Linx needed to hold her ground—hold firm, especially after what her traitorous body almost made her do on the porch thismorning.
“Oh no, he’s not coming aroundhere.”
“But didn’t he come by to pick up Sam?” Tami gave her a sidelong look. “Did somethinghappen?”
Linx gulped and walked back and forth, petting the puppy over her shoulder. “He made fun of my mother’ssculpture.”
“Oh, you nasty little liar.” Tami snickered. “You don’t give two flying figs about that sculpture. Stopdeflecting.”
“It’s pretty basic. Grady plays by my rules, or he doesn’t play. You know thereason.”
“Sure, you love giving him personal deliveries with wagging tails and happy endings.” Tami did that copulating motion with her fingers. “The good thing is he’s rebuilding on that piece of land he has, and you won’t have to drive asfar.”
That was another reason she couldn’tsleep.
Linx closed her eyes, willing Tami to stop bothering her about Grady. The man was a menace, and yet she couldn’t leave him alone. It was one of those damned if you do and damned if you don’t situations. Life without Grady was unbearably bleak and empty, but having Grady around grated on every nerve fiber in herbody.
He disrespected her. He was rude and snide withher.
But when he was in bed with her, he made her feel like a goddess. How could something so wrong feel soright?
“I’m not going near him or to his place,” Linx said. “Unless it’s to plop that skull onto hisproperty.”
“Ohhh… giving love gifts already.” Tami’s finger copulation sped up, making a sandpapery sound. “He calls the cops on you, you call the cops on him, just let me know to bring the popcorn—especially if Todd’s the respondingofficer.”
Linx threw a wet wipe at Tami. “I’ll give Todd a nudge yourway.”
“You better.” Tami picked up her purse. “I’d rather he use his hot breath for something other than giving me lectures on driving too fast. Well, I’m off to my real job. Got to scout down listings for Cait and her husband. Such a wonderful couple, and now, they’rehomeless.”
She whooshed out the door, wiggling her ample behind like a category fourhurricane.
Linx chuckled to herself. Tami and Todd. They’d never work. Todd was a stickler for rules and preserving the town in the old way, whereas Tami was a rule-breaker and bent on modernization andredevelopment.
They’d sparred frequently at the city council meetings and were always at loggerheads. But apparently fighting led to chemistry, at least on Tami’sside.
Linx cleaned Ginger up and tucked her into her doggy bed. She had a whole list of chores to do out back, and she had no time to play matchmaker or wonder what Grady was upto.
So, he was rebuilding his cabin—the one he and Cedar had once lived in—the one Linx had spent what little time off they got splayed in hisbed.
Memories she didn’t want to indulge invaded her along with the feel of the soft rug in front of the fireplace, the scent of cedar and pine, the clean crisp linens on his bed, and the warm musk of the firemanhimself.
Cedar had been a part of thosememories.
“Come here, girl. I’m so sorry.” Linx wiggled her fingers at her dog. Cedar ambled toward her, her head down and crestfallen. “You’re not feeling good, areyou?”
Grabbing Cedar’s brush, she had her lie down for a thorough brushing. Usually, running her fingers through Cedar’s fur calmed her racing heart and gave herpeace.
But not today—not when Cedar moped around like an abandoned dog—lifeless anddejected.
Guilt crawled up Linx’s throat as she brushed out sections of Cedar’s luxurious fur. It was wrong for her to keep Cedar from Grady, now that he was back intown.
It was one thing to keep her while Grady was out fighting the fires of the world, but now? What excuse did she reallyhave?
Grady rejecting her had nothing to do with keeping Cedar fromhim.
She couldn’t even say he’d taken advantage of her, although he’d been her superior when they’d slept together. He was the drill instructor, and she was arookie.
She’d wanted him the minute she laid eyes on him, and she’d worked hard to get into his bed—tempting him at everyturn.
But in the end, he’d done the dishonorable thing and turned his back on her. He’d ground his heel into herheart.
He’d ruined herlife.
Linx buried her face into Cedar’s furry mane. She hugged her and stroked her, and Cedar returned her affection with soft, warmlicks.
Her dog always knew how to comfort her, but her selfishness had denied Grady the same canine companionship hecraved.
There was only one thing to do. She had to fess up. Would he let her keep Cedar? Or would he devastate her yet again, by ripping another chunk out of herheart?
Before she could stop herself, she texted Grady.I have the two retrievers. Meet me at the All RoadsMotel.
