Pete Crawford.
As macho a cowboy as ever lived.

Sinfully handsome. And, like most cowboys, utterly resistant to settling down.

“Good morning, Pete,” she said, keeping her voice cool. “May I help you?” She knew he would refuse, but she didn’t want to be accused of being rude.

He looked over his shoulder as if he thought he was being followed. Then he faced her again. “Uh, yeah, you can,” he replied, much to Kelly’s surprise.

Her surprise turned to panic when he grabbed her by the shoulders, yanked her against him and planted a desperate kiss on her lips. A kiss that lost its desperation as it became passionate, warm, even hot. And completely distracting.

It had been several years since Kelly had been kissed, or even held by a man. She’d vowed never to let a man, in particular a cowboy, get close again. With that thought, she shoved her way out of his arms and slapped him…hard.

Dear Reader,

Brr…February’s below-freezing temperatures call for a mug of hot chocolate, a fuzzy afghan and a heartwarming book from Silhouette Romance. Our books will heat you to the tips of your toes with the sizzling sexual tension that courses between our stubborn heroes and the determined heroines who ultimately melt their hardened hearts.

In Judy Christenberry’s Least Likely To Wed, her sinfully sexy cowboy hero has his plans for lifelong bachelorhood foiled by the searing kisses of a spirited single mom. While in Sue Swift’s The Ranger & the Rescue, an amnesiac cowboy stakes a claim on the heart of a flame-haired heroine—but will the fires of passion still burn when he regains his memory?

Tensions reach the boiling point in Raye Morgan’s She’s Having My Baby!—the final installment of the miniseries HAVING THE BOSS’S BABY—when our heroine discovers just who fathered her baby-to-be…. And tempers flare in Rebecca Russell’s Right Where He Belongs, in which our handsome hero must choose between his cold plan for revenge and a woman’s warm and tender love.

Then simmer down with the incredibly romantic heroes in Teresa Southwick’s What If We Fall In Love? and Colleen Faulkner’s A Shocking Request. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll fall in love all over again with these deeply touching stories about widowers who get a second chance at love.

So this February, come in from the cold and warm your heart and spirit with one of these temperature-raising books from Silhouette Romance. Don’t forget the marshmallows!

Happy reading!

Mary-Theresa Hussey

Senior Editor

Least Likely to Wed
Judy Christenberry

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Books by Judy Christenberry

Silhouette Romance

The Nine-Month Bride #1324

*Marry Me, Kate #1344

*Baby in Her Arms #1350

*A Ring for Cinderella #1356

†Never Let You Go #1453

†The Borrowed Groom #1457

†Cherish the Boss #1463

**Snowbound Sweetheart #1476

Newborn Daddy #1511

When the Lights Went Out…#1547

**Least Likely To Wed #1570

JUDY CHRISTENBERRY

has been writing romances for fifteen years because she loves happy endings as much as her readers do. She’s also a bestselling author for Harlequin American Romance, but she has a long love of traditional romances and is delighted to tell a story that brings those elements to the reader. A former high school French teacher, Judy devotes her time to writing. She hopes readers have as much fun reading her stories as she does writing them. She spends her spare time reading, watching her favorite sports teams and keeping track of her two adult daughters.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

Chapter One

Kelly Hampton looked up, a smile on her face when the bell over the door of Oklahoma Chic jangled. It had been a slow day and she was delighted to welcome a customer.

Her delight disappeared when she saw the customer. Pete Crawford. Lindsay’s brother. As macho a cowboy as ever lived. Sinfully handsome. His broad shoulders, slim hips and cocky grin drew women like bears to honey. And, like most cowboys, utterly resistant to settling down.

“Good morning, Pete,” she said, keeping her voice cool.

“Uh, hi, Kelly. Where’s Lindsay?”

“She’s not coming in until one o’clock.” Lindsay lived on her husband’s ranch outside of Lawton, OK, where their shop was located. Kelly hesitated but finally asked, “May I help you?” She knew he would refuse, but she didn’t want to be accused of being rude. Just because she was allergic to cowboys.

He looked over his shoulder as if he thought he was being followed. Then he faced her again. “Uh, yeah, you can,” he replied, much to Kelly’s surprise.

Her surprise turned to panic when he grabbed her by the shoulders, yanked her against him and planted a desperate kiss on her lips.

A kiss that lost its desperation as it became passionate, warm, even hot. And completely distracting.

It had been several years since Kelly had been kissed, or even held by a man. Her dead husband, a cowboy too, had cheated on her. She’d vowed never to let a man, in particular a cowboy, get that close again. With that thought, she shoved her way out of his arms and slapped him…hard.

“Whoa!” he protested, grabbing her hand as she drew back to unload on him again. “What’s wrong with you, woman?”

“What’s wrong with me? What kind of store do you think this is? Get out of here before I have you arrested!”

“It was just a friendly kiss! No big deal. You don’t have to get all upset.”

“We’ve never been friends, Pete Crawford, so don’t hand me that line. And this is a business, not a—a place where you attack women.”

“Dammit, I didn’t attack you!” he roared, obviously upset by her reaction. Again he looked over his shoulder. He moved a step closer and urgently whispered, “Play along!”

She had no idea what he meant and would have demanded an explanation had the bell over the door not jangled again, hopefully indicating a real customer.

She pasted on a smile and walked around Pete. “Good morning,” she greeted the young woman. “May I help you with anything?”

She and Lindsay, her partner, had enjoyed the praise they’d received for the up-to-date quality of their merchandise and the frequent repeat business they’d done. She didn’t recognize this young lady.

The customer gave her a bored, superior stare before saying, “No, thank you. I don’t see anything to tempt me…except maybe your other customer.” By the time she’d finished, her voice had turned syrupy sweet. “Hi, lover.”

It didn’t take much brainpower on Kelly’s part to figure out she was talking to Pete.

Pete’s well-muscled arm suddenly draped itself over Kelly’s shoulders. She jumped, but he held her in place with all that muscle. “Hi, Sheila. Have you met Kelly?”

Kelly had intended to protest his behavior, but the woman had insulted her merchandise. She waited to see what would happen.

“No, I haven’t,” Sheila said, and she didn’t sound as if she wanted to.

Pete performed the introductions. “This is Sheila Hooten, a friend. Kelly Hampton, my sister’s partner, and an old friend I’m getting to know a lot better.” He squeezed Kelly’s shoulders, pulling her a little closer.

“Kind of like a sister?” Sheila asked, staring at Kelly.

“Not hardly,” Pete returned, grinning.

Kelly looked up to see him leer down at her as if she were one of those women on a pinup calendar.

“What are you up to, Pete?” she demanded. She didn’t care what kind of game he was playing. She wasn’t going to be treated like some bimbo.

“Nothing, darlin’. I just hadn’t seen you the past twenty-four hours. I was starving for a look at you.”

She opened her mouth to protest, and he kissed her again.

As she broke away, Sheila stomped out of the shop.

“Who was that poor woman?” she demanded. Whatever Pete had been doing, the object of it was Sheila Hooten.

“Poor woman?” he repeated, followed by a laugh with no humor in it. “She’s more a—” he paused and stared at Kelly before he continued “—a witch than she is a ‘poor woman.”’

“I don’t care what she is. Just don’t use me to play your little games ever again!” She turned her back on him and took refuge behind the counter located at the center of the side wall. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”

Pete Crawford didn’t like being ignored by anyone. He’d always thought of Kelly as his sister’s scrawny playmate from the first grade. When he’d dashed into the store to plead for his sister’s help, he’d found only Kelly. And suddenly he realized she was all grown up.

Why hadn’t he noticed it before? But the only time he’d seen her in the past ten years had been at Lindsay’s wedding and all his attention had been focused on his sister.

The instantaneous recognition that Kelly was the solution to his problem hadn’t allowed too much preparation time. And Kelly hadn’t cooperated very well. Fortunately Sheila had gone by the front window while he was kissing Kelly and returned to confront him after the slapped-cheek incident.

“Fine!” he exclaimed in response to her withdrawal, still standing in the middle of the store where Kelly had left him. “I’m driving out to Gil’s place to talk to Lindsay!”

“Fine,” she returned coldly, not bothering to look up. He stalked out of the store, wanting to show his displeasure, but he had a lowering feeling she didn’t even notice, much less care.

All the way to his brother-in-law’s ranch, he muttered to himself about Kelly’s lack of cooperation, alternated with thoughts of the slap…and the kiss. He didn’t want to think about the kiss, but it had been something special. That old chestnut about kissing a lot of frogs before finding a prince—or princess—flashed through his brain, but he dismissed it. After all, he wasn’t looking for a princess. At least not permanently.

When he arrived at Lindsay’s house, he found her and her husband, Gil Daniels, along with Rafe Hernandez, Gil’s manager and best friend, sitting down to lunch. He was immediately invited to join them.

“Don’t mind if I do,” he agreed with a grin. He seldom turned down food. “I need to talk to you,” he said, staring at Lindsay. “I can kill two birds with one stone.”

“Gee,” Lindsay said, sarcasm in her voice, “I love being called a bird.”

“You know what I mean. Too bad your partner doesn’t,” he muttered as he constructed a Dagwood sandwich.

Lindsay stared at him. “What does Kelly have to do with your problem?”

“I, uh, well, I needed her to help to make Sheila believe—well, she wouldn’t cooperate.” He knew how protective Lindsay was of her friend and partner. Suddenly he decided honesty wasn’t the best policy on this particular occasion.

Lindsay stared at him, clearly still curious about his meaning.

Gil, who had become a good friend since he’d married Lindsay, said, “Maybe you should tell Lindsay your problem first, Pete.”

“Uh, yeah. I’ve gone out with Sheila Hooten a few times,” he began. Then he held up a hand, anticipating Lindsay’s response. “I know you told me she was bad news, but we had fun. And I made it clear that’s all I wanted. But she started pressing me.”

“For what?” Rafe asked.

“Man, you don’t know nothing about women,” Pete announced. “She wanted me to marry her!”

“I never said I understood women,” Rafe said, glaring at Pete. “I’m a bachelor.”

“So am I, and hoping to stay that way.”

“Come on, Pete,” Gil said with a grin. “Marriage is great.” He smiled at his wife and reached out to touch her. Pete had noticed that Gil constantly touched Lindsay.

“You’re still a newlywed, Gil. How would you know? Most women don’t start bossing you around until after the first year, usually just after you’ve had a kid and know you can’t leave.”

Gil laughed, but Lindsay protested and her cheeks turned red.

“Sorry, sis. I’m sure that won’t happen to you, but you remember Brad at Christmastime?” he asked, naming Gil’s brother-in-law. “Cathy had him tied in knots, leading him around by the nose. It was pitiful. All because she was pregnant.”

Rafe leaned toward him. “Eat your sandwich, boy. You’re not scoring any points with either Gil or Lindsay.”

After checking their expressions, Pete decided Rafe’s advice was sound and bit off a big bite of his sandwich.

As he chewed determinedly, Gil sighed, then spoke. “If you made your intentions clear, then what’s the problem?”

Lindsay gave her husband a disgusted look. “None of you know anything about women. Really, Gil, no woman would believe his warning. It’s like waving a red flag in front of a bull and expecting him to ignore it. That’s ridiculous!”

“Hey, I was trying to be honest!” Pete swore, his voice rising.

“So stop seeing her,” Gil suggested.

“I haven’t asked her out for a couple of weeks, but she keeps showing up wherever I go. And she hangs all over me.” Pete sent a disgusted look in his sister’s direction. “What can I do?”

Lindsay sighed. “Well, you could pay attention to another lady, but then you’d end up with her expecting marriage. Though why these women think you’d be good marriage material, I’ll never know. You need a woman who feels the same way you do about mar—” She broke off midword, staring into space.

Pete glowered at her. “There isn’t a woman alive who doesn’t want to catch a man,” Pete muttered. Gil reluctantly nodded in agreement.

“You’re wrong. I know a lady who feels that way.” Pete looked doubtful. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. Kelly. She won’t even consider marriage. All we have to do is talk her into helping.”

Pete remembered Kelly’s attitude when he’d involved her earlier. “Uh, Lindsay, I don’t think that’s going to work.”

When Lindsay arrived at the store at one o’clock, Kelly didn’t mention her problem with Pete. She figured the least said, the soonest mended. She felt sure she’d gotten her point across to Pete Crawford. She didn’t think he’d try that “stuff” again.

Which was good because the “stuff” was bothersome. She couldn’t get that kiss—those kisses to be technically correct—out of her head. But she would. She was determined.

“I’m going upstairs to have lunch with Mom and Drew,” she said. “If you need help, just call.”

When they’d agreed to be partners, Lindsay had no intention of marrying. She’d returned home after a year in Chicago. She’d bought the entire building and converted the second floor above the shop into a roomy three-bedroom apartment she intended to share with Kelly and Kelly’s son, Drew. But by then, Gil, who’d met Kelly in Chicago, had convinced her to marry him.

Lindsay had moved to Gil’s ranch. She’d offered Kelly the apartment at a ridiculously low rate, and Kelly had convinced her mother to move in with her and give up her waitressing jobs to take care of her grandson, sometimes also helping out in the store.

“I’ll come down again when Drew takes his nap,” Kelly added, hurrying away before Lindsay could say anything.

When Kelly entered the apartment, she heard her two-year-old son chattering to his grandmother. He didn’t always get the words right, but he was happy. And she adored him.

“Hey, little guy, how are you?” she asked as she moved into the kitchen.

He beamed at her and held out his arms. “Mama!”

Kelly gave him a hug but didn’t take him out of his high chair. Her mother was filling a plate for him full of chopped-up bites of hamburger, mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. Kelly wanted him to eat properly. “Mmm, mmm, good. Look at what Grandma has fixed for you.”

Mary Wildenthal grinned at her daughter. “I hope your enthusiasm works.”

“Maybe if we bribe him with cookies,” Kelly returned.

Drew squealed in excitement. “Cookie!” It was one of his favorite words.

“Oops,” Kelly acknowledged her mistake. “After you eat your lunch.”

“You’d better eat your lunch, too. I heard the high school was letting out early for parent conferences. I bet you’re busy this afternoon.”

“I hope so,” Kelly said, sitting down at the table. She felt spoiled letting her mother serve her, but Mary insisted. After holding down two waitressing jobs for twenty-five years, she said she felt lazy.

Kelly followed her mother’s advice. It meant her mother wouldn’t expect conversation, and Kelly was afraid she might let slip her difficulty with Pete. Like Lindsay, her mother thought Kelly should date.

Kelly thought the one dating should be Mary. She was only forty-one, having had Kelly when she was sixteen. Kelly’s father ran away to avoid responsibility and Mary’s strict parents had kicked Mary out of the house.

“Kelly?” Lindsay’s voice sounded on the intercom between the apartment and the dress shop. “We’re filling up.”

Kelly punched the button to respond. “I’ll be right down.” She’d barely eaten half of her lunch, and she wasn’t scheduled to work the afternoon, but a new business needed flexibility. After six months of operation their efforts were really beginning to pay off.

“But you haven’t finished your meal,” Mary protested.

“I know, but we need the customers. Come down after Drew goes to sleep,” she added. They’d gotten a baby monitor so as long as Drew couldn’t get out of his bed, they were okay. But Kelly was getting worried about his prowess these days.

“Okay,” Mary agreed.

When Kelly got downstairs, she discovered they were having a run on the prom gowns. She and Lindsay had spent more than they’d intended because they’d found a new supplier with great designs when they’d come to market in Dallas. Today, it looked like their investment was paying off.

When Mary came down, she took over the counter, ringing up customers, leaving Kelly and Lindsay to the actual selling.

The store closed officially at 6:00 p.m., but it was almost six-thirty when Lindsay locked the door behind the last customer. Since Mary had gone back upstairs a couple of hours ago to care for Drew, Lindsay and Kelly were on their own.

“We did over three thousand in sales today,” Kelly exclaimed from behind the counter tallying sales. “I bet we’re even busier on Saturday. We’re getting a lot of good word of mouth.”

Lindsay agreed. “Those gowns you found at market are almost gone. I think we should call the supplier in the morning and have them overnight some more. Today’s Wednesday. We could have them on the racks Saturday.”

Kelly beamed at her partner. “Brilliant idea! I’ll call first thing in the morning. And I’m calling Addie McCracken. She wanted that plum dress and it was too small. I can order a bigger size if she wants it.”

“Great! You have such a memory. I’d forgotten about Addie.” Lindsay paused and then added, “With that great memory of yours, it’s amazing that you forgot to mention Pete’s visit today.”

Kelly froze. That was a subject she had hoped to avoid. She attempted a casual shrug. “What’s to mention? He was looking for you, and I told him where to find you. I hope that was okay?”

“Of course it was okay. So he didn’t upset you?”

Kelly noted how closely Lindsay was watching her. “No, of course not.”

Lindsay heaved a big sigh. “Oh, good, ’cause he needs your help.”

Kelly drew a deep breath. “I don’t think I’d be very good as a cowboy. Sorry.”

“That’s okay, ’cause he doesn’t need you to round up cows. He needs you to go to the movies with him.” Lindsay smiled at her as if she’d already agreed to help Pete.

“Oh, come on, Lindsay. Pete can get a date in a minute’s time. You know how popular he is. The women in town just flock to him.” She was not going to the movies with Pete. Of that she was sure.

“You’re right,” Lindsay agreed.

Kelly released a deep sigh. “Of course I am.”

“But none of them have what you have,” Lindsay added.

“What’s that?” Kelly asked sharply.

“You don’t want to get married,” she replied, her grin triumphant.

Kelly had told her friend her feelings too many times to argue with her now. “True, but I’m not going out with him. He’s not going to use me to break some woman’s heart. He can do that by himself.”

“I know you’ll find this hard to believe, but he can’t. He warned Sheila he just wanted fun, no commitment, but she considered his words a challenge.”

“Of course,” Kelly replied matter-of-factly, understanding at once what Lindsay had had to explain to the men.

“Well, she’s been bragging about how she plans to trap him. If he doesn’t marry her, it will harm his reputation. If he does marry her, he’ll be miserable the rest of his life. The answer is to start dating a woman who doesn’t want marriage. You.”

“I don’t date.” Kelly didn’t bother to protest Lind-say’s plan. Her determined tone, she thought, would do the trick. After all, Lindsay knew her history. She understood why Kelly wanted nothing to do with a man.

“It wouldn’t really be a date,” Lindsay said. “Mostly you’d just appear in public with him. The rest of the time, you’d be watching a movie you’ve been wanting to see—and Pete would have to pay! Wouldn’t that be great? It’d only be a few times. And our entire family would be grateful.” Lindsay shuddered. “Imagine having Sheila as part of your family. How awful!”

“I don’t even know her!” Kelly exclaimed. “Do you want to come have a soda before you go home?”

“Great, but before we go upstairs, will you please help Pete—and me—out?”

Kelly glared at her best friend in the world, angry with her that she was backing Kelly into a corner. How could she refuse? Because of Lindsay, her shop was flourishing, and she and Drew no longer lived in the small trailer home. Her mother was with her and enjoying life, finally. All because of Lindsay.

But she just couldn’t say yes.

“Lindsay, I just can’t. I—it’s—”

Lindsay moved closer to Kelly. “I figured, so I worked out some incentive.”

“Lindsay—” Kelly began to protest, but Lindsay stopped her.

“It’s only fair. And it’s something you’ll love because it helps your mother, too.”

For the first time, Lindsay really had Kelly’s attention. “What are you talking about? How could Pete do something that would help my mother?”

Lindsay smiled. “Well, I thought you might refuse, so I decided you’d be more agreeable if the two of you weren’t alone. So I suggested you double-date.”

“It would certainly make it easier, but I don’t see how that would help my mother.”

Lindsay said nothing.

Kelly stared at her. “Well?”

“The other couple would be Mary…and Rafe.”

“Mother and Rafe?”

“You said you wanted her to date, to have fun. And remember those shy looks between them, when you both came to the ranch for dinner? I thought they would be perfect together. I suggested it to Rafe, without mentioning that I thought he was interested in Mary. It was so cute, Kelly. He ducked his head and said he guessed he could help Pete out, if Mary wouldn’t object.” Lindsay chuckled, pleasure on her face.

Kelly closed her eyes and swallowed.

Looks like she was wrong.

She was going to the movies with Pete Crawford.

Chapter Two

On Friday night Kelly studied herself in the mirror. She hadn’t gone out in the evening since before Drew’s birth. She was nervous.

But it had nothing to do with Pete, she assured herself. Because she wasn’t interested in Pete…or any man. She was nervous about her mother and Rafe. Especially because her mother was so excited. She didn’t want her mother to be disappointed.

“Kelly? May I come in?” her mother called.

“Of course, Mom.” Kelly stood and headed for the door as her mother entered. “Oh, you look so nice!”

“Thank you. I’m not too dressed up, am I?”

“No, that dress is perfect.” The dress was a navy print with small roses scattered around. The roses matched the color in her mother’s cheeks.

“You look beautiful, Kelly. Pete is going to be pleased.” Mary beamed at her.

“Mom,” Kelly said sharply. “You remember this date is just a pretense, don’t you? I mean, you and Rafe aren’t—but Pete and I don’t—it’s just a pretense, Mom.”

She was afraid her mother would argue with her, but Mary only smiled and said, “But we can enjoy the movie. I haven’t been to a film in ages.”

Kelly smiled. “You can even enjoy the popcorn, Mom.”

“I’d better get some money. I hadn’t thought about popcorn. Mmm, I can smell it now.”

“Mom, I think Pete can pay for your popcorn. After all, he owes us for helping him out.”

Her mother seemed impressed with that idea, reminding Kelly that her mother had been on her own since she was sixteen. Kelly kissed her mother’s cheek. “Just have fun, Mom.”

“You should, too, honey. You don’t ever get to have any fun.”

The doorbell sounded at the outside stairs.

“That should be Lindsay. I’m glad she had the afternoon off since she’s taking Drew home with her. He can be a handful.”

“My grandbaby is perfect, and you know it,” Mary scolded as she hurried to the door.

Lindsay followed Mary into the apartment. “Where’s Drew?”

“Hello to you, too,” Kelly said, grinning at her friend’s enthusiasm for baby-sitting.

Lindsay blushed. “Sorry. But Gil and I are excited about Drew spending the night.”

“Are you sure you want him to spend the night? He might wake you,” Kelly warned.

“He’ll be fine. Besides, you deserve to sleep in every once in a while. Since you’re both dressed, do you mind if Gil and Rafe come up?”

“Of course not.” Kelly said, noting her mother’s panic. She crossed her fingers behind her back, hoping things worked out for her mother. Rafe was a nice man and her mother deserved some fun.

“Rafe’s here?” Mary asked, her voice faint.

“Yes,” Lindsay smiled as she answered. “He was too nervous to wait. Pete is going to meet all of you here so you can go in one car.” She opened the front door and motioned down the stairs for the men to come up.

“I’ll get Drew,” Kelly said and slipped into her son’s bedroom. She’d started him playing with his blocks, one of his favorite toys.

“Drew, Lindsay’s here. Do you want to go play at Lindsay and Gil’s?”

He stared at her, his blue eyes and brown hair just like her own. “Horsie!” he exclaimed. When they’d visited the ranch last Sunday, Gil had taken Drew to the barn to pat a horse.

“Very good, baby,” Kelly exclaimed, proud of her child for making the connection. “Let’s get your suitcase so you can visit the horsie again.” She grabbed a small cloth bag she’d packed earlier and held out her hand to her son.

He stood and took her hand. “Horsie,” he repeated.

She scooped him into her arms and hugged him close. “You’re going to have a lot of fun, aren’t you?” she teased with a laugh, hoping her child didn’t notice the anxiety she was feeling about their separation.

“Of course he is,” Gil said as he came into the room, obviously having overheard her.

She sent him a grateful smile, appreciating his encouragement.

“Hey, I thought he was a baby,” another male voice exclaimed.

Kelly wheeled around to stare at Pete Crawford. She hadn’t realized he’d arrived. “He is a baby!” she exclaimed, irritated by his remark.

“He’s a growing boy,” Mary said tactfully.

“Okay,” Pete agreed, but his gaze was on Kelly. “Shall we go? The movie starts in fifteen minutes.”

Kelly handed her son to Lindsay, then gave the suitcase to Gil. “If you change your mind about Drew spending the night, just call me. I don’t mind coming to get him.”

“We’ll be fine,” Lindsay assured her. She left the apartment, Gil following in her wake.

Kelly followed them so she could see Drew. When she turned to go back inside the apartment, she found the other three adults right behind her. “Oh! Are you ready to go? I have to get my purse.”

“Here it is, dear,” Mary said, holding out the black leather bag Kelly usually carried.

“But I need to—to put on lipstick,” Kelly protested, hoping for a moment alone to collect herself.

“Put it on in the car,” Pete said and grabbed her arm to pull her after him. “I don’t want to miss the start of the show.”

With Rafe and her mother waiting, too, Kelly didn’t feel she had much choice. She accompanied her “date” down the stairs.

Pete drew a deep breath as Kelly slid into the front seat of his mother’s sedan. He’d been afraid she’d insist on the back seat with her mother. Not that he’d mind. He didn’t care where she rode, personally, but it wouldn’t convince anyone they were interested in each other.

He got behind the wheel as first Mary, then Rafe, got in the back seat. “All set?” he asked cheerfully, hoping to make everything seem normal.

“Sure,” Rafe returned.

In the rearview mirror, Pete saw Rafe help Mary with her seat belt. He checked to be sure Kelly had taken care of her own. The scent of her perfume drifted over to him. Her long dark hair seemed particularly enticing. When he’d seen her on Wednesday, it had been pulled back into a sedate braid.

“Uh, you’re wearing your hair down,” he muttered as he started the car.

She turned a startled gaze to him. “Does it matter?”

“No. It’s—it’s attractive.” Dammit, he hadn’t meant to say that.

“Compliments aren’t necessary, Pete,” she said in a low voice. “I agreed to do this. I keep my promises.”

Her attitude irritated him. She needn’t make it sound like an evening spent with him was torture. He glared at her.

“Anything wrong?” Rafe asked from the back seat.

“No,” Pete assured him. “I hope we like the movie. It sounds okay.”

Mary smiled. “It’s been so long since I’ve been to a movie, I’m sure I will enjoy it.” She smiled shyly at Rafe.

“I don’t go often, either,” Rafe assured her. “Mostly I like the popcorn.”

Mary beamed at him. “Oh, me, too!”

Well, at least someone was going to have fun tonight, Pete thought to himself. He eyed his date out of the corner of his eye. She was sitting stiffly, eyes straight ahead. He figured he could pelt her with popcorn and she wouldn’t notice.

There was a short line at the ticket box, and Pete figured standing in line would be a prime opportunity to make sure word got back to Sheila that he was “with” another woman.

“People are watching,” he whispered to Kelly after they got in line. Then he casually draped his arm across Kelly’s shoulders. She jerked away, then tried to relax. She even tried to smile. Pete hoped everyone else wouldn’t notice her reluctance. Seeking a distraction, he stared at the advertisement for an upcoming movie.

“Are you a Mel Gibson fan?” he asked, leaning closer to her.

“Um, he’s okay,” she replied, barely moving away.

“You’re supposed to act like you like my company,” he reminded her. “No one’s going to believe that if you keep acting like I have the plague.”

“I’m not acting like that!” she exclaimed even as she pulled back even more.

“Then why are you moving farther away?” he demanded.

“Because you’re crowding me!” she snapped.

Exasperated, he said, “Did you think we could convince anyone by standing five feet apart? People who are attracted to each other touch!”

“But—” she began in protest. She stopped as a couple walked by, then stopped and came back.

“Pete!” the man exclaimed, sticking out his hand to shake. “I didn’t see you for a minute. I thought you’d be with—”

The woman with him shoved her elbow into his ribs, stopping his words.

Pete knew his friend Mike was going to say Sheila. Her brassy blond hair drew the eye.

He nodded to the man’s wife. “Hi, Marge. Do you know Kelly Hampton? Kelly, this is Mike and Marge Poston. They have a place south of ours.”

“Oh, you’re partners with Lindsay at Oklahoma Chic, aren’t you? I’ve been hearing wonderful things about the store, even though I haven’t been in yet.”

Kelly thanked her for the compliment and started a conversation about fashion, leaving the men to talk alone.

“Sorry, Pete,” Mike said. “I didn’t mean to say the wrong thing. Have you and Sheila broken up? I heard you were pretty serious.”

“You probably heard that from Sheila. I think she’s ready to marry. That ticking-clock thing. But I’m a bachelor and I’m not wanting to change that fact.”

The women had stopped talking and were looking at him.

Marge turned back to Kelly. “I hope you realize you’re with a determined bachelor. I’ve overheard him say he never wanted kids, didn’t I, Pete?”

Kelly gave a determined smile. “We’re just seeing a movie tonight, not planning a lifetime.”

An awkward silence fell. Finally the couple said goodbye and got in line behind several other couples.

Mary leaned forward. “You don’t want any children?”

Pete hadn’t realized Mary and Rafe had overheard their conversation. “Uh, Mary, I’m a bachelor.”

“But—” Mary began.

“Mom, remember what we’re doing,” Kelly said softly. “We’re pretending, remember?”

“I know, but it seems such a shame.”

“Yeah,” Rafe agreed.

Pete frowned at his friend. What was wrong with everyone? The whole point of the evening was to keep from falling into that trap.

“Sir, how many?”

He’d been slowly moving in the line, but he hadn’t realized he’d reached the box office window. He turned around and asked for two tickets.

“What about Mom and Rafe?” Kelly asked.

“Rafe said he’d pay for him and Mary.”

“But they’re doing you a favor. You should—”

“Insult a man’s pride?” he growled at her. Then he took the tickets he’d just bought and gently pushed her ahead of him into the theater.

“What do you mean?” she whispered.

“Rafe pays his own way, and Mary’s, too, tonight. Popcorn?”

She studied him with those big blue eyes. “Can I pay for my own?”

He shook his head. “No. I have a little pride, too.”

“Then no, thank you,” she said and turned to see if Mary and Rafe were inside yet.

Pete stared at her in irritation. Rafe whispered to Mary as they came through the door. Mary moved to Kelly’s side and Rafe headed for the refreshments counter. Pete followed him.

“I thought you’d be ahead of me,” Rafe said.

“My date is being difficult.”

“You two seemed a little cozy in line.”

“I’m glad you thought so. I think we got the word out, anyway. Mike Poston’s wife is friends with Sheila.”

After Rafe got a bucket of popcorn and two drinks, Pete ordered the same and they returned to the women. Kelly took the drink he handed her with a brief thankyou, which was better than Pete had expected. Then she turned and followed Rafe and Mary into the darkened theater.

Once they were seated, the previews started. In the darkness, Pete put the popcorn between him and Kelly and leaned over to whisper, “I can’t eat all this by myself.”

Even in the darkness, he knew those big blue eyes were staring at him, but he kept his gaze on the screen. Without comment she took a few kernels of corn. As if he’d crossed a big bridge, he relaxed in his chair and slid his arm around the back of her chair.

“That’s not necessary,” she whispered, leaning toward him.

Her perfume filled his nostrils and he wanted to taste her. But he knew better than to get that carried away. However, he put his lips to her ear and whispered, “I’m not touching. It just looks that way.”

She never looked at him, but she shifted slightly to create a little more distance between them. Stubborn woman, he thought.

When the feature film came on, he realized it was science fiction, not his favorite type of movie. With his eyes more adjusted to the dark, he checked out the people around them, recognizing several of Sheila’s friends.

By the time the movie ended, he was much more interested in Kelly than the Hollywood beauty on the screen. She seemed plastic compared to Kelly’s natural beauty. His arm had slipped gradually to rest on her shoulders. Once, she’d even cringed when the monsters seemed to jump off the screen toward them. He’d taken the opportunity to pull her close, her right breast pressing into his chest.

However, she recovered all too quickly.

When the lights came on, he leaned down and brushed her lips with his in a brief kiss, followed by whispering in her ear, “We’re being watched.”

She said nothing and Pete prayed no one managed to see the glare she sent him. He caught her hand in his. She tried to pull away, but she did resist discreetly. He held her fast.

Several more couples stopped and chatted on the way out, and Pete figured he was getting his money’s worth. He decided it wouldn’t hurt to lay it on thick.

“How about we stop at the ice-cream shop? Summer will be here before too long and I’m in the mood for a malt.”

Mary smiled. “Oh, that would be—I mean, what do you think, Kelly?”

How could Kelly refuse another half hour, knowing Pete’s suggestion had put the sparkle in her mother’s eyes. But she wanted to. She felt he’d overstepped his bounds with that kiss. The one she liked too much. “A malt would be fun, if you have the time,” she said, looking at Pete.

She knew why he’d suggested it. The front of the shop was all windows. Anyone arriving for the late show would see them. But the sooner Sheila knew about them, the less time she’d be involved in this charade.

Once seated with the promised malts in front of them, silence fell. Kelly tried to think of a subject that would engage both Rafe and Mary.

“Drew remembered seeing the horses when we visited last Sunday, Rafe.”

“He sure liked them. Gil’s real good with kids,” Rafe responded.

“I think you’d be good with kids, too, Pete, if you’d try,” Mary said, leaning forward.

“I doubt it,” he said. Then he asked Rafe about his herd.

Before Rafe could answer, Mary tried again. “But children are so wonderful. Drew is an absolute delight.”

“No, thanks,” Pete replied, more bluntly this time.

“But you haven’t—” Mary pushed.

Kelly tried to avert an ugly scene, but Pete was faster than she was.

“I already have a mother to nag on me about grand-kids,” he said fiercely. “I sure don’t need another one.”

Even Pete himself seemed appalled about his rudeness. Kelly supposed he’d opened his mouth to apologize, but she didn’t wait to find out. She pulled her mother from her chair and walked out of the ice-cream parlor.

“I’m so sorry, Kelly,” Mary apologized, tears in her eyes.

Kelly just kept walking. One of the few cabs in town was waiting at the movie theater, hoping to pick up a fare. Kelly opened the door and put her mother inside, following her as she gave the driver their address.

By the time the taxi started moving, Mary was sobbing. Kelly put her arms around her mother. “It’s all right, Mom.”

“But I’ve ruined everything!”

“Mom, there was nothing to ruin. It doesn’t matter whether or not Pete likes children. It was all a pretense.”

“But Lindsay said maybe you’d hit it off and—”

“I’m going to kill Lindsay,” Kelly muttered. Her best friend had obviously convinced her mother this evening was a possible romantic moment for Kelly.

“No, I don’t want to cause more problems!” Mary exclaimed.

Kelly sighed. “Don’t worry, Mom. I didn’t mean it. Everything’s fine. But you have to promise you’ll never try to persuade Pete he wants children ever again.”

“I promise,” Mary said, still weepy.

Pete was stunned by Kelly’s reaction. He knew he hadn’t been nice, but he’d been tense. And didn’t the woman understand the whole purpose of the evening? It certainly wasn’t to sell him on the idea of marrying and having a family.

He realized immediately he wasn’t going to get any sympathy from Rafe, even before he spoke.

“What’d you go and do that for?” Rafe demanded. “I think Mary was crying. Come on, let’s go after them.”

Before Rafe could get to his feet, Pete stopped him. “It won’t do any good, Rafe. I’m sorry I was rude, but Kelly would hardly talk to me before I opened my mouth. Now she’ll ignore me, or pull a gun on me.”

“I reckon you’re right, but we should make sure they get home safely. They got in the taxi, and I’ve heard old Lenny takes a few nips of whiskey while he waits for a customer.” He stood, waiting for Pete to join him.

Pete got up and followed Rafe out the door. “I’m sorry if I ruined your evening, Rafe. You and Mary seemed to be enjoying yourselves.”

“You think she was having a good time?” Rafe asked anxiously, making Pete feel even worse.

“Yeah, I think so.”

“She’s a sweet little thing. Has the greatest laugh. And she even liked the movie.”

“Yeah,” Pete agreed and apologized again. “I’m afraid I got kind of tense and—well, I should’ve found a way to convince her I’m not father material.”

“Why do you say that?” Rafe asked as he got into Pete’s car.

“Don’t you start on me, too. I’m trying to avoid marriage, not fall into the trap.”

“Gil seems mighty happy.”

“Good. I’m not Gil. I’ll apologize to Mary, but I’m not going to take up fatherhood.”

Pete set the car in motion. He could barely see the cab on the next block. He hoped Rafe had been wrong about what he’d heard. Pete would feel badly if there were an accident because of his rudeness.

The women were out of the cab and almost to the top of the stairs when he stopped the car in front of their building.

“We’d better get up there to make our apologies before they go to sleep,” Rafe urged.

“Maybe I should wait until tomorrow morning,” Pete suggested as the women closed the door. “You know, I could bring flowers, do the apology right. That would be better, wouldn’t it?”

Rafe stared at him. “You’re stalling.”

His succinct statement cut right through all Pete’s words.

With a sigh, he said, “You’re right. Okay, come on, let’s go.” He opened his door and got out of the car. He didn’t want to face either Kelly or her mother again tonight, but he couldn’t face his mother if he didn’t. She’d be mortified if she heard of his behavior.

Rafe joined him as he stepped on the first stair up.

“I guess you won’t ever forget this date, will you?” Rafe asked. “You ever been dumped before?”

“Not quite as efficiently. I don’t think Kelly likes any man. Not just me. I wonder why?”

“You don’t want to marry. I guess she has the same right,” Rafe pointed out.

“Yeah, but I like women. I just don’t want to marry one,” Pete explained.

“You’re spoiled,” Rafe told him with a grin.

Suddenly the door to the apartment four steps up flew open, and both women poured out. Panic was written on their faces.

“What’s wrong?” Rafe asked.

“Drew’s in the emergency room!” Kelly practically screamed, trying to shove her way past Pete.

He grabbed her arm to keep her from falling. “Come on. I’ll drive.”

Chapter Three

Pete watched Kelly out of the corner of his eye as he sped toward the hospital. He decided he could’ve been a four-headed monster and she wouldn’t have cared as long as he got her to her child.

Most of the young women he dated concentrated on either themselves or him. Kelly was only thinking of her child. She reminded him of his mother.

When he parked the car, she jumped out and was halfway to the emergency room before he could open his door. Mary hurried after her. Rafe waited for him to lock the door. Then the two of them followed the women.

“What do you think is wrong?” Rafe asked.

“Could be anything. Probably a broken bone. We had a lot of those while we were growing up,” Pete muttered.

Inside, Kelly was talking to Lindsay and Gil, Mary listening beside her. Then a nurse took Kelly away. Pete stared after her, feeling he should go with her, but he knew she wouldn’t want him. He crossed to Lindsay’s side. “What happened?”

“It’s his appendix, Pete,” a teary-eyed Lindsay said. “He was fussy, and I thought he missed Kelly. I tried to make him happy. Then he threw up! And—and he was running a fever. We called the doctor and he said bring him to the hospital!”

Gil put his arm around his wife. “It wasn’t your fault, honey. We did everything we could.”

Mary was fighting tears and Rafe had his arm around her, giving her strength.

Another nurse stepped forward. “Would you like to go up to the waiting room on the second floor? That’s where the doctor will come after the surgery.”

“Will Ms. Hampton go there?” Pete asked.

“Yes, sir, we’ll send her there when she comes back.”

Pete told the others to go upstairs and he’d wait here for Kelly. He didn’t think she should come back by herself.

“Oh, thanks, Pete. That’s a good idea,” Lindsay said, patting him on the arm.

Pete leaned against the nurses’ station counter, waiting for Kelly, wondering how dangerous the surgery was. He asked the nurses several questions. They said it was unusual for so young a child, but not too dangerous. He was feeling better about everything until he saw Kelly. Silent tears streamed down her pale cheeks as she walked toward him.

She almost passed him, and he realized she wasn’t seeing anything. He put an arm around her. “Kelly? Did you see Drew?”

Without answering, she turned and buried her face against his chest. He tightened his grip on her and buried his face in her hair. “Was he awake?”

She nodded, her sobs easing. “He was so frightened!”

“I know, honey. He’s little, but he’ll be okay.”

He couldn’t even understand the flood of protests she made, but he didn’t need to. He remembered his mother when Mike, his youngest brother, had been in a car accident. He’d been pretty messed up. No one, not even his dad, had been able to comfort her until she saw Mike again and had the doctor tell her he would be all right.

“Come on upstairs. The others have gone to the waiting room where the doctor will come when it’s over.”

With his arm still around her, he moved them to the elevator.

She seemed surprised when they reached the waiting room and Lindsay and Mary ran forward to hear the latest about Drew. When she pulled away from Pete’s warmth to hug them, he felt the loss. He wanted to protest and tell the other women that he could support Kelly better than them. He was stronger.

Eventually they sat down, and he took a chair nearby, with Rafe and Gil. There was little conversation. The men, all three of them, watched the women, ready at a minute’s notice to do anything they could to help.

But there was nothing.

Finally Mary and Kelly got up. Mary explained they were going to walk the halls for a little while. Pete offered to accompany them and Kelly gave him a strange look, as if surprised he was there.

Mary shook her head, and Pete settled back in the uncomfortable chair.

Lindsay came back to Gil’s side and he slid his arm around her. She put her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. They made such a picture of oneness, Pete was surprised to feel envy. He’d seen it before with his parents. He’d even thought one day he might have that kind of relationship. But that was before he’d had experience with the opposite sex. An early engagement to a woman who was only interested in his money had filled him with cynicism.

As if to underline his decision about women, fun for a while but too difficult to understand, Lindsay suddenly raised her head and stared at her husband. Then she burst into tears and leaped from his side, running into the hallway.

“What happened?” Rafe asked.

“I don’t know,” Gil said, a stunned look on his face. “I just said I was glad it was Kelly’s boy and not ours that was being operated on, and she went crazy.”

“You don’t care about Drew?” Pete demanded. Gil’s words seemed harsh even to Pete, who claimed not to want any children.

“Of course I do. But if it was my baby, mine and Lindsay’s baby, I think I’d go crazy. That’s all I meant.” Gil stood. “I’d better go find her.”

Before he took two steps, Lindsay returned, Kelly and Mary with her.

“Honey, what upset you?” Gil demanded.

With a nudge from Kelly, Lindsay took a step toward him. “I—I thought you wanted a baby.”

Pete watched, wide-eyed, as Gil assured his wife. “Of course, I want a baby. I said that because it’s hard when your own child—I mean, Kelly is suffering so much, I—why would you think I don’t want a baby?”

“I wanted to baby-sit Drew tonight because—because I wanted to tell you—he’s so sweet. I know you adore him and—I’m pregnant!”

Pete stared at his sister, then his friend. They were having a baby? He didn’t know what to say.

Obviously Gil didn’t, either. He stared at his wife as if he hadn’t understood the words.

Rafe jumped up from his chair and hugged Lindsay, congratulating her.

His movement awoke Gil from his stupor. He hugged Lindsay tightly, whispering in her ear. Pete stood and added his congratulations.

“Are you sure?” Lindsay asked Gil. “When Pete was there the other day, you laughed and said—”

Gil and Pete hurriedly interrupted.

“I wasn’t agreeing with Pete!” Gil said in a rush.

“I didn’t mean—I was just talking in general,” Pete assured her.

Kelly stared at Pete, her gaze accusing him of some heinous crime. “Really,” he protested, “some women aren’t—I mean, they don’t—” He took another look at Kelly’s stare and gave up defending himself.

Gil sat down and pulled Lindsay into his lap. They cuddled, whispering, and occasionally kissing, and the others sat in silence, trying to ignore them.

Finally Lindsay looked at her friend. “You were right, Kelly, he does want our baby!” She beamed at them all.

“Of course he does, Lindsay. Everyone knows he’s crazy about you,” Kelly assured her, smiling at both Lindsay and Gil.

Pete frowned. There was a bittersweet tone to her words and her expression that caused him to question her past. She had gotten married when she was pregnant, but Lindsay had assured the Crawfords that Kelly and her husband loved each other. Six months later, before she gave birth, he’d been killed in a rodeo accident.

Pete had assumed Kelly had refused to date anyone because she’d still been in mourning. Now he wondered.

“Uh, I imagine most men are excited about their first child,” he said, watching Kelly closely.

After a hesitation, Kelly said, “Yes, of course.”

She glanced down at her watch and looked back at the doorway, unconsciously reminding him of the ordeal she was going through. Yet she’d taken the time to help Lindsay.

It suddenly occurred to him that Lindsay’s news would excite his mother. “Have you told Mom? She’s going to be over the moon. You know how she wants a grandchild nearby.” His brother Logan had one baby and another on the way but they were two or three hours away in Texas.

“Not yet. I had to tell Gil first,” Lindsay protested.

“You’ve told him. Why don’t you go call Mom and Dad,” Pete suggested.

Lindsay and Gil jumped to their feet and hurried out of the waiting room after a quick word to Kelly.

Rafe suggested to Mary that they walk a little. He said his left leg went stiff if he didn’t move around every once in a while. Mary leaped at the opportunity to nurse someone else, since she couldn’t nurse her grandson.

Suddenly only Pete and Kelly remained in the waiting room.

He cleared his throat. “Thanks for helping Lindsay.”

She was pacing the room, and she turned to stare at him. “I didn’t do anything.” She started walking again.

“Yes, you did. You calmed her down and got her to talk to Gil. I’ve never seen her that upset.”

She paused again. “A woman is very upset during pregnancy. Her hormones are out of balance.”

“Were you that way when you had Drew?”

Her eyes darkened, and she turned away, pacing again. He barely heard the “yes” she muttered.

“He’s a cute baby.”

She seemed surprised by his words, which made him feel defensive. He didn’t hate children just because he didn’t think he was cut out for fatherhood. He didn’t think he had the patience a child needed.

“He’s a little boy, almost two years old,” she said. Then she sank her teeth into her bottom lip and her eyes filled with tears. She quickly turned away.

Pete stood and put his arms around her. To his surprise she didn’t protest. He figured tomorrow she’d slap him if he tried to hug her. But tonight, she’d hold on to any port in a storm.

“He’s going to be fine, Kelly. Tomorrow, you’ll be laughing about your fears.”

She sniffed and muttered against his chest, “Maybe not tomorrow. It’ll take longer than that.”

“Yeah. How long will it take before you forgive me for what I said to your mother? I know I was rude and I apologize.” He hadn’t meant to bring up that subject, but he couldn’t help himself.

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