Melissa Kennedy knew how to make a man ache.

To make a man want. And Rob didn’t want to do either of those things.

He stubbornly continued to wash the dishes, reluctant to acknowledge that he was alone with Melissa.

But she didn’t sit down at the kitchen table. Instead, he suddenly found her beside him, a towel in her hands.

His head whipped around to stare at the beautiful woman beside him. Tonight her dress was mint-green, almost the color of her eyes. It fit snugly from the waist up, and he suddenly dropped the dish he had been washing. Fortunately, the water cushioned its landing and it didn’t break. It only splashed him with water.

Melissa took the towel and began blotting his shirt and chest.

He thought he’d die.

The Circle K Sisters

NEVER LET YOU GO (SR #1453)

THE BORROWED GROOM (SR #1457)

CHERISH THE BOSS (SR #1463)

Dear Reader,

Looking for sensational summer reads? All year we’ve been celebrating Silhouette’s 20th Anniversary with special titles, and this month’s selections are just the warm, romantic tales you’ve been seeking!

Bestselling author Stella Bagwell continues the newest Romance promotion, AN OLDER MAN. Falling for Grace hadn’t been his intention, particularly when his younger, pregnant neighbor was carrying his nephew’s baby! Judy Christenberry’s THE CIRCLE K SISTERS miniseries comes back to Romance this month, when sister Melissa enlists the temporary services of The Borrowed Groom. Moyra Tarling’s Denim & Diamond pairs a rough-hewn single dad with the expectant woman he’d once desired beyond reason…but let get away.

Valerie Parv unveils her romantic royalty series THE CARRAMER CROWN. When a woman literally washes ashore at the feet of the prince, she becomes companion to The Monarch’s Son… but will she ever become the monarch’s wife? Julianna Morris’s BRIDAL FEVER! persists when Jodie’s Mail-Order Man discovers her heart’s desire: the brother of her mail-order groom! And Martha Shields’s Lassoed! is the perfect Opposites Attract story this summer. The sparks between a rough-and-tumble rodeo champ and the refined beauty sent to photograph him jump off every page!

In future months, look for STORKVILLE, USA, our newest continuity series. And don’t miss the charming miniseries THE CHANDLERS REQUEST…from New York Times bestselling author Kasey Michaels.

Happy reading!

Mary-Theresa Hussey

Senior Editor

The Borrowed Groom
Judy Christenberry

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Books by Judy Christenberry

Silhouette Romance

The Nine-Month Bride #1324

*Marry Me, Kate #1343

*Baby in Her Arms #1350

*A Ring for Cinderella #1356

†Never Let You Go #1453

†The Borrowed Groom #1457

JUDY CHRISTENBERRY

has been writing romances for fifteen years because she loves happy endings as much as her readers do. She’s a bestselling writer 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 French teacher, Judy now 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 daughters. Judy’s a native Texan, who recently moved to Tempe, Arizona.

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

Chapter One

“Terri!”

The roar of a frustrated man’s voice penetrated the warm happiness of Melissa Kennedy’s kitchen, bringing alarm to her guest’s face.

The young girl gasped and leaped to her feet. “That’s my dad!” She seemed prepared to race out of the house.

“I’ll invite him in,” Melissa said, motioning with her hand for Terri Hanson to sit back down. She didn’t like the look of apprehension on the child’s face. If this man abused his daughter, he’d have her to deal with.

After all, her dream, one she’d been able to realize when her aunt Beulah had died and left her and her sisters a fortune, was to protect children. She’d built her new home here on the family ranch, a few yards from the original homestead, so she’d have room for the foster children she hoped to care for.

“Mr. Hanson?” she called, after stepping out onto the porch, staring at the man standing in front of the nearby manager’s house, his hands cocked on his hips, his hat pulled low. “Terri’s here with me.”

At first she thought he wasn’t going to move. Then he covered the ground between them quickly. Though he was a handsome man, broad-shouldered, narrow-hipped, he wasn’t happy. The urge to back up a step or two struck her, but she held her ground.

He stopped at the bottom of the steps and touched his hat with his fingers. “Ma’am. Would you please ask Terri to come here?” His face was stern, unyielding, his gaze cold.

“I have a better idea. Why don’t you join us? I’m Melissa, Abby’s sister. Terri is having a snack with us. I think there are a few cookies left over.” She gave him her best smile. Abby, her older sister, had told her that she had hired Rob Hanson to manage the cattle operations of the family ranch.

“No, ma’am. My daughter, please.”

As if she were holding Terri hostage!

“I’ll be glad to call your daughter, Mr. Hanson, but I wanted to discuss a…a proposition with you.” One that had struck her when she saw how well Terri dealt with the two young foster children who had arrived last night. “It will be more comfortable if we hold our discussion inside.”

He stood there frowning at her, and she considered that he might stay that way until Terri appeared. She tried again. “I’m sorry I didn’t meet you and Terri yesterday, but I had business to take care of. Please let me extend a welcome to you now.”

“Thanks. What proposition?”

A man of few words.

“I think we should discuss it inside.” She could be as stubborn as the cowboy. Turning her back to him, she walked into the house, leaving the door open.

Damn! Just what he didn’t need. A woman. A soft, feminine woman, wanting something.

The last time he’d given in to a woman’s softness, let her have her way, he’d been left with a three-month-old baby to raise. He’d vowed then and there to keep his distance.

But Rob Hanson liked his new job. Abby Kennedy seemed a fair woman, a woman who thought like a man. He needed a place to settle down for a while, give Terri some stability after uprooting her. He didn’t want to leave.

So he’d best make amends with the boss’s sister.

He strode up the steps, across the porch and into the house, removing his Stetson as he did so. He was immediately struck by the homeyness of the place. The kind of home a man dreams about. Cool, quiet, inviting.

This was worse than he’d thought it would be.

“In here, Mr. Hanson,” that warm voice called, luring him deeper and deeper into the trap.

The kitchen was large, bright, filled with mouthwatering scents…and three girls. He stared at his daughter, his gaze conveying his displeasure.

“Hi, Dad. Melissa invited me to have cookies and milk with her and the girls, and I didn’t think you’d mind.” Terri spoke quickly, obviously hoping to get her excuses in before he ordered her back to their new house.

“I told her I thought it would be all right since I’m Abby’s sister,” his hostess added.

A lot of things sprang to mind to tell the woman, but he decided it would be safest to ignore her. If he could. She was mighty distracting. “I was worried about you,” he said to his daughter. The emotion, the panic he’d experienced when he found his daughter missing, burred his voice.

Terri slipped from her chair and ran to slide her arms around his waist and give him a hug. She thought she was getting too old for hugs these days, but he wasn’t. He still needed to hold her close.

“Sorry, Dad,” she whispered.

“I know, baby. It’s all right,” he whispered in return.

Over Terri’s shoulder, the two little girls stared at him, scared looks on their faces.

“I didn’t mean to growl so,” he said both to them and his hostess.

Terri pulled away. “This is my dad,” she said.

He loved the pride in her voice. He wasn’t sure he deserved it, but it kept him standing a little straighter.

“Let me introduce Jessica and Mary Ann,” Melissa Kennedy said, moving to stand beside the two girls. “They’re staying with me.”

Rob said his hellos, adding a smile to convince them he wasn’t a bad guy. He didn’t succeed.

“Terri, would you mind taking the girls upstairs and helping them wash up? I think they have chocolate all over their faces.”

“We didn’t mean to!” one of them protested.

Rob turned sharp eyes on his hostess. Was she one of those neat freaks, not wanting a thing out of place?

Melissa bent over and kissed first one child’s cheek and then the other little girl’s. “Of course you didn’t. I made messy cookies. And it won’t take a minute to clean up.” Even as she smiled at the girls, she looked at Terri, a question in her gaze.

“Sure. It’s okay, isn’t it, Dad? It won’t take long.”

“Okay.”

The children went eagerly with Terri. He didn’t know if it was his daughter’s charm or fear of him that motivated them, but they were quickly out of the room.

Melissa gestured to one of the chairs at the table. Reluctantly, he moved to it and stood waiting for her to join him.

She placed a new plate of cookies on the table. “Did you want milk with the cookies? Or I have soda or coffee.”

“Milk will be fine.”

He wondered if he could resist the cookies. Home-baked cookies were rare in his life. But they were part of the trap. The scent of fresh cookies laced with chocolate drifted up to him and he knew resistance wasn’t going to happen.

Melissa set a glass of milk in front of him, then pulled out the chair next to him and sat down.

After he lowered himself onto the chair next to her, she nudged the plate closer to the empty saucer she’d given him. “Help yourself.”

Maybe if he only ate one it wouldn’t be so bad.

She leaned toward him and he discovered something more tempting than warm, homemade cookies. Green eyes, laced with dark lashes, faced him. Beneath them was a soft, kissable mouth, faintly pink. Smooth skin, framed by a halo of dark curls, added to the picture.

He stopped, with the cookie halfway to his mouth. Putting it back down, he said carefully, “What is it you wanted to talk to me about?” He had to get out of there—quick.

“I wanted to offer Terri a job.”

He stood, reaching for his hat where he’d hung it on the chair. “My daughter doesn’t need to work.” He kept his voice polite but firm. Then he made his escape.

He’d almost made it out of the kitchen, ready to shout for Terri, when Melissa caught hold of his arm.

“Mr. Hanson, let me explain.”

“There’s nothing to explain. I don’t know what she told you, but Terri’s only twelve.” He glared at her.

“I know that. But I need help with the kids, and I thought she might be bored this summer, since she’s new to the area.”

She needed help with two little kids? Yeah, right. She expected someone else to do the work while she sat around watching television, he guessed. He hated those kinds of women. “Sorry. You find someone else to be your slave. It won’t be my daughter.”

She seemed taken aback by his vehemence. Good. He didn’t want anyone taking Terri’s childhood away from her.

“You don’t understand. It wouldn’t be all day. I could hire her for three or four hours a day.”

“Hire me?” Terri said, tumbling down the stairs in excitement, clearly having overheard the woman. “You want to offer me a job?”

Rob silently groaned. He knew what was coming. “Now, Terri, it’s time for us to get out of Ms. Kennedy’s way. Let’s go.”

“But, Dad—”

“Mr. Hanson!”

“Thank you, ma’am, for your kindness. Terri.” He spoke his daughter’s name with all the authority he possessed. He knew she wouldn’t want to go. Already she’d been taken in by the woman’s trap.

But not him.

Hell! He hadn’t even tasted one of those cookies.

“Yes, Dad,” Terri said, her chin dropping.

He hated to disappoint her. But it was for her own good. He slapped his Stetson onto his head, took hold of Terri’s hand, and led her out of that den of motherhood designed to capture the unwary.

Melissa spent the entire afternoon thinking about Rob Hanson and his daughter.

If she hadn’t seen the way he’d softened, the way he’d wrapped his arms around Terri when she’d hugged him, Melissa might think the man was an ogre.

But she’d seen the love in his eyes.

So, he hadn’t understood her offer. Somehow he suspected her of wanting to take advantage of Terri. Instead she’d had the girl’s best interest at heart.

Well, she’d benefit from Terri’s working for her, of course. But a twelve-year-old girl, stuck on her own all summer, not knowing anyone, would be bored to tears. And lonesome.

She wanted to help Terri if she could. But most of all, she wanted to fulfill her dream. When their aunt Beulah had taken her and her two sisters in after they were orphaned as children, she’d saved them from what they considered a fate worse than death.

Social Services had intended to split the sisters up, placing them in three foster homes. After the tragedy of their parents’ deaths, they hadn’t thought they could bear losing each other, too.

After sixteen years together on the ranch, where Aunt Beulah had taught them about life, she’d died last summer. And they’d been shocked to discover Aunt Beulah had had a lot of money, invested when the oil boom had struck Oklahoma.

The three sisters, her, Abby and Beth, the youngest, had decided to keep the ranch, but each sister would be free to follow her dream. Beth had thought she wanted to be a barrel racer, following the rodeo circuit.

Melissa smiled. That dream had been exchanged for Jed Davis. He’d been Beth’s instructor in barrel racing. Now they were man and wife, living across the road, on Ellen Wisner’s old farm. Ellen had come to work for the Kennedy sisters as housekeeper. After buying it from her, Jed was turning it into a highly respected training center for rodeo horses and riders.

Abby seemed content running the ranch. She worked hard, riding all day and studying books on ranching into the night. Melissa worried that she might not be happy, but Abby had the right to make her own choices.

Melissa had always been more interested in home-making than ranching. She loved to cook, to clean, to decorate. She had known immediately what she wanted to do with her share of the inheritance. After finding Ellen to replace her at the homestead, she’d set about building her dream house near Aunt Beulah’s home.

Then she’d gone to Social Services to apply as a foster parent. She wanted to take in siblings, like her and her sisters, who otherwise might be separated. She wanted to do for other children what Aunt Beulah had done for them.

Charles Graham, the local head of Social Services, however, didn’t like the idea of a single woman taking in children. Though he couldn’t legally refuse her, she knew she’d have to struggle with his prejudices.

When Jessica and Mary Ann Whitney had been abandoned, he’d had no option but to give them to Melissa because he had no other openings. So her dream was coming true.

With Terri’s help, the two little girls would relax, feel more at home. And if she was successful with these two children, maybe Mr. Graham would have more faith in Melissa’s abilities. She was having to play it by ear with the children because they didn’t have any background information. They’d been abandoned by people who were apparently passing through town.

It hadn’t taken Melissa long to figure out the little girls had been mistreated. Their fear of punishment if they made any noise or caused any trouble made her want to cry.

Only when Terri had joined them had the two little girls smiled and relaxed a little.

After dinner, she bathed the little girls, who seemed surprised that they would take another bath so soon after last night’s, and tucked them into bed. After reading them a story, she had them repeat the simple prayer she’d learned as a child. Then she tucked the cover under their chins.

“Do you remember meeting Ellen today?” she asked, naming the housekeeper at Abby’s house.

They nodded, their eyes big.

“She’s going to come stay with you for a few minutes while I go talk to Terri’s daddy, to see if she can come play with us again.”

The girls’ eyes grew even bigger. Jessica raised up on one elbow and whispered, “He’s big.”

Melissa blinked. “Well, yes, he is, but—”

“He might hurt you.”

She took in a deep breath. “Did your daddy hurt you?”

Mary Ann scooted closer to her sister. Jessica stared at her. Finally she whispered, “He said we were bad.”

“Oh, darling,” Melissa whispered, leaning over to hug both girls. “Your daddy was wrong. And Mr. Hanson isn’t going to hurt me. You want Terri to come play, don’t you?”

Both girls nodded.

“Then don’t worry about me. Ellen will be here if you need anything, and I’ll come see you when I get back.” She figured they’d be asleep, but she hoped her promise would keep them from worrying.

She returned to the kitchen to retrieve the plate of cookies she’d offered Rob Hanson earlier. He’d seemed interested, but her question about Terri had put him off.

“Melissa? May I come in?”

Melissa hurried to let Ellen in. “Thanks for coming, Ellen. The girls are still a little nervous about being here.”

“No problem. Are they in bed?”

“Yes. I promise I won’t be long.”

Darkness came late to Texas in summer. It was almost nine o’clock and the sun had gone, but a soft evening glow had settled over the land. It was Melissa’s favorite time of the day.

She rapped softly on the door of the manager’s house. It hadn’t been used in a while, and she wondered how the man and his daughter had settled in. If she hadn’t had the girls arrive, she would’ve offered to help clean it up, but she suspected Ellen had helped out.

The door swung open and Rob Hanson stared at her.

“Mr. Hanson, I wondered if I might talk to you.”

He wanted to send her on her way. She could read that message on his handsome face.

He said quietly, “Terri’s already asleep.”

“Good. We could talk out here, on the porch.” She waited patiently for him to respond, but she worried that he might reject her overture.

With an abrupt nod, he stepped out and closed the door behind him. Using a gentlemanly gesture, he waved toward the steps.

As she sat down, she held the plate, covered with foil, on her lap. She’d said nothing about her peace offering, but she noted his gaze on it.

“You didn’t get a chance to have a cookie today. I brought some for you to eat later.”

He frowned at her. “Lady, I can’t be bought with cookies.”

She arched one eyebrow. “I never thought you could, Mr. Hanson.” Even frowning, the man was handsome. Did he realize it? She figured he did. Most men knew when they appealed to women.

“What do you want?” he asked abruptly, shifting away from her on the step.

“I wanted to explain my job offer to Terri.”

“We’re not interested.” He stared straight ahead of him, refusing to look at her.

“I think you didn’t understand my reasons for wanting to hire Terri. She’s—”

“You don’t want to look after your own kids. That’s why you wanted to hire her, and I don’t approve.”

Melissa was slow to anger. She’d always been the peacemaker in her family. But this man was beginning to grate on her. She was tired of being accused of something. She wasn’t sure what.

“Mr. Hanson, first of all, those are not my children.”

He slewed around to stare at her. “Then why are they living with you?”

“I’m their foster mother.”

“I thought you were single. Miss Abby said—”

“What has that got to do with anything?”

“Foster mothers usually have foster fathers.”

She felt her cheeks heating up but she refused to look away from his hard stare. “Most of them do. I don’t.”

“Why did you volunteer if you don’t want to do the work?”

She slowly counted to ten, keeping her breathing even. “Mr. Hanson, I have no problem with the work. But Jessica and Mary Ann relaxed for the first time today when Terri joined us. I thought if she came over every day and played with them, they would feel more comfortable. And I thought Terri might enjoy it, too.” She crossed her arms over her chest and waited for the man’s apology.

Rob wished she wouldn’t cross her arms like that. It brought attention to a certain part of her anatomy he’d rather ignore.

“Well?” she finally prompted.

“Well, what?” He’d gotten distracted and wasn’t sure what she expected him to say.

“Aren’t you going to apologize?”

“Apologize for what?”

She glared at him, but he scarcely noticed. She’d changed from her jeans into a soft pink dress that framed her dark prettiness, and he could barely keep his mind on their conversation.

“For accusing me of wanting to mistreat Terri. As if I would!”

He shrugged his shoulders, trying to force his thoughts back to his daughter. She’d talked a lot at dinner about Melissa Kennedy and the two little girls. He knew she’d like to go back over there again.

“She has chores to do.”

“Maybe you’re the one who mistreats her,” she challenged.

He leaped to his feet. She’d touched his sore spot. “Ms. Kennedy, you can take your cookies and your softness and trot right back to your perfect house. I don’t need some do-gooder telling me how to raise my daughter!”

She rose to stand in front of him, almost nose to nose, except she was shorter than him. “All I’m trying to do is help three little girls be happy! Don’t you care about Terri’s happiness?”

“Of course I do!” he yelled. “I love my daughter!”

“Then how can you condemn her to sit in this house all alone for the rest of the summer? Even you, a hardheaded male, can see how unhappy she would be.”

“A hardheaded—” he sputtered, unable to finish.

“What would it hurt for your daughter to spend some time with us?” Her voice softened and she added, “I promise she’ll enjoy herself.”

The difficulty was, he’d already realized Terri was going to be bored. And he hadn’t known what to do about it. Now he was being offered a solution, but he didn’t want to accept it. He didn’t want his daughter falling into the trap of thinking she had a…a…a mother figure.

Once before, a woman had courted him through Terri. His daughter had been badly hurt when things hadn’t worked out.

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” he muttered.

“What?” Melissa asked, leaning closer to him.

He stepped back. “Three hours a day?”

Her face brightened, as she realized she’d won. He backed up again. There was so much warmth coming from her, he figured a man would never be cold around her.

“She could come for lunch every day. There’s no point in her having to fix a meal for herself when it’s so easy to add one to our lunch. Then, I’ll make sure she’s home by four. Will that be okay?”

She was practically bouncing on her toes, beaming at him. Lord have mercy, what had he done?

Chapter Two

Rob told Terri the news the next morning over breakfast.

His daughter launched herself at him, wrapping her hands around his neck. “Oh, Daddy, thank you!”

Emotion rocked his heart. She seldom called him “Daddy” anymore, not since she thought she was growing up. “Listen to me, little girl,” he began sternly. “This is a job. I’m not letting this woman adopt you. Understand?”

Terri continued to beam at him, as if he hadn’t spoken. “Of course not, Dad. When do I go?”

“She said come to lunch. But you’re to be back here at four, and you do your chores in the morning before you go.”

“Yes, Dad.” Her dutiful response was still accompanied by a huge smile.

Did that mean he’d done the right thing? Sometimes, as a parent, he felt lost. Before his father died, he’d at least had someone to discuss his decisions with.

The three of them, his father, him and Terri, had lived on the family ranch in south Texas. It had been home, even if it wasn’t highly successful. His father had been reluctant to change anything.

When his father died, the taxes on the ranch, already cash-poor, had made it impossible to keep. He’d had to sell out to a neighbor.

Unable to bear watching someone else implement the changes he’d wanted to make, he’d decided it was time for him and his daughter to move on.

He’d put away the money left over from the sale and promised himself he’d own his own place again…someday.

He’d worried that the move, after just losing her grandfather, had been too hard on Terri. He’d worried that she wouldn’t make new friends. He’d worried about her having to start a new school. He’d worried about her being alone all day while he worked.

Now he had that last problem solved.

So, instead, he worried all day about his daughter.

Melissa’s suddenly conceived plan of having Terri help her was a brilliant success. Jessica and Mary Ann followed the older girl around like little puppies. Terri was affectionate and caring.

Her father had done a good job of raising her, Melissa decided. She was sweet, gentle and agreeable.

“Where’s your mother?” Melissa asked over an afternoon snack.

Terri seemed unconcerned about the question. “She left when I was a baby. Dad says she wanted to be a big movie star.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Melissa quickly apologized.

“It’s okay. Me and Dad and Grandpa did fine.”

“Our mama left us,” Jessica whispered, as if she feared her words would shock everyone.

For the first time, Terri seemed upset. Not about her own abandonment, but about Jessica and Mary Ann’s. She looked at Melissa, as the younger girls did.

“We know, Jessica, and we’re sorry, but we’re lucky, too.” Melissa smiled as all three girls stared at her, perplexed.

“How?” Terri asked.

“Because we get to be together. I never would’ve met Jessica and Mary Ann if they hadn’t been left behind. And you wouldn’t be here with us, either.”

Melissa turned the situation into a celebration that the little girls joined in. Terri sent her a congratulatory smile, as if she understood, and they all toasted their togetherness with a lifting of their milk glasses.

After Terri left, promptly at four, Melissa stood watching the young girl walk to her house and thought again of the gruff man from last night.

He might not be friendly to her, but he loved his daughter. In spite of not wanting Terri to spend time with her, Rob Hanson had agreed because it was best for Terri. So, for what it was worth, Rob Hanson received Melissa Kennedy’s stamp of approval.

As if he’d care.

She giggled at the thought. She could just picture the look of disgust on his face if she told him. He wouldn’t be impressed.

It didn’t matter. Unlike Jessica and Mary Ann’s parents, Rob Hanson hadn’t abandoned his daughter, even though she’d only been a baby when his wife had left them. Admiration filled her. He’d cared for his daughter when another man might’ve given up. And he’d done an excellent job.

She didn’t care if he didn’t want her opinion. She intended to tell him the next time she saw him what a good parent he was.

Rob didn’t get home until almost seven. He was tired, hungry, and worried. As he stepped onto the porch, the door swung open and Terri’s happy face greeted him.

“Dad!” She offered him a kiss on the cheek, a fairly unusual occurrence, which reflected her mood. Then she protested, “Eew! You smell.”

He cocked one brow. “No more than normal. Give me five minutes and I’ll clean up.”

After a quick shower and clean clothes, he returned to the kitchen, surprised by the delicious smells. For a twelve-year-old, Terri did a good job of throwing something together for dinner. But her efforts didn’t involve much actual cooking.

He watched as she carefully removed a casserole of some kind from the oven and placed it on the table. “You cooked?” he asked abruptly.

She beamed at him. “Melissa taught me. We made this casserole together.”

Before he could comment, she put a pan of rolls in the oven. Then she opened the refrigerator and withdrew a tossed salad.

He took a long drink from the iced tea she’d already placed on the table. Suddenly he noticed a complete place setting of utensils. Usually, she only put out a fork for each of them.

“How come we’re getting all fancied up suddenly?” he growled.

His heart sank as Terri stared at him, dismay in her gaze. “Don’t you like it? Everything’s so nice at Melissa’s, I thought I’d try to do better here.”

He took the napkin from beside his plate and spread it in his lap. “Sure I like it, baby,” he agreed heartily, hoping to erase that look from her face. “And the food smells great.”

She forgave his momentary criticism and soon they were eating. He’d worked hard all day, with only a brief break for a packed lunch. He was starving.

But he had to eat his meal with a constant stream of praises for Melissa Kennedy. Terri had had a wonderful day, it appeared. His worry had been for nothing.

Now he was really worried.

He knew he was right when Terri brought out half a chocolate cake.

“You baked half a cake?” he teased.

“No, silly. Melissa said she was glad to have someone to share a cake with. It would ruin before they could eat all of it, and that would be wasteful.”

“That was kind of her,” he muttered, and decided if he heard the fateful words “Melissa said” one more time, he’d throw the cake against the wall.

At least he would’ve until he tasted it.

He’d find something else to throw.

“Melissa said—”

“Terri!”

His unaccustomed snapping stopped his daughter in midsentence. “What, Dad? Don’t you like the cake?”

With a sigh he said, “The cake is delicious. But could you possibly start a sentence with something other than ‘Melissa said’?”

Her eyes rounded in surprise. Then hurt. “Sorry,” she muttered. And said nothing else.

The change from constant chatter to absolute silence was unnerving. Rob tried several topics of conversation, but Terri didn’t respond.

Finally he gave up and stood to clear the table. Terri carried her own dishes to the sink. “I’ll clean up,” he said. “After all, you did the cooking tonight. It’s only fair.”

“Melissa—I mean, I didn’t do much.”

He put an arm around his daughter and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry I was an old grump, baby. I’m glad you enjoyed your day.”

His apology released a flood of words. While he washed the dishes, Terri told him again about her day, and how much she’d enjoyed being with the other females.

He frowned, feeling a little rejection.

As if sensing his feelings, Terri quickly added, “I didn’t mean I don’t like being with you, Dad. But Melissa—she knows so much about girl things.”

“Yeah.” Terri was right about that. Melissa Kennedy knew how to make a man ache. To make a man want. And he didn’t want to do either of those things.

A knock on the door disturbed them.

Terri hurried to answer it and reappeared in the kitchen a couple of minutes later with the one person he didn’t want to see.

Melissa Kennedy, accompanied by the two little girls.

“Good evening. I hope you don’t mind our visit,” she said with a smile as she entered.

“After that dinner, I could hardly object, now, could I?”

He’d meant to sound like he was teasing her and thanking her at the same time. Unfortunately, his voice had come out harsh.

She stiffened, apparently not fooled by the awkward smile he attached to the end of his words. “I’m sorry for the intrusion, but the girls wanted to see where Terri lived.”

Terri looked from him to Melissa and back again. Damn, he was going to be in trouble with his daughter if he didn’t do a better job. “No problem. Have a seat. I’ll be finished here in a minute.”

“Dad, can I show the girls my bedroom?” Terri asked. “I told them about my dolls and they want to see them.”

“Sure.”

He stubbornly continued to wash the dishes as the children left the room, reluctant to acknowledge that he was alone with Melissa.

But she didn’t sit down at the table. Instead he suddenly found her beside him, the cup towel Terri had been using in her hands.

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I know, but I’m more comfortable when I’m busy.” She picked up a plate and dried it. “Where do they go?”

He nodded to the cabinet in front of her. “Up there.”

She put the plate inside and picked up the other one. He scrubbed extra hard on the almost-clean Pyrex dish that had held the casserole.

“I have something to tell you.”

His head whipped around to stare at the beautiful woman beside him. Tonight her dress was mint-green, almost the color of her eyes. It fit snugly from the waist up, and he hurriedly looked away. “Yeah?”

“You’re a good father.”

He dropped the dish. Fortunately, the water cushioned its landing so it didn’t break. It only splashed him with water. Melissa took the cup towel and began blotting his shirt. He thought he’d die.

Melissa felt the hard muscles of his chest and stomach beneath the cup towel. Her mouth went dry. The man was like a rock. Visions of what he’d look like without the shirt filled her head, and she found herself staring into his blue eyes.

“Why did you say that?” he demanded harshly.

She took a step back. He sounded like a lion. “I—when I met you yesterday, I thought…you seemed hard.” Her face turned bright red. She had ample proof that he was hard, but that wasn’t what she had meant. “I wanted you to know that Terri is a special little girl. And since you’re the one who raised her, it’s obvious you did a good job.”

Seemingly reluctantly, he muttered, “Thanks.”

“Do you want me to dry your shirt more?” she asked, her breathing getting more shallow as she both feared and wanted to help him.

“No! No, it doesn’t matter.” He took the cup towel from her hands, however, and rubbed it against his shirt.

Her gaze was fixed on the motion of his hand. When it stopped moving, she looked up to find his blue eyes fixed on her face. More specifically, on her lips.

As if he intended to kiss her.

She thought she stopped breathing altogether.

The girls tumbling back into the room, happiness exuding from them, broke the tension of the moment.

“Melissa, Terri’s got three dollies!” Jessica announced with awe. Mary Anne nodded emphatically, holding up three fingers.

“Really? How wonderful. May I see?” she asked, anxious to escape Rob’s presence.

Terri eagerly led Melissa from the room. The two little girls, realizing they would be left with Terri’s dad, chased after them, calling for them to wait.

When they returned to the kitchen, the sink was empty and Rob was gone.

Melissa discarded the disappointment that filled her as ridiculous. “Um, I was going to ask your dad about a shopping trip tomorrow.”

“Shopping?” Terri asked, her eyes widening with excitement. “Where?”

“There’s a big mall in Wichita Falls that has everything. I need to buy things for the girls, and I thought you might need to shop, too.”

Without another word to her, Terri headed for the door, shouting for her father. When she got an answer, she turned to Melissa. “I think he’s outside. Come on.”

Melissa and the little girls followed her outside. Rob Hanson was sitting on the porch steps, his back to them.

“Dad, Melissa has something to ask you,” Terri told him in a rush of words.

Melissa watched as the man stood. He was so tall and strong, so…overpowering. She inhaled a deep breath and took a step forward, feeling the younger girls pressing against her legs, as if for protection.

“Mr. Hanson, I’m taking the girls into Wichita Falls tomorrow to shop for some clothes. I thought maybe Terri would like to go with us. She would be a big help.”

“Please, Dad, please,” Terri added almost before Melissa stopped speaking. “I have my birthday money, and I really need some new things. I’ve outgrown everything!”

His frown didn’t look like approval to Melissa. Surely the man would understand his daughter’s need to—

“Sure, baby, you can go. We probably need some things for the house, too, since we didn’t bring that much.”

Melissa swallowed, not sure she should speak. But she did. “I talked to Abby earlier. She said if you needed to go with us, she could spare you one day.”

He jerked his head around to stare at her. “Go with you? I can’t take off work to shop! That’s ridiculous.”

Melissa figured she might as well go all the way. “She also said you could have an advance on your salary if you needed it.”

He took a menacing step toward her. “I don’t need charity.”

“No one offered you charity,” she assured him, her voice cold. “You’ll earn every penny Abby pays you. Ranch work is hard.” Like his body. She banished that thought at once.

“Dad, it would be so great. If you came, I could get a bedspread and maybe some place mats, like Melissa has. We could have a real home.”

Melissa knew nothing of their circumstances. Terri had mentioned her grandfather dying recently, but that was all. She watched Rob’s face in the stream of light from the kitchen. Clearly he was struggling with his decision.

“Tell you what, baby, why don’t you and I go shopping tomorrow evening? We can eat out, make a night of it.”

He put a heartiness into his words, to convince his daughter, but Melissa suspected Terri could hear the reluctance as easily as she could.

To Melissa’s surprise, instead of accepting his offer, Terri turned a bright red and stared down at the porch. “Dad, there’s something…I need Melissa’s help.”

“You can pick out place mats as well as she can,” he assured his daughter.

Terri grew even more embarrassed. Melissa stepped closer to the young girl. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but she wanted to help.

“I need Melissa,” Terri said firmly, but she didn’t meet her father’s gaze.

He turned to glare at Melissa, as if his daughter’s defection was her fault.

She leaned closer to Terri. “What is it?” she said softly.

Terri leaned over and whispered her problem in Melissa’s ear.

Melissa bit her bottom lip, knowing the man towering over her was going to hate what she had to tell him. “Terri, why don’t you walk the girls back to the house and get them started on their baths. Your dad and I will be there in a second.”

“Are you sure?” Terri asked, her gaze darting between her dad and Melissa.

“I’m sure, honey. Everything will be fine.”

Terri looked at her dad again, then took the little girls’ hands and hurried around him and down the steps.

Melissa stood waiting until the children were out of earshot. Rob didn’t move, either, until they heard the door closing at Melissa’s house.

“My daughter and I don’t have secrets,” he growled in a low voice.

“It’s not a secret, Rob. But Terri finds it a little embarrassing to explain it to you.” She figured it was going to be a little embarrassing for her, too, but she was a mature adult.

“What is it?”

“Terri needs some new underwear.”

“Hell, I’ve bought her underwear before. I don’t know why that would embarrass her. Did you put some silly ideas in her head? Is that why—”

“She needs a bra.”

Her words stopped his sputtering stone cold.

Chapter Three

Rob stared at Melissa, speechless. A bra? His little girl needed a bra? No! She was only…twelve, almost thirteen. Almost a teenager.

“But she can’t…she’s too…what do I do?” He realized his mistake at once. He’d appeared vulnerable in front of Melissa. He stepped back as she moved forward.

“Rob, it’s not that big a deal. If you go with us tomorrow, you can take the little ones for ice cream while Terri and I make a quick purchase. After once or twice, she’ll be able to shop by herself, if she needs to.”

He should’ve been relieved. But he’d heard all she hadn’t said. She expected him to go on a shopping trip in the middle of the week with her and three children. She expected him to take the two little ones for ice cream. Most important of all, she expected him to act like a husband.

“I can’t do that!” he returned harshly.

“Okay.” Without waiting for an answer, she stepped around him, down the steps, and walked toward her house.

“Wait!” he called, hurrying after her. She never broke stride, however, until he grabbed her arm. “What do you mean, okay?”

“If you can’t go, you can’t go. I hope Terri can still go.”

“Of course she can. But what about…I mean—”

“Terri purchasing her underwear? If we can’t manage it with the other two children, I guess you’ll have to take her shopping for it. After all, she’s your child.”

She pulled free and began walking again.

It was a warm night. But the sweat beads on his forehead were from nerves, not the summer air. He’d walked past stores like Victoria’s Secret, but he’d always looked the other way. He’d ordered Terri’s undergarments from the Sears catalog. He’d never actually been in a lingerie department.

Melissa had said Terri could learn to shop for these things without any help.

He licked his dry lips. In the interest of being independent of Melissa Kennedy in the future, he needed to see that Terri got the instruction she needed.

He could do this.

“I-if Abby doesn’t mind, I’ll go tomorrow. You’ll show Terri how—I mean, you’ll help her?”

“Of course. I’ll be glad to. And the girls love ice cream, so they’ll be good for you. They haven’t gotten many treats in their little lives.”

He frowned at the sadness of her words, but he still hadn’t dealt with all the plans for tomorrow. “What time will we leave in the morning?”

“I thought we should leave about nine-fifteen. The stores don’t open until ten.”

“Then I’ll have time to talk to Abby in the morning. You’re sure she said it would be okay?”

“I wouldn’t lie to you, Rob. She knew you started work at once. Sometimes it takes people a little longer to get settled.”

“I can do a few chores before we leave,” he figured aloud. He usually started his day at six.

They’d reached her front porch, its light shining in the night. The smile on her face didn’t look condescending, but he wasn’t sure. “Will you send Terri out?”

“Of course, but you’re welcome to come in to wait for her. I’ll have to go upstairs to get her. We can’t leave the little ones in the bath without someone to watch them.”

“No, I’ll wait here.”

“Then, I’ll see you in the morning,” she said, still smiling. He watched until the door closed behind her. Then he sank down onto the porch steps. She had a Mona Lisa smile if he’d ever seen one. But she was a hell of a lot sexier than that Italian lady.

Didn’t mean he could figure her out.

But that didn’t matter. He was getting some help for Terri. He guessed he’d have to admit that she was getting to the age that he couldn’t fix everything for her.

He should be grateful there was a woman nearby who could help her. But he should’ve asked Ellen to help. She was nice, motherly. She didn’t get him all hot and bothered.

He would’ve asked her, if he’d known there was a problem. But Terri had blindsided him tonight. She hadn’t talked to him. She hadn’t asked for help. At least, not from him.

That hurt.

But then, he couldn’t help her pick out a bra. So maybe it was just as well she hadn’t asked him. But if she had, he could’ve asked Ellen.

Oh, hell!

Rob administered the medicine to the two horses in the barn, feeding and watering them, too. Then he checked his list for any last-minute chores to do before he cleaned up. He’d talked to Abby just after breakfast. She’d assured him they could make it one day without him.

With a shrug of his shoulders, he turned back to the house where he and Terri had moved. It wasn’t a bad place. Ellen had helped them clean it up.

If it made Terri happy to buy a few things, dress it up a little, he’d agree to that. But he needed to get it all done today. He didn’t intend to take another day off just to go shopping.

His daughter was waiting in the kitchen, her dark hair, the same color as his, gleaming, curled under around her heart-shaped face.

“You look pretty, baby.”

“Thanks, Dad. Uh, could you not call me ‘baby’ when we’re out? I’m more grown-up now, and…and I don’t want people to think I’m still in elementary school.”

“Right,” he agreed, though he hated the idea. “I’ll try to remember.”

“Thanks, Dad,” she said, a sweet smile on her face as she leaned over to kiss him. Then she pulled back. “Hurry. You smell like horses.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he agreed, and continued on to the bathroom. He wanted to get this chore over with as soon as possible.

After cleaning up, he gathered his billfold, checkbook and charge cards. He wasn’t sure what he’d need, but from what he’d heard, he’d need something to pay the bills. Women and shopping could get out of hand.

When he returned to the kitchen, Terri was coming in the front door.

“Come on, Dad. Melissa’s outside.”

“Okay, okay. You got everything you need?”

“Yeah,” she threw over her shoulder as she hurried out the door.

Melissa Kennedy was a damned pied piper. If she told Terri to jump off a cliff, he figured his kid would run over him to do just that.

He was frowning when he looked up and saw the Chevy Suburban parked out front. The vehicle was new. Melissa was standing beside the passenger door. Terri had already gotten in the back.

“Do you mind driving?” she asked, smiling again.

“Me?”

“Aren’t you comfortable driving? I thought it would be easier for me to deal with the girls, if they get nervous, if you’re driving.” When he didn’t say anything, she added, “I can drive, though, if—”

“I’ll drive.”

He pulled open the passenger door and waited until she got in. Then he closed it and circled the vehicle to slide behind the wheel. He was comfortable driving. But little girls didn’t bother him, either. After all, he’d raised Terri.

Melissa gave him brief, succinct directions, and he looked at her in surprise. His experience said a woman couldn’t tell you how to go in a straight line without a lot of side trips.

Abby Kennedy had been direct, he had to admit. Maybe Melissa had something in common with her sister, after all.

Which made him wonder about the third sister.

“I haven’t met your other sister,” he said, staring ahead of him as he drove.

“She and her husband have been attending the rodeo in Oklahoma City. They’ll be back on Monday.”

He looked at her. “They follow the rodeos?”

“Not full-time, but Jed’s been training some guys, and he wanted to see how they do.”

“Who’s Jed?”

“Jed Davis, Beth’s husband.”

He almost stopped the truck. “Your sister is married to Jed Davis?”

“Yes, do you know him?”

“We’ve met. He’s the best there is as a trainer.” He’d heard that Davis had settled down somewhere in Texas, but he hadn’t realized it was here.

“Yes, he’s good.”

One of the children claimed her attention at that moment, and Rob didn’t speak again until they reached the mall. He’d been afraid things would be awkward this morning, but Melissa was easy to talk to. He was going to have to watch himself.

“Okay,” he said with a sigh, “how do we do this? Do I take them for ice cream at once? Or—”

Both Terri and Melissa looked at him as if he’d offered to run them over to Mars.

“No. We have an entire list of things to buy,” Melissa assured him. “This is an all-day project.”

“All day?” Rob gasped in surprise. He figured he’d get in an afternoon’s work when they got back home. “Surely no more than a couple of hours.” He must’ve misunderstood.

“I’m sorry. I thought you realized we probably wouldn’t go back home until suppertime.”

“Yeah, Dad, it takes a while to shop,” Terri added, glaring at him.

“Okay,” he said in resignation. “What do I do?”

Melissa seemed more understanding than Terri. She smiled. “The first thing we’re going to buy are two umbrella strollers.”

“I think Terri’s too old for a stroller,” he said, hoping to put a smile on his daughter’s face.

“Dad!” she protested.

Melissa said, “I think your dad is teasing you, sweetie. He knows I meant them for Jessica and Mary Ann.”

“Even they seem a little old for strollers,” he pointed out. After all, they walked just fine.

“If we were only going to be a few minutes, you’d be right. But in an hour, they’ll both be tired and want to be carried. It will be easier with a stroller.”

He bowed to her greater knowledge. And discovered she was right. An added benefit was that they were belted in and couldn’t run away. Or get lost.

After an hour of shopping, he carried quite a few packages and Melissa and Terri pushed the little girls.

“Maybe I should go make a run to the car and dump these packages?”

“Oh, Rob, that would be great,” Melissa said, her smile approving.

The pleasure that filled him at doing something she appreciated almost took control before he realized the danger. He frowned. “Where do I meet you?”

“Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“I’m sure.”

“We’ll go into housewares and see if Terri can find some place mats she likes. Unless you want to pick them out?”

“No. Whatever she likes.” And he hurried away.

“Your father doesn’t seem happy,” Melissa said, watching him weave his way between the few shoppers. The mall was always crowded on the weekends, but during the week it didn’t do that much business.

“He’s been grumpy lately. I think he hated having to sell the ranch.” Terri spoke as she walked toward the store.

Melissa told herself not to pump the child for information, but one question didn’t seem so awful. “You had to sell your ranch? I didn’t know you had one.”

“Yeah. It was Grandpa’s. Dad said the taxes were too much, so we had to sell.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” A lot of farm and ranch families had that problem, but there were ways to avoid it if a good lawyer set up a trust. “Where was your ranch?”

“In south Texas near the border.”

“Oh. That’s a long way away.”

“Yeah. But I like it here a lot better. We didn’t have anyone else on the ranch but one cowboy. I got lonesome.”

“I’m glad you’re here, too. Let’s go see what they have here for your new home, and then we’ll break for lunch. Maybe that will cheer your father up.”

He did appear a lot happier as he wolfed down a big thick hamburger with all the trimmings. The little girls stared at him, seemingly fascinated with his appetite.

“What’s the matter?” he asked abruptly, putting down his hamburger and leaning toward Melissa, speaking in a whisper.

Melissa looked up. “What?”

“I don’t know. They keep staring at me.”

She probably should’ve filled Rob in on what she suspected about the children, but there really hadn’t been an opportunity. Keeping her voice low, where the children wouldn’t overhear, she said, “Um, I think their father wasn’t…wasn’t like you.”

“In what way?”

“I don’t think he liked children.”

“His own children?” Rob asked in quiet horror. Melissa didn’t want him to alarm the children, but she loved his reaction.

“Some men are that way,” she said, shrugging off her answer.

“None that I know,” he returned, glaring at her.

“It would probably be good if you smiled some,” she whispered, nodding toward Jessica and Mary Ann.

He turned to look at the girls and actually gave them a charming smile, one that had Melissa’s attention, too. Then he picked up a French fry and handed it to Jessica. “Want to try one? They’re good.”

Shock registered on Jessica’s face. Then she cautiously reached for the fry, as if she expected him to snatch it back. Once she’d accepted it, he repeated the process to Mary Ann.

“We should’ve ordered them fries,” he said with a frown.

“Smile,” she reminded him.

Both girls had finished their fries by then and were again solemnly watching him.

Without consulting Melissa, he flagged down their waiter and asked for another order of fries and two saucers. Then he gave the girls each another piece of potato. “He’s going to bring you some fries,” he assured them, “but I’ll share until yours arrive.”

“Dad’s good with kids,” Terri said under her breath to Melissa.

“Yes, he is,” she agreed. She’d already decided he was a good parent. His kindness to Jessica and Mary Ann meant a lot to Melissa. The girls needed to know that all men were not like their father.

Lunch was a big success until the waiter brought the bill. Melissa reached for it, but Rob was faster. “What are you doing?” she asked. “This is my treat.”

“You paid for the gasoline,” he said calmly, taking out several bills and leaving them on the table with the tab.

“But you can’t—”

“Ready, girls?” he asked, standing, ignoring her protest.

“Rob, this isn’t necessary. I’ll—”

He took her arm, as if he were escorting her out of the restaurant, and leaned close to her ear. “Melissa, I’m trying to be reasonable about today, but I do not eat and let a lady pay. You’ll just have to accept that.”

Then he buckled the two girls into their strollers, indicated Terri should take one, and he pushed the other out of the restaurant.

Melissa, still rooted by the table, stared after him.

“Is everything all right, miss?” the waiter asked.

“Oh! Yes, everything is fine.” She hurried after the others.

But she was going to have to be on her toes. This man was too sweet…and too macho. Her few experiences with men had not been happy ones. They weren’t interested in raising someone else’s children.

And she had no intention of letting anyone, even a sexy, caring cowboy, take away her dream.

Because she worried about the little girls being left alone with Rob, Melissa decided they should all go to the ice-cream store. Then, once the girls were eating their ice cream, she and Terri would slip away.

The plan worked beautifully. Jessica and Mary Ann loved ice cream. Rob left them in their strollers and fed both of them from a big cup.

“We’ll hurry,” Melissa assured them.

“No problem. We’ve got things under control. Terri, here’s some extra money if you need it,” he said, handing his daughter some folded dollars.

“I have my birthday money, Dad,” she told him.

“Birthday money should be spent on something fun, not for, uh, things you need.”

They started to walk away, but he called Melissa back. “If she sees some jeans, shirts, things like that, you might help her choose some. She’s outgrown those jeans she’s wearing.”

Melissa smiled. Terri’s jeans were skintight. Rob was apparently getting into the spirit of shopping. With a nod, she and Terri set out to shop till they dropped.

When she realized how long they’d been gone, a little over an hour later, she hurried them back to the ice-cream store, feeling very guilty. Their hands were full of packages, having found the proper underwear and five outfits, most of them on sale.

She was amazed at the patience on Rob’s face. He was still sitting at the corner table. The little girls, strapped in their strollers, were sound asleep.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered as she sat down beside him. “I didn’t intend to stay gone so long, but we—”

“Oh, Dad, wait until you see what I bought!” Terri said eagerly, starting to open some of the packages.

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