Page 78 of No Words

“Susie?” I burst into incredulous laughter. “Your sister named her dogSusie?”

“Yes, my sister named her dog after your character, Susie Spaniel.” His dark eyes twinkled at me. “You see? I really have read your books. I know all the characters. Kitty, her parents, her best friend Felicity, Susie Spaniel, Rex, Raul—”

I stopped laughing abruptly. Raul? He knew about Raul? This was getting uncomfortable. “I’m sorry. I just... that really is very sweet.” Our gazes met, and I suddenly became aware of how very quiet it was in the parking lot—and how very alone we were. He was sitting so close that I could feelthe heat coming off his body... that hard, lean body I’d already seen half naked earlier in the day. All I had to do was lean forward a little and put my hands on that—

These were completely unsuitable thoughts to be having while a man was missing.

“I should probably tell you where we’re going, shouldn’t I?” I said, in a voice that sounded much too high-pitched.

“That would be helpful,” he said. “Yes.”

“The Lazy Parrot Inn, please.”

He’d started to turn on the ignition, but now he switched it off and twisted in his seat to stare at me in disbelief. “Your hotel? You think Garrett is back atyour hotel?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Why on earth would he go back there?”

“Because where else is he going to go? It’s high season here. Every other hotel room is booked. Unless he planned this thing months in advance—which I highly doubt—he doesn’t have anywhere else to hide.”

“But the man would have to be an idiot to think that no one would look there.”

“Well, no one has,” I pointed out. “Until now.”

Will frowned. “It’s not possible. Only a fool—”

“May I point out that Garrett was serenading your teenage sister on the ukulele this afternoon, right in front of you? Heisa fool.”

“I don’t believe it,” he said. “But to prove you wrong, I’m willing to look.”

“Oh, sorry,” I said in my most sarcastic tone. “Is spending time alone with me such a burden?”

He grinned. “No. I enjoy your company—however repugnant you seem to find mine.”

“You’ve been growing on me slightly,” I admitted grudgingly. If only he knew the truth—like the fact that I was sitting there thinking about him naked.

He looked delighted. “Have I? What did it? It was my immense knowledge of feminist characters in children’s fiction, wasn’t it?”

I choked. “God, no.”

“What, then? It was the boat, wasn’t it? Most women find a man with a really big... boat irresistible.”

“Don’t be disgusting.” Please, be disgusting. Be disgusting all over my body.

What was going on, anyway? Will Price wasn’t the flirting type.

Although, to be honest, neither was I. Or at least I hadn’t been for a really long time. Was this happening simply because I was alone in a car with an attractive man (whom I’d admittedly hated until a little while ago), or because the evening had been so stressful, it was nice to release a little tension? Or was there something else going on? If it turned out to be the stupid green flash—or worse, Kellyjean’s essential oil—I was not going to be happy.

“What kind of car doyoudrive, anyway?” Will asked.

“What? Me? None. I’m a New Yorker. I don’t own a car. I don’t even have a license.”

“What about your father?”

“Myfather?What about my father?”

“What does he drive?”