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

‘‘Not too long,’’ he said to her back as she started away. ‘‘I’m serious about not monopolizing your day.’’ She didn’t answer, but he was sure she’d heard him, and he made himself a mental note to try to keep track of the time. That wasn’t his strong suit.

‘‘Hey, Doc.’’ The younger, taller man extended a hand. An insurance salesman with a busy office in Quartz Forge, Rusty Sheffield currently was the treasurer of the board. ‘‘Good to see you. We miss having you on the board.’’ He turned to eye Kris’s back view as she walked away. ‘‘Although having Kristin there isn’t exactly a hardship.’’

‘‘Kristin may not be on the board if she accepts the offer,’’ Walker said.

‘‘What offer?’’ Derek told himself he only was annoyed by Rusty’s leering expression because of the promise he’d made her father always to look out for her.

‘‘We’ve asked her to consider temporarily filling the executive director’s position,’’ Rusty said.

Derek was too surprised to speak.

‘‘What do you think about it?’’ Rusty pressed.

‘‘I—ah, I don’t know.’’ He made an effort to gather his thoughts.

‘‘We’d be taking away his baby-sitter,’’ the older board member said. ‘‘What do you expect him to say?’’

‘‘No, it’s not that,’’ he said hastily. ‘‘It’s just that I never thought of Kristin as…’’

‘‘Neither did we,’’ Walker said. ‘‘But the minute someone mentioned her, we couldn’t think of a single reason why we wouldn’t want her. She’ll be terrific.’’

Derek couldn’t think of a single reason he wouldn’t want her, either, but he doubted they were speaking of the same thing. God, why couldn’t he seem to get his mind off sex today? Slowly, he nodded as he forced his attention back to the men and considered the idea. Why hadn’t she talked to him about it? He winced inwardly, recalling again his behavior the day of the funeral. He knew exactly why, and he forced himself to consider her in terms of the position. ‘‘She’ll do an excellent job for you.’’

‘‘Temporarily,’’ said Walker. ‘‘Just for a few months until we can interview and hire the right person. You know that handling a nonprofit of this size is no easy task.’’

‘‘If Kristin does take the job,’’ Rusty said, ‘‘we’d like you to come back and fill her spot on the board. Other than Kristin, you’re the closest thing to Paul Gordon’s family, and you knew his wishes.’’

‘‘I’ll have to think about it,’’ he said, ‘‘but thank you for the offer.’’

‘‘Dr. Mahoney!’’ A chubby woman in a pink, flowered dress sailed toward them. ‘‘How nice to see you. I wanted to thank you again for all you did for Apricot. Her allergies seem to be under control now and her coat is growing in as beautifully as it was before.’’

Derek pasted on a smile and turned to his client. The only trouble with being a vet in a small town was that his clients were everywhere. And they all assumed he was waiting breathlessly to hear about their pet’s latest health crises. He loved animals, and he loved his job, but it surely would be nice to go out in public sometime and have someone ask his opinion on who should be baseball’s MVP or how his newest woodcarving effort was coming.

Two hours later, he was still being held captive by clients talking about their pets when he heard Kristin’s voice. ‘‘Derek? It’s time to eat.’’ She smiled at the couple currently regaling him with tales of their Jack Russell. ‘‘Sorry. I’m the spoilsport who makes sure Dr. Mahoney takes a break every now and then.’’

‘‘Thank you,’’ he said beneath his breath as he followed her to a table where apparently she’d already gotten two plates of food. ‘‘In my nightmares sometimes, I’m surrounded by people telling pet stories and I can’t get away.’’

She smiled, swiping back a curling lock of hair that the breeze had caught. ‘‘I thought you were starting to look a little desperate.’’

He sat gratefully, checking his heaping plate. ‘‘Yum. Deviled eggs and brownies. You must have been near the front of the line. The eggs are always gone by the time I get there.’’ He glanced around, parental unease rearing its head. ‘‘Where’s Mollie?’’

She pointed to the wide grassy yard where a group of teenagers were organizing children’s games and he spotted his daughter. ‘‘One of the girls is keeping an eye on Mollie for a little while.’’

‘‘Thanks.’’ He waited until she took a seat beside him, then began to eat, realizing only as he surveyed the rest of the items on his plate that Kristin had chosen just about every one of his favorites from the buffet tables. A different sort of uneasiness snaked through him. Did she really know him that well? He had a sneaking suspicion she did.

‘‘Did Walker and Rusty tell you about the offer they made me?’’ Her voice broke into his thoughts.

He nodded. ‘‘They did. What do you think?’’

She hesitated. ‘‘I don’t know. It’s temporary, and this is a good time of year for me, since my accounting work won’t really pick up until winter sets in. I think it would be challenging and interesting, but…’’

‘‘But what?’’

She shrugged. ‘‘I’m just not sure.’’ She set down her spoon and looked at him. ‘‘Do you think I should take it?’’

‘‘Do I want you to take it or do I think you should take it?’’ He forced himself to grin. ‘‘I don’t want you to take it because you’ve been a terrific baby-sitter and Mollie depends on you. But since you’ve already said you’re leaving anyway, yes, I think you should take it. You’re organized, creative, good with people and budget-conscious. I think you’d be great at it.’’

She looked a little stunned. ‘‘Thank you,’’ she finally said.

When she didn’t speak again, he glanced at her around a mouthful of brownie. ‘‘Did I say something wrong?’’ he asked. Heaven only knew what was going through that convoluted brain of hers.

‘‘No.’’ She smiled, delicately licking brownie icing from the tip of one finger with a pink tongue. ‘‘It’s just…well, you’re not big on compliments. It’s nice to know you think I’m so capable.’’

He didn’t answer her. Hell, he barely heard her. Every cell in his body was focused on that sweet little tongue as she finished her brownie and licked the rest of the icing from her fingers. God, what would he give to have that tongue licking him.

He was still watching her when she picked up her napkin and wiped her fingers. She glanced at him. ‘‘Are you…finished?’’ Her voice stuttered and faded as their eyes met. And held.

They stared across the table at each other and he knew from the rising awareness in her eyes that she recognized the hunger he couldn’t hide. Finally, she tore her gaze from his and hastily began to gather plates and utensils together. ‘‘We’d better clean up and make space for someone else.’’

He put out a hand and caught her wrist in a loose, yet unbreakable grip. ‘‘Kris.’’

She stilled.

‘‘You look pretty today.’’ He hadn’t intended to say the words, but he found he wasn’t sorry he’d spoken.

‘‘Th-thank you.’’

She’d never made much effort with her clothes and looks before. Despite the fact that she was a truly lovely girl, she’d camouflaged herself so well that she’d gone virtually unnoticed by men. But since she’d begun her campaign to get his attention, he figured she’d decided to use her assets—and as far as he was concerned, she’d done a hell of a job. ‘‘Any special reason you dressed up?’’ he asked with a smile.

But the moment he spoke, her eyes went flat. The warmth and attraction in her gaze vanished so completely it was as if it had never existed. She tugged at her wrist until he let go. ‘‘I don’t want to be an old maid,’’ she said quietly. ‘‘From now on, I’m not going to hide when a man shows interest in me, and I’m not going to hide myself, either.’’

He didn’t like the sound of that and he frowned. ‘‘A man like Rusty Sheffield? Did he ask you out?’’

She shrugged. ‘‘It’s really not your business.’’

The hell it wasn’t. ‘‘He’s too immature for you.’’

Her eyebrows rose. ‘‘He’s four years older than I am! That’s hardly immature.’’

‘‘He’s been through practically every single woman in town. Do you want to be the subject of the weekly barbershop gossip?’’

‘‘It would be better than never being noticed at all,’’ she shot back. She looked angry now. ‘‘Rusty’s too immature and you’re too old. You’re not leaving me much of a window of opportunity here, Derek.’’

He wanted to shake her. He wanted to grab her and kiss her until she quit talking, and the only thing that saved her—and him—was the table between them. ‘‘I just don’t want to see you get hurt.’’ It was part of the truth, at least.

‘‘Oh, get over yourself,’’ she snapped. ‘‘You haven’t been my guardian for eight years now.’’ And before he could speak again, she snatched up a handful of dirty dishes and stalked off toward the trash can, her long legs eating up the ground as she moved away from him.

Wearily, he ran a hand through his hair. What was the matter with him? Every time he was around her these days, he seemed to provoke an argument. He really hadn’t intended to make her mad. He just didn’t want her going out with some jerk that might use her and hurt her.