“Not in a long time,” Stone said, slapping the back of the guy’s shoulder as he started around him toward the cabin.
“This about that chick you’re all scary-protector over?”
“Just do your job.”
“Understood.” Rowe grinned. “She’s worth it.”
Stone hesitated, glanced to the side. Then to Rowe. “Worth what?”
“Anything??—everything. This side of you,” Rowe said quietly, “I haven’t seen it in a long time.” He nodded. “It’s good to see.”
No idea how to respond, Stone let himself into the cabin. Grief greeted him with an excited whine as a peal of laughter yanked his attention from locking the door.
Hair like a waterfall, Brighton bent over, cradling Grief’s thick skull.
He shook his head??—unbelievable. “First time I tried to get near his face, he nearly took mine off.”
Brighton smiled at him as she crouched next to his Belgian Malinois, giving his ears a massage. “Dogs know good people.”
“I’m not sure if you just called me a bad person or not.”
“It’s our secret, huh, Grief?”
“Wow, with my own dog even …” He scanned the cabin. “Where is everyone?”
“Ah.” Brighton washed her hands at the kitchen sink. “Willow had to take a call, and your mom needed an oven”??—she indicated to where cookies were baking??—“so they said they’d be back.”
Stone rolled up his sleeves and washed his hands. “Cord called.”
Leaning back against the island, Brighton seemed to be bolstering herself. “Willow said there’d been a delay …”
He grabbed the towel and dried his hands. “He can’t make it back for a few of weeks.”
“You angry?”
Palming the edge of the island, Stone stared into the sink. He should be. Would’ve been a few days ago. But … “No. Not really.”
“Seriously?” Her voice was small as she pressed in closer.
“I’ve spent a lot of time angry since … since our photos were leaked. Since my shame was spilled across the headlines.”
She touched his shoulder.
“And I think maybe”??—he peered down into those brown eyes he loved so much??—“I need to do some rolling.”
A smile teased her lips. “‘When you’re pinned against a wall, you can fight it or roll with it.’”
“Guess I said it a few times around you, too. Time to live up to it. Learn from it.”
Her face was in line with his, softened by the lights over the island. “What have you learned from it?”
Stone brushed her hair aside and traced her cheek. “I think I’ve been fighting the wrong fight.” His hand slipped to her nape. “Instead of fighting what I feel for you, I need to fight for you.”
Her lips parted with a stunned intake.
“You got me majorly mixed up, Tizzy.”
She smiled. “I love when you call me that.”
