“So, you are out of line being such a prick. Give me my dog.”
Mac stared at her, his eyes roaming from her red hair in the headband she used to try to disguise the fact she had little hair in the back, down to her cropped scoop neck green top dipping low enough for glimpses of cleavage and swaths of midriff above the low-rise of her white denim shorts with white sandals.Of course,he was taking advantage of the opportunity to peruse the flesh presented, she thought, annoyed. The tension between them added to the heaviness in the air.
“We aren’t finished with our conversation.”
“Don’t,” she warned.
“Don’t what?” he challenged, his dark eyes drilling into hers.
She met his look from beneath lowered lashes, her expression guarded. “Don’t start acting out of character. We don’tdo this.”
“This. Explainthis.”
Ignoring him, she turned. She stalked to the closed bedroom door. Before reaching for the handle, she knew what the result would be: the door was locked. It was like he knew she’d be making an appearance. Smacking her hand on the panel, she called out, “Fred?”
A slow thumping came from the other side. Fred’s tail against the floor. Her heart split in two.
Behind her, Mac informed her, “I gave him his pain meds before you showed up. Not to be cruel, but he doesn’t need the excitement right now. If I’d known you were coming…”
Squeezing her eyes shut, she rested her head against the door. Of course, she didn’t want to do anything to cause Fred additional pain. And despite how she felt about him, she had to admit Mac was better prepared to take care of her injured dog than she, with his training. It sucked.
After a pause, Mac asked, “How far back do you want me to go tonight?”
Her irritation returned. “I don’t. I don’t want any of the boundaries blurred, Mac. I’ve told you that. I didn’t come here for this. Leave them as they are. I came for Fred.”
Ignoring her, Mac answered his own question. “Night of the accident then.”
Cassidy let out an annoyed sound and pushed back to turn toward the screen door.
“Take one step toward that door, Day, and Iwillchase you.”
She couldn’t tell if it was a threat or a promise—it sounded like both—so she stopped, her heart leaping so high it almost choked her before it set off at a gallop. The surge of adrenaline through her body excited intimate areas that had no business being aroused at his tone. Taking a slow step back from the door, she turned a baleful eye toward him, waiting.
“And wehaveblurred the boundaries before, sweetheart, if that’s what you’re calling it. Being honest with each other?”
“Not when it mattered,” she pointed out with slight accusation, referring to Josie. “Glossed right over that, didn’t you? Both you and Jason.”
“Ask me.”
“I don’t care.”
“Ask me, Cassidy. What do you want to know?”
“I don’t care to know anything. The time for that has passed.”
Pushing off the counter, setting the bottle in his hand down, she startled and side-shuffled even though she was across the room from him. But he merely went to the refrigerator. “Have a seat, sweetheart. This is looking like the start of a long night.” He withdrew two beers.
Cassidy watched him study her as he walked over to the table, twisting the tops off the beers. “Are you expecting me to sit and drink with you? Have a chat?”
“You need a drink,” he pointed out. “Wound too tight.” His eyes slid over her as he brought one of the bottles to his lips, his expression promising he could unwind her in other ways. As he dragged his gaze back up, he paused in appreciation at the telltale dimpling in her T-shirt proclaiming she was affected. His dark eyes lifted to hers in satisfaction.
Vainglorious prick.Yes,he did things to her; that wasn’t a secret. Her body loved to prove him right. It was her mind that rebelled, and that’s what counted.
“Say what you think you need to say,” she ordered, not moving.
Mac pointed to the chair.
“No.”