He was quiet for a very long time, and that made Yvette even more uncertain about his feelings. Cannon was such a great guy to everyone. He was known for always treating women with respect, even the women he turned down. For as long as she’d known him, he’d been a defender...of everyone.

She knew he cared for her, but then, he cared for a lot of people.

Damn it, she wanted to be special.

Because he was so very special to her.

Finally he said, “I’m going to leave my truck at Rissy’s until we get the garage cleaned out. Then we’ll both be able to park inside. I don’t want to leave it sitting out there like bait.”

“That makes sense.” Another thought occurred to her. “You spend most of your time in Harmony, Kentucky, right?”

Suspicious, he asked, “Why?”

“You have a house there?”

“Yeah.” He glanced at her. “I’ll show it to you someday, okay? It’s not that long of a drive. Maybe three hours.”

Realizing he had an entire life set up elsewhere did a lot to dampen her mood. Out of necessity, his time here would have to be limited. “I’d like that. Thank you.” Going back to her original train of thought, she asked, “Your house has a garage?”

“Three-car, yeah.” Again he glanced at her. “And a pool. I’d love to see you in a bikini.”

She should have smiled at the wolfish way he said that, but guilt had a stranglehold on her again. “If you weren’t here, playing house with me—” most likely because he worried about her being alone “—then your truck would have already been safely locked in a garage instead of—”

“Don’t think like that.” Frowning again, he worked his jaw. “I’m glad you’re here, damn it. Despite everything going on, I want you to be glad, too.”

How could he not know? She was so happy to be home. To be with him.

But she’d so badly wanted it to be different.

Because she couldn’t do much about Heath right now, or his tires, she adjusted her attitude instead, smiling, leaning toward him to again stroke his hard shoulder. “I am. Very much so.”

Briefly, he turned his head to kiss her wrist.

“I’ll work on the rest of the boxes first thing tomorrow.” She was anxious to see everything she had, and to get the best stuff moved to the shop. Though she loved all the time she spent with Cannon, it was his time—his training, his contribution to the rec center, his friends. She wasn’t used to being idle for so long. She needed to be busy.

Once she opened the shop, she’d get back in the swing of working. That’d do a lot to help her regain her emotional balance.

“What do you think about a dog?”

“I’m not sure.” She’d always wanted one, but her apartment in California didn’t allow pets. And even if it had, her space was too small to fit in an animal.

But a pet...it was such a sign of permanence. Wasn’t it? She hedged by saying, “I like animals.”

“Me, too. With my travel it hasn’t been possible, but you’re staying now, right?”

“Yes.”

“And the backyard is plenty big enough. I could even put up a fence.”

More and more he made plans that seemed so permanent, without ever really telling her his long-term intention. But however life rolled out, she would love having the company of a dog. “Okay.”

“Great.” Decisive, he said, “How about we visit the shelter the Sunday after I work at Rowdy’s?”

Thinking about taking such a big step with him made her nervous, uncertain and utterly euphoric. She started smiling and couldn’t stop.

When she looked at Cannon, he was smiling, too.

“Happy?” he asked her.

“Very.”

They turned the corner to her house. The last rays of the summer sun splashed brilliant colors over the horizon.

With her focus on Cannon, thinking about so many things, she saw the exact moment he frowned. “What’s the matter?”

His hands flexed on the steering wheel. “You know there’s something between us, right?”

Since he’d just recently said so, she guessed, “Lust?” And she was only half teasing.

“Hell, yeah. The lust is there in spades. I think about you and I want you. I see you and I salute.”

Confused, she repeated, “Salute?”

“My johnson stands up and takes notice.”

“Oh.” Her gaze automatically went to his lap, and her eyes widened.

“But it’s more than that, too.”

It was his tone, more than anything, that shot her attention back to his face.

Warmth filled her heart. Recalling how patient he’d been, even when she’d told him about her hang-ups, she bit her lip. “More?”

Looking far too grim, Cannon said, “No matter what, I want you to remember that.”

What did he mean? He seemed to want an answer, so she nodded. “All right.”

With a demeanor of determination, he pulled into the driveway, turned off the engine and stared at the front door.

Yvette followed his gaze and blanched at what she saw. Fury mixed with defeat.

The spray-painted message destroyed the front door. Bloodred drips trailed down to the small porch.

“Go home, bitch.”

Shaking her head, she denied the command.

Someone wanted her to go—when she’d only just decided to stay.