Sanctuary(97)

He started to shake his head, but she kept her hand in place. "We can be mad at each other later. You talk to me now. Tell me what's wrong."

"Ginny." He let out an explosive breath that scalded his throat. "Not a word from her, Lexy. Not a single word. I don't know what to do anymore. What to say to my family anymore. I don't even know how to feel."

"I know." she slipped back, opened the door. "Come on."

"I've got work to do."

"You do what I say for once in your life. Now come on with me."

she took his hand, tugging until he climbed out. Saying nothing, she led him around the side of the house toward the shade. "Sit down here." she drew him down on the side of the rope hammock and, slipping an arm around him, nudged his head down to her shoulder. "You just rest your mind a minute."

"I don't think about it all the time," he murmured. "You go crazy if you do."

"I know." Reaching around, she took his hand in hers. "It just sneaks up on you now and again, and it hurts so much you don't think you can stand it. But you do, till the next time."

"I know what people are saying. she just got a wild hair and took off It'd be easier if I could believe that."

"It wouldn't, not really. It hurts either way. When Mama left I cried and cried for her. I figured if I cried enough she'd hear me and come back. When I got older I thought, well, she just didn't care enough about me, so I won't care either. I stopped crying, but it still hurt all the same."

"I keep thinking she'll send some stupid postcard from Disney World or somewhere. Then I could just be mad at her instead of so goddamn worried."

Lexy tried to imagine that, let herself see it. Perfect. Ginny on some colorful, foolish ride, howling with laughter. "It'd be just like her to do that."

"I guess it would." He stared down at their joined hands, watching their fingers interlace. "I just tore a strip off Brian over it.

Stupid."

"Don't you worry about that. Brian's hide's thick enough to take it."

"How about yours?" He eased back, absently pushing a loosened bobby pin back into her messy topknot.

"All us Hathaways are tougher than we look."

"I'm sorry anyway." He lifted their joined hands and kissed her knuckles. "Do we have to be mad at each other later?"

"I guess not." she kissed him lightly, then smiled. The birds were singing in the trees above her, and the flowers smelled so nice and sweet on the air. "Since I've been missing you, just a little bit."

Her breath caught as he pulled her close, pressed his face hard against her throat. "I need you, Lexy. I need you."

When she released her breath, it was unsteady, shuddering from lungs to throat to lips. she put her hands on his shoulders, her fingers pressing once into those hard muscles. Then she pulled back, rose, struggling to grip her own emotions as firmly.

she'd turned her back on him. Gaff rubbed his hands over his face, then dropped them helplessly. "What did I say now? What is it I do that always makes you take that step back from me?"

"I'm not." she had to press her fingers to her lips to stop them from trembling before she faced him again. When she did, her heart was swimming in her eyes. "In my whole life, my whole life, Giff, no one's ever said that to me. Unless it was a man meaning sex."

He got to his feet fast. "That's not what I meant. Lexy-"

"I know." she blinked impatiently at the tears. she wanted to see him clearly. "I know it's not what you meant. And I'm not stepping back, I'm just trying to get hold of myself before I act like a fool."

"I love you, Lexy." He said it quietly so she would believe him. "I always have and always will love you."

she closed her eyes tight. she wanted it all engraved on her memory. The moment-every sound, every scent, every feeling. Then she was launching herself into his arms, wrapping herself around him, her breath coming in tiny little hitches that made her dizzy.

"Hold me. Hold on to me, Giff, tight. No matter what I do, no matter what I say, don't ever let me go."

"Alexa." Swamped by her, he pressed his lips into her hair. "I've always held on to you. You just didn't know it."

"I love you too, Gaff I can't remember when I didn't. It always made me so mad."

"That's all right, honey." He smiled, snuggled her closer. "I don't mind you being mad. As long as you don't stop."

In her bedroom, Jo carefully hung up the phone. Bobby Banes had finally gotten in touch. And had given her at least one answer.

He hadn't taken the print from her apartment.

Butyou saw the print, didn't you? It was a nude, mixed tn with all the shots of me. It looked like me, but it wasn't. I was holding it. I picked it up. You must have seen it.