A Texas Cowboy's Christmas. Cathy Thacker Gillen

of their masterpieces with granulated sugar.

      “And now for the pièce de résistance!” Molly declared triumphantly, showing her son how to use the sifter to cover the pastry with a final snowy-white cover of confectioner’s sugar. She handed the sifter to Chance, watched as he did the same to his and then followed suit.

      The three pastries made a lovely, Christmassy sight.

      “Eat now?” Braden asked.

      Molly grinned. “Let’s taste it.” She cut off a two-inch slice for Braden, a larger one for Chance and a slightly smaller one for herself.

      They all bit down on the soft, citrus-flavored nut-and-fruit bread with the sweet and slightly crunchy exterior. “Wow.” Chance’s hazel eyes lit up. “That’s...amazing.”

      “Yummy,” Braden agreed.

      Molly had to admit, between the three of them they had done a good job. Before she could think, she offered, “Want to take a loaf home with you?”

      Luckily he didn’t read any extra meaning into her impulsive gesture. An affable grin deepened the crinkles around his eyes. “Sure you don’t mind?”

      Remembering what her late mother had told her—that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach—Molly shrugged off the importance. “I’ll be baking all month long.”

      His gaze skimmed her appreciatively. “In that case—” he winked “—I’ll have to remember to come around more often.”

      Molly caught her breath at the implication.

      Was he truly interested in her?

      She knew she desired him. Always had. Even though they were clearly all wrong for each other. Still...

      “All done, Mommy!”

      Switching quickly back to parenting mode, Molly gently wiped the sugar from her son’s hands and face. Braden reclaimed the Rudolph and sleigh, along with his favorite blue blankie. Yawning, he snuggled on the sofa.

      Chance arched an inquisitive brow. “Nap time?”

      “Two hours ago,” Molly confirmed softly, watching Braden struggle to keep his eyes open.

      “Oh.” A wealth of emotion—and understanding—in a single word.

      “Yeah. I was hoping—” Molly moved closer to Chance, whispering even more quietly “—he’d be able to get through the day without one. Especially since it’s so late.”

      Chance shook his head fondly. Putting an easy hand on Molly’s shoulder, he nodded in the direction of the couch. “Looks like he’s already asleep.”

      Molly took in the sight of her child, blissfully cuddled up, auburn lashes fanning across his cheek. She sighed. “Indeed, he is.”

      Chance caressed her shoulder lightly. “That’s a problem?”

      Molly’s heart raced at the casual contact. “He’ll be grouchy when I do wake him up before dinner and may have trouble falling asleep tonight.”

      “Anything I can do?”

      If you were here, sure. You won’t be. Molly looked up at Chance. Time seemed to suspend. Suddenly there was just the two of them. “Cross your fingers for me?”

      His eyes darkened. He brushed his thumb across her lower lip and continued to regard her steadily. “How about something even better?” he said huskily, lifting her hand to his lips. He pressed a kiss across her knuckles. She caught her breath. And then she was in his arms. Wrapping both his hands around her small waist, he caught her against him, so they were length to length.

      Molly’s breath hitched again.

      “Chance,” she whispered.

      His head lowered. Slowly. Purposefully. “Just one, darlin’...” He tunneled his hands through her hair and his eyes shuttered. “That’s all I’m asking.”

      Molly saw the kiss coming, and she knew she should do something to stop it. She was attracted to Chance enough already. If his lips were to actually touch hers...

      With a small, sharp intake of breath, she lifted both hands and spread them across the muscular warmth of his broad chest. His heart was beating, strong and steady. His head lowered even more. And then there was no stopping it. Their lips connected, and a shiver of pure delight went through her. Her usual caution gone, she opened her mouth to the seductive pressure of his. He tasted like rich black coffee and freshly baked stollen. And man. And she could no more deny him than she could deny herself. It was Thanksgiving, after all. A day to count blessings. Be happy. Thankful. At ease. And she’d never felt more at ease than she did at that very moment.

      Chance knew he was taking advantage, that Molly deserved a lot better than the overture he was making. He also knew opportunities like this did not come along all that often.

      Molly had a wall around her heart, strong enough to keep the entire male species at bay. She was driven by fierce ambition. And a robust little chaperone that kept her on the straight and narrow.

      Had he spent time with her before now, he would have realized what a beautiful, complicated and magnificent woman she was.

      He would have known there was a lot more to her than her need for tremendous financial security, and the social status that came with it. But he hadn’t, so he had squandered the two years he had resided in Laramie County. Two years in which he could have pursued her like she was meant to be pursued.

      Fortunately, he still had a month left.

      He wasn’t going to waste it.

      Or make any more mistakes.

      So he kissed her passionately until she kissed him back and curled against him. And it was only then, when they started to make the kind of connection that rocked both their worlds, that she suddenly gasped and wrenched her lips from his.

      * * *

      “IS THIS THE POINT where you haul off and slap me across the face?” Chance joked.

      It was definitely the point where she gave herself a good hard shake, Molly thought. What in all Texas had gotten into her? She couldn’t start getting involved with someone! Or even have a fling. Not when she was getting ready to leave rural Laramie County and build a life in the city.

      Reluctantly, she stepped out of the warm cocoon of Chance’s strong arms. She went to a drawer on the opposite side of the kitchen and pulled out a roll of plastic wrap.

      Her lips and body still throbbing from the thrilling contact, she lifted a staying hand and admitted softly, “That was my fault every bit as much as it was yours.”

      “Fault?” With displeasure, he zeroed in on her low, censoring tone.

      “Holidays can be really lonely.”

      He gave her a considering look. “They don’t have to be.”

      Irritated he saw so much of her feelings when she wanted him to see so little, Molly admitted, “It’s easy to find yourself reaching out in ways you normally wouldn’t.”

      His eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and compassion. “Is that what happened with Braden’s daddy?”

      “No,” Molly said, trying hard not to succumb to the unexpected tenderness in Chance’s expression.

      He leaned against the counter, arms folded in front of him, and continued to study her. “Then?”

      Maybe if Chance knew the worst about her, he would forget the sizzling physical attraction between them and realize their backgrounds were too diverse for them to ever be more than casual friends.

      Molly drew a deep breath. “I don’t want to go down the wrong path again.”

      “With me.”

      It upset her to bring this up, but she knew for both