A Cowboy Family Christmas. Judy Duarte

attractive.

      “The pillows, blanket and spread must be in the closet,” she said.

      “I can take care of that. I’m sure you have other things to do.”

      She had a ton to do before her day ended. When she’d checked her email at Caroline’s, Mr. Carlton had forwarded the next batch of Dear Debbie letters. But Nate had asked her to help their guest get settled. It wouldn’t be right to take off and leave him on his own.

      “No, I—” She’d just slid open the small closet door, when a brown furry streak jumped from the top shelf, landing on her head. She screamed and swiped at her hair to no avail. The damned creature dropped to her chest and scampered under the bib of her overalls. She shrieked again, and Drew was at her side in an instant.

      “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Are you okay?”

      “No!” She continued to scream and shudder. She hopped up and down in an attempt to dislodge it, but it scurried around her waist and into her pant leg. She grabbed Drew’s arm as if he could save her.

      His brow furrowed, his expression one of concern. “What? What is it?”

      “It’s a mouse. And it ran down my...” Oh, my God. It was still in there, trying to find a hiding place.

      A childhood memory replayed in her mind—the abandoned warehouse in their run-down neighborhood, the innocent game of hide-and-seek, the rat’s nest that turned into a little girl’s worst nightmare...

      Lainie let go of Drew, who wasn’t any help, unhooked the overall buckles and shimmied out of the baggy britches until they bagged at her ankles. She struggled to kick off her laced shoes.

      “How can I help?” he asked.

      If she wasn’t in the midst of a mind-boggling crisis, she might have offered a suggestion. But all she could think to do was to scream yet again.

      The nasty little creature was burrowing into the folds of the fabric, squirming to escape almost as frantically as she was. When she finally tugged off her second shoe and stepped out of the overalls, she turned to Drew and pointed at the pile of denim. “Get it. Take it outside.”

      Drew bent to do as she’d instructed, but not before the mangy little beast took the opportunity to zip under the bed.

      Lainie shuddered and straightened, then she turned to him.

      He stood there stoically, his gaze on her. Apparently, he didn’t give a fig about the mouse that could easily burrow into his bed tonight.

      He studied her for a couple of beats, then he looked away.

      It took her those same beats and another to realize she was standing before him in her stocking feet, wearing only a baggy T-shirt and a pair of pink panties. And skimpy ones at that.

      Her cheeks heated and her lips parted. Oh, no. Now what?

      Drew snatched a folded sheet from the mattress and held it out to her.

      She grabbed it and rushed to the bathroom, but it wasn’t the blasted mouse she hoped to escape this time. It was the dashing cowboy who’d seen more of her than she’d wanted to reveal.

       Chapter Three

      Now that the crisis was over, some men might have found Lainie’s reaction to a panicked field mouse a bit comical, but Drew had been too focused on her shapely, bare legs and those pink lacy panties. He hadn’t realized what she’d been hiding behind all that denim, but certainly not curves that were that sexy.

      Most women would flaunt them, but apparently Lainie didn’t.

      When the bathroom door creaked open, she came out with the sheet wrapped around her waist. Her cheeks were flushed a deep pink, and her brow was creased in worry. She scanned the room. “Is it gone?”

      No, he suspected the critter was still under the bed and probably suffering from a massive coronary. He didn’t want to lie, but neither did he want to risk having her freak out again. “You’re safe.”

      Drew thought about making light of the situation and her reaction, but she was undoubtedly embarrassed by it. And he couldn’t help sympathizing.

      She pointed to the pile of denim on the floor. “Would you please shake those out, then give them to me?”

      “Sure.” He picked up the overalls, made an effort to examine them carefully, then gave them a vigorous shake before handing them to her. “Here you go.”

      It was a shame she was going to hide behind baggy clothes again.

      She held the sheet in place with one hand and clutched the overalls with the other. Yet she stood her ground, her cheeks rosy, and gave a little shrug. “In case you hadn’t figured it out, I hate mice.”

      “Apparently so.” His grin broadened to a full-on smile. “But just for future reference, it wasn’t going to eat you in a single bite.”

      She mumbled something directed at him, clicked her tongue then returned to the bathroom.

      When the bathroom door swung open again, and she walked out wearing those damned overalls, he felt compelled to tease her. Instead, he bit his tongue. But he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.

      “I realize you found this funny,” she said, “and I admit that I overreacted.”

      “No,” he lied. “Some people have an aversion to things like mice, bugs and snakes.” He took a seat on the bed.

      “And I’m one of them. But you see, one day, when my twin sister and I were playing, we had a bad experience with rats. So that came into play just now.”

      “You have a twin?”

      She paused a beat, and her eye twitched, just as it had a few minutes ago, when he’d asked her if she’d ever been to Houston. “Yes, I do.”

      “Identical?”

      “No. People used to think we were, especially since there’s a strong family resemblance and we were the same size and had the same coloring. But no, we’re fraternal twins.”

      Had Drew run into her sister before? If so, that could be the reason Lainie seemed familiar.

      “Where does your sister live?” he asked.

      “I’m...not sure. I haven’t seen her since... Well, it’s been a while.”

      He was tempted to ask why, but he suspected they’d had a falling-out of some kind. And he’d had enough drama within his own family to last a lifetime.

      “Anyway,” Lainie said, “I need to go back to the house. I only have an hour to get dinner on the table.”

      “You sure you’re okay?”

      “I’ll live. I’m just glad you reminded me that the darned critter wasn’t able to eat me in a single bite.” She smiled and winked. Then she bit down on her bottom lip. “Hey, do me a favor, please. Don’t tell the guys about this.”

      “My lips are sealed. It’ll be our little secret.” This time, he winked. “Thanks for helping me get settled.”

      “And for providing you with a little entertainment? You’re welcome. I was just doing my job. Or trying to, anyway.” Then she headed for the door.

      He nearly added, And thanks for the lovely vision I’ll never get out of my head.

      * * *

      Lainie had never been so embarrassed in her life. She couldn’t believe she’d screamed like a wild woman and stripped down to her panties in front of a virtual stranger—and a handsome one at that.

      So much for getting a fresh start in Brighton Valley. If word of this got out, she’d have to move again. Fortunately, Drew had been