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his jeans. Ty pointed the way to his truck with his chin, anxious now to get this over with and escape from his self-imposed torture.
    “It’s the white Dodge over in the corner.”
    Katy nodded. “Good, you parked in the shade. It’s surprising how many people don’t think to do that when they have their pets in the vehicle.”
    Then she got a glimpse of Tiger yowling from its spot on his dash. “Oh, Ty, she’s so tiny.” Those four-inch heels clicked into overdrive as she hurried to his truck and tried the locked door handle. “Open up, she’s scared, the poor thing.” Her hand flattened against the glass as if sheer willpower alone could let her inside.
    Ty juggled his packages so he could drag the remote from his pocket. A double-click later all four doors were unlocked and Katy was leaning over his seat to reach the kitten. The back of her dress crawled into the danger zone, showing off her long, long legs.
    Sweet hell .
    His brow broke out in a prickly sweat.
    “C’mon, honey, I won’t hurt you. You’re so pretty, yes you are. Come here, sweetheart.”
    Ty muffled a groan. Katy’s crooning just about did him in right there. He wasn’t sure how Tiger held out, because if she used those words on him in that husky, sexy tone… he wrenched open the back door and dumped the groceries on the floor. A long, deep sigh later he closed the door, placed his hands on Katy’s waist and gently moved her aside.
    “Here, I’ll get her.” He climbed into the four-by-four and scooped the recalcitrant kitten into his hand. “Hey there, Tiger, good job protecting the truck. Come say hi to the pretty lady, and no scratching.”
    He nuzzled his nose into its soft, furry neck and then passed her down to Katy’s waiting hands, their fingers tangling for a too brief moment.
    “Hello, beautiful. What are you doing with this guy, huh?” She burrowed her face right into the same spot he had and everything inside him tightened painfully. She was killing him here.
    “You find that hard to believe, right?” he grumbled.
    She glanced up, her mossy green eyes soft with affection. “What?”
    His fingers wrapped around the steering wheel before he did what he craved. Bury his hands in that silken waterfall of hair, drag her close, and see if her neck was half as soft as the cat’s. “That anyone would want to stay with me of their own volition?”
    Katy frowned. “What are you talking about? I was teasing, Ty. Don’t make this into something it’s not.”
    Words to live by.
    He enviously watched her slender fingers caress the kitten until it fell into a light doze. Lucky cat.
    “Where did you get her?”
    Ty’s gaze rose to her lips. His inner sensor shut down, and the invitation erupted from his traitorous tongue before he had time to think it over. “Come for dinner and I’ll tell you.”
    The words hung in the air, accompanied by little bubbles of mistrust, betrayal, and attraction. This was a mistake. Whatever happened between the two of them years ago, it had ended in a spectacular explosion he wasn’t in any hurry to recreate.
    He opened his mouth, about to tell her to forget it, but instead became hooked by the swirling confusion in her jade green eyes. Instead of brushing her off, which would’ve been the smart move, he ended up practically begging.
    “Please.”
    He was so screwed.
    ~~~*~~~
    Katy couldn’t believe she was actually contemplating taking Ty up on his offer. What was that old adage? If you play with fire… oh, but the heat was an addiction. Her gaze danced over broad shoulders stretching the seams of his denim shirt across his back. And his muscular arm, highlighted by the folded sleeves, draped over the leather steering wheel with work-roughened fingers that were thick and calloused from hours of labor. So very different from Jeff’s clean, manicured hands.
    This was crazy.
    She looked away, across the parking lot, to give herself a moment to breathe. The trees wore their fall dresses in