Page 120 of To Catch a Latte Thick as Thieves

“In a sense,” she said and he frowned. She turned away. “Don’t worry. I’m fine.”

6

The repaired van tookthem all the way to Amarillo that day. The panhandle of Texas was just as hot and dusty as Oklahoma had been, and it was with relief that they finally stopped for the night.

They settled into their motel room after a quick bite at a diner and a brisk walk around the parking lot with Lucy. Jared watched Cat curl up on her bed with a book. She hadn’t been herself since the van broke down. She was withdrawing into herself, and he felt helpless to stop her. He didn’t know what had upset her, and he had no clue as to how to get her to talk to him.

There was no chatter before bedtime. No midnight talks or make-out sessions. Jared found himself at a complete loss. This was what he’d wanted, wasn’t it?

In frustrated silence, he listened as Cat tossed and turned behind the blanket that separated their beds. He wanted to go to her, but common sense told him not to. Tomorrow would be soon enough to talk to her about Cameron.

Jared awoke to find the motel room empty. There was no sign of Cat, her voluminous overnight bag or the puppy. Panic struck him as hard as a hammer. Leaping from the bed, he grabbed his jeans and raced to the door.

He ripped it open to a wave of heat, and the sight of Cat and Lucy loping down the sidewalk toward him. Her eyes were on the two cups of coffee she carried in a cardboard cupholder. Jared’s gaze moved over her. Gone were the sexy tank tops and tight shorts he’d been tortured with for days. In their place, she wore blue shortalls and an enormous gray T-shirt. She looked cute.

“Where have you been?” he demanded more harshly than he intended.

Cat’s gaze shot to where he stood in the doorway, and her heart stopped in her throat. Wearing nothing save a pair of unbuttoned jeans, Jared took her breath away. His hair was tousled from sleep, and the grouchy expression he wore resembled that of a grizzly interrupted during hibernation.

The man was tan all over except for a small patch of white skin just visible above his waistline. Cat felt heat creep into her face as she was riveted by that skin.

“Well?” He frowned at her, his arms folded over his chest.

Cat tried to walk past him, but he blocked her path, letting only Lucy slip into the room behind him.

“May I come in?” she asked, fighting to keep her gaze on his and not on his body.

“Sure.” He smiled, but it was all teeth and no warmth. “When you tell me where you’ve been.”

“Excuse me?” Cat raised the cups of coffee as she strode past him. “It seems obvious to me. But just so we’re clear I don’t have to report to you.”

“No, you don’t.” He nodded, slamming the door behind them. “But it would be common courtesy to let me know where you are going.”

“You were asleep,” she protested, puzzled by this unexpectedly surly side of Jared.

“You could have woken me up.” He grabbed his shaving kit and stomped into the bathroom.