Jared tipped his head to one side. He wanted to know a bit more about her guests. But he figured trying to get her to tell him anything about them would just be a waste of time at the moment. In any case, now that he knew that Joe was with Leah, some of his jealousy had waned.
"You owe me an apology." Jared stated bluntly as he returned to his original plan. This was his strategy. To keep her on the back foot. Go for the unexpected approach. She was probably expecting him to come round and plead his case.
Caitlin blinked in confusion. "Sorry?" That was the last thing she was expecting to hear. She jammed her hands in the pockets of her dressing gown and frowned at him with open annoyance.
"Not good enough." He kept the smile out of his voice. He'd spent several hours trying to figure out how he needed to work this. She was not his usual type and as a result he was still learning how best to engage with her! What he did know was that she needed a whole different strategy. Not that his strategies, any of them, appeared to work with her.
She glared at him "I owe you an apology?" What did he think he was doing, coming to her house and demanding an apology. And for what? She felt her blood begin to heat. Her breathing gave away the fact she was not at all pleased.
"You owe me an apology." Jared repeated calmly. Clearly the strategy was working. She was flustered. And flustered would mean that she was more likely to give honest rather than practiced responses. For a moment he thought he might actually have hit on the perfect strategy to manage Caitlin. But he also knew that where she was concerned he should not count his blessings too early! She was mercurial.
"For what? Not falling at your feet?" She sneered with disdain, somewhat bemused by this turn of events. She was expecting him to apologise at the very least. Oh the man was insufferable.
"For accusing me of staging that event with Lisa at the treasure hunt." Jared said frankly.
"By event, I gather you mean that kiss?" She grumbled and felt the flush of heat suffuse her neck and cheeks. It wasn't embarrassment that brought about that stain of colour to her cheeks. It was remembrance of how it felt to be kissed by him. "Next you'll be telling me that Douglas stumbled upon us kissing." She was still embarrassed by the fact that while she had been practically melting, Jared had been waiting eagerly for Douglas to arrive on the scene.
"No, I asked him to do that." He replied coolly. He was not going to apologise for attempting to fix a difficult situation. He just hadn't anticipated it being this difficult to set things straight.
"Unbelievable. You are unbelievable!" And she should not be listening to him. The man was a charmer. He would no doubt be able to convince her that it really was her fault from start to finish. Caitlin wanted to stamp her foot in annoyance, but that no doubt would lead him to think he was winning. So instead she let her irritation only show in her voice.
But he surprised her by saying, "I made a mistake. I was trying to fix it." And I intend to ensure that you and I have a future together. One mistake is not going to put paid to that.
"By making a bigger one?" She shook her head. "Well, I'm sorry, but I am not going to apologise for accusing you of being a jerk." She opened the door, and gestured to him. "So if that's all you came round here for...." She waited expectantly. He didn't move. She glared. He quirked a brow. They were both obstinate. That much was clear from their body language.
Jared was starting to wonder when he had discovered that he found stubborn women attractive. He could have practically any woman, albeit only for the short term. So why was he going after this woman, and why was he thinking long term?
It was probably the wrong time to realise that you had fallen for a strong minded, independent, but thoroughly stubborn woman. Time to change strategy again. Caitlin had a soft spot for Nigel and Candy. So she would not let them down. Time to use them, albeit without them knowing, to aid his cause. Jared couldn't remember the last time he'd had to work this hard to get a woman to come out on a date with him.
"I'm also here to tell you that the team are available this Friday to go to dinner and the cinema."
Caitlin folded her arms and all but rolled her eyes at that statement. "Well, I hope you have a good time." She replied calmly and was pleased to see her statement riled him. The last thing she intended doing was spending more time with this man. Yes, by the end of that weekend away, they'd come to some sort of understanding. But that didn't mean she intended to keep in touch with him. Not when every time they met, her feelings for him seemed to grow. No, no, she was the sensible one. She knew that getting in deeper, spending more time with him, would lead to her burning her wings. She had no intention of doing that.
Jared gave himself a second to squash his annoyance. "Candy and Nigel asked me to ask you to come." He figured that some form of emotional blackmail was called for right now, and he had no hesitation in using Candy and Nigel's name.
Still sticking to her guns, Caitlin shrugged. "Thank you, but I'm afraid I can't make it." Caitlin ignored the obvious blackmail. Obviously he thought she was really naïve. She might not have clocked up the same number of dating hours at him, but she was no fool.
Jared was tempted to kiss her. Just for the sheer hell of it. And to upset her equilibrium! She looked way too in control right at the moment. "When can you make it?" Jared leaned against the wall, and watched her face, wondering what he was going to have to do to make amends. She was obviously one of those women who held grudges. Probably sulked too. So why was he pursuing her? She would be a lot of work.
"When aren't you free?" Caitlin asked with bluntness and a smug smile. She was feeling particularly pleased with herself, for her usual tendency was to think up a cutting response, several days after it was actually needed. She could tell from his body language that he was not pleased with the fact he was making very little progress.
He tutted. "Isn't that a bit childish?" Jared came off the wall. Ok, so she was not going to make this easy. But that did not mean he was going to give up.
Caitlin decided that she had had enough. This could go on for hours. She was not going to stand here for much longer. "Your point is?" She asked coolly.
"You are being bloody difficult!" He grated despite trying not reveal his irritation.
She glared as her temper rocketed, before advising him loudly, "Fine! Good! Perfect! So do yourself a favour just take Mira, or Lisa or whoever the hell you want!"
"Lisa wasn't part of our team." Jared pointed out rationally.
Caitlin snorted in dismissal of that statement. With her voice rising once again she said, "Oh, I don't know....."
"Hey, Cait!' Joe came bounding down the stairs, he looked from Caitlin to Jared and scowled at them. "Could you keep it down?" He shrugged his shoulders and then shook his head at them as he reminded them, "Leah and the baby are getting some shut eye."
"Sorry." Caitlin hadn't realised she had raised her voice and had been yelling at Jared.
"Sorry." Murmured Jared.
"What's going on, anyway?' Joe came down the last few steps, held out his hand, "Hi, I'm Joe Reid, you must be Jared." They shook hands. It was obvious from the raised voices that all was not well. But the fact the man was still standing there, and Caitlin was still tolerating him, suggested there was more going on here than just a simple argument. Joe knew from Leah, some of the history between Jared and Caitlin. But Caitlin's description had not mentioned the fact that the man was handsome and a giant.
"Jared was just going." Caitlin muttered.
"Sounded like he was just getting started." Joe commented, even as he flicked a look from Caitlin to Jared. They both looked like they were spoiling for a fight. Caitlin narrowed her eyes at Joe. "So Jared, what brings you here this early this morning?"
Caitlin huffed loudly, "Joe! If you don't want me waking up..."
Joe held up his hand and interrupted Caitlin. "You are grouchy this morning!" Then he just winked and took a step toward the kitchen as he said, "Just keep it down to a dull roar, ok?" He paused, looked over his shoulder and asked quietly, "Coffee?"
Caitlin glared at him. "Jared was just leaving!" She reminded Joe.
Joe's eyebrows rose in challenge but he said nothing, and instead with a shake of his head he strolled toward the kitchen.
Jared used that opportunity to follow Joe, but instead of heading for the kitchen he stepped into what he assumed would be the front lounge. "Nice guy." Jared remarked as he strode forward and then he took a seat!
Caitlin's mouth fell open. The cheek of the man. She hadn't invited him in. "I don't recall inviting you to sit." Caitlin snapped as she followed him into the lounge. He had settled into one of the old, lumpy arm chairs.
His eyes took stock of the room. He wasn't sure why but he'd expected the house to be sporting much more expensive furniture. But the room appeared comfortable rather than showy. It was obviously a room used a lot, given the small tables besides each of the sofas and armchairs had something or the other on them. Magazines. Books. Newspapers.
Turning his attention back to Caitlin he wasn't at all surprised to find her glaring at him. "No, but I'm willing to forget your lapse in manners." He grinned and shifted as he tried to find a comfortable position. "So, dates for dinner and the cinema."
Caitlin shook her head in utter exasperation. This is when she realized that getting what you wished for was not always a good thing! How many times since meeting Jared had she wished he'd come round to the house to see her. She'd spun all sorts of fanciful reasons as to why he would materialize at her home. And now here he was!