‘‘So you hoarded that nasty little seed all for yourself,’’ she went on, calmly working her way down theclothesline. ‘‘Even though there’s nothing in or of my life that you don’t know. It’s the way it should be, in your opinion, that I’m an open book and you’re a closed one.’’

‘‘No, it wasn’t that. Exactly.’’

‘‘What could it have been exactly?’’ she wondered, but he didn’t think it was a question and wisely formed no answer. ‘‘I’ve been thinking about that, Ethan. I’ve been thinking about a number of things. Why don’t we go back a ways first? You like to do things in neat, logical steps. And since you like things to be done your way, we’ll just be neat and logical.’’

The dogs, sensing trouble, retreated to the water. Ethan found himself envying them.

‘‘You told me you’ve loved me for years. Years,’’ she said with such quick fury that he nearly stumbled back. ‘‘But you don’t do anything about it. You don’t once, not once, come up to me and ask me if I’d like to spend some time with you. One word from you, one look from you, would have thrilled me. But oh, no, not Ethan Quinn, not with his broody mind and incredible control. You just kept your distance and let me pine over you.’’

‘‘I didn’t know you had those kind of feelings for me.’’

‘‘Then you’re blind as well as stupid,’’ she snapped.

His brows drew together. ‘‘Stupid?’’

‘‘That’s what I said.’’ Seeing the outrage cross his face was balm to her battered ego. ‘‘I would never have looked twice at Jack Casey if you’d given me anything to hope for. But I needed someone to want me, and it sure as hell didn’t appear it was ever going to be you.’’

‘‘Now just a damn minute. I’m not to blame for you marrying Jack.’’

‘‘No, I take the blame. I take the responsibility, and I don’t regret it because it gave me Aubrey. But I blame you, Ethan.’’ And those gold-flecked green eyes blazed with it. ‘‘I blame you for being too pigheaded to take what you wanted. And you haven’t changed a damn bit.’’

‘‘You were too young—’’

She used both hands, and all the force of her temper went into the shove. ‘‘Oh, shut up. You had your say. Now I’m having mine.’’

IN THE KITCHEN, SETH’S eyes went hot. He made a dash for the door, only to be brought up short by Anna, who was eavesdropping as hard as she could.

‘‘No, you don’t.’’

‘‘He yelled at her.’’

‘‘She’s yelling, too.’’

‘‘He’s fighting with her. I’m going to stop him.’’

Anna cocked her head. ‘‘Does she look like she needs any help?’’