The Keys to Jericho (26 page)

With a nod, I sigh. “Okay. We’ll pick up again tomorrow.” I touch her shoulder and glance at the car. We slowly walk toward the flashing lights and it occurs to me that nobody stopped to even ask if we needed to call someone. Though she has a phone, it worries me when Kat will be by herself when I’m gone. I still wouldn’t want her stuck on the side of the road with nobody around to help her. Damn it. Why am I thinking of that shit now?

When I pull the car onto the road, she asks, “So, am I going to be driving
all
of Independence Day weekend?”

“Oh. I thought Dash told you.”

“Told me what?”

“Shit. I’m going to his dad’s beach house for the weekend with him and Rio. I’m leaving Thursday afternoon and will be back Sunday night.”

“Oh.” Glancing away from the road, I see her face fall, even in the darkened car. “I’m sorry. I thought he mentioned it or I would’ve told you sooner. You actually get a break from me.”

“I need a break from driving. Not you.”

Astonished by that response, I practically stutter as I look at her again, “What?” I lick my lips as I watch the road, still dazed. “I thought you’d be fed up with me.”

“Nope.” She sniffs again and when I turn to quickly look at her, she’s staring straight ahead.

Having no proper reply for her that I can think of, I instead say, “You can drive tomorrow and then have a break from driving before we’ll kick it into high gear.” I smile at my pun and glance at her, but she doesn’t look back at me, so I return my gaze to the road. “That sounds good, right?”

From the sideline of my vision, I see her shrug. “Can’t we do something else?”

I warily ask, “Like what?” Is she going to have me work at her mom’s tomorrow? Shit. I really don’t feel like doing that. I’d rather…just be with Kat. Almost two weeks ago, I couldn’t wait to get away from her.

“Go to Quiet Waters?” Not what I expected.

“The park? For what?”

Turning to her, I see her shrug again, but she doesn’t look up from her lap. “Time to regroup?”

“You have to do some driving tomorrow before I leave Thursday.”

“And if I refuse?”

When I look at Kat, her eyes are intent on mine as I warn, “Oh, Kit Kat, there will be hell to pay. I promise you that. If you think I’ve been an asshole tonight, just test me tomorrow and you’ll see a whole new rank.”

She shakes her head and scoffs before turning away. “Why do you care?”

My grip on the steering wheel is sharp, and so is the pain that follows. “Because I do.”

“
That’s
not a real answer.”

“Well, that’s
my
answer.”

Nothing else is said until I pull up to her apartment. The awkward silence that follows is more painful than during the drive, until she asks, “Do you want to come in for a little bit?”

Before I can say yes—against my better judgment—in my side mirror, I see her mom walking toward Kat’s apartment. “Your mom is here? Now?”

“Oh.” She turns to look and sounds disappointed when she says, “Yeah. She’s temporarily my neighbor, but she seems to be at my place. A lot.” Shit. Maybe that’s a good thing.

Taking the opening for me to exit, I tell Kat, “I’m just going to go. I’ll take you to the park tomorrow afternoon, but you
will
drive after that.” She nods as she glares past me.

“Hey, guys!” Brenda cheerfully greets into my open window. “What’s going on? How’d driving go?”

“Fine, Mom.” Kat’s tone seems to be edgier than normal, so I promptly peer over and see her giving her mother a strange look. What did I miss?

“I made an apple pie, if you both want to come over and have a piece.”

“It’s late, Mom.”

Brenda glances at her watch. “It’s 9:01. Jared, why don’t you come over with Kat and have some pie?”

I politely smile, hoping it’s sufficient for her to back the fuck off. “As tempting as that sounds, no, thanks. I’m going to go home.”

“Give me a minute,” Kat rigidly says to Brenda, who strangely smiles at her daughter as she swiftly backs away from the car.

Brenda imparts with, “Okay. Take your time, Katydid.”

When she starts walking back to her apartment, I turn to Kat and questioningly laugh. “
Katydid
?”

“Yeah.
Jericho
.”

“That’s adorable!” I tease her. It would be such a missed opportunity not to.

She smiles. “I like
Kit Kat
so much more.”

I shake my head. “Oh, no. That’s boring.”

“Not to me.” Kat’s smile extends, brightening her face and I involuntarily smile. She says, “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I guess so since you’re stuck with me.”

Her smile endures, which is much more preferred than seeing her in tears. “I like being stuck with you, Jericho. Thank you for not giving up on me.”

“I won’t. I’ve told you that.” I reach over and jokingly tap her on the side of her head. “Get it into that head of yours, Kit Kat.”

From nowhere, Kat grabs onto my arm and pulls her upper body closer to me, which renders me speechless and unexpectedly…nervous and uneasy. I think I gawk at her as such, too. Christ. If I start drooling, I may as well change my name to Dash Calder.

Almost nose-to-nose to me, Kat whispers, “You didn’t call me
baby
.”

I swallow, suddenly hoarse, trapped in my own game that I started. I endeavor to be casual when I repeat, “Get it into that head of yours…baby.” Fuck me. I like calling her that, and I’ve never called a girlfriend by that name before. However, Kat isn’t my girlfriend and never will be.

What the hell is wrong with me then?

Grinning, she quietly says, “I’ll try. Just for you.” As I gape at her lips, I have the familiar and relentless urge to kiss her, but I refrain, assuming she doesn’t want me to kiss her, and if I did, she’d laugh or think less of me.

I spontaneously joke in return, “Just for you…what?”

She softly laughs and leans in to whisper in my ear, “Just for you, honey.” Without predicting it, she kisses my cheek, her lips moving against me as she says, “Thank you again for your faith in me, Jared.”

And just as fast as she did that, she exits the Altima faster, leaving me stunned, alone, and hard, which is beginning to feel like a rule in itself when I’m with Kat. Cold showers are way past annoying, but they’re a recent necessity, along with now jerking off every night.

I’m
the one who’s clueless? Kat Merrick has
no
fucking clue what she’s done to my life.

CHAPTER 15

“How’s Kat doing with driving?” my dad asks as I walk toward the construction, which looks like a house now with the siding and shingles finished. He’s barely let me get two feet from the Altima before accosting me and even though it’s mid-morning, I’m not even fucking awake yet.

With a scratchy voice resembling his, I blearily answer as we walk, “Good.”

“You got in kind of late. Are you having Kat drive at night yet?”

“Early evening. Not night.”

“Is she getting better?”

“Yep.”

“Is she reading a manual, too?”

“Yep.”

“Make sure she knows how to put air in a tire and change a flat.”

Glancing at him, I unsurely laugh. “Whose dad are you?”

His lips push flat together, and adjusting his tie, he says, “I’m only checking to see if you’re covering the bases.” Still in baseball mode, I see.

“Got ‘em.”

You’re going slow with her, right?” Painfully. In all ways possible.

“Yep.”

“Do you hang out with her after driving?”

I stop walking and he regards me curiously. “Actually, I make her park on the side of the road so I can have sex with her in the back of Grandma’s car. You know, as a form of reimbursement for services rendered. Last night was particularly super-hot and heavy.” Damn it. I’m getting turned on. “We tried not to make a mess or get arrested, but I think we wore a hole in the upholstery. I sure hope Grandma doesn’t mind the burn marks and the flat tire.” Jesus. I want that to happen.

“Okay, Jared. I was just asking what you two were doing besides driving. I guess I wondered if you were friends.”

“Why didn’t you just ask that instead of sounding like a creepy Internet predator?”

Propping his hands on his hips in his authoritative dad stance, he rolls his eyes and sighs. “Are you and Kat friends?”

“No. I can’t stand being around her.” I bite the inside of my cheek, so I don’t laugh from the irritated look on his face.

“You’re not the easiest person to talk to. I thought maybe she really had a problem with your mouth.”

“Nope. No complaints from her about my mouth. Kat says I have a special skill.” I impishly smile as I push up the bill of my ball cap. Dad catches my sarcasm, but is none too happy about it, since his frown is immediate.

“Very mature of you.”

I shake my head with a laugh as I start to walk again. Dad walks with me and I ask, “Why are you here anyway? Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

“I had a meeting downtown and I wanted to stop by before heading back.”

“To check up on me?”

“No.”
Lie.
He says, “I hope you are being nice to Kat.”

Stopping again, a sour expression covers my face, as Dad turns around to see me not moving. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

He sweeps a hand through his graying, brown hair. “I see how you treat…certain people.”

That puts me on the defensive right away. “She’s not
certain people
.”

He quickly nods. “I know that, but what
is
she to you then?”

Getting pissed off, I lick my lips and snap, “What are you getting at
now
?”

My dad’s light brown eyes dart to the sides of us before he asks, “I know you joke about it, but are you…dating…Kat?” Not up for discussion.

I cross my arms and appear confused. “Dating Kat? No. I just have her drive to places where we can have sex.”

He sighs heavier than last time. “I’m being serious.”

“I’m not?”

“So, you don’t have any feelings for her?” My joking attitude drops like the blade of a guillotine.

Scowling at him in disbelief, I take a step back. “Fu—What? Really, Dad? Why does everybody need to analyze my feelings for her because we’re spending time together in a car? We’re friends. That’s
not
unheard of.”

“She’s a nice young lady, Jared. Brenda said Kat has had a hard time since her accident. Don’t give her more of a hard time.”

“I’m not making her
push
the car home.”

His condescending frown returns. “I’m not joking. I don’t want you breaking her heart.” Oh, he didn’t just say that.

“What the hell?”

He says, “I know you say you’re just friends, but does
she
know that? I think Kat is hoping for more.”

“Wait. How do
you
know that?”

Dad shrugs. “I can see it. Her mom can see it.”

“And I’m just too stupid to?”

“You’re not. I just think you need to take a step back to see it.”

“If Dash didn’t read it in an astrological forecast, then it’s not true.”

He ignores my comment, as usual. “You don’t want to ask her out?”

I laugh at his tenacity, but then become further annoyed. “Come on, Dad! I’m not talking about this with you!”

His arms lift from his hips. “Why not? You know you can tell me anything.”

“Not really. You’ll only compare me to Hadley.”

My dad looks completely baffled by that accusation. “No, I won’t. I love you both.”

“Just not the same.”

“Jared, my love for each of you is unique to fit the individuals you are, but the amount is equal. I could never love one of you more than the other. It’s unfeasible.”

Not wanting to argue about that subject here, I go to walk again, but he grabs my arm. “Please take what I said about Kat seriously.”

I impatiently sigh, hating to have to repeat myself. “We’re only friends.” Then I angrily roll my eyes, repeating him this time. “I wouldn’t want to ‘break her heart’ anyway.”

“If you
are
serious about Kat, then you can go out with her.”

Being overdramatic, I imagine, I clasp my hands together and vastly smile. “Gee whiz, Dad. Thanks for the permission.”

Ignoring my tone, he says, “I don’t want you hurting her.”

I laugh because it’s not even funny. “Not only that, but because your assistant’s feelings are more important than mine, right?”

“No!” He shakes his head and lowers his voice like he’s revealing KFC’s secret recipe. “That’s not what I’m saying. You’re leaving in a little over a month.”

Returning my arms over my chest, I rigidly answer, “I’m aware of that.”

“Don’t bait her and run. I’ve been through that, and it still hurts.” Now, he’s comparing me to my mother? Fuck, no.

Grinding my teeth, I seethe, “I’m
not
doing that to Kat.”

“I’m not saying for you two not to give it a try, but don’t just romance her and then cut her loose right before you leave.”

I cringe. “I don’t even know what
romance her
means.”

He shoves his hands into his pockets and bows his head. “Don’t make her fall in love with you and then dump her, Jared.”

“Like I have that kind of influence over her. I can’t make her do anything, and it’s not my fault what she does.”

Dad lifts his head and his tone becomes accusatory. “And right there is what I’m talking about. You never let your emotions get involved and you’re never responsible for anyone else’s feelings, either. You seem to plow through life without feeling at all.” He thinks I’m a fucking robot, too?

“I’m not an android.” I put my hands on my hips and check around us for eavesdroppers before looking back to him. “Why are we having this conversation this morning? Here?”

“Because when we
are
alone, we don’t talk about anything that matters, and I’ve noticed that ever since you started talking to Kat, there’s been something different with you, underneath the contempt.”

My head falls back and I growl in frustration. Looking him in the eye again, I say, “I don’t know how many times I have to tell people this, but I’m the same person I’ve always been. Maybe everyone else around me is just realizing that they’re the ones with the problem. And I don’t know what you
see
, but Kat and I are friends. Don’t read any more into it.”

“You’re not going to be in Annapolis much longer. I just want you to be careful with her.”

“I am. And for your information, no. I’m not having sex with her, so you can run back to Brenda and tell her that, too.”

“Jared, that’s not what we talk about. These were just
my
concerns.”

“Well, you can stop with your
concerns
. I’m helping her with driving. Nothing more. She works the steering wheel, not my dick.”

He snaps, “Jared Beckett, that’s enough.” Still only two names. Damn it, and I thought that was a good attempt at a trifecta.

I laugh at his exasperation. “That’s me.”

Suddenly, I’m smacked on the back. “Hey, Mr. Beckett! Jericho!”

Dad slaps on a smile, making an effort with his greeting. “Dashiell.”

“Calder,” I blandly say, as I busy myself fluffing my hair before spinning my bill to the back.

My dad sighs. “Well, boys. Have fun and stay out of trouble.” He glances at me, definitely meaning, “Keep your inhuman hands off my assistant’s daughter.”

Dad heads to his truck. Yeah, he wasn’t checking up on me.

Dash asks, “Ready for tomorrow?”

Since my dad’s debriefing is over and I’m not distracted, I glance around for Kat. “You know it.”

“The Jacuzzi is waiting for me!” Dash fist pumps and I resentfully roll my eyes.

“Don’t let Rio and his caretaker in there alone together. It’ll need drained and scrubbed again. With bleach. Twice.”

Dash flicks his head, his blond hair shaking out of his eyes. “Oh, Jericho. Jeez. They’ll behave.”

“I swear to God, if I hear them fucking, I’m going to throw all of you into the ocean or set some beds on fire.”

Looking as if he just sucked a lemon, he says, “That’s a little much, especially saying that where a house burnt down.” Maybe somewhat. I inhale and covertly look around for anyone that may have heard. I wouldn’t have wanted Kat to hear me say that. Anyone else, whatever.

I lower my voice and warn, “It’s still a fact, so make sure there are extra fire extinguishers.” I’d at least have the decency to remove the mattresses from the house before I torched them. I’m not
that
much of a dick.

“Chill.” Dash rolls his eyes, but suddenly grins. “I’ll tell them to use gags over their mouths when they fuck.”

“Thanks for that mental picture, ass.”

“Rio’s bed is against the far wall in his room. We’re not going to hear anything from our rooms.”

From behind me, Kat asks, “Hear what?” Not awkward.

Dash laughs as he digs out a purple sucker from his pocket. “Rio having sex.”

Kat laughs with him. “What the hell did I just walk into?”

Popping the sucker into his mouth, he says a muddled, “You don’t want to know.”

When I look next to me to see Kat, her wavy, purple hair is bunched on top of her head, and she’s wearing another one of her thin tank tops that showcases her perfect tits. Instantly, I think what it would feel like for her nipples to harden beneath my fingers, and on my tongue. Not a good thing to think of right now.

“Jared?”

My gaze flies to her face. “What?” I need to focus more. Shit.

Kat smiles at me. “What were you thinking about?”

Removing the sucker, Dash retorts, “You don’t want to know that, either.” He snickers, so I shoot him an ominous look, making his stupid grin take a hike.

Looking at Kat, I nod to the street. “Ready to go?”

Her glowing brown eyes shine back at me. “Yes.”

As we head to the car, Dash shouts, “Have fun frolicking at the park, Jericho! Take pretty pictures!”

I yell over my shoulder, “Fun, like you cleaning up mattresses?”

“Hilarious!”

I ask her, “How’s he know where we’re going?”

“I mentioned it to him. Sorry.”

I shrug as I notice the basket she’s carrying. “What’s that?”

“A basket.”

“Well, now. I never would’ve deduced that. What’s
in
it?”

She laughs. “Lunch and snacks.”

“We’re going to be at the park
that
long?”

“You never know. We could be there all day.”

I narrow my eyes with a scowl. “Nice try. You’re driving later.”

I open the passenger door for Kat and take the basket from her, putting it on the floor of the backseat. When I’m behind the wheel, she asks, “Do I still not want to hear what that was about with Dash?”

Starting the car, I shrug. “Just setting some ground rules for this weekend, like promising that if I hear Rio fucking during our trip, there will be consequences.”