Ready for Marriage?: The Marriage Ultimatum / Laying His Claim / The Bride Tamer

‘‘Honey, with that face and hair you don’t need makeup!’’ Faye stood up and shook out something in a pretty shade of teal that she’d pulled from the bag. ‘‘But your clothes are another matter.’’

‘‘I like to be comfortable.’’ What did she mean about the face and hair? The face was too pale, even if she did have pretty eyes, and her hair…the color was nice, but the wild curls refused to be tamed. If she cut it short, it would only form a frizzy halo, so she wore it long and usually braided it or pulled it back.

‘‘You like to hide,’’ Faye corrected. ‘‘You won’t be uncomfortable in these things, but you’ll be noticed, that’s for sure.’’

The teal fabric was a slinky knit dress, sleeveless and scoop-necked. There were several little sleeveless tops, a pair of well-worn jeans and a denim skirt that didn’t look big enough to cover her butt.

‘‘The dress is for evening,’’ Faye told her. ‘‘Try this stuff. Once you’ve gotten used to it, we’ll go shopping and get you some things of your own to match the new you.’’

‘‘I can’t afford to go shopping.’’ That was true. Her father had poured all his money into establishing Appalachian and had been heavily in debt when he died. Although at seventeen she technically still had been a minor, it had never occurred to her to default on the loans he had made. The money she’d gotten from Derek for the house and the practice had gone a long way toward erasing what she owed, but she still had a heavy schedule of loan payments to make for another year. She could hardly wait until the loan was paid off. Then she could start saving for a house of her own.

‘‘Secondhand shops and Goodwill,’’ Faye said. ‘‘I’ve gotten some great stuff there.’’ She shoved the bag into Kristin’s hands. ‘‘Now go try on these things.’’

Faye was a force of nature when she was on a mission and Kristin knew better than to argue. If she hurried, she wouldn’t be too late.

Everything fit like a dream. And that was a problem. She was used to wearing loose, baggy clothing. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d worn a skirt and she felt disconcertingly exposed. Even to church, she wore one of two trouser suits she’d had for years.

‘‘I can’t go out in public in this,’’ she said as she came out of the half bath off her small kitchen. ‘‘This’’ was the teal dress. It was deceptively simple on a hanger, but on a body…she was afraid she might just be illegal.

‘‘You look terrific!’’ Faye crowed, walking all around her. ‘‘What’s the matter?’’

‘‘It’s…’’ She motioned vaguely. ‘‘Too revealing.’’

‘‘It’s modest compared to what some girls are wearing these days. Go try the rest.’’

Faye approved each of the other items, but when Kristin attempted to change back into her own clothing, the older woman shook her head. ‘‘Just wear that today.’’

Kristin looked down at herself. She was wearing the jean skirt with a spring-green camisole top. The top had a tiny drawstring bow made of ribbon at the rounded neckline, and ribbon was laced through the straps as well. The only saving grace was that she could still wear her bra. ‘‘Isn’t it a little bare?’’

‘‘No. It’s summery and feminine. That skirt looks a whole lot better on you than those baggy drawers you’ve been wearing. And wear your hair down.’’ Faye walked around behind her and slipped the loose fabric twist free.

‘‘But it gets in my way.’’

‘‘Then cut it.’’

‘‘No!’’ Kristin put a protective hand to her head. Then she saw Faye’s lips twitch and she smiled reluctantly. ‘‘Okay. I’ll wear it down. It is pretty like this, isn’t it?’’

‘‘It’s beautiful, honey,’’ Faye said gently. ‘‘And so are you. Now go to Appalachian and enjoy the compliments you get.’’

‘‘All right,’’ she said doubtfully. She probably wouldn’t see many people today, anyway. What was the harm? ‘‘I’ll try it today. But I’m not promising any drastic wardrobe changes.’’

‘‘It’s a deal,’’ said Faye.

‘‘But Faye…I’m not doing this for Derek.’’ On that point she was certain. ‘‘I’m doing it for me. If he’s not interested, maybe I’ll find someone who is.’’

The older woman just nodded and smiled. ‘‘Either way, you’re bound to get some reaction.’’

But from whom? Kristin said farewell to Faye and climbed into her small truck, hoping she wouldn’t be too late. She did whatever was needed, but most often she worked the desk because Cathie said she was so good with the public.

Her eyes closed briefly in sadness as she thought of Cathie. And then they sprang open again. The public! How had she forgotten? Today was Summerfest, an annual fund-raising and public relations event the animal sanctuary held each June. They’d considered postponing it after Cathie died, but it was too big an event. And in any case, Cathie wouldn’t have wanted that. Summerfest had been her brainstorm originally. The best way to honor her, the board members had decided, was to carry out the event she had organized.

There would be a skillion visitors, not to mention media attendees, all over the public areas. And here she was, dressed like a refugee from an ’NSYNC concert.

Three

It was a beautiful day for Summerfest. The sun shone brightly but there was a hint of breeze and the temperature hovered in the upper seventies just before noon. As Derek lifted Mollie from her car seat, he noticed that there was a sizable crowd milling around the sanctuary parking lot, where many different kinds of booths and activities were set up beneath nearby shade trees.

In the center of the lot, a local dog club had set up an agility course and members were demonstrating their dogs’ skills on various pieces of equipment. A schedule prominently posted near the refreshment tables displayed times for demonstrations of such varied animal events as guide dog puppy raisers, a bird breeder with her talking parrots, a detection dog team who searched for drugs and a woman who rescued orphaned bear cubs. Pony rides were offered in a nearby meadow as well as guided tours of the sanctuary.

Derek had just set Mollie on her feet when she gave a piercing squeal. ‘‘Mom-meeeee!’’ He grabbed her just as she nearly made a mad dash across the parking lot.

‘‘Whoa, there, chickadee.’’

‘‘Down, Daddy!’’ His daughter was a wriggling bundle of feminine outrage. ‘‘I wanna go see Mommy.’’

He tried to keep the frustration he felt from his voice as he said, ‘‘Kristin’s not your mommy, Mollie. She’s our friend.’’

He glanced at the crowd, his pulse quickening, but he didn’t see her, and he decided Mollie must have been mistaken. But as he reached the edge of the asphalt where the frenzy of the celebration was in full swing, his gaze caught a flash of white blond curls. He lifted his head in time to see Kristin standing in front of the animal sanctuary office with two of the board members.

Only…was it Kristin? She wore a skirt—Kris never wore skirts. And not just any skirt. A short denim skirt that hugged her slender hips and showed an indecent amount of long, bare leg. With it she wore an equally skimpy little tank top of some clingy fabric that displayed feminine curves he’d had no real idea she possessed. Well, he supposed he had, but he’d just never thought about her that way…until last week. Now it seemed to be all he could think about.

He surveyed her again, his pulse kicking up a notch. Good lord. It was a wonder every man in the place hadn’t had a heart attack if she’d been walking around like that all morning. Her hair was down—what was with that?—spilling down her back and curling around her shoulders like a caressing hand. Loose tendrils floated in the breeze. As he watched, a strand wafted across the face of the man to her left and he caught it with a smile, tugging playfully as Kristin tried to restrain the rest.

The half-breathless feeling inside him vanished and he felt like snarling.

Mollie tugged at his hand again. ‘‘Wanna go see Kristin.’’

‘‘Okay.’’ He released her hand and followed more slowly, watching as his daughter made a beeline through the crowd. The buzz of voices around him made it impossible to hear, but he knew the moment Kristin saw Mollie. Her pretty face lit up in a spontaneous expression of delight and she knelt, stretching out her arms.

In the instant before Mollie ran into her embrace, he couldn’t help noticing how the position pulled Kristin’s skirt high up her thighs, exposing a tantalizing triangle of shadow between her legs. He couldn’t see panties, but he might as well have been able to.

A surge of arousal so strong he actually stopped in his tracks slammed into him. God, she was lovely. Why hadn’t he noticed before? You did, he reminded himself. You’ve always thought Paul’s daughterwould grow into a beautiful woman someday.

The trouble was, ‘‘someday’’ had apparently arrived while he wasn’t looking.

He forced himself to start forward again, trying to get his raging hormones under control. The last thing he needed was for Kristin to think he had the hots for her. It would totally destroy the friendly family relationship they’d always had.

Yeah. Like you didn’t do that when you accusedher of teasing you. What an idiot.

‘‘Dr. Mahoney. Glad you could come by.’’ The older of the two men still flanking Kristin thrust out a hand. Walker Glave was a local attorney who served as the sanctuary board’s president and donated his time when they had legal issues with wills and trusts to work out.

‘‘I wouldn’t miss it.’’ Derek shook the hand, then squatted down in front of his daughter and Kristin. ‘‘Sorry. She saw you the moment we arrived.’’

‘‘Don’t be sorry. I’m delighted to see my Miss Mollie.’’ She spoke to the child rather than to him, tweaking her nose playfully as Mollie giggled.

Derek leaned forward a little, speaking in an undertone. ‘‘You might consider changing that position before every man here gets a look beneath your skirt.’’

Her gaze flew to his as her eyes widened, and a red patch of color appeared in each cheek. Hastily, she stood, lifting Mollie into her arms. ‘‘Come on, Mols. Let’s go get some lemonade and let Daddy visit for a while.’’