She lifted part of the tarp and studied the raised stone foundation. She visualized the walls of the cabin, growing to surround what was left of the old fireplace, and once again, her memories took her back to the tiny one-room cabin of thepast.
She had been young, stupid, and inlove.
A truck door slammed, and Cedar leaped up barking. She scampered with her tail wagging toward Grady, acting as if her daddy had come home, and that nothing was out of theordinary.
Linx watched Grady hug and kiss his dog. She froze where she was, letting the tarp slip from her fingers and stupidly hoping he hadn’t seenher.
As soon as he let Cedar go, she raced back to Linx, acting as if she had something to showher.
“Woof! Wooooo!” Cedar howl-barked, her tongue lolling out withexcitement.
When Linx didn’t move, Cedar did that scampering move and made back toward Grady—clearly wanting to lead her tohim.
If she could talk, she would be saying,Mommy, Mommy, meet Daddy. He’s come home finally. Mommy, why aren’t youmoving?
Linx let her gaze rest on Grady, and she stood up straight from her crouching position. She’d done her duty. She’d brought his dog back officially, and it was time to leave. All she had to do was walk by him, get into her SUV, and never see himagain.
The man was too arrogant to care for. Even though there was no sun out, he wore dark aviator glasses. He was probably watching her, but not acknowledgingher.
Eff him. She didn’t need his type, no matter how much chemistry sparked between them, and she darn well wasn’t going to shed a tear forhim.
Nope. All the tears were for Cedar, but Cedar would get used to not having her around. Cedar would go back to being Sasha, and the circle wascomplete.
She was through with being Grady’s slut, a quick hookup, trading sex for affection. Been there, done that, and didn’t even get the T-shirt.
Nope, now that she’d lost Cedar, he could lose something, too—her body in his bed. That ought to grind hisgears.
“Hold it,” Gradycommanded.
Linx kept walking until a strong hand gripped herarm.
“Let go of me.” She leveled a stern glare athim.
“I’m ready to hear youout.”
“I’ve nothing to say to you.” She twisted her arm from his grasp. “I’m sorry I kept your dog. She’s yours now.Goodbye.”
“Linx…” Grady’s thick voice burred, drawing a sizzle down her spine. “I might have been wrong aboutthings.”
“Oh, really?” She tossed her hair over her shoulder. “So, the infallible Grady admits that he might have aproblem.”
“Yeah, you.” He ripped off his aviator sunglasses and those big brown eyes held her gaze, strong and intense, but surprisinglywatery.
Linx swallowed, feeling herself waver. Mean and hateful, she could take and even counter. But the hint of regret and sorrow was something she’d never seen on Grady Hart—who was always entirely too sure ofhimself.
“Why am I the problem?” She set her lips in a firm line and flared her nostrils to show him she wasn’t cowed by whatever false feeling he was throwing herway.
“Because you’re hiding something from me, and it isn’t yourdog.”
Now he wanted to know? For what? It wasn’t as if he could fix anything. What was done was done, and the sooner she got away from Grady Hart, thebetter.
“Spit it out. What am I hiding?” She made her voice hard andcold.
Even though Tami thought it was time to tell, Linx wasn’t going to give him an inch of hard-fought ground until he was ready to grovel at her feet and admit he’d beenwrong.
Grady pursed his lips and swallowed hard. His Adam’s apple bobbled, and he averted his gaze, blinking hard, wetting the tips of hislashes.
A surge of adrenaline lifted Linx’s heart like the burners on a hot air balloon. He was actually unsure for once in hislife.
