him and made him feel like a kid, trying to please his teacher by asking for extra credit. “Only if they cry. I just fed them half an hour ago.”

“All right, then,” he said, searching for something else to say. As they started climbing down again, he called out, “Hey, Mike?”

“Yeah?” Mike said from the bottom, holding his hand out for Caroline. When she slipped hers into his, Gabe almost growled.

“Treat her with respect,” he said.

“Of course, I—”

“If you don’t, I’ll chain you to the back of my bike and drag you behind me until your own mother wouldn’t recognize you.”

Mike’s jaw dropped, and Caroline scowled. “I have a father,” she said. “I don’t need you—”

“Have a good time, princess,” he said, cutting off her rant.

She flipped him the bird behind Mike’s back before they walked out of sight, and he chuckled until he realized he was hanging out at home on a Saturday night. Alone. There was no way he could sit around the apartment all night, waiting for Caroline to come home.

After his shower, he’d hang up the painting and head out somewhere. Maybe he’d check out Twin Falls nightlife. But as he stepped back inside, he heard a distinct scratching noise coming from Caroline’s room. Inside, he found the little gray tabby, Googlie, hanging over the side of his box. Caroline had named him Googlie for his big, googly eyes, and Gabe had to admit that the name fit.

“What are you doing, buddy?”

The kitten meowed in response, and Gabe padded over to pick up the fluff ball. Peeking over the edge of the box, he saw that Possum, the little cream-colored kitten, was looking up at him, as if gauging the distance needed to jump.

“I guess your mom doesn’t know what she’s talking about, huh?” Scooping up the second kitten, he held them both against his chest, their little purrs vibrating his hands. Stroking their fur with his thumbs, he carried them into the bathroom with him, let the kittens down on the floor, and turned on the shower.

Googlie started to meow loudly, and he bent over to pick up the fuzz butt. “Listen, dude, I’m going to let you chill in here with me while I shower, and if you’re cool, I’ll let you watch some Dwayne Johnson with me. Sound good?”

Gabe felt the kittens purr and shook his head. He’d officially lost his mind if he was talking to a couple of cats.

“AM I PUTTING you to sleep over there?”

Caroline jerked as Mike’s words penetrated her wandering thoughts. “I’m so sorry. I think the wine might be getting to me. What were you saying?”

Mike chuckled. “It’s all right. I don’t really find motherboards all that interesting anyway.”