Page 20 of Herding Cat

“Are you? Are you all right?”

“I’m unharmed.” She couldn’t say she was fine, because she wasn’t. She glanced at the writhing man on the floor. “He wanted to kill me.”

“He’s not going to be killing anyone. Ever again.”

“Who did you call?”

“Luke and Tate. They’re coming to take care of...this.”

“This? I...what?” She gaped at him. “Aren’t you going to call the police?”

Garrett snorted a laugh. “No. We’ll handle this.”

Catherine swallowed. She didn’t know what that meant, but she didn’t want to know. All that mattered was that this man would never attack her again. “Can they find out who sent him?” she asked, though her voice was not as clear as she intended. Indeed, it was reedy and thin.

“That’s the plan. Don’t worry. We’ll take care of everything. That’s what you pay us for.”

It hit her then, like a cold wash of water. Yeah. She was paying him. He was here to do a job. That was all. Nothing more. She couldn’t, shouldn’t expect—

“What’s wrong?” Though she tried to edge away he would not allow it.

“Nothing. I...” She shot a look at his face. She should not have. Their gazes locked. Something sizzled between them. Against her body, low on her belly, something stirred. “Just...I’m glad you were here.”

“I’m glad I was here too.” A whisper, barely audible over the gnashing of teeth in the foyer.

The moment hung there. Between them.

Anticipation rose.

His breath caressed her face. His scent surrounded her. His heat warmed her.

“Catherine...” A groan.

And then, he lowered his head, and kissed her.

It wasn’t a sweet, romantic kiss. It wasn’t a peck. It was a full-bodied taking of her. He sealed his mouth over hers and ravaged her.

She ravaged him right back. It was a conflagration, a melding, a savage exchange.

His lips were firm and demanding, his tongue insistent. His hands held her tightly, roving, exploring, stoking her fire. She had to reciprocate. The urge to do so was beyond her command.

She scudded her fingers into his hair, scored his scalp with her nails, pressed her body against his, glorying in the rise of his passion.

And oh, his passion was hard and hot.

It was glorious to feel his need, to know he wanted her...as a woman.

But...

It took everything in her to pull back. “We...shouldn’t.” She didn’t know from where the words came, the restraint. This was what she wanted, needed on a bone-deep level. There was nothing she yearned for more than to wrap her arms around his firm, warm body and rub against him, consume him. But still... “We shouldn’t.”

There was a man lying in the foyer, after all.

Garrett gusted a breath and nodded as though he understood. And he probably did, but she doubted he understood everything.

Still, it was cold when he stepped away.

A knock at the door displaced her regret with alarm. Perhaps her anxiety was plain, because Garrett squeezed her shoulder. “That will be Luke,” he said as he headed for the foyer.