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“Okay. Thanks.” She hesitated as though she had something else she wanted to say, but then she changed her mind and retraced her steps back to the sidewalk.
Avery ignored the throbbing pain in his leg as he watched Jillian walk away. Once more, an opportunity to kiss her had slipped through his fingers. And he had a feeling it would be his last chance. He told himself it was for the best, but it didn’t assuage his disappointment.
And to top it off, he got the distinct impression he was alone in that disappointment. Where Jillian had once been overly friendly and a tad flirty, she was now more reserved.
Had she moved on? Not that there had been anything between them, but somehow when he thought of her, he imagined her as single and available. But as he relived the events of the evening, he realized there definitely was something different about her—something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
Chapter Three
Don’t think about it.
Just pretend it never happened.
Avery attempted to banish the memory of holding Jillian in his arms, but it was impossible. Every time he closed his eyes, she was there—all of her curvy goodness pressed to him and her sweet scent teasing him. He inwardly groaned. And then there were her big blue eyes that felt as though they could see straight through him.
Maybe he had passed up a prime opportunity with her in the past, but he’d had to. His brother and sister had needed Jillian. And as he’d played a part in their parents’ deaths, it had been up to him to make sacrifices.
But that was then and this was now. His siblings were off making their way in the world and Jillian no longer worked for him. Maybe he shouldn’t write her off so quickly. There was time before he left town for them to hook up and find out if those sparks could ignite into flames of passion.
The thought appealed to him—a lot. But he recalled Jillian’s cooler than normal demeanor and her eagerness to pull away from him. Was it worth pursuing? Or should he leave well enough alone?
His eager imagination was getting the better of him. After all, it was good old Jillian. She was not some rodeo bunny. She was…she was Jillian.
Avery shook his head—willing the tangled web of thoughts to fade away.
He limped back to the truck. This sure wasn’t the rodeo season he’d been anticipating. He thought he’d be able to brush off this injury with a long weekend at home, but the more time that passed, the more his knee ached. He was beginning to think the diagnosis of four to six weeks to recuperate might be right. Still, it beat having surgery by a long shot.
He carefully hefted himself into the driver’s seat. After attaching his seat belt, he eased the truck back in gear. He gently let off the brake and crept the rest of the way home. He told himself that he was just being extra cautious as the road was treacherous. And since he was going this slow, it didn’t hurt to scan the road and sidewalks for any sign of Jillian’s cat. He knew it was silly. Cats could fend for themselves. If this Romeo didn’t head straight home, he would find a warm spot to curl up in for the night.
Avery’s destination was just a few houses up the street and there was no sign of a cat or any other living creature on this brutally cold evening. He slowed before turning into the driveway. Not exactly home sweet home. He got out and paused to grab his duffel ba
g from the back seat. He learned a long time ago to travel light. It made life so much easier.
Right now, he should be on his way to California for another event, not heading into this dark, empty house. There wasn’t even a porch light on. That’s because there wasn’t a soul there to greet him. Then he thought of Marshmallow. He wondered if the cat would be happy to be back in her own house.
Avery limped up the snow-covered walk to the front steps. He grabbed the banister and hefted himself up the steps, one at a time. His injured leg protested, but he didn’t let that stop him. He swung the door open and stepped inside. He dropped his duffel bag near the front door and then fumbled for the light switch before closing the door. Home at last.
Meow! Hiss! Hiss!
“Marshmallow?” Avery looked around, trying to find the unhappy feline.
It wasn’t like her to put up a fuss. She was usually a very sweet-natured cat. Something must be amiss. Avery took off in the direction of his sister’s bedroom. That’s where the cat spent most of her time. Marshmallow really missed Beth since she went off to college. And he was proving to be a poor substitute. Perhaps it was time to consider finding Marshmallow a permanent home.
Avery flicked on the light. Immediately he spotted Marshmallow on the bed. But a movement at the foot of the bed garnered his attention. A black cat stared at him and blinked his eyes.
“Where in the world did you come from?” Avery asked the cat.
Meow.
A bit surprised by the feline’s response, Avery said, “Sorry, buddy. I wish I spoke cat.”
Murr. Murr.
He studied the cat for a moment. It seemed docile enough. It was definitely someone’s pet. Its coat was black and white. And the tip of its tail was white. Was it possible this was Jillian’s missing feline?
“Well, you certainly are a chatty one.” Avery stepped further into the room. “Would you happen to be Romeo?”
The cat’s ears perked up. Murr.
