A Laramie, Texas Christmas

Kevin nodded. “I’ll have someone here tomorrow evening to tear down the rotten wood. The steps can be rebuilt Saturday morning, a coat of waterproofing put on. Primer and paint can be applied the following day—as long as the weather holds and there is no rain.”

That would certainly take care of it. “Thank you,” Noelle said grudgingly.

“In return, I want something from you.”

It figured. “You’re kidding,” she said sarcastically.

He held out his hands, palm up. “Nothing in life is free.”

Especially when it came to Kevin McCabe. “What do you want?” she demanded, on edge again.

“The sheriff’s department organizes a Blue Santa operation every year. It’s a good cause. A lot of residents volunteer. We gather up toys and donations of food and clothing that are distributed to the needy throughout the county. We schedule an exciting appearance by Santa. For the record, I got tapped for that this year.”

Now that would be something to see. “Should have kept your beard,” she taunted lightly. “Although you would have had to do something to make it white.”

He let her remarks pass. “We also hand out presents to the kids and gift baskets for the adults, and then we have a potluck dinner for everyone—volunteers, their families and the folks we help—over at the community center on the evening of December twenty-third.”

Noelle was impressed despite herself. “That sounds laudable.”

“And fun. Anyway, every year we split up the work. Because I was out of town fishing for the first two weeks of the drive, I ended up being responsible for two things, in addition to playing Santa. The decorations for the dinner…”

Noelle shrugged, aware that every time she got near him, her heart beat faster, her senses got sharper and the isolation she’d felt since her husband’s death became a little more acute. She thought she had been living fully. Obviously, she hadn’t been.

Deciding she had looked into Kevin’s eyes far too long, she turned away once again. “That doesn’t sound too hard.”

He watched her wipe down the counters and the inside of the microwave. “Maybe not for you,” he chided. “You make your living putting together events.”

Promising herself she was not going to fall prey to the attraction simmering between them, she forced her gaze back to the rugged contours of his face. “What’s the second thing?”

His mouth flattened into a grim line. “Baby doll revitalization.”

She couldn’t help it. She began to laugh.

His eyes narrowed. “It’s not funny. People are very generous about donating. And we appreciate it, as do the kids who receive the gifts. But some of these dolls aren’t in the best of shape, to put it lightly. And I’m in charge of making sure they all seem like new.”

Noelle looked him up and down. “I can see this would be tough for you.”

Kevin rolled his eyes in exasperation. “You have no idea.”

“Didn’t spend a lot of time playing with dolls when you were a kid?”

“Can’t say that I did. I’m begging you to help me out.”

Twisting her arm was more like it. “There must be someone else you could ask,” Noelle replied. “A sister, mother, some woman who is terribly interested in you.”

“True—except they’ve already volunteered and are set to help out in various other ways.”

“Maybe they wouldn’t mind taking on another task.”

“But then I’d owe them,” Kevin retorted, as if that would be the worst thing in the world.

“And you wouldn’t owe me?” Noelle asked curiously.

“Not if I fix Miss Sadie’s steps for you. Then we’d be even.”

“Whoa. Who said anything about you repairing the steps?” Noelle said.

“I did.” He palmed his chest. “I’m a very handy carpenter, and truth be told, I feel a little bad about the way that all unfolded. This way, if I fix what I helped you break, I don’t have to feel guilty.”

“Or worry about your karma,” Noelle guessed, trying not to be amused…and failing mightily.

“Right.”

She blew out a gusty breath. “You are one complicated man.”

“So what do you say?” He moved closer, hands spread, and blasted her with a hopeful smile. “Do we have a deal?”

Noelle had never been one to swoon over a man in uniform, but there was no denying Kevin McCabe made an impression she was not likely to forget. One minute he was saving her and her son from sure injury, the next flirting. The man practically exuded honor, audaciousness and the determination to do right no matter what the cost. She didn’t know what he was up to now, but didn’t like it one bit.

Clearly aware he was annoying her terribly, he looked her over from head to toe, taking in the delicate hollow of her throat and the shadowy hint of cleavage in the open V of her white shirt. His gaze moved lower still to check out the fit of her tailored slacks before returning to her eyes. “You’re very sure of yourself.” She regarded him perceptively.

He gazed back with a charming smile, still holding her gaze. “Not so sure.”

The way he looked at her then—as if he was thinking what it might be like to make love to her—sent tremors of awareness tumbling through her. “What do you mean?” Noelle demanded, hanging on to her composure by a thread.

“For example—” he leaned toward her conspiratorially “—I’m not certain you want to kiss me, but your body language says you do.”

“Detective.” Noelle lifted her chin, drew a deep breath. “You’re not really thinking of putting the moves on me just now.” She inched back.

“Not thinking.” He stepped toward her, laced his hands around her waist and tugged her against him. “Which is,” he continued thoughtfully, looking down at her intently, “perhaps the problem.”

KEVIN HAD KNOWN he was in trouble the minute he accepted Noelle’s dinner invitation and entered the cozy confines of the kitchen. But he’d done it anyway, hoping the casual intimacy of the situation would seduce her into revealing all sorts of things about herself and her relationship with Dash and Miss Sadie. Kevin figured he could put his considerable attraction to her aside long enough to investigate her connection, or lack thereof, to the case he was working on. He’d intended to figure out why he had seen flashes of guilt and fear in her eyes whenever the subject of the identity theft came up.

However, he hadn’t expected to see raw vulnerability in her eyes in her most unguarded moments. She had the same hunted, despairing look the bullied kids had always had in school. The look that said they knew they had done nothing to deserve the treatment they were getting, but were braced to suffer all sorts of indignities anyway. Kevin had never been able to stand by while an underdog was suffering then, and he couldn’t do it now. To his chagrin, he found himself wanting to protect Noelle, not investigate her. He found himself wanting to get closer. Not as law enforcement. As a man. He found himself wanting to satisfy her obvious desire to be kissed. To bring her closer yet. To investigate the softness of her lips….

Noelle saw the kiss coming and could have avoided it, if she had wanted to. She didn’t. Maybe because this was the kind of kiss she had always dreamed about and never received. Gentle. Tender. Evocative. Maybe because she had known instinctively that the touch of his lips to hers would rock her to the core. And the reality was even better than she had ever imagined. Noelle was inundated with so many sensations at once. The hard warmth of his body. The yummy taste of his mouth. The clean masculine fragrance of his skin. Heavens, the man knew how to kiss, she thought, letting herself be drawn into the erotic moment. He knew how to exact a sensual response from her. Knew how to make her want and need. Knew how to…draw back.

Startled, she hitched in a breath and stared into his eyes. To her surprise, he looked as taken aback as she felt. Who knew what would have happened next had it not been for the sound of swift footsteps overhead, forcing them farther apart? Seconds later, Dash bounded down the back stairs, two stacks of papers in hand, one of which he handed to Kevin. “I made two copies of everything, one for me, one for you. The originals will stay here with Miss Sadie.”

“Good thinking,” Kevin said.

Dash smiled at Noelle, his presence effectively breaking the mood. “Coffee ready?” he asked cheerfully.

Noelle feigned normalcy. “It will be in a minute.” Just as soon as she put it on.

Kevin looked at Noelle, no sign of what had transpired between them on his handsome face. Instead, he seemed to be wondering what had come over him, as surely as she was wondering what had come over her! “I better be going, too,” he said.

Her throat dry, she nodded. “I’ll tell Miss Sadie you’re working hard to solve her case.”