Page 46 of Shadowing Her Stalker

She scooped the remains of her sodden biscuit from the sink with a paper napkin and deposited the wad in the trash. Then, taking one of the coffee mugs, she retreated to the kitchen table. Settling into a chair, she warmed her hands on the ceramic mug as she watched Wyatt move easily around the kitchen. His dark hair was still damp from his shower, curling slightly at his nape. He had the lean build of someone who runs, and overall, he seemed fit. She remembered him mentioning a float trip on the Buffalo River, and wondered if he was a hiker. He looked outdoorsy.

He turned toward the table, plate and mug in hand, and caught her staring. “What?”

Rather than giving in to embarrassment again, she switched into interrogation mode. “Are you the outdoorsy type?”

Wyatt eyed her warily as he took the seat across from her. “Why? You planning on dropping me out in the woods with nothing but a compass and a water bottle?” He pointed the tines of his fork at her. “I have to warn you now, I don’t go anywhere without a laptop and a hot spot.”

She shook her head, though the image of him trudging through the woods using his phone as a compass and with his laptop bag strapped across his chest was amusing. “I was curious. You mentioned floating the Buffalo.”

“Oh.” He turned his attention and his fork on the plate of food in front of him. “Yeah, sure, I like floating. I prefer a canoe to a kayak, even though I know kayaks are cooler right now. I hike the trails at Pinnacle Mountain a couple times a year, but mainly because it’s so close to Little Rock and sometimes I need to get out of the office and out of my head, you know?”

“I get you,” she said before taking a sip of her coffee.

Using the side of his fork, he cut the gravy-smothered biscuit into bite-size chunks. “I’m not big on camping,” he said with a shrug and sheepish smile. “I’m fond of electricity.”

“Me too,” she assured him. “I mean, me neither.” She gave a short laugh then summed it all up. “I don’t camp.”

“So, why are you asking if I’m ‘outdoorsy’ when I ask what your plan is?”

“Oh, I wasn’t planning...” She laughed at the roundabout of non sequiturs they’d been riding. “Two separate trains of thought converged. Sorry.”

“Ah, okay.” He shoveled a bite into his mouth and chewed, closing his eyes appreciatively. After washing it down with a sip of coffee, he pulled a pained face. “I’m never going to be able to eat another frozen biscuit again.”

“Ruined, huh?”

He stabbed another gravy-slathered bite but met her eyes when he answered. “Completely and utterly.”

“My mama’s biscuits can have an effect on a man,” she cooed in an exaggerated drawl.

Wyatt only smirked as he chewed. She watched as he demolished half the plate before she spoke. “My plan is to stay here with you. Hunker down. Does your department have enough sway with Homeland Security to make it look like I boarded a flight?”

“We have sway, and we have, uh, other ways,” he answered without looking up. “You want it to look like you’re headed back.”

“I figure it will buy us at least a day or so, and maybe a little breathing room.” She wrinkled her nose. “What do you think?”

“Sounds solid. I’ll loop Emma in on the plan, she’ll let the others know.”

“I’m going to use my phone to make a hotel reservation.”

His approving expression morphed into a frown. “A hotel reservation?”

Wrapping her hands around the mug, she leaned in. “I need to make it look like I’m coming back to take care of the fire stuff. I can’t stay at my house, so a hotel reservation makes sense.”

“But they’ll charge you for it.”

Cara caught sight of the red flush creeping up his neck and opted to make light of his needless commentary. She might have money now, but it didn’t mean she lost the practical frugality of a born and bred Arkansan. “I know, but I think it’s important to sell whoever’s watching on the notion of my imminent arrival.”

He bobbed his head, but focused on his plate. “Right. Right. Good thinking.”

She watched as he methodically demolished the rest of his breakfast. The moment he placed his fork on the gravy-streaked plate, she spoke up again. “There’s more.”

“I figured the wheels were turning.” He wiped his mouth with a paper napkin, a wary gleam in his eye as he sat back. “Hit me.”

“I’m going to call Chris and Tom today.” Abandoning her grip on the coffee cup, she sat up straighter. She waited as he slotted the puzzle pieces into place.

“Okay.”

She inclined her head. “I know Zarah sent texts letting them know I’m okay, but I need to talk to them. We have a lot happening in the next couple weeks and I need to be in the loop.”

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