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“I’m assuming that means in our chaste, separate beds?”
“Don’t make fun of me,” she protested.
He kissed her forehead, tucking a few stray tendrils of hair behind her ears. “I’m not. Teasing is different. It’s kinder. Gentler.”
“Not from where I’m standing,” Cate grumbled. “I told you to go back to Atlanta. It’s fine.”
“AndItoldyouI want to stay. Celibacy never killed anyone.”
She pondered his wiseass remark. As far as she could tell, her arrival in Harry’s home must have constrained his sex life. There had been no visible girlfriend to be offended when he rescued Cate and let her stay.
But then again, Harry didn’t do girlfriends. Right? He was probably a love ’em and leave ’em kind of guy. So he must meancelibatein the context of their newly discovered sexual compatibility.
What she needed was for Harry to reveal himself as a man with indiscriminate tastes in women. That way she would be forced to see his true colors. She could break free of his spell.
Unfortunately, he seemed determined to stick close.
“We might as well walk tomorrow,” she said. “There won’t be any parking for miles. What if we head down here to the park at noon?” she said. “One of the local bands is putting on a bluegrass concert. We can get food from a street vendor. And then after that, shopping, of course.”
His lips twitched. “Shopping. Right.”
“I can come on my own.”
“Oh, no. You might buy a huge carved bear, and you’ll need me to carry it all the way to my car.”
Cate laughed. “Maybe I’ll stick to jewelry and candles.”
“And after the shopping?”
“We’ll go back to the house, pack up our odds and ends, and chill for a little bit.”
“Any dinner ideas? I’m assuming we’re not going to dirty up the kitchen.”
“I’ve reserved a table for two at The Peach Pit.”
Harry raised an eyebrow. “The bar takes reservations?”
“Only during festival weekends. They’re offering red and blue beer and appetizer sampler platters. All you can eat.”
“Count me in. So we’ll watch fireworks here on the quad?”
“No. I have a surprise location. Strictly need to know. But we’ll have to go get the car around eight thirty.”
“Sounds like you have everything all planned.”
She winced. “I know. It’s boring, right? I kind of like control.”
He leaned against one of the huge oak trees and folded his arms. The breeze ruffled his thick hair. “That’s partly why the wedding fiasco was so hard on you. It messed up your whole life plan. You felt adrift.”
Cate felt her face heat. “How do you know that?”
He smiled. “I’ve spent a fair amount of time with you, Cate. Enough to see that you don’t appreciate your own gifts and strengths as much as you should. And that you’re too hard on yourself. I’m all in favor of having plans. My whole career is centered around plans. They get me where I need to go.”
She searched his face, wishing his plans included her. But he was talking about business, not pleasure. When it came to things like sex, Harry was far more spontaneous.
Twenty-Four
Back at the house, Cate nearly caved. She wanted nothing more than to climb the stairs with Harry and end up in his bed or hers. The strength of that need made her shaky and weak.
