Grady’s heart pounded, and his lungs burned as he went running up and down the hilly roads outside of Colson’s Corner. He needed to stay in shape if he were ever to go back to smokejumping or even plain old firefighting.

True, his traveling days were over if he got custody of Jessie, but he was tired of sitting around at essentially a desk job matching dogs to veterans—not a good way to stay in shape.

Grady sprinted up the hills and jogged down, doing interval training, mile after mile, until he found himself outside of Linx’s place.

He hadn’t spoken to her or texted her after they’d made love the night before, because as soon as he’d told his family where he was, they had swarmed into town and surrounded him.

It turned out Linx had told Cait about Jessie and him being her father, and there was nothing he could do but answer questions until his tongue went numb.

He spotted Linx’s Durango parked in the carport. Next to it was another car, which looked like Jessie’s mother’s minivan.

Grady’s heart galloped as he approached the center. Maybe he shouldn’t meet Jessie’s adoptive parents until he saw them in court.

He was about to turn around when Linx opened the front door and waved him in, probably alerted by the barking dogs in the back.

“Missed you.” Bending toward her, he kissed her cheek and acted like she was his girlfriend.

Her eyes twinkled, and she darted him a fluttery look. “How’d you ditch your family?”

Cedar and Betsy greeted him with wagging tails and sniffing, so Grady gave both dogs a neck rub before answering.

“I ran out on them at the diner. Monday morning quarterbacking’s what they do best.” He tipped his head toward Mrs. Patterson who was brushing tangles and twigs from Jessie’s hair.

“Grady!” Jessie said, brightening up. “Mom, that’s Superman, and he found my dog.”

Grady couldn’t help the grin creeping onto his face as he gave Jessie’s shoulder a pat. He’d become a character in her make-believe world, which meant she remembered him.

Mrs. Patterson looked indulgently at Jessie and extended her hand. “I think we met before. I’m Jean Patterson. We’re so grateful you found Betsy.”

“Grady Hart.” He shook Jean’s hand. “Glad I could help.”

“It’s a good thing you found her,” Mrs. Patterson said. “Jessie didn’t want another dog. Only Betsy would do.”

“But Mom, I do want another dog!” Jessie beamed, blinking cutely. “Now that Betsy’s back, she wants a friend so she won’t be lonely.”

A smile teased over Linx’s lips as she ruffled Jessie’s head. “Are you going to be in the Fourth of July parade?”

Good tactic. Changing subjects. Seemed Linx already knew some of the tricks mothers used.

“I’m going to ride on a real fire truck.” Jessie bounced up and down. “Can I sit with you, Superman? Miss Linx says you’re a fireman, too.”

“I’ll have to check with whoever’s in charge here,” Grady said, hating to disappoint his daughter, but loving that he was asked. “Is Betsy going to ride with you?”

“Yep, I get a fire helmet, and she gets to be fire dog. I won the prize for the entire town.” Jessie stood straight and tall. “But I still want to be in the dog parade and wear my Wonder Woman costume.”

“You want to do everything, don’t you?” Linx gave the little girl an affectionate hug. “You’re a little ball of energy.”

“I get to turn the wheel and ring the bell, and Betsy gets to look out the window.” Jessie’s eyes were wide. “But I also want to walk the dogs and ride horses, too.”

“You can’t do everything in one year,” Mrs. Patterson said. “I think riding in the fire truck and doing the show and tell at the dog rescue auction will be lots of fun.”

“Only if Superman gets to drive it and let me turn the wheel.” Jessie put her hand in Grady’s, melting his heart on the spot.

“I’m sure there are real Colson Corner firefighters who will drive the fire truck,” Grady said, not wanting to usurp anyone’s authority, but wishing like heck he could sign up to drive.

“Actually, it’s an antique fire truck, not the real rig,” Jean cut in. “Your brother-in-law, Brian Wonder, has one he offered for the parade. My husband and I would have gone with Jessie, but he’s going to be street preaching and I’m passing out tracts. There are a lot of visitors up for the Gold Country Festival, and that means a lot of souls to save.”

Good. The Pattersons were such wonderful servants of God that they were sacrificing time with their supposed daughter. He could use this against them, if needed, and it gave him a chance to get to know his daughter.

Grady gave the little hand a light squeeze. “Well, then, if it’s my brother-in-law’s fire truck, then sure, I’d be honored to drive Miss Jessie around.”

“Yay!” Jessie cheered. “Can you wear your Superman cape?”

Grady didn’t have a Superman costume, but whatever Jessie wanted, she was going to get. “If it’s what people do here.”

“We all wear costumes for the Fourth of July parade,” Mrs. Patterson explained. “This little one wants to be Wonder Woman because Miss Linx is always Wonder Woman.”

“Really?” He squinted at Linx, picturing her with a cape, low-cut tank and short shorts.

Linx shrugged sheepishly. “It’s a town tradition, and I can see how you’d think we’re weird.”

“Not any weirder than some of our Hart family traditions.” Grady couldn’t help grinning at Jessie’s pleased expression. “You sure you’re not pulling my leg?”

“Honest John,” Mrs. Patterson said. “My husband and I are old-time settlers, but Jessie doesn’t want to wear Little House on the Prairie dresses.”

Grady couldn’t argue with that either. There was a clear choice between a superhero and an old-fashioned fuddy-duddy.

“Then we’re all set.” Grady let go of Jessie’s hand and waved goodbye. “Just don’t bring any kryptonite.”

* * *

“You’re seriously going to wear a costume?” Linx couldn’t help smirking at Grady after Jessie and her mother left the center. “You hate costumes, and I hate to break it to you, but Superman wears tights.”

“Ugh.” Grady rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m only doing it for Jessie.”

“It’s going to be epic. Grady Hart in tights.” Linx pinched his jeans and pretended to snap it back. Even though she kept her voice light, she couldn’t help the heavy feeling lying deep in her gut.

Grady Hart wasn’t a man to banter and joke. He, too, must be feeling the strain of knowing about Jessie, but pretending she was a mere acquaintance.

“Don’t forget, I’m a man in a cape. That has to count for something.” He cupped her cheek and brought his lips close to hers.

“But I also have a cape and superpowers.” Linx narrowed her eyes and puckered her lips. He definitely wasn’t ready to deal head-on with her guilt, and flirting and kissing was his way of relieving tension.

She could go with that. For now.

Turning his head, he captured her lips. Sparkles and sizzles traversed her body as she clasped onto him and let herself meld into the urgency of the moment.

All morning, he’d been stuck within his family, broody and angry, and she’d wanted to go up to him and comfort him. He clearly didn’t fit in with the gregarious Harts, being a loner and a guy who craved silence.

She understood that, because she understood him.

While it was wonderful to be loved and cared for, it was also stifling and suffocating to have so many people worrying and offering their opinions.

Whatever happened between him and her and Jessie was something only the two of them could face.

Even good listeners like Sharon could be tiresome, because Linx really didn’t want to rehash everything and gaze at her navel. She couldn’t believe Sharon had been an undercover child psychologist, and she wondered why Dad had brought her back—after she was widowed.

Could it be he was interested in her?

Hadn’t she been a good friend of Minx’s?

Linx let those thoughts drop as Grady backed her up against the doorframe and deepened the kiss. His manly scent, the sweat dampening his shoulders, and the salty tang of his tongue made her greedy with want and desire.

Who needed to talk when an inferno raged deep in her belly? And from the state of his body, she knew he needed to release steam and tension, too.

Except so much more was between them now—and it wasn’t just sex. They had to be responsible parents, the type of people who could offer stability and security to a vulnerable child.

Linx broke the kiss and ran a finger over Grady’s chin. “Last night was awesome, but I need to know. Are we a team now? Is everything going to be okay?”

“If you’re worried about me running away from Jessie, don’t be. That little girl is mine, and I intend to be everything she’d want in a dad.” Grady’s eyes blazed with both determination and a softness she’d never seen before. “I also intend to make everything right for you, too.”

Linx swallowed hard, her heart both fluttering with worry and expanding with hope. Was he only with her because he thought he had a good chance of getting custody of Jessie? What if the courts turned against them because of her lies? Could he forgive her if they lost Jessie forever?

“I want this to work, too. Let’s put the past behind us.” Linx feathered her fingers over the back of Grady’s neck. “Let’s start over with a clean slate.”

“Not too clean.” He grinned and looped one arm under her legs, sweeping her off her feet. Kissing her fervently, he carted her up the stairs to her loft and slammed the door shut, leaving Cedar and any other curious dogs outside. “I know we have a lot of work to do, but it was pure torture being surrounded by my family and having to keep my hands off of you.”

“Do you mean it? This isn’t just about Jessie, is it?” Linx knew her eyebrows were furrowed, and she wished she could trust him fully. “I mean, us playing house.”

He caressed her cheek. “It’s about time I took responsibility. Settle down. Be a man, and that starts with you. I’m not the type to say gooey words, but I think you know how I feel.”

Actually, she wasn’t sure, and she would have loved to hear gooey words, but only if they were real. Tension skittered through her belly with the feeling that she was about to get everything she’d every wished for—a man to love and a family of her own.

Except fate had taught her not to count her puppies too early. She tempered herself, knowing that despite Grady saying he wasn’t good with gooey words, he seemed to say them all the same when in the throes of lovemaking and then forget all about them when confronted with reality.

She nodded and drew his body down over hers and closed her eyes. This was as good as it was going to get. Who was she, an evil-hearted and spiteful girl, to believe she deserved the traditional white knight and happily ever after?

It would be boring, eventually, and it was so not her style. She and Grady were doomed to fight and make up, to love and hate, and to struggle for the few mountain peaks and the fleeting, but oh, so explosive climaxes, made more intense by the valleys of soul-destroying grief.

When Grady’s lips and tongue crashed over her, breaching her boundaries, Linx gave herself over to the only pleasure she’d ever know—the fight for a passion too desperate to abandon.