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heart or Grady’s she felt pounding against her ribs.
55
Desiree Holt
She had never in her life experienced sex like this. Wild. Untamed. Receiving as
much as she gave. Just as Grady himself was different from other men in her life. Not
protective and suffocating like her father. Not controlling and demeaning like Cal
Stadler. Nor did he treat her with kid gloves the way T.J. did. No, Grady Sinclair made
her feel like a woman in full bloom, somebody special to him.
Someone to whom she’d given her trust with no regrets.
“I don’t think I can ever move again,” she said after Grady had disposed of the
condom. “At this rate I may not live long enough to follow you around the country.”
He spooned her against him and kissed the top of her head. “Then I’ll just have to
make sure you keep up your strength.”
He was silent, no goodnight yet, and Erin knew he was turning things over in his
brain.
“Erin?”
She tensed. “Uh-huh?”
“Think you’ll ever trust me enough to tell me about those scars? And who or what
you’re running from?”
She felt as if she’d talked it to death with the counselor and never wanted to talk
about it again. And she was afraid if Grady knew the truth—knew everything—that
he’d put her on a bus back to where she’d come from.
“Darlin’?” he prompted.
“I told you what the deal is. You show me yours and I’ll show you mine.” She was
positive he’d never open up and tell her what he kept tucked away so firmly inside
himself.
More silence.
“Not tonight,” he said in a taut voice. “Another day.”
If ever, hung silently in the air.
56
Hard Lovin’
What could he have to tell that was so terrible? So awful that it apparently had been
chasing him like a devil.
“Grady?”
“Yeah, sugar?”
“I’m glad you let me tag along with you.”
He tightened his arms around her. “Not half as glad as I am. I just hope there isn’t
someone waiting in the bushes to kick my ass because of it.”
If you only knew. But I promise I’ll never let Rance Braddock take out his anger on you.
Even if I have to threaten never to speak to him again. Once he stops screaming long enough for
me to explain, anyway.
With that settled in her mind she drifted off to sleep, secure in the arms of the man
she’d fallen in love with in just two short days.
57
Desiree Holt
Chapter Five
He came at last to a mansion fine, down by the River Clady
And there was music and there was wine for the gypsy and his lady
They managed two more days of what Erin had come to think of as sheltered
bliss—insulation from news of the outside world—before it all came crashing in on
them. The bar was busier the night before, even though it was the middle of the week,
and Erin had enjoyed the response of the crowd as much as she was mesmerized by
Grady’s music. She thought she could probably sit night after night and listen to him
forever, soothed and seduced by his songs. It was turning into the best time of her life.
This morning they’d stopped at a fast food restaurant to grab a late breakfast before
heading to a music store. Grady wanted to get some new strings for his guitar then
head to Walmart to pick up a couple new pairs of jeans. Erin had spotted a rack with
newspapers just outside the door on the way in and when they left she tried to hustle
Grady past it as quickly as she could. But he stopped to put away his change, looked
down, and every line in his body tightened.
Erin was almost afraid to see the newspaper, knowing what she’d see. And sure
enough, there it was. A head shot of her, her engagement photo that her father had
insisted on, and a huge headline. “Hunt Still On For Missing Heiress.”
Grady fished a quarter out of his pocket, stuck it in the slot and retrieved a copy of
the newspaper. Then he took Erin by the elbow and hustled her firmly to the truck.
“Grady,” she began.
“Not now.” His fingers tightened on her as he opened the truck door and boosted
her inside. “Not out here.”
She was terrified to look at him, terrified to see his face. On the ride back to the
motel she gripped her hands together in her lap, shaking inside.
58
Hard Lovin’
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