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There was more than enough time for me to protest, and every single possible protestation stuck at the base of my throat, underneath that sharp-edged rock.
The deafening silence revealed something I wasn’t quite ready to reveal, and it left me feeling exceptionally naked in front of this man. Again.
Cameron pulled the truck in front of the guesthouse. “Why don’t you bring him inside? I’ll be back in a few minutes with some stuff.”
Panic gripped my chest. “What am I going to do with this thing?”
His smile was wide and unaffected, that fucking dimple popping again. “It’s five minutes, Ivy. You’ll be all right.”
I sighed. “Fine.”
As he’d instructed me to, I scooped my hand underneath the cat’s backside and carefully stepped down out of the truck and closed the door behind me.
“Five minutes?” I asked.
Through the open window, he nodded. “Maybe you can find a name for him before I get back.”
I blew out a slow breath while the truck eased back, then headed toward the barn.
Mew.
Glancing down, I arched an eyebrow at the nameless little beast in question.
“Well?” I said. “You heard the man. If you’re so intuitive about where you need to end up, maybe you should tell me your name.”
He wiggled in my hand, and I placed him down on the grass to see what he’d do. The kitten plopped his butt down on the grass and stared up at me with a tilt of his head.
When the edge of my skirt fluttered in the breeze, he stood, his tail twitching lightly. He pounced toward a tall blade of grass, and I felt the edge of my lips tug up in an unwitting smile. When I took a step toward the house, he paused and watched me, trotting after dutifully.
The front steps proved no problem at all, and he stood just behind my legs as I opened the door to the inside.
“Don’t get shy now,” I told him. “You’re already well versed in breaking and entering.”
I swear, that cat could understand me because after poking his head around me, he ambled into the house with a careless twitch of his skinny hips.
With my arms crossed over my middle, I followed as he sniffed around. My slippers were right where I’d left them, next to the kitchen table, and he batted at the top before flopping to the floor and stretching out onto his back.
My phone dinged, and I slid it out of my purse.
Greer: Are you coming back to the house?
Me: I’m not sure I have a reason to, unless there’s something you want to discuss.
Greer: I had an idea for a new railing for the stairs, but I can send you a link. Do you want me to drive your car back over there when I’m done? I’ll be heading to my parents when I finish up with some stuff here.
Me: If you don’t mind, that would be great. Keys are in the console. Cameron will be back soon. He’s just grabbing some cat stuff from the barn, whatever that means.
Greer: No rush! We don’t need him here. At all. He’s useless most of the time, anyway. So really … he can take his time.
“Subtle,” I murmured, tucking my phone away again.
Mew.
I glanced down, an eyebrow raised. He was sitting at the base of one of the planters, carefully lifting up on his back paws to sniff at the leaves of the massive plant Sheila had framed in the front window. He smacked at the closest leaf with his paw and then toppled backward.
With a sigh, I bent down and scooped him up. “No ruining the plants. Those aren’t mine, you know.”
Cameron’s truck pulled back up to the house, and I fought a ridiculous flutter in my stomach. It was so much worse when I knew I was going to be alone with him. The unexpected times were somehow much better for my nerves.
