She nodded, then shook her head as she put her arm up on the wall. “I’m good. I didn’t mean it like that.”
“I know. It was funny.” He cleared his throat. “What’re you doing tonight?”
“Working,” she replied hastily.
“Working more? You just closed your laptop. It’s dinnertime, anyway.”
“You were watching me?” What a creep!
“Not really. I just stood here for a minute or two playing with your cat through the window. Thought you would have seen me but, then again, you didn’t wake up when I was doing your yard earlier.”
This has gone way too far. I have to put a stop to it. “Sorry. I was really focused. I...”
Before she could give him a reason she was busy, Gray Cat bulleted in from the other end of the house and leapt into Cayden’s arms.
Lillian’s jaw dropped. “Gray Cat, what’re you doing?”
“I love Cayden,” said the guy in a high-pitched cat voice. “He’s my new best friend.”
“I’ve never seen her do that before. She usually doesn’t attach to people. Only Black Cat and me.”
“Tell her, Gray,” Cayden said to the animal. “Tell her we’re best friends now.”
“You can hold her, just don’t let her go out. I don’t want her out in the woods at night.”
“Why not? Lots of critters come out at night. Them’s good eats.” He tried to put the cat down, but she struggled to stay close to him. Cayden adjusted the cat in his arms and stood up. “I’m having a small get-together tonight with some buddies, if you want to come. Around 9:00 or so.”
I want to, she thought, but said, “I can’t.”
“Rather drink here alone?”
“I don’t really drink.”
“What was that earlier, then? Food poisoning?”
“I wish.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
She sighed, exasperated. “You ask a lot of questions for a stranger.”
Cayden lowered his head to nuzzle the cat. “She says we’re strangers,” he whispered. “But you and I aren’t strangers, right?”
“I need to rest early, so if you wouldn’t mind keeping your volume down a little that would be greatly appreciated.” She regretted how unfriendly the words sounded as they came out of her mouth, but there was no other choice. The last thing she needed was to fall for a guy.
Why would I fall for this guy? I hate his behavior and his weekend lifestyle. And he’s really rude for all that noise.
But he’s not rude for freshening up the yard and carrying you inside, contradicted another voice inside hernhead. What’s so bad about it, anyway? Gray Cat loves him. That’s unusual.
“So...you need to work, but you need to go to sleep early. What’s your real schedule?” A little smirk tweaked his lips and his eyes glimmered.
She felt her breath catch in her throat. He was just...so hot. Stop doing that smirk thing, dammit! I have stone-cold emotions, so why am I so malleable right now?
“I can’t come over, Cayden,” was the simple reply.
She saw him start to say something. Something probably charming that would make her wish she were more reckless. He never said it, though. With a little smile, he nodded and looked at the floor.
“Maybe some other time, then.”