A loud pounding cut off her reply. “Open up.Sheriff.”
Linx patted her hair down and tugged her shirt, smoothing her jeans before opening thedoor.
“Oh, hi, Todd!” she chirped. “Grady was justleaving.”
The big man, who had once seemed so friendly when he was rescuing Cait, put his hands on his hips, his right hand near his holstered gun. “Grady Hart. You know damn well you need to leave my sister alone. Leave peacefully, or I’ll be forced to take you tocourt.”
“To court? What for?” Grady wiped his lips with the back of his hand to remove any traces of telltalelipstick.
“A restraining order. My sister filed a complaint and you’re not supposed to come within fifty feet of herresidence.”
Linx shrank from Grady’s side, appearing to hide behind herbrother.
What the heck? This woman was no shrinking lily. She was a hellcat on wheels. Why was she acting like she needed her big brother to rescueher?
“The only person who needs restraining is her.” Grady jabbed a finger her direction. He brushed by the lawman and stomped down the steps of theporch.
Linx Colson had just pushed his lastbutton.
* * *
Linx staredout the window at the dust left by Grady’s departing truck, followed by Todd’s patrol car. Apparently, Todd had gotten a missed call from her, so being the protective brother he was, he’d headed for her cabin once he was finished with another call he wason.
She wiped a stray strand of hair from her forehead and opened the bathroom door, letting Cedar out. The dog rushed to the front door, sniffing all the spots where that hot man had taken all the oxygen from herlungs.
Her stomach twisted. Should she have kept Cedar from Grady all theseyears?
Definitely.
Leaving her alone in a remote cabin where fire broke out was purenegligence.
She reached over and gave Cedar a firm rubbing of her reddish mane. The poor thing had practically been abandoned. She’d neededLinx.
Just like the puppy she’d rescued a few daysago.
“Let’s see if Ginger’s up. Come on.” Linx patted her leg for Cedar to follow her up to her loft where Ginger slept in a box with a hot water bottle next to Linx’sbed.
The little puppy was awake. Her head swayed from side to side, and she squealed, looking for thebottle.
“You adorable little sweetie,” Linx said as she cradled the tiny pooch to her chest. Actually, as newborn puppies went, Ginger was quite large, already the size of a Yorkie. Her fluffy fur was dry and soft, and she’d stopped shivering after putting onweight.
Cedar sniffed the puppy and licked her, but when the puppy tried to latch onto her nose, she jumped back like an alien worm had attackedher.
“You’re not jealous, are you?” Linx patted her dog’s back. “She looks so much like you, that if I didn’t know you’re spayed, I would have thought you’d given birth and kept it a secret fromme.”
Cedar groaned and gave a half-heartedbark.
Linx jogged down the stairs and into the kitchen. Poor Ginger was so hungry she squirmed and wiggled between Linx’s breasts. Not that there was anything there forher.
After warming up a bottle of prepared formula, Linx settled on the couch near the front door to feed her littlepuppy.
Correction, the Center’s newestguest.
She couldn’t afford to adopt every dog she rescued, and puppies like Ginger could bring in donations and a higher adoption fee—money she desperately needed to keep all of her guests housed, fed, andcomfortable.
She should get Ginger’s story out on the internet. Any attention and publicity would help with fundraising and attract adoptions for all thedogs.
Cedar’s ears perked up, and she jumped toward the front door as footsteps clambered onto theporch.
