Completing the Pass by Jeanette Murray Page A

get my pizza.”
    Tony looked around her toward the counter. “Looks like it’s not ready yet. Sit down.”
    She looked at the bench Josh was occupying all by himself. He waited a beat, then nudged over about an inch. Coldest invitation, ever.
    Perching herself on the edge so they wouldn’t touch, she kept her hands in her lap. “So, life is good?”
    â€œYeah, sure. Are you back for good? Did you move away? You left the area, didn’t you?”
    â€œI did, yes. I’m just visiting my folks.” She glanced at Josh to see if he’d mentioned her father’s situation. But his eyes stayed on his plate and the few stray veggies that remained from the pizza. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be around.”
    â€œYou’re in . . . Colorado, right?” Derrick asked.
    â€œUtah. Salt Lake City.”
    â€œWhat do you do out there?” Tony asked, giving her an interested look.
    Josh grunted, shifted in his seat, and smiled grimly when Tony sucked in a breath.
    She was definitely missing something.
    â€œUh, I’m a real-estate investor. I flip houses, or sometimes I keep them for rentals. Professors and grad students, mostly, being close to USU.”
    â€œFascinating. While you’re here, we should get together. Go see some of the old haunts.”
    She blinked at Tony’s suggestion. “Old haunts?”
    â€œYeah, you know, the places we used to hang out. Memory lane, all that.”
    She bit back the retort they had no memory lane to tread down, because they’d never been friends. The few times they’d been in each other’s company had been because of Josh. “Uh . . . oh!” Relief poured through her as the cashier called her name to indicate her pizza was ready. “Sorry, gotta get the pie back home before my parents flip on each other.”
    â€œI’ll walk you out,” Josh said quickly, pushing at her to get out of the bench.”
    â€œI can get to my car by myself,” she said, giving him a
do not dare
look of steel. It lost some edge when she took in his outfit of choice for the day . . . tight T-shirt and a pair of simple khaki cargo shorts. The T-shirt pulled hard over his chest and upper arms, sculpting a picture of his physique. He’d managed to get wider, even from college. Her hands itched to slide over the smooth fabric, feel if he was actually as hard, as taut, as he appeared.
    She froze, everything in her going instantly hot and cold at the same time. Gross. Oh, just gross. Josh Leeman . . . This was Josh and she was thinking about playing seductress? What the hell was wrong with her?
    Josh ignored the warning, and annoyingly, did just as he damn well pleased. Like always. That cooled some of the silent embarrassment she was harboring. “I have a message for your mom from my mom. Be back in a second, guys.” Then she was propelled from the seat as if he’d hit the Eject button.
    â€œNice to see you again,” she said in a rush while he pushed at her from behind.
    â€œLet me know about getting together!” Tony called.
    She just waved and walked straight ahead.

Chapter Five
    Jesus Christ. What was the matter with him? He waited for her to pick up the pizza, then took it from her and all but shoved her out the door and into the parking lot. The second they were on asphalt, she whirled around and gripped the box, tugging hard.
    â€œWhat the hell is your problem,
Joshua
?”
    â€œI don’t have a problem,
Carrington
,” he shot back. “What’s up with you hitting on my friends? Derrick’s married, by the way.”
    â€œOh, is that what the wedding band on his left ring finger meant?” she sneered, pulling on the box. He didn’t let go. “Give me my dinner.”
    â€œNo.”
    Her eyes widened. “What are you, seven? Let go.”
    â€œNot until you say you won’t go out with