“You’re wrong,” Grady said flatly. “At this point, the only thing I care about is keeping her safe.”

Emma regarded him with shock. “You think Karen’s in danger?”

“Whoever shot that bull was making a statement,” Grady said. “So, yes, I think she could be in danger.”

“Then you’ll move in with us, Karen,” Cassie said at once.

“Absolutely,” Cole agreed.

Karen sighed at the rush of protectiveness. “Thank you, but I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be just fine at the ranch. The whole purpose of this is to chase me away. I won’t give in to that.”

“Her hands and I will see that nothing happens to her,” Grady added.

“The hands will be in the bunkhouse, and you’ll be in the next county,” Cassie pointed out.

Grady’s gaze clashed with hers. “No,” he said. “Until this is resolved, I’ll be at the ranch.”

Karen’s mouth gaped at the unexpected declaration. This was a turn of events she definitely hadn’t anticipated. “You will?”

“Oh, no,” Emma said. “You’re not using this to get your foot in the door out there.”

“Oh, Emma, be quiet,” Karen snapped. “This is between Grady and me.”

“But-” Emma began.

“Emma, I said I would handle it,” Karen said pointedly, ignoring the stunned expressions around the table. She touched Grady’s cheek. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, I really do, but it’s not necessary. Once we tell the sheriff about our conversation with Maggie, I’m sure it won’t be long before he brings her in for questioning.”

“There’s no guarantee he’ll arrest her,” Grady argued. “Nor do we know for certain that she’s behind this. We only know how deep her bitterness toward you runs.”

Gina held up a hand. “Hold it. Are we talking about Maggie Fletcher?”

Karen nodded.

“You think she’s behind all of this?” Gina asked, her expression incredulous.

“It’s possible,” Karen said cautiously. “She wasn’t happy about me marrying Caleb. And this morning she made it abundantly clear that she still resents me.”

Cole shook his head. “Maggie’s not at fault here, not if you’re including what happened to the bull,” he said. “Maggie couldn’t hit a barn at ten paces. She’s terrified of guns, has been ever since her daddy got hit by a ricocheting bullet when he was trying to teach her to shoot. That’s what ended his rodeo career.”

“Oh, my God, I’d forgotten that,” Karen said, recalling how the story had circulated through several counties, making Maggie the butt of a barrage of jokes. “You’re right. Her aim was so bad that her father declared her a danger to herself and everyone around her. She hasn’t picked up a gun since.”

“That you know of,” Grady said, clearly unwilling to give up their prime suspect so readily. “Maybe she’s been practicing.”

No one seemed to buy that, Karen included. “That brings us back to square one,” she said. “We have no idea who’s been behind these attacks.”

Grady’s grim expression turned determined. “All the more reason for me to move in with you until this is settled.” He scowled at her. “Don’t even waste your breath arguing with me.”

Karen didn’t intend to try. For once, Emma remained silent as well. And after intense scrutiny of Karen’s face, even Cassie gave up trying to persuade her to move in with her and Cole.

Grady gave a nod of satisfaction. “I guess that’s settled then.”

It was settled, all right. What was less certain was why the decision had set off a surge of anticipation deep inside Karen. She was pretty sure it had absolutely nothing to do with her sense of security. In fact, quite the opposite. Having Grady move in represented a whole new kind of danger.

Grady couldn’t pinpoint the precise moment when his mission had shifted, but there was undeniable proof that it had. He couldn’t be in the same room with Karen without wanting her, without trying to seize whatever kisses she was willing to permit him. He wanted kisses and a whole lot more, which was just one reason he’d maneuvered his way into staying at the ranch.

The fact that she hadn’t fought him harder suggested that she was accepting his presence, accepting that there was something incredible happening between them despite all the odds against it.

“I’ll need to run out to my place and get a few things,” he told her after they’d left Stella’s.

She nodded, though her gaze seemed determinedly fixed on the passing scenery.

“You can come along. In fact, I’d feel better if you did. I don’t want you alone at your house even for a couple of hours.”

She turned a quick glance on him, then turned away again. “I’ll be fine,” she insisted. “I’ll need to tidy up the guest room so it’s ready for you.”

He grinned at that. She clearly intended that as a message to him curbing any expectations he might have about moving into her room, rather than down the hall. She seemed to have forgotten that that guest room had already been the scene of an incredibly intimate encounter.

“You had any company since we were in there the other day?” he inquired wryly.

A blush bloomed on her cheeks. “No, of course not, but…” Her voice faltered.

“Then I’d say any tidying up can wait. We barely rumpled the sheets.”

She frowned at his teasing. “Whose fault was that?”

“I’d have to say it was a mutual decision,” he said, grinning at her.

“You’d be wrong,” she countered. “You made the decision all on your own, thinking you knew best, just the way you’re doing now.”

He turned to meet her gaze. “Are you saying you have regrets about the way things turned out?”

“Well, of course, I do, don’t you?”

“Speaking from a purely personal perspective, I’d have to say that night’s been on my mind a lot.”

“Would you have changed the outcome?” she persisted, her gaze now clashing with his.

Grady thought about it, thought about how he’d been aching to make love to her for a long time now, but eventually he shook his head. “No, I can’t say that I would.”

Her eyes widened in obvious surprise. “You wouldn’t?”

“Despite all these claims you’re uttering now, you weren’t ready to accept me into your life, much less into your bed. We made the right decision.” He reached for her hand, lifted it to his lips. “But we can certainly reconsider it.”

She gave a little nod at that. “I think we should.” Her heated gaze locked with his. “In fact, why don’t you forget that trip out to your place, so we can reconsider it right now.”

Worried that the traumatic day had simply made her vulnerable, he searched her face, but he didn’t see a single trace of lingering doubts. Grady had already passed the turnoff to the Hanson ranch, but he slammed on the brakes and turned the truck around.

Ten minutes later, he’d pulled to a stop by her house. Still clinging to the steering wheel, he faced straight ahead, not daring to look at her.

“Have you changed your mind?” he asked, giving her one last chance to back out.

“No,” she said, her voice strong and not the least bit uncertain.

“Thank heaven,” he murmured, leaping out of the truck and going around to catch her in his arms. He scooped her off her feet and twirled her around until they were both dizzy.

“Grady, you’re crazy,” she chided, laughing. “Put me down.”

“Not until I can put you down on that big, old bed,” he said, and headed for the house.

As if she weighed nothing, he climbed the stairs eagerly, two at a time. Her twinkling eyes met his. “If I didn’t know better, Grady Blackhawk, I’d think you were as anxious as a bridegroom on his wedding night.”

His step almost faltered at the image, but he managed a grin. The idea wasn’t nearly as repugnant as it should have been. He’d never given much thought to marriage or happily-ever-after, but if ever a woman could turn his thoughts in that direction, it was surely Karen.

Inside the guest bedroom, where late afternoon sun had cast a pale glow across everything, he gently deposited her on top of the colorful old patchwork quilt.