Page 82 of Romance and Peppermint Lattes
“Hello, Paul,” Cait greeted him cheerfully. “Are Lindy and I disturbing you? We’d be happy to go into the hallway if you’d like.”
“No, no, you’re fine. Don’t worry about it.” He looked past them to the doorway and got to his feet. “Hello, Rockwell.”
“Am I interrupting a meeting?” Joe asked, stepping into the office as if it didn’t really matter whether he was or not. His hard hat was back in place, along with the dusty jeans and the tool pouch. And yet Cait had no difficulty remembering last night’s sophisticated dinner companion when she looked at him.
“No, no,” Paul answered, “we were just chatting. Come on in. Problems?”
“Not really. But there’s something I’d like you to take a look at in the other room.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Joe threw Cait a cool smile as he strolled past. “Hello, Cait.”
“Joe.” Her heart was pounding hard, and that was ridiculous. It must have been due to embarrassment, she told herself. Joe was a friend, a boy from the old neighborhood; just because she’d allowed him to kiss her didn’t mean there was—or ever would be—anything romantic between them. The sooner she made him understand this, the better.
“Joe and Cait went out to dinner last night,” Lindy said pointedly to Paul. “He took her to Henry’s.”
“How nice,” Paul commented, clearly more interested in troubleshooting with Joe than discussing Cait’s dating history.
“We had a good time, didn’t we?” Joe asked Cait.
“Yes, very nice,” she responded stiffly.
Joe waited until Paul was out of the room before he stepped back and dropped a kiss on her cheek. Then he announced loudly enough for everyone in the vicinity to hear, “You were incredible last night.”
ChapterFour
“Ithought you said nothing happened,” Lindy said, looking intently at a red-faced Cait.
“Nothing did happen.” Cait was furious enough to kick Joe Rockwell in the shins the way he deserved. How dared he say something so... so embarrassing in front of Lindy! And probably within earshot of Paul!
“But then why would he say something like that?”
“How should I know?” Cait snapped. “One little kiss and he makes it sound like—”
“He kissed you?” Lindy asked sharply, her eyes narrowing. “You just got done telling me there’s nothing between the two of you.”
“Good grief, the kiss didn’t mean anything. It was for old times’ sake. Just a platonic little kiss.” All right, she was exaggerating a bit, but it couldn’t be helped.
While she was speaking, Cait gathered her things and shoved them in her briefcase. Then she slammed the lid closed and reached for her coat, thrusting her arms into the sleeves, her movements abrupt and ungraceful.
“Have a nice weekend,” she said tightly, not completely understanding why she felt so annoyed with Lindy. “I’ll see you Monday.” She marched through the office, but paused in front of Joe.
“You wanted something, sweetheart?” he asked in a cajoling voice.
“You’re despicable!”
Joe looked downright disappointed. “Not low and disgusting?”
“That, too.”
He grinned from ear to ear just the way she knew he would. “I’m glad to hear it.”
Cait bit back an angry retort. It wouldn’t do any good to engage in a verbal battle with Joe Rockwell. He’d have a comeback for any insult she could hurl. Seething, Cait marched to the elevator and jabbed the button impatiently.
“I’ll be by later tonight, darling,” Joe called to her just as the doors were closing, effectively cutting off any protest.
He was joking. He had to be joking. No man in his right mind could possibly expect her to invite him into her home after this latest stunt. Not even the impertinent Joe Rockwell.
