"No.” Ronan glanced at Vannah. “I'll see you outside?"
She nodded. “Give me five minutes to get dressed."
"What's going on?” Cade said the minute Ronan left.
She gave him a look full of contempt. “Town business.” She pushed past him and headed for the small room.
Annoyance flared. Damn it, he had the right to know what was going on—with the case, and with her and Ronan. He followed her, trying to keep his thoughts away from the enticing sway of her hips. The erotic way silken strands of her hair caressed her shoulders and back.
"What sort of town business?"
"Not the sort of town business that's any of your business."
"Savannah,” he warned.
She grabbed her bra and began putting it on. “Oh, so now you remember my name."
"Is it anything to do with our case?"
"If it was, I'd be reporting it, like the good little foot soldier I am."
"You are not a foot soldier."
She snorted. “Get real. Reservation rangers are always gophers for you guys. Hell, your lot seems to think we haven't the training to tie our boots properly."
"I have never treated—"
"So why is Ronan playing guide to Trista?” She hesitated, and her gaze widened. “You bastard. You were getting him out of your way, weren't you?"
She was far too quick—which was probably the reason she'd been made head ranger at such a young age. That and the fact that her daddy was the head of the reservation council. “It's always better to have a local on those sorts of info-gathering missions."
"Please credit me with a little intelligence.” She shook her head and grabbed her pants. “You disappoint me, Cade."
He laughed harshly. “I disappoint you? Sweetheart, disappointment is one of the milder emotions I felt when you ran ten years ago."
"I told you why I ran."
"Because I read your mind?"
"Because you forced yourself into my mind.” She looked up at him, and something deep inside him stilled when he saw the sheen of tears in her green eyes. “No telepath should do that to another. Not ever."
Part of him wanted to step forward, wanted to wrap his arms around her and soothe away all the hurt, all the tears. The other part, the angry hurt part, rejoiced.
She was right. He was a bastard. “In whose world?"
"In my world. In the world of telepathic wolves."
"Well, there is no such rule in my world."
"Which is why you and I would probably have never worked out."
He snorted. “We work out just fine in the only place that matters."
She stared at him, and the pain in her expression gradually faded until there was nothing left except an odd sort of emptiness. For some reason that made him think he'd made a huge mistake, but what exactly that mistake was, he didn't know. Yet something inside wanted to retract the words and ask for her forgiveness.
"There was a fire over on the east side this afternoon,” she said, voice matter of fact. “The fire department thinks it could be suspicious. Ronan and I are heading over there."
"Why you two? I thought Bodee was on evening call?” Damn it, why was he arguing? What did it matter?