Page 127 of To Catch a Latte Thick as Thieves

Jared’s breath hissed from between his teeth. “Cat? What are you up to?”

“Up to?” She blinked. “Not a thing...yet.”

“You’re looking for trouble,” he observed. “Why?”

“Because, as I figure it, you owe me, Jared McLean.”

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“Owe you?” he repeated. Releasing her wrist, he rose from the bed, folding his arms across his chest and staring down at her. “Just how do you figure that?”

“You lied to me.” She glared up at him and crossed her arms over her chest, mimicking his stance.

“I explained about that,” he said, taking a step forward. Cat took a step back.

“What more do you want me to do?” He took another step forward. Cat took another back.

“I want you to make love to me,” she said, her voice gritty even to her own ears.

“Make love to you?” He took two steps forward. Cat took several back, until she felt the dresser at her back and knew she was stuck. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“Yes, I do,” she argued, not a bit intimidated when he placed a hand on either side of her, trapping her. “Are you attracted to me, yes or no?”

“Cat, how can you even ask that?” he groaned, lowering his lips to her throat.

“You wouldn’t touch me because of your friendship with my brother,” Cat said. “Are you worried about your friendship now?”

“Only with you,” he muttered against the tender skin below her ear. “Cat, I never wanted to hurt you.”

“Shh,” she ordered, not wanting to hear the words. She wanted only touches between them. Words hurt and, for once in her life, she was tired of them.

“Then make love to me. Please, Jared.”

Her pleas were his undoing. Instinct and need overrode any honorable scruples he might have suffered. Primitive wanting pounded him. He couldn’t fight it any longer. In the span of mere days, she’d wrapped herself around his heart like no one else ever had.

“Sweet, so sweet,” he muttered as his lips descended to hers. She was so soft, so warm and fragile. He couldn’t get enough of her. He buried one hand in the fine tendrils of her hair and curved the other around her hip, pulling her up against him until she cradled him.

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