“Did you? Then you must replace it your next payday, shouldn’t you?” Grimm caressed her hip, staring deep into her eyes.
“Yes, that’s a good idea. I will replace it when I get paid.” Tammy closed dazed eyes when Grimm pulled her even closer in approval.
Jericho thought Tammy would climax from the gesture, disgusted with the turn of events. He didn’t care about losing Tammy for the sex, what he did care about was getting rid of Cara.
“Now that I know she has relatives to take care of her, why should I take her back to my cabin? You can collect her when you’ve finished with her.” He gave a curt nod in Tammy’s direction.
“Well, that may take some time, and we don’t want Cara sitting here all alone, do we? After all, the enemies who are responsible for her vacation are looking for her.”
Cara stiffened, afraid not for herself, but for her sisters. If their unknown enemy was looking for her, it only made sense they would be searching for her sisters also.
“Besides, I would hate to make a phone call back to the Sheriff in Hardin to let him know that you’ve been with the woman he’s been searching for. I don’t know how these things work, but he might put you in jail for interfering with police business.”
Jericho knew when he was beat. He was stuck with her until the road opened and he could get her a room at the inn. How long could it take? A day at the most. Jericho was man enough to admit when he was outmaneuvered. However he simply couldn’t let Grimm leave without one final shot.
“When we meet again, I won’t be stuffed into a booth, unable to move,” Jericho threatened the last man he would ever want to make angry. Cara cast Grimm an imploring look not to hurt him.
Grimm turned back with the woman who was now whimpering with desire in his arms. He stroked her cheek. ”Just a few more minutes, kitten.” He turned his black eyes to Jericho. “The next time we meet, I won’t be there to protect Cara; it will be because I’m doing my job.” He hesitated long enough until he knew Jericho understood his deadly message. When Jericho met Grimm again, it would be because he would be there for his soul. Grimm couldn’t resist a taunting grin before he led the now panting waitress out of the restaurant.
Jericho turned backed to his now cold food. “Eat. I know you’re hungry.” Cara didn’t say anything, afraid he would leave her behind. He was furious with Grimm and Cara couldn’t blame him. In all fairness, he had seen that she was taken care of and she had repaid him by letting Grimm treat him abominably. He had broken into the privacy of his past, taken his woman and had threatened him in a roundabout way with Hell.
“I’ll get him. He can help me find a place to stay.” Cara started to rise from the booth and go after Grimm. She only hoped she could catch him before he got busy with Tammy.
“Sit down.” His harsh voice stopped her and she sat back down. “Eat.” Then his voice softened. “When you’re finished, we’ll head home.”
Cara nodded and dropped her head, shoving a forkful of food past the lump in her throat when he had said they would go home. Cara knew he hadn’t meant it the way she had taken it to mean, however she felt the warmth spread to her now human heart.
Chapter Eight
The ride back to the cabin didn’t take long. When they entered the cabin, Cara expected Jericho to leave her to her own devices, but she was pleasantly surprised.
“Would you like to watch some television?”
“Yes, thank you.” They settled on the couch and Jericho used a small remote to change the machine on the wall. Cara was fascinated as the glass-front machine changed pictures.
“What kind of shows do you like?”
“I don’t know.”
Jericho laughed at her. “I guess you don’t have television where you’re from.”
“No, we don’t.”
“Then you’re in for a real treat.” The pictures changed several more times before it stopped. Cara watched as two women talked then started eating something really fast.
“This is called reality television. Real people do things and people watch them at home.” They watched for several minutes until the program went off then Jericho turned the pictures again until another show appeared. “This is called a comedy.” It didn’t take long before her soft laughter filled the small cabin.
“Would you like a beer?”
“Yes.” Her throat did feel dry.
Jericho got up from the couch while Cara kept her eyes on the screen, trying not to notice how his faded jeans emphasized his well-shaped ass.
“Here you are; ice cold.”
“Thank you.” Cara took a small drink from the cold bottle. She knew she had discovered her second favorite thing about being human. It tasted slightly like ale, but a much weaker version. She could never stand the taste of the strong brew, but this was like a paler version and the coldness only accented its wonderful taste.
“Pretzel?” Cara took one of what looked like sticks, though it tasted crunchy and salty.
“I think I’m going to enjoy a few things about being human.”
Jericho laughed at her obvious enjoyment of the snacks. She even imitated him by putting her feet up on the small table before them, sinking back in a comfortable position on the old couch. He slid closer to her on the couch, letting his thigh brush against her softer one.
“What would you be doing if you were at home?”
“I would be riding or working. I often rode when I was bored, or watched the sky. My sisters each had their own pursuits. Zerina attends births, she loved walking; she would disappear several times only to come back with tales of lands she would go exploring. Broni loves to fight. She would watch past battles and replay them over and over again. She spends a lot of time exercising her body into exhaustion.”
“You had no interests to keep you occupied?”
“No, not really.” A small blush colored her cheeks.
“What?”
“I would often watch and play with the servants’ children.”
Jericho had seen the images of her playing with the children when Grimm had touched him. She had been running in a green field with the children chasing behind her. She had looked beautiful, from the few seconds he could remember, with her long, black hair flying around her face and her laughter filling his mind.
“I love children.” A soft look entered her eyes as wishful dreams swirled within.
Jericho had seen that look before on other women’s faces, so he did the only thing any normal, single, red-blooded male would do. He changed the subject by flipping the television channel until he found what he was looking for to distract her. A blood-chilling scream filled the room as a monster chased a man across the screen.
EWW! Cara was enthralled. She didn’t take her eyes off the television as the horror movie became even more gruesome. Jericho was surprised she didn’t cringe away and shudder at the massacre taking place. Instead, she was absorbed and started yelling suggestions at hiding places for the hapless victims. Jericho could not help laughing at her antics.
“Would you like another beer?” She nodded without taking her eyes off the movie. When he was in the kitchen, he put a pizza in the oven for later.
They sat for several hours, silently watching television and eating pizza. Cara was enjoying herself and so was Jericho.
“What are you smiling about?” Cara looked at him, seeing the smile. It was the first genuine one she had seen on his stern face.
“Nothing really, I was just thinking that this is a typical date for mortals then I realized it was a first for me also.”
“You never sat and had a movie date before?”
“No, I had other things on my mind,” Jericho confessed wryly.
“Such as?”
Jericho simply lifted a brow at her question.
“And you are not interested in me that way?”
“I definitely wouldn’t say that.” Jericho reached out and touched her creamy cheek, thinking that it could not possibly be as soft as it looked. H
e was wrong; it was like touching a piece of Heaven.
He knew this was a terrible idea, tried to draw back, but it was as if an irresistible force drew him towards her. He had never felt this way before and that in itself made his stomach clench in fear.
Determined, he forced himself away from her. He would have succeeded if he hadn’t looked into her eyes. She wanted him. He knew what that look meant and it had been a long time since he had a woman underneath him. He swore to himself that she wouldn’t be any different than any other woman he had taken to his bed. As long as she played by his rules, there was no reason they could not have an enjoyable time together. His reasoning took away the last of his restraint.