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“Well, it…uh, it might have been something like that.” She clicked her fingers at Fang, trying to stop the inevitable flush from heating her face. “Not that I can remember exactly. Not that Icare.”
She didn’t dare look at him, but his amusement was tangible. Her lips twitched. A warning sign flashed in her head. She’d been forced to sever whatever connection they’d made that night, but nothing—not even his tiger rumble or her visceral memory of his kiss—would change her mind about selling Meow and Then.
She was no longer the girl who didn’t know how to stand her ground. To fight back.
A lock clicked into place inside her. No matter what Hunter said or did to try and convince her to sign the contract, she would refuse. And she wasn’t the one who needed a majority. All she needed was enough votes to prevent him from reaching his goal. She could still win. God knew she’d try her hardest.
Hunter eased closer to Fang. As much as Aria enjoyed his rumble, there was no way it would have an impact on the old defensive cat.
If it did, she’d have to give up her Cat Lady card.
Hunter stepped closer. Fang suddenly hissed and lunged, sinking his claws into the man’s leg before flying across the enclosure.
Told you.
Aria swallowed the snarky comment and instead asked, “Are you all right? That’s the first time I’ve seen him attack someone.”
“Yeah.” He glanced at the scratch marring the side of his leg. “Even Porkchop was easier to catch.”
“Two of the applications today were for Porkchop.” Aria walked toward Fang again. “No one has ever asked about adopting Fang, and I’ve had him for a while. He needs a special home situation too because of his socialization issues. If you go stand on the other side, I’ll put the crate in front of him. He might go in on his own.”
Hunter moved to stand beside the plastic fencing near Fang. Aria opened the crate door and set it near the cat. Fang’s whiskers twitched. He blinked.
“Get in there, man,” Hunter urged. “I’m sure when you get home, Aria will feed you.”
The sound of him speaking her name stirred her with warmth. The way he wrapped his deep voice aroundAriawas the aural equivalent of how it had felt when he’d folded her into his arms.
“Close it!” He darted toward her.
Aria jerked out of her reverie just in time to see Fang’s tail disappear into the crate. She hurried to close and latch the door.
“Nice work. You and I should start a cat-capturing service.” He flashed her a quick smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
God. He was sexy with a glower. He was devastating with a smile. She didn’t dare imagine what effect he’d have on her if he actually laughed.
Picking up Fang’s crate, he started for the van. Aria rolled up the plastic fencing and followed him. They got everything stored in the back, and he closed the doors.
“Do you want a ride to your car?” Aria pulled her keys from her pocket.
“No need. I walked from the inn.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “That’s clear across town.”
“Yeah. Good exercise.”
“Get in.” Against her better judgement, she indicated the passenger side door. “I’ll give you a ride back, but I need to drop the cats off at home first. Most of them hate being in the car, and they won’t tolerate a ride to and from the inn.”
“You don’t need to give me a ride.” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “I’ll walk.”
Aria let out her breath in an exasperated sigh. “Look, I appreciate your help with the cats, but I don’t want to owe you anything.”
Darkness flashed over his expression. “I didn’t help you because I expected payment. But if I did, I’d want a lot more than a ride in your old van.”
She looked up sharply, caught by the hard note in his voice. He closed the distance between them, his broad shoulders blocking the view of the park. Sunset light glowed on his hair. Awareness skated down her spine.
She lowered her gaze to his mouth, remembering with exquisite clarity how beautifully his lips had pressed against hers. How something inside her had come to life again.
Smothering the memory, she turned away. With their opposing positions, there was no way on earth she and Hunter would ever find middle ground. They were Batman and the Joker, Sylvester and Tweety, Frodo and Gollum.
