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Ty paused at the door, jerking it open, then looked at her in a glance that raked and stripped “Out,” he said simply

The door was slammed to its frame Tara stared at it, then whirled about to face the center of the roo to her; then this had to happen

Ty ju,in the opened s He had no destination, just an escape fro into his mind

The right and wrong of so the judght His father believed he was right Where did his loyalties lie? In the past or the future?

He had no sense of ti ti In the conelike pool of the headlights stood the log cabin where Jessy lived The tension was still there, ruffling through hihts and walked onto the front stoop of the cabin

It was coht switch on the wall “Jessy!” he called, but she didn’t answer The bedroo in the sink A glance at his watch gave him the time She should have been ho in the door any time now, he told hi when she returned

The cabin wasn’t the saive it that earthy peace He stoked the wood stove in the front roo to put some warmth into the air He rattled around in the cabin’s e alone in the empty suite of rooms he shared with Tara

“Dammit! Where is she?” Ty demanded of the four walls

The headlight beams flashed over the ranch pickup parked in front of her cabin as Jessy drove up Chiainst the black web of tree liht spilled frorass

She wasn’t exactly in theat her parents’ to celebrate her mother’s birthday Besides, she knew Tara was hoed up the steps to the cabin The opening of the door brought Ty’s voice to her

“Where the hell have you been? Do you realize it’s after ten o’clock? I’ve been here for al if soht have happened I’ve been half out of my mind!”

The cranky worry in his voice astonished her There was an open possessiveness in his tone that he had never used with her before And the dark scowl on his face when he confronted her at the door made it all the more blatant

“It was Mom’s birthday,” Jessy said in a small, dazed voice

His breath ran out in relief as he caught her and dragged her to hi arhly aroused She realized just how deeply she had gotten into his feelings It was in his voice and the constricting pressure of his arms

“It’s been a helluva lonely wait, Jessy,” he muttered