Read Online Jaguar Pride by Terry Spear - Free Book Online Page B

know.”
    â€œRight. I’ll fix us breakfast first thing in the morning, and you can pack the car.” Melissa called the boss. “Martin, Huntley and I have decided to take a road trip.”
    Huntley glanced in Melissa’s direction. There was a lengthy pause. She smiled.
    â€œTo Amarillo,” she told the boss.

Chapter 5
    Once the movie was over, Melissa finished her laundry while Huntley made the sofa into a bed. She had never done this before—stayed overnight with a male cat that worked with her. She was afraid that if things didn’t pan out, working with him on future missions could be tense. And yes, she was thinking of more than just staying at his place for a couple of days. That’s when she realized that being with Oliver had been a way to ensure she didn’t have problems with her work relationships.
    It had been the same way with other cats she’d dated. No involvement with her in her work, and frankly, she’d had similar problems with them. Not exactly the same—but the issue of her being gone on a lot of assignments did mess up relationships.
    She also realized, as she took great care to remove her clothes from the dryer and repack them, that she was feeling both apprehensive and excited, as well as a flutter of panic to think she would be sleeping with Huntley in his bed when she was more than a little attracted to him. She hated to admit it, but she had really been envious that he went home after missions to Genista, an attractive she-cat fellow agent, while Melissa had to go home to sedate, never-do-anything-wild Oliver.
    She heard Huntley cleaning the already-clean kitchen and wondered if he was feeling as anxious and unsettled as she was about sleeping together. Probably not.
    She heard him use the bathroom, but she still couldn’t force herself to go to the bed. She finally took a deep breath, carried her bag to the sofa bed, and set it next to the frame. Did he have a favorite side to sleep on?
    Hers was the right side of the bed. Not that it would really matter. She was just a guest, and she could deal with it.
    He left the bathroom and smiled a little. She swore he looked as anxious as she felt. This so felt like a first-time one-night stand, when she only meant to sleep here. At least for the night. Then they’d be back on a mission and back to business.
    â€œI’ll be right out,” she said, not having to use the bathroom again. She’d already brushed her teeth, used the facilities, changed into a tank top and shorts, and was ready for bed. But…
    When she came out of the bathroom, Huntley was in bed on her side . If it had been her bed.
    â€œDo you want to leave a night light on in the bathroom?” he asked. “In case you get up in the middle of the night and get disoriented.”
    She smiled at him and turned off the light. “I’ll be all right.” With her cat’s night vision, she would be fine. She made her way to the bed, climbed onto the mattress, and rested on her back like he was doing, except that his hands were locked behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling.
    â€œIf I try to take over too much of the bed, just poke me with your elbow,” he said, glancing at her. “I’ll move over.”
    â€œWhat if I try to take over too much of the bed?”
    â€œYou’re welcome to try.”
    She swore there was an invitation in his comment. He pulled the covers over them. She felt awkward. It was crazy, really. If she’d been in bed with Oliver, they would have turned away from each other, him fuming that she’d been sleeping with male agents, and her fuming that he thought so. Then after a couple of days, Oliver would make it up to her. At least, that’s how it had been after the last few missions. Now she was thinking maybe it hadn’t been that at all. Had Oliver been thinking of Chad?
    With Huntley, they weren’t lovers. This was just a great opportunity