Page 142 of To Catch a Latte Thick as Thieves

“Hello, sweetheart,” a familiar voice greeted her, and her eyes popped open in surprise. “As graceful as ever, I see.”

“Jared.” Cat blinked and then grinned. “Nice catch.”

“I think so.” They watched each other, awareness crackling between them. Cat glanced away first.

“You can put me down now,” she said as primly as possible, while brushing an invisible piece of lint from her shorts.

“No,” Jared refused.

“No? What do you mean ‘no’?” She frowned at him.

“Kiss me first.” He leered.

“Jared! Not here. Someone might see us,” she protested.

“The kids haven’t landed yet,” he said as he walked to the door and shut it with a kick. “Pucker up.”

His dimples deepened as his gaze captured hers. Cat felt her heart slam against her ribs and wound her arms around his neck. Unable to resist him, she met his lips with hers.

Jared gave in to his desire for her and slid his mouth across hers. Pulling her close, he leaned against the door and let himself get his fill of her. His lips left hers and trailed a path of kisses just below her ear and down her throat. Cat hummed in response and lifted her chin to give him better access. Jared smiled.

“You drive me crazy,” he said and pulled away, letting Cat slide down the front of him before he was tempted to go too far. The slide almost changed his mind.

“Ditto,” she sighed as she stepped back on wobbly knees. Taking a breath, she motioned to the poster that still hung precariously on the wall. “Could you finish that for me? I don’t think I’m steady enough to stand on a chair.”

“Sure.” He winked at her. “Want to hold the chair for me?”

“Humph,” she grunted and returned to her box of supplies.

They spent the afternoon decorating Cat’s room. She never asked him why he was there, nor did she try to kick him out. She was too happy to see him. It was all she could do to keep from grinning at him like a nitwit. It had only been a few days since she’d seen him, but oh, to her heart it felt much longer.

Jared left after seeing Cat to her car. She was surprised and not a little disappointed. She’d hoped to spend the evening with him, but with a quick kiss he was gone. Cat tried not to feel hurt, yet she couldn’t help but wonder at his abrupt departure.

It was better this way, she told herself. This was what she wanted. If she got used to having Jared around or allowed herself to depend upon him, then it would defeat her entire purpose for being here.

She spent the evening eating a solitary meal on her patio. Yes, this was exactly what she wanted, she told herself, ignoring the misery that assailed her. The shrill hum of a cicada broke the evening silence.

Its annoying buzz magnified the loneliness Cat felt. She glanced around the small backyard. A bug, a dog and a couple of sparrows, flitting in the trees, were her only companions. It should have been enough, but it wasn’t. A breeze ruffled the leaves of the lemon tree behind her chair, and she sighed. What was that old expression? Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. Wasn’t that the truth?

When she awoke with the sun early the next morning, Cat couldn’t deny that something was missing. That something was Jared. Wistfully, she wrapped her palms around her mug of coffee and watched Lucy romp around the backyard.

Lucy had grown so much over the summer. With an acute pang, Cat missed the days when Lucy was small enough to climb onto her lap. Now the little moocher took up half of the bed. She remembered the night they’d first arrived. She and Jared had awoken in the middle of the night to find themselves separated by thirty pounds of canine.

“Good morning, sunshine.” His voice was a whisper that swept over her skin.

Cat whirled around, one hand trying to fluff her sleep flattened hair while the other clutched her mug to her chest. Heat suffused her face as she fought to appear nonchalant at his sudden appearance. She failed miserably.

“Oh, hi.” Her voice cracked. She wanted to throw herself in his arms, but her bare feet refused to budge.

Lucy had no such reservations. Barking a greeting, she rushed Jared, not pausing until she stood braced on her back legs with her front paws on Jared’s hips as she begged for pats and tried to lick his face.

“Now how come you never rush into my arms like that?” Jared chided her as he hugged the dog.

“Bring me a treat and I might,” she teased, feeling her equilibrium returning. She was heartbreakingly glad to see him. She wouldn’t think of all the reasons why this was bad. She would concentrate on him.

His blond hair looked windswept, and his bright blue eyes were shadowed with something akin to desperation. His hard physique was encased in a gray T-shirt, his usual faded jeans fit him like a second skin and were painfully familiar to Cat’s lonely memory.

“Do you want some coffee?” she offered, wanting to lengthen his visit as long as she could.