Twins Under the Christmas Tree. Marin Thomas

not as sore, either.” She didn’t want to tell him that last night when she’d rolled over in bed and had pressed her face into the pillow, it had felt as if someone had stabbed her up the nose.

      “I don’t think you’ll have a bump.”

      “I’m not worried about that.”

      “You should be, because you have a very pretty, petite nose.”

      She scoffed.

      “What?” He leaned closer and whispered. “Just because we’re friends, doesn’t mean I don’t still find you attractive.”

      Sheesh. The guy was an incurable flirt. The last thing she needed was to allow Conway to slip past her defenses when they both knew they were all wrong for each other. “Javier wasn’t really sick, was he?”

      “No. And he wouldn’t tell me why he didn’t want to stay at school.”

      “There are a couple of boys who tease him, because he’s shy. Give him a little encouragement when you drop him off tomorrow.”

      “You want me to give him a pep talk?”

      Conway made her handling of the situation seem stupid.

      “Sounds to me like someone needs to tell the bullies to keep their distance from Javier.”

      “Stay out of this, Conway.” The last thing she wanted was her babysitter threatening her sons’ classmates. “Red said I could leave early if it’s not busy tonight.”

      He slid off the stool. “How’d your test go?”

      Startled by the question, she didn’t immediately answer.

      “You did have an exam today, didn’t you?”

      “It went fine. Thanks for asking.” She wasn’t used to anyone inquiring about her schoolwork.

      “See you later.” Conway called to the boys and they left the bar.

      Isi ignored another sharp twinge of envy when neither of her sons waved goodbye or acted as if they’d missed her. As a matter of fact, they seemed downright gleeful that they were stuck with Conway.

      She returned to work, hoping the night would pass quickly. By the time her shift ended and she arrived back at the trailer, she was exhausted and she still had schoolwork to do before going to bed. When she got out of the car and surveyed the mess in the yard, she groaned. Bikes, pogo sticks, footballs, basketballs, baseballs, mitts, bats, scooters and skateboards were strewn about.

      Why hadn’t Conway demanded the boys put their toys away before turning in for the night? She thought about doing it herself, but she was too tired. When she entered the trailer, the place was dark, save for the light above the kitchen stove. She stood by the door until her eyes adjusted to the dimness.

      Conway slept on the love seat, legs hanging over the end, boots off. His sexy sprawl triggered a vision of her coming home to him every night—until he found the perfect woman and left Isi out in the cold.

      She padded closer to the couch and studied him. Why had he cut his hair? Had he wanted to impress her? Dream on. The shorter hairstyle drew attention to his square jaw and full lips—a mouth made for kissing as she’d discovered a long time ago.

      They’d only shared a couple of kisses before Conway had learned she was a single mother, but those kisses had been amazing. The instant their lips had touched, sparks ignited. He’d nibbled her lower lip, making her yearn for more then he’d thrust his tongue inside her mouth and... Isi swallowed a groan and shoved the memory aside.

      She glanced at the living room—toys scattered everywhere. When had her sons accumulated so much junk? She’d bought the toys at second-hand stores and rummage sales, but maybe she’d gone overboard. She was the first to admit that she spoiled the twins because she felt guilty for not spending more time with them. Guilty that they didn’t have a father. Guilty that they didn’t have any family except her.

      She retreated to the kitchen, where a sink full of dirty dishes greeted her. The boys must have used a clean cup each time they’d gotten a drink. Next, she went into the bathroom and felt their toothbrushes. Dry as a bone—they’d gone to bed without brushing their teeth. She didn’t have dental insurance, so she was strict about making the boys brush and use a daily fluoride rinse. She walked down the hall to their bedroom and poked her head inside. They were sound asleep in their twin beds—fully clothed.

      Isi brushed her teeth, changed into her sleeping shorts and T-shirt then slipped into bed, forgetting all about waking Conway and sending him home.

      Chapter Three

      The rumble of a truck engine woke Isi at the crack of dawn.

      Conway! Had he slept on her couch all night long?

      She sprang from the bed and raced through the trailer. When she stepped outside, only the taillights of his truck were visible as he turned out of the neighborhood. Her gaze skimmed the yard. Bless Conway’s big cowboy heart—he’d put all the toys in the box next to the storage shed and had left the boys’ booster seats on the steps. When she went inside to make coffee, she noticed he’d also picked up the living room. Every Lego and building block, toy car, board game and action figure had been stowed in the colored bins against the wall. And in the kitchen, there wasn’t a dirty dish in sight.

      A lump formed in her throat. She’d thought she known Conway pretty well after their talks at the bar. So how had it escaped her notice, that hiding beneath all that sexy charisma and charm was a considerate man?

      Conway’s thoughtfulness reminded her of how much she missed her best friend, Erica. Isi had met Erica three years ago at the community college when they’d worked together on a class project. Erica had always been there for Isi, helping her out with the boys when the sitter had become ill. This past spring, Erica had transferred to the University of Southern California to pursue a nursing degree and live closer to her boyfriend.

      Feeling weepy, she made coffee and decided to read a chapter for class before the boys woke up. After the twins ate breakfast, she’d resume her search for a sitter.

      * * *

      “YOU WERE MIA last night.”

      Conway stepped away from the tractor where he was in the process of attaching the mist sprayer he’d rented in Yuma the day before. Will hovered in the barn doorway.

      The second-eldest Cash brother had once been a tie-down roper, but the past few years he’d spent more time working construction jobs than he did riding the circuit.

      “Since when did you start keeping tabs on me?”

      “It was Mack’s birthday yesterday, you dumb shit.”

      Well, hell. He’d forgotten. “I was helping a friend out.”

      Will walked farther into the barn. “I suppose your friend needed help with her bed.”

      His brother’s words prompted a vision of Conway slipping between the sheets with Isi. Disturbed at how easily his mind put him and Isi together as a couple he said, “You need to go off and rodeo for a while.”

      “Why’s that?”

      “Lately you’ve been as sociable as a rotting tooth.”

      “We all can’t be as popular with the ladies as you are,” Will said.

      Normally Conway would relish a game of verbal sparring with his brother, but he didn’t have time. “I’ll call Mack and wish him a happy birthday.” He tested the lock that held the fan sprayer in place then hopped on the tractor seat.

      “Where’d you get the sprayer?” Will asked.

      “Jim Baine leased it to me.”

      “Since when did the feed store start renting farm equipment?”

      “I don’t