Page 109 of To Catch a Latte Thick as Thieves

“Oh.” She blushed a beguiling shade of pink, and Jared was charmed. “Okay, I’ll tell you all about my sordid love life, but remember you’re going to tell me about all of your life. No assorted little tidbits. I want to hear it from birth to the present. Agreed?”

“Agreed.” Jared nodded, taking a long sip from his soda. He was counting on the traffic being in motion before it was his turn.

Cat took a deep breath and appeared to gather her thoughts. Jared waited, but she wasn’t talking. A silent Cat alarmed him.

“Don’t tell me there are too many men for you to recall?” He frowned.

“Actually,” she began with a nervous laugh, “it’s quite the opposite. My history with men is brief to say the least. The big dumb jerk was first in a long line of one.”

“Go on,” Jared prodded her.

“I’ve only had one serious relationship in my whole life,” Cat said with a sigh. “I dated a handful of guys in college, but the big dumb jerk was the only guy to ever call me for a second date. I always wondered if it was because I didn’t put out on the first date.”

Jared choked on his pop and it fizzed up his nose.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

“Fine,” he said. “Go on.”

“So, I dated Matthew from my third semester of college right up until I caught him with his assets in the air over his accountant.”

Jared heard the wistfulness in her voice and felt his gut clench in a surprising twist of jealousy. The thought that Cat could still be pining for that big dumb jerk made him want to wrap his hands around something and squeeze – preferably Gerard’s neck.

“What a mistake that turned out to be.” Cat rolled her eyes at him. Jared felt his gut unclench and a subtle warmth infused him.

“So, you’re not still in love with him?” he asked, studying the top of his can of pop. She was silent, and he glanced up to see her gazing at him. His gaze held hers, desperately trying to see into her soul. He didn’t have to try very hard. It was all there for him to see.

“I never really was,” she answered.

“But you were going to marry him,” he said.

“All my life I’ve tried to be whatever was expected of me.” Cat glanced away from him to the cars parked all around them. “Straight A student, band member, girl scout, all of that was someone else’s wish, not mine. But because I knew it was expected, I did it.”

“Why?” Jared frowned at her.

“To make people happy.” Cat shrugged.

“Why didn’t you just tell them to shove off?” he asked, disturbed by the vision of an unhappy little girl, trapped into doing things she didn’t like in order to please someone else.

“Because I didn’t have any backbone. Stop frowning.” She reached over and smoothed the wrinkle on his brow with her thumb. His forehead was damp with sweat, and her thumb slicked across his skin, causing his breath to hitch. “I was never unhappy. It’s just that there are things I wish I’d done that I never did.”

“Like what?” Jared growled, his voice dipping low in response to her touch.

“You’ll think it’s stupid.” She shook her head.

“No, I won’t.” He put his hand over his heart. “And even if I do, I promise not to laugh.”

“All right.” She tilted her head and her lips tipped mischievously. “I always wanted to play hooky.”

“Hooky?” He gaped at her.

“Uh-huh.” She nodded, watching him.

Jared tried not to laugh. He really did. He failed.

“Hey, you promised,” she chided him and reached over the seat to poke him in the ribs.

“I’m sorry.” He chuckled. “But you’re a teacher.”