Page 83 of To Catch a Latte Thick as Thieves

When he’d agreed to do this favor, he’d been under the misconception that he’d be baby-sitting a nerdy, absent-minded professor type. Cameron obviously suffered from the brotherly disorder of not seeing his sister as a strikingly attractive woman.

Jared understood. He had a sister of his own. But this was not his sister, and the response she kindled within him was anything but brotherly.

She sat beside him, sitting on the edge of the chair as if uncertain of her safety within such close proximity to him. Smart girl. The scent of her unexpectedly spicy perfume lingered in the air between them, teasing him.

“Cam told me that you intend to hitchhike home,” she began, her voice softly chastising. “That’s not a wise thing to do.”

“He told you...” Jared shook his head in disbelief. He had a feeling Cameron Levery was going to owe him one after this. “I...uh...of course, you’re right.”

“That’s why I think it would be a good idea if you drove out west with me,” she offered.

“Is that an invitation?” he asked, amused by her matronly disapproval.

“Yes, it is,” she assured him.

“I’d be happy to make the trip with you,” Jared lied. He would just think of her as a surrogate little sister, he told himself. That should cure any attraction he might feel for her. Absolutely.

A gnawing sound drew her gaze from his.

“Lucy?” she called to the puppy at the end of the deck. “What have you got? Lucy?”

The puppy turned her back to them and continued chewing, but not before Jared recognized the object.

“Hey, that’s my sneaker!” he shouted and jumped from his chair.

“Lucy!” Cat scolded as she approached the dog. “Drop it.”

The black fur ball just looked at them and wagged her tail. Cat snatched the sneaker and handed it to Jared.

“Bad dog,” Cat scolded. “Bad.”

Lucy cocked her head and licked Cat’s hand. Jared didn’t think she looked a bit remorseful.

“She didn’t do any damage, did she?” she asked.

Jared slid the sneaker onto his bare foot. He looked down and saw his big toe staring back up at him.

“Oh, I am so sorry,” Cat said. “I’ll buy you a new pair.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He shrugged and resumed his seat. “They were old.”

“No, I insist,” Cat said. “It’s the least I can do.” Her little black puppy followed her, collapsed onto her Keds and began snoring.

Glancing down at the furry bundle draped across her feet, he asked, “Is she going with us, too?”

Her gaze followed his, and she smiled. “I hope you like dogs.”

Jared was more of a horse man, but Cat looked so cute with her big eyes, he had to lie. “Sure.”

He reached down to scratch the dog’s ears and was distracted by the soft puppy fur that covered the little head. He was gentle, stroking the puppy’s forehead with his thumb. A large, jaw-popping yawn was his only reward.

“Do you know what route you want to take?” he asked.

“I planned it all online,” she said. “I have the whole trip mapped out—places to stop, where to get a hotel, alternate routes in case of construction, that sort of thing. I know exactly how many miles we have to go each day in order to make good time.”

“Make good time?” he asked.

“Yes, school starts in two weeks and I have to be there. What? Is something wrong?”