Page 143 of To Catch a Latte Thick as Thieves

“I’d love it,” Jared answered, ruffling Lucy’s ears one more time before pushing her feet off his hips.

Cat led him into the kitchen, aware of his every step, every glance, every breath. She poured his coffee with shaky fingers. “I wish we could have breakfast together, but I have to get ready for work.”

Jared shook his head at her.

“What do you mean?” She narrowed her eyes at him.

In answer, Jared strode to her phone and dialed. Cat watched in horror as he asked to speak with Principal Horvath. She waved her hands, frantically trying to stop him, but Jared ignored her.

Cat listened as he told the principal that he was kidnapping one of her teachers for the day. He explained that this teacher was new and hadn’t seen much of the desert and they couldn’t have that, now could they? He then proceeded to charm the principal until Cat could hear the woman’s laughter clear across the room.

As soon as he hung up, Cat launched into a sputtering speech. “Jared! You...how could you...I can’t...this is irresponsible, juvenile and utterly reprehensible. My students are counting on me. What kind of example am I setting by pulling this kind of stunt? You’ll just have to call back and say it was a gag.”

“Cat, school doesn’t start for two more days,” Jared interrupted her tirade by pulling her into his arms. “Your room is ready. Your lesson plans for the first month are good to go. You even have your principal’s blessing. Now come on, let’s go play hooky.”

Nonplussed, Cat felt his hands on her hips and promptly forgot her objections. “But...”

“No buts!” Jared spun her around and nudged her toward her bedroom door. She ditched her robe and stepped into the shower. She was touched more than she could say. A whole day of being bad? Catherine Levery had never had the luxury. With a wicked laugh, she decided she was going to enjoy it. No recriminations, no guilt.

“What do you want to do first?” Jared asked her as soon as they were settled in the Jeep.

Straightening the hat and glasses he’d dropped on her head, she refrained from asking if they were the same ones they’d used to sneak Lucy into the motel.

“Let’s just get out of town,” she suggested, not knowing what she wanted to do. “And then I’ll leave it up to you. You’re the tour guide.”

“Great,” Jared answered with a wink. “I have a few ideas.”

“I’m sure you do.” Cat frowned at him and slumped in her seat as the Jeep took off through her neighborhood. Playing hooky at her age – she must be out of her mind.

They stopped for coffee and donuts at a shop on the edge of town. Cat sat with Lucy while Jared dashed into the store. A whole day with Jared, her heart sang. Oh, how she’d missed him.

She wouldn’t dwell on her need to be independent, not today. Today she was at Jared’s mercy. It was disconcerting to realize there was no place she’d rather be.

“Plain or jelly?” he asked.

“Whichever you don’t want,” she said.

Jared glared at her. “Pick one.”

“Jelly,” she said.

“Good.” He laughed. “I lied. They’re all jelly.”

“What if I’d wanted plain?” she asked.

“Much as it pains me to admit it, I’d have gone back in and gotten you one.” He grimaced.

“I think that’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me.” Cat laughed, biting into her donut with gusto.

“Nah,” Jared disagreed. “That’s just what you for the people you love.”

Cat choked, and he thumped her on the back, his dimples bracketing his rogue’s smile. What did he mean? Was he trying to tell her...? No, he couldn’t mean... Could he? Cat’s brain stuttered to a halt.

A blue sparkle caught her eye as they passed the RV park at the edge of town. She was still mulling over Jared’s words and it was a second before she turned her head to see what was making the blue flash. By the time she turned to look, it was gone.

Her first thought was that it was another of Mabel’s outlandish outfits. Great. Now she was seeing things. The Bickersons must have made more of an impression upon her than she realized. Sometimes she was sure she was still being followed. But that was impossible. What could the Bickersons possibly want with her?

Jared turned down the lane to his ranch, parking beside one of the large buildings behind the house. Cat followed Jared through the enormous double doors. An office and tack room were on the right and just beyond Cat could see an endless row of stables. Lucy followed with her nose pressed to the ground.