Chapter Nineteen
Linx peeredout the window at the sound of Cedar’s happy bark and the car door slamming. She blinked once, twice. A squeal squeezed through her throat, and she ran out the front door, and down the woodensteps.
“Cedar!”
Her dog scampered up the walkway and bounded to her, licking her face and panting withhappiness.
“I missed you so much, girl. So much.” She knelt and hugged and kissed the companion who’d been with her for four years. “Did your daddy bring you back for avisit?”
Grady’s boot was in her line of vision, but her heart pounded with hesitation. He’d probably come by to pick up Molly and Rex—not to let her visit with Cedar at all, but to rub it in her face that she was now hisdog.
“Aren’t you going to say anything to me?” Grady asked, his voice low andhusky.
Swallowing, she let her eyes travel up his fine legs, past his well-endowed crotch, the plane of his six-pack abdomen, his hard and hot chest, landing on his rugged handsomeface.
He held out a hand and lifted her the rest of the way, his eyes intense and dark withpassion.
Words escaped her as she met his hungry gaze. He drew her close, and there was nothing she could do but smash her lips againsthis.
She held on tight, opening herself to him and devouring him at the same time. She was helpless, throwing her hands around his neck. Her body pressed to his heat, and at the same time, she wanted so muchmore.
Her need, his desire, her want, his demand collided like the storm surge after a hurricane, breaching the walls of her resolve and swamping her with endlessdesire.
Closing her eyes, she felt the strength of his yearning, the potency of his vulnerability, and yes, the possibility of more—of love, maybe, andhope.
Had he come to her bringing peace offerings? Could he accept what she’d done? No matter howhorrible?
Couldthey?
“Miss Linx,” Jessie said, coming out the door. “Ginger made a mess on thefloor.”
Yikes!
Linx and Grady popped apart with such force she stumbled against the porch railing while he crashed into the metal skull, missing the spike by a fewinches.
“Uh, Jessie, I’ll clean it up,” Linx muttered, turning away from Grady who naturally followed her and Cedar into thecabin.
Great. If she’d thought she had something to hide before, she now had an even biggerdilemma.
Grady was staring at Jessie as if he’d never seen herbefore.
“Are you Cedar’s daddy?” Jessieasked.
Grady squatted down to her level and said, “Why I believe Iam.”
“I knew you’d bring her back. You’re not divorced, areyou?”
“Oh, no, I’m not divorced.” Grady smiled at the little girl whose soulful brown eyes were a mirror image of his own. “Don’t worry about Cedar. She’ll have both her mommy and daddy lovingher.”
“I have a mommy and a daddy, too,” Jessie said. “But my dog is lost. Her name is Betsy, and Miss Linx is going to use her superpowers to findher.”
“I’ll help Miss Linx find her. I promise.” Grady turned on the charm, and from Jessie’s animated expression, she was lapping it allup.
The screen door slapped, and Cedar jumped to her feet, panting a greeting as Jessie’s mother steppedin.
“Did you have a good time?” she asked Jessie and waved to Linx andGrady.
“Mama!” Jessie said, hugging the woman’s legs. “Cedar’s daddy brought her back. Do you think he’ll bring Betsy back,too?”
