Part 19 (1/2)
”Now, why would I know that? Do I look like the kind of woman who asks a man such private questions?”
”Well...” Again, Katherine had no idea what to say.
Zach finally helped her out. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a hundred-dollar bill and stuck it in Veronica's cleavage. ”To apologize for my friend's poor choice of words,” he said. Then he pulled out another hundred. ”Now, I'm guessing a lady such as yourself would probably have heard a few things over the years.”
”A few,” Veronica admitted, clearly appeased. ”But sometimes it's difficult to remember.”
Zach pulled out another hundred. ”Will this help?”
She tucked the money down her s.h.i.+rt. ”Now, you know your daddy never liked any loose ends, Zach. He made sure of that early on.”
”That's what I thought.”
”So he had a vasectomy?” Katherine asked.
Zach sighed. ”Katherine.”
”I'm sorry. I didn't get the same script you and Veronica did.”
”I like her,” Veronica said unexpectedly. ”I'm glad she's not your sister.” Veronica walked over to the candy display and picked up a package of condoms. ”Do you need a room to go with these?”
”He most definitely does not need a room,” Katherine said, outraged by the proposition. She stalked to the front door.
”I guess not,” Zach said with a dry smile. Veronica took the money out of her cleavage and handed it back to Zach. ”You know you don't have to pay me for information, honey. I was just having fun with you.”
”I know. But keep it anyway.”
”You sure?”
”Positive.”
Veronica pressed the package into his hand. ”I have a feeling you might need these later,” she said, eyeing Katherine.
Zach kissed her on the cheek. ”Thanks. Take care of yourself.”
”You, too, Zachary.”
Katherine slammed the door as they left the hotel.
”What's got you so steamed?” Zach asked.
”Do you seriously think I'm going to help you use glow-in-the-dark condoms any time soon?”
Zach started laughing as he looked down at the package in his hand. ”Mm-mm, might be interesting.”
”That woman is outrageous. And you, you practically buried yourself in her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.”
”Jealous, Kat?”
”Don't be ridiculous. I don't care what you do.”
”Well, at least you're not my sister.”
”Thank G.o.d.”
”Of course, that opens the door to other possibilities,” he said with a laugh.
”In your dreams.” She climbed into his truck and slammed the door.
Zach got in more slowly and set the condoms on the seat between them.
”You can throw those away,” Katherine said.
”I don't think so.”
”We're not-”
”Who said anything about you and me?”
She sat back in her seat, feeling as if there were smoke coming out of her ears. She was angry, annoyed, jealous. The thought took her by surprise. She was not jealous. She didn't care what Zach did. His personal life was his personal business.
After a moment, she picked up the package of condoms and placed them in her purse.
Zach sent her a curious look. ”What are you going to do with those?”
”Throw them away.”
”In your purse?”
”They're disgusting.”
”What's really bothering you?”
”Nothing is bothering me.”
”Really? You look pretty hot and bothered to me.” Zach leaned over in his seat. ”What are you thinking about?”
She was thinking about him and a very vital piece of his anatomy encased in a bright green glow-in-the-dark beanie. She started to smile, then to laugh, breaking the tension between them.
Zach grinned back at her. ”I don't want to know.”
”Do men actually like those?”
”Beats me. They're not my usual brand.”
Her laughter stopped abruptly at the gleam in his eye. ”Don't get any ideas. Just because we now have condoms doesn't mean anything.”