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Her uncertain expression says it all.
I step closer and take her hand in mine, flip it palm up, and drop the keys into the center, then fold her fingers around them. I should let her hand go and stop trying to force my car on her. But there’s new energy in the air. All our previous bickering and negative tension has been wrapped in her kindness. My previous frustration with my situation has shifted. The contact is completely innocent and should not in any way invoke the desire to lean in and kiss her, and yet I find my eyes darting to her lips. Which she licks.
“Okay?” She sounds more confused than anything.
“I owe you for last night.” I lift my gaze and get lost in her forest-green eyes for several seconds. At least until Josh clears his throat.
I reluctantly drop her hand and glance his way. It appears as though he’s trying to telepathically communicate his thoughts through his eyebrows.
“I’ll grab my purse and be on my way. Unless you need anything else?” Kitty crosses the room and picks up her oversized bag with a cat face on it.
“Nope! All good. I’ll touch base later.” I can’t tell if I’m making things better or worse.
“Sure.” She slips her feet into her cat-print flats. “I wanted to discuss me potentially staying the night at your mother’s place. I think part of the reason Prince Francis has been so destructive is because he’s not used to being alone so much. It might help to have someone in the house with him at night, and since that’s not safe for you, I’d be willing to give it a shot. Maybe we can talk that through later.”
“Yeah, absolutely.” I rush ahead down the hall ahead of her so I can unlock the door for her. “Thanks again for all your help. With everything. Especially the whole getting me to the hospital. Dying in my mother’s house in a pile of old trinkets is not the way I want to go.” Way to go, Miles. Ruin a perfectly good thank-you by talking about your potential death.
“I’m really glad I was there.” She adjusts her purse and gives me a small, uncertain smile. “Timing really is everything.”
“It is. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t arrived when you did.” I need to stop thinking about the what-ifs. It’s freaking me out. “And thanks again for spending the night.”
The sound of a cat meowing out a song comes from her purse. She digs her phone out of her purse and brings it to her ear. “Hello?” She makes a range of facial expressions as the voice coming through the phone rises in volume. “Oh, that’s not good at all. Have you tried the salmon treats? Those are his favorite.” She makes a kiss face for a moment and then taps her lip. I almost lean in, until I realize this is her thinking face.
“Hmm. Okay. I can be there in less than an hour. Just use your calm voice and try to relax. We’ll get him out.” She reassures whoever she’s talking to twice more before she ends the call.
“Is everything okay?” Clearly it’s not, based on the side of the conversation I heard, but I still feel compelled to ask for whatever reason.
“Bumbles is stuck in the wall.”
“The wall?” I echo. “How does a cat get stuck in a wall?”
“I’m not sure. But Mr. O’Toole has cataracts and hearing aids, so it’s very possible Bumbles isn’t stuck in a wall at all, and he’s just managed to climb into one of the cupboards again and can’t get himself out.” She readjusts her glasses again.
“That’s not good.”
“Not for Bumbles, no. I’m going to head there now. And thank you again for letting me take your car. I promise I’ll drive with the utmost caution.” She takes a step toward me and for reasons I don’t understand, I think it means she’s coming in for a hug. So I open my arms.
Her eyes flare. And in that moment, I realize she wasn’t coming in for a hug, she was just trying to get around me because I’m standing in front of the door. But I’m committed to seeing this through, even when she makes a surprised, squeaky sound.
As I wrap my arms around her, I manage to slam my elbow into the wall. I suck back the groan, because I don’t want to look like I can’t handle a little pain, but man, hitting your funny bone hurts like hell. For a couple of seconds, she’s frozen, but eventually her arms come around my waist, and she pats me on the back. Her nose bumps my pec before she turns her head. I wonder if she can feel or hear how fast my heart is beating. I glance down the hall and spot Josh peeking around the corner. Again, his eyebrows shoot up.
