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“So am I, especially after what I found at the Haslem lot this evening—or, more accurately,didn’tfind.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, instantly alarmed. “The well hasn’t been damaged again, has it?”
“No. The well’s fine—at least as far as I know. I was looking for skid marks or any other evidence that there’d almost been an accident near the driveway, but I couldn’t find anything. There were no black marks on the pavement and neither shoulder looked as though it’d been disturbed, not recently and not within the area Rocko would’ve been for his version of events to be true.”
She folded her arms. “To be honest, that doesn’t really surprise me.”
He scowled. “What?”
“Talulah and I spoke with Maribeth Woodson tonight. Rocko told me he had her on the back of his bike when he almost collided with the white truck with the Fetterman Well Services logo on it. But she claims she hasn’t been anywhere with Rocko for well over a month.”
Releasing her, he stepped back. “Why would Rocko claim she’d been with him?”
“I really don’t know.” Lifting her hand, she showed him the crumpled note. “And when I got home, I found this.”
His scowl increased as he took the paper from her and read it. “Where was it?”
“It was peeking out from under my doormat tonight.”
“You can’t pay attention to this garbage,” he said. “My aunt doesn’t know what the hell she’s talking about.”
“I didn’t sabotage the well,” she said. “And I only repeated to you what Rocko told me about seeing a Fetterman truck. I didn’t make that up, Hendrix.”
“I believe you.” He tossed the note on a side table before pulling her into his arms. “I’m sorry, Ellen. I know what my aunt has done has cut you deeply—both over the years and now. It’s all been so...unfair.”
Her pride demanded she claim Lynn and Stuart no longer had the power to hurt her. To do less would show weakness, and in her experience, weakness was always exploited.
She started to push him away, but he used the few inches she created between them to lift her chin and kiss her so gently and sweetly she couldn’t bring herself to do more.Nothinghad ever felt so good. The sense of security that filled her when she was in his arms was something she’d never been able to find, not since her parents’ divorce.
Then there was the intoxicating scent of his cologne and the sight of his eyes, filled with emotion, as he gazed at her again...
She wanted nothing more than to give herself up to the desire to be loved. But she couldn’t allow it. She was frozen with fear. If she kept things as they were, at least she knew she’d be able to continue to limp along as before.
If she allowed herself to love Hendrix and he turned on her...
“It’s okay,” she told him. “I don’t need you or your sympathy. I don’t needanythingfrom you. I can take care of myself.”
He winced as though her words stung. But that had to be an illusion. This was Hendrix. He’d lost his mother early on, which couldn’t have been easy, but he’d always had plenty of people to love and support him. Stuart. Lynn. Leo. The whole community. He certainly didn’t needher.
“Ellen...”
“It’s getting late,” she said. “You’d better transfer the stuff out of my truck and go.”
“Are you sure that’s what you want?” he asked. “I feel... I feel different with you than I’ve ever felt with anyone else. I think we could have something, if only...”
He didn’t finish that statement, but she knew where he was going—or what needed to happen, at any rate. They could have something if only she could trust him.
Problem was, she couldn’t. It was far too big a risk for someone whose heart was already so battered and bruised. She had to keep her fists up so she could protect herself in case he ever decided to side with Lynn and Stuart again, which would come as a blow. “Really?” she said. “Because I don’t feelanything.”
His mouth opened, closed and opened again. “What about the other night—in your bed?” he finally asked.
“When we had sex?” She shrugged. “That wasn’t about anything except getting off, right?”
He rocked back as though she’d slapped him. “It seemed... I mean... You didn’t feel anything...deeper?”
“I enjoyed it,” she said. “But no more than with the guy before you. And I’m sure I’ll enjoy sex just as much with the next guy.”
He pressed a hand to his chest. “Ellen, stop. You don’t have to act like this—”
