She paused and looked down at the pan. “I’ve never had them that way.”
“But you scramble your eggs in the bacon fat.”
“That’s how my dad always did it.”
“So your dad’s not a fan of sausage?”
She laughed. “How did we get on the subject of what my dad likes for breakfast?”
He smiled and went to the fridge. “Just making conversation.”
She could hear him rummaging around in the fridge. “What are you looking for?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why are you?”
“Killing time until breakfast is ready.”
“Here,” she said, handing him a plate. “Chow down.”
She turned back to take her plate off the counter and heard him move closer. “I never got to thank you last night.”
The depth of his voice had chills tingling up her spine and tying up her tongue. Finally she managed, “For?”
“Everything.” Turning her around to face him, he pressed his lips to her forehead, cheeks, and the end of her nose. Drawing her close, he rubbed his hands up and down her back and sighed. Picking up her plate, setting it on the table next to his, he told her, “That’ll have to hold me over until I see you tonight.”
Since her legs had turned rubbery, she sat down. “Are you planning on eating and running?”
He chewed and swallowed the mouthful he’d just shoveled in. “Precautionary measures.” His dimple winked at her and she melted. “You might decide that if I kiss you again, you’ll be late, and I know how much you hate being late.”
“That’s too bad.” She speared a piece of sausage and bit into it. When she felt his gaze on her, she fought against the urge to laugh out loud. Gotcha!
“Are you going to keep me in suspense or tell me?”
She sighed. “I was going to try to convince you to try a quickie on the table after we cleared it off and put the dishes in the dishwasher.”
His nostrils flared, and she knew he was imagining what she had while she’d been cooking. “I like the way your mind words, Mulcahy.”
“It’s a gift,” she said, sliding off her chair and rinsing her dishes in the sink. When she would have put them in the dishwasher, he stayed her hand and pulled her toward him. “But the table’s not clear.”
“We can try it out later tonight.” His eyes gleamed. “I’ve been wanting to lean you over the counter since I first saw you here. Let me tell you what I’ve been thinking.”
Caught up in the moment and his wicked whispered words, she didn’t hear the house line ringing until she heard the answering machine click on and start recording.
“Jack,” she heard a deep voice say, “are you there?”
He groaned and refastened the top of her jeans. “Later,” he promised. “I’ve got to see what my dad wants.” He picked up the phone. “Hey, Dad, what’s up?”
Cait could tell from his expression that it was something he needed to concentrate on, so she busied herself cleaning up. Satisfied that she’d left it at least as clean as she’d found it, she slipped out of the room and used the bathroom. Borrowing some of his toothpaste, she scrubbed her teeth with her finger and rinsed her mouth.
“I’ll have to start carrying a toothbrush and spare clothes with me.” The funny feeling inside of her had her shaking her head. “It would be easier to leave stuff here, but his parents are going to be visiting soon…not happening while they’re here…way too awkward.”
With a glance at the clock, she figured she could beat Grace to the shop and snag one of the clean shirts they kept there for emergencies. Walking back into the kitchen, she was surprised to see that he was still on the phone. He smiled up at her and mouthed, “See you tonight.”
She blew him a kiss and watched him catch it. She was grinning as she drove to town. “Clean shirt first, then Rhonda’s.”
Glad to be in a fresh shirt, she walked into the Gazette’s office and tapped the bell Rhonda kept on the counter. “Be right there,” her friend called out.
While she waited, she texted Peggy to say she’d be there in five.
“Hey, Cait,” Rhonda said, coming in from the back. “I was just going to call you. You’ll never guess what I found out.”
“Probably not,” she agreed. “So?”
“Ms. Bonita Blackwell’s been in the news,” Rhonda told her. “Apparently, her good works include saving the life of a little black puppy she adopted from the pound and making a huge donation.”
Cait felt her stomach slowly turn. “And?”