The Perfect Couple

“Sounds logical. So?”

“So, I'll need you to hold him still while I work.”

“I have a lot to do at the ranch,” he alibied.

“Fine.” She straightened, managed to face him soberly. “I'll call Susan to come back in. Even if she's home, it could take her a while to get here, though. I'd rather do what's best for the dog.”

“Which is?”

“Start immediately. You don't have to help. I can always chase him around the hospital with a needle and sutures while he hops along on a broken leg.”

“Very funny.”

“Just making a point.” Kara's smile crept back. Mischief lighted her eyes. “Well?”

Muttering under his breath, Tyler shed his coat and began to roll up his sleeves. “Okay. You win. What do I do first?“

Kara was amazed at how competent her drafted assistant turned out to be. All she had to do was tell him once and he did whatever she said. Correctly. His compassion for the injured little dog was even more impressive.

They had successfully tended to the puppy's wounds, X-rayed his leg and started to set it. As soon as the bones were stabilized the pup had settled right down, exhausted.

Up to her wrists in the slippery solution that was part of the new, lightweight casting material, Kara realized she'd forgotten to pull back her hair and it was getting in the way. She blew it out of her eyes, tossed her head, rubbed her cheek against one shoulder…. Nothing worked.

Tyler was steadying the sleepy puppy, gently stroking its head and leaning close to speak softly to it as if Kara weren't there. “Your doctor's got a problem, kid. Yes, she does. I think she needs a haircut.”

She tried her best to ignore the taunt. A wild hair stuck to the perspiration on her forehead and tickled her lashes. When she tried to wipe it away with her forearm, it whipped into her right eye. Squeezing that eye tightly shut, she wished mightily for a second pair of hands. Hands that didn't belong to smart aleck Tyler Corbett.

“I think she's winking at me,” he told the pup. “Either that or she's making eyes at you.” He glanced up at Kara, giving her a lopsided grin. “Want some help?”

That was the last straw. “Oh, no. I'll just sit here and go blind while my hands become a permanent part of this dog's cast.”

“I take it that was a yes.”

“Yes.” She made a contrite face. “Please.”

“That's better. I hate it when people aren't specific. What do you want me to do? Cut it off?”

“My hair? No!” she snapped back without thinking. His resultant chuckle aggravated her. Of course he hadn't intended to actually cut her hair! How dense could she be?

Kara pulled herself together, helped by the fact that her eye was really beginning to smart. “There's a big clip in the right-hand pocket of my jeans. Use that.”

Hesitating, Tyler raised one dark eyebrow and eyed the slim hips encased in form-fitting denim. “I don't suppose you could hand it to me, could you?”

“Of course not.” Kara suddenly understood exactly what was stopping him and her cheeks warmed in a bright blush. “Tell you what. Why don't you just come over here and hold the hair back for a few minutes. Get it out of my eyes. I'm almost done.”

Tyler wasn't in any hurry to accommodate her. He was still recovering from the bewilderment he'd felt when their hands had touched. Just because he was a widower and Kara Shepherd was a widow didn't mean he was interested in forming any kind of relationship with her. Or with any woman, for that matter. There would never be anyone like his Deanne. She'd been the perfect wife. Practically a saint.

Which meant he'd certainly be immune to any mild charm a prickly person like Kara might have, he reasoned logically. Pulling her hair back for her would be no more exciting than combing the tail of his favorite Quarter horse.

Reassured, he sauntered around the table. “Okay. No sweat.”

“Thanks.” She leaned her head to one side. “It's this eye that hurts. See if you can clear that first, will you?”

Tyler lifted his hand. Hesitated. Discovered he actually wanted to see what it felt like to touch that beautiful, silky hair. Until now, that kind of act had been reserved for his late wife. Transferring those feelings to any other woman was totally unacceptable.

Kara peered over her shoulder as best she could without letting go of the puppy's cast. “Well? This stuff is hardening. What are you waiting for?”

What, indeed? He didn't even like this woman. Surely, there was no reason to avoid touching her. He leaned closer so he could see the fine hairs against her cheek, reached out and carefully swept them back.

A tingle danced across Kara's face and skittered down her spine. His fingertips were rough, yet his touch was light, barely there. It was amazing that a man that big, that imposing, could be so gentle when he wanted to be. She shivered, aware of his closeness, of his breath on her cheek as he examined her eye.

“Did I get the hair out?” he asked quietly.

“I—I think so. Thanks.”

Tyler straightened. Stepping behind her he carefully gathered the rest of her hair in both hands and held it back while she worked. “Okay. Just hurry up, will you? I've got other things to do besides hang around here.” He knew his words sounded unduly harsh, especially since Kara was being a Good Samaritan, but he didn't like the feelings she'd awakened in him and he wanted to escape from her influence as soon as possible.

She continued to smooth the cast, glad the job was nearly done, because she could barely think straight with him standing so close. He made her miss the quiet companionship of a husband. Even one like Alex.

She blinked and sniffled, blaming the moisture pooling in her eyes on irritation from the stray hair.

Still holding her hair, Tyler leaned closer. “You all right?”

Kara felt his breath tickle her ear. She searched for words, any words, to answer and found none. His presence filled the room, overwhelmed her. All she'd have to do was turn her head and…

And what? Make a fool of herself? She was just overtired and stressed out. She must be. Only temporary insanity would make her think of Tyler Corbett as romantic.

She sniffled again, stalling for time to get her errant emotions under better control. Please, Lord, she prayed silently, simply, help me.

No bolt from the sky came to rescue her. No mountains crumbled. No seas parted. Tyler still bent over her, and her heart continued to hammer. The only change in the room was the sudden wafting odor of…pizza?

Kara's head jerked toward the door. Tyler hadn't been ready for such an abrupt move and inadvertently pulled her hair. She yowled.

He let go and jumped back. “What the—?” His gaze followed Kara's.

Standing in the doorway, with a broad grin on her face and a pizza box in her hands, was her sister, Susan.

Chapter Two

Susan giggled. “Well, well. What have we here?”

“Not what it looks like,” Kara countered. “Mr. Corbett found an injured dog and we were…I was…just setting its broken leg.”

“Okay. If you say so.” Susan laid the pizza box on a chair and stepped up to the table so she could steady the puppy. It licked her hand and she smiled down at it.

“I do say so,” Kara insisted, stripping off her latex gloves and dropping them in the trash. “If I'd known you were coming back tonight, I'd have waited till you were here to help.”

“Looks like you did okay without me.” Her eyebrows arched as she glanced over Kara's shoulder at the flustered man who was doing his best to appear unconcerned. He'd thrust his hands into the pockets of his jeans, hiding them as if they might be considered evidence against him.