Page 130 of To Catch a Latte Thick as Thieves

“You’re going to be fine,” he reassured her, placing a hand on her thigh. “You always have been.” Cat shifted in her seat away from Jared’s touch. His touch made her think of sweat-slick bodies and soul-deep shudders. His touch was not conducive to calm, rational reasoning. And that’s just what she needed right now—calm, rational reasoning.

Last night had been the single most incredible experience of her life. Making love with Jared had been like running at top speed off one of those mesas and soaring. She’d never flown so high or so free.

Unfortunately when she landed, she’d landed with a thump. A thump of reality. She could try and ignore her feelings as much as she liked, but the fact was, she loved him. Heart, soul, mind and body. And last night had only made it worse.

She’d thought she could be a woman of the new millennium, one who could have an affair with a man and then forget him. What a crock! If she had a lobotomy, she couldn’t forget Jared, and now she’d be living as his neighbor for the next year!

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

“That a year is an awfully long time,” she answered.

“I’m willing to keep you occupied,” he offered with a wolfish grin.

Cat felt a swirl of heat coil inside of her. The man was pure devil, and he knew it. But somehow he’d made her feel better.

They stopped at a Denny’s in Holbrook at midday. Cat was too nervous to eat. She sipped an iced tea while Jared ordered a grand slam something or other. They were just hours from her new home and the anticipation was killing her. With three thousand miles of road behind them, it was hard to believe they were here.

The restaurant doors opened and Cat gasped. What were the odds? She grabbed Jared’s arm and pulled him down under the booth.

“Don’t look but the Bickersons are here,” she whispered.

Jared lifted his head and smacked it on the booth’s table. “Ouch!”

“I told you not to look,” she whispered.

“Why are we hiding?” he asked, rubbing his head.

“Because I think they’re following us,” she said.

“Why would they do that?” he asked. “That makes no sense.”

“Well, neither does the fact that they keep turning up when they’re supposed to be going to Florida, and yet here they are,” she said.

“Good point,” Jared said and tossed his napkin aside. “Come on.”

Jared took Cat’s hand and led her over to the Bickersons’ table. Fly was wearing his usual fishing cap and Mabel was wearing a denim shirt that sported a hot-pink fringe topped with magenta rhinestones. For a second Cat had trouble looking away from the dazzling sight.

“Hello, Fly,” Jared said. “Mabel. What are you two doing here?”

Fly yelped and frowned at Mabel. “What’d you do that for, honeybunch?”

“Do what, sweetie?” She blinked.

“Kick me,” he said. “You probably broke my leg.”

“I did not,” she snapped. “You big sissy.”

“Sissy,” he yowled. “Why I ought to—”

“Ha!” Mabel snorted. “You haven’t got the nerve.”

Cat squeezed Jared’s hand. This was getting ugly.

“And you two are in Arizona because...” Jared interrupted them.

“Fly wants to see the Grand Canyon,” Mabel said and glared at her husband. “Don’t you, pookie?”

“Yeah, buttercup,” he sulked. “That’s right.”