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  “Despite what you might think, I’m careful and considerate in relationships.”

  “Not too careful with Amanda.”

  “No. She caught me off guard. She said she was using birth control.”

  “She would. When she made up her mind about something, she acted on it, often a bit impulsively.”

  “She wanted to get pregnant?”

  “No.” Dora leaned against a recliner chair, but didn’t sit. “She wanted to feel special that night. Wanted it badly enough to mislead you, to pretend you cared.”

  Ethan winced. He’d felt a fondness for Amanda, but beyond that it had been two consenting adults sharing a sophisticated night of intimacy with no illusions or pretenses. He’d known she was using him to soothe, but he hadn’t asked her for what.

  And he’d broken his number-one cardinal rule. He’d created a child out of wedlock. A child very much like himself, who had never known his father.

  Except Dora Watkins had the compassion to change that for Katie. He appreciated it more than he could say. Even though finding out he had a daughter was a terrifying jolt to his life, would take adjustments he hadn’t planned on, he would rather know now than find out years down the road—years that could have possibly held heartache and ruin for an innocent child.

  “I’m ashamed to say I didn’t even know Amanda’s last name.”

  “Bishop.”

  “What made her give Katie my name? If she didn’t plan to tell me about the baby?”

  “I don’t know. She wanted Katie. The baby was someone who would love her unconditionally. You know, that was the only thing Amanda and I ever fussed about—her self-esteem. Anyway, the night she met you, she’d just had a run-in with her parents—I’m sorry to say the Bishops are truly misguided, lost people—and I honestly think Amanda was feeling a little rebellious.”

  “So why didn’t she contact me when she learned about the baby?”

  “She didn’t know you. And after the fact, she was ashamed to admit she’d had a one-night affair. As it was, when she told her folks about the baby, they didn’t want anything to do with her. Her behavior contradicted their traditional values.” There was more than a little snap in her tone.

  “Some people don’t deserve to be parents.”

  “Yes, that’s very sad but true. It always amazed me how happy Amanda was, what a fun person she was, given the environment she grew up in. The minute we graduated from high school, we got an apartment together. I can’t remember a day that went by that she didn’t have me rolling on the floor laughing. That’s the way she was.”

  “My dad used to say laughter was a gift.”

  “It is,” Dora agreed. “And Amanda was truly gifted. She worked at the church and she loved her job, and Dad loved having her, but after Katie was born, she decided she needed to look for something that paid better. She was my best friend, and I could certainly afford to support them, or at least supplement her income, but Amanda was proud. In fact, she was coming back from a job interview when the accident happened.” Her voice wobbled, and she swallowed hard. “I was keeping Katie when we got the call.”

  “I’m sorry.” The words seemed inadequate. And empty. He hadn’t known the woman, yet he’d had a child with her. For that reason alone he felt a sadness at the loss. And despite the fact that there’d been no contact between him and Amanda after that night, he hadn’t forgotten her. She hadn’t been a faceless body. He wanted to tell Dora this, but she was speaking again.

  “She was still alive when I got to the hospital…and that’s when she asked me to find you.” Dora looked away. She wasn’t ready to tip her hand and tell him how much she wanted Katie for herself, to tell him that her true agenda was to get him to sign adoption rights to the baby she loved as her own. “She didn’t want her parents to raise Katie.”

  “If they turned their back on their own daughter, why would they want the burden of a granddaughter?”

  “Oh, they didn’t want the burden. They wanted money.”

  “From who?”

  “Me. They knew how close Amanda and I were, and that I’d do anything for her. They were aware of how Amanda felt about them, that she didn’t want them to influence or ruin her daughter’s life.”

  “She told them that?”

  “Once. A few months back when they’d run into one another on the street. So at the funeral they offered to sell the baby to me.”

  Ethan swore, then glanced up and apologized.

  “Don’t apologize. I feel exactly the same way.”

  “Well, with me in the picture, they don’t have a legal right to Katie.”

  “That’s exactly why Amanda named you on the birth certificate.”

  “I’m glad she did.”

  Dora was, too. To a point. This whole situation was new to Ethan, and she could see how after hearing Amanda’s story he’d likely be thinking with emotional stars in his eyes with regard to Katie’s fate and future. It would be best to let the day-to-day reality of living with a baby give him a good shaking up. Then she could ease him around to her way of thinking.

  Though she doubted she’d have much trouble there when all was said and done. This was the least likely household for a baby, an all-male ranch house that spoke of wealth with touches of James Bond. He would see that soon enough. Before the month was up, he’d be asking her to let him sign over adoption papers.

  He stood and stepped toward her, reaching out to tip up her chin. “Thank you for bringing Katie to me,” he said softly.

  The turmoil inside her was like a swirling vortex. She didn’t know this man, but she responded to him. And that was dangerous. She had an agenda. He was part of the short term, not the long term.

  She stepped back out of reach. “I think I’ll turn in now, if you don’t mind.”

  “There’s one more thing I was wondering.”

  “What?”

  “How did you happen to find out about the auction?”

  “That was pure accident. I confided in my dad after the funeral about Amanda’s last wishes. Turns out he knew Ozzie and called ahead to make sure I wouldn’t be walking into a dangerous situation or something.”

  Ethan looked affronted.

  Dora shrugged. “What can I say? He’s protective. Anyway, Dad said Ozzie was expecting me to meet him at Brewer’s Saloon.”

  Ethan stared a moment, then his brows rose. “That old goat. It was a setup.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “The old fellas have been planning this auction for a reason. They’re on some crazy marriage campaign here. They roped a buddy of mine just last month.”

  “But you intend to escape,” she guessed astutely.

  “Exactly. I’m not interested in commitment.”

  THE NEXT MORNING, Ethan was on his way downstairs when an unfamiliar noise stopped him.

  The babbling sound of a baby.

  How could he have forgotten? He wasn’t alone in the house. This wasn’t a day like any of the others before in his life.

  He had a baby daughter.

  And a beautiful house guest.

  Cautiously he peered into the yellow room and couldn’t stop the smile that pulled at his lips. Little Katie was standing up in the portable crib, her tiny hands gripping the plastic rail.

  Ethan moved closer. “Hi.”

  She did a little jumping dance, her pudgy knees bending as she held on to the side of the small crib.

  “I can see this thing’s not gonna corral you for much longer.” He paused, his heart flipping when she smiled and babbled at him.

  “I’m your daddy.” He had no idea why he’d blurted that out, knew she wouldn’t understand. And saying it aloud made him feel as if he was going to hyperventilate. The responsibility was enormous.

  He tested the title, said it again. It felt right. He held out his hands. “Want out of that cage?”

  She stopped her knee bends, appeared to consider. Then her sunny disposition that tickled him so took over and she smiled and gave a h
appy shriek.

  “I guess that’s a yes.” He lifted her, felt the warm wetness soak into his shirt, belatedly smelled the soggy diaper. “Whoa, you’re a mess.”

  “Need some help?”

  He whipped around and nearly lost his hold on the little girl. Once she saw Dora her squeal became louder and she extended her arms, nearly wiggling right out of his embrace.

  “Morning,” Ethan said softly. Man alive, her allure was even more potent in the light of day. It was going to be difficult to remember that this woman was only a temporary guest, that she was off-limits. “Katie wanted out of her pen.”

  “She told you that, hmm?” Dora moved into the room and took the baby, nuzzling her sweet-smelling cheek. When she’d seen Ethan with Katie in his arms, she’d been horribly jealous. This was her baby. She didn’t want to share. She didn’t want them to form a bond. And that was ugly.

  “Well, she was talking up a storm about something.”

  Dora smiled. He was dressed in well-worn jeans, boots and a shirt that lovingly hugged his incredibly broad shoulders. Last night he’d been a vision in black tie. This morning he was the epitome of a sexy cowboy. And it was ridiculous how the sight of him made her heart pound and her hands tremble. Used to being around men, she wasn’t normally affected by macho types.

  This one defied the norm.

  “You can usually make out about every tenth word.”

  “Ah, a challenge. Just like a female.” He picked up Katie’s little hand and brought it to his lips, kissed it gallantly, then pretended to gnaw, eliciting shrieks of laughter.

  Dora found her footing. She could deal with the flirty cowboy side of him. It was the vulnerable one she had trouble with.

  “Well, if you’ll excuse us, this female appears to need a diaper change.”

  “Mmm, privacy. If you’ll tell me where you put your keys, I’ll unload your van.”

  “I’ve already taken care of it.”

  “Early riser?”

  “Always. Each day is too precious not to appreciate. I rarely miss greeting the sun.”

  She was an enigma. How could one woman emanate such sex appeal and still appear as innocent as a dew-kissed rose?

  He needed to get out of this room—this bedroom—before his thoughts went off on a tangent that they had no business exploring.

  Since she’d already turned to gather clothes for the baby, Ethan took himself downstairs…and nearly toppled off the last flight of stairs.

  His normally pristine house looked as though a tornado had hit it. For a moment he was simply too stunned to move.

  Dora had very definitely and very obviously gotten up early to unload her van. Toys and…stuff were all over the place.

  The front door opened, and Ethan looked up as his brothers Grant and Clay came in. They, too, came to a screeching halt.

  “Holy smoke. Did somebody throw a fit in here or what?” Grant asked.

  Ethan moved the rest of the way into the foyer, but before he could answer, Dora came downstairs with Katie in her arms.

  Grant and Clay stared.

  “Some auction,” Clay whispered with a reverence that had Ethan wanting to deck him.

  “I take it these are the brothers?” Dora asked.

  “Yes. Dora Watkins, meet Grant and Clay.” He looked at his brothers, annoyed at the awestruck, rapt expressions on their faces. Never mind that he, too, tended to get stupid when she so much as walked into a room. His brothers needed to be brought up to speed lest they inadvertently offend. They were just as susceptible to flirting with a gorgeous female as the next man.

  “Her daddy’s a preacher.”

  She smiled and shot him an indulgent look. “I’ll see that declaration, Ethan, and raise you. Guys, this is Katie. Ethan’s daughter.”

  Both Grant and Clay whipped their heads around so fast it was a wonder their hats stayed on. Ethan was trying to decide how he felt about her using gambling analogies to introduce his baby.

  “You made a preacher’s daughter pregnant?” Grant’s tone was filled with horrified accusation. “What the hell—heck’s—the matter with you?”

  “I did no such thing. I’ve got some scruples. It was her friend.”

  “Who was her friend?” Clay asked.

  “Katie’s mother.”

  “Was she a preacher’s daughter, too?” Grant wanted to know.

  Ethan looked at Dora for that one. It shamed him to realize he’d made a baby with a woman and didn’t know a thing about her except what Dora had told him last night. And despite the nasty picture Dora had painted of Amanda’s parents, one never knew.

  Dora shook her head. “Nope. Only one daughter in the Watkins household. And that’s me. But don’t any of you think you’ve got to treat me like a nun or something. Try it and I’ll put salt in the sugar bowl or loosen the cinch on your saddles.” She grinned to let them know she was teasing. “I’ve got four brothers, and I know how to hold my own. Right now, though, I’m starving, and so’s Katie.”

  Like a whirlwind she headed for the kitchen as though she was intimately familiar with the lay of the house, stepping right over the mess as she went. Surely she saw the tripping hazards.

  Ethan and his brothers followed, each of them gathering up toys, suitcases, clothes and camera equipment, stopping to look at each another. “Where should we put it?” Grant asked.

  Ethan shrugged. “I don’t know. Dora’s room, maybe?”

  “What about the toys?”

  “I guess we could set up the library as a playroom.”

  “Babies can tear pages out of books.”

  Ethan shot Clay an annoyed look. “She’s barely one. We won’t be leaving her alone in there.”

  “Oh, good point.”

  “Let’s just leave the stuff for now,” Grant suggested.

  They agreed as one and followed Dora to the kitchen. She had her head poked in the subzero refrigerator. Katie was happily making a racket by kicking her feet against the metal footrest of a high chair. Where the heck had that come from? Had all this stuff fitted inside that minivan?

  He looked back at Dora. She was wearing another pair of those figure-hugging jeans that molded her derriere and made him think of pure sin. He noticed that Grant’s and Clay’s tongues were all but hanging out, and he gave Grant a shove, knocking him into Clay. “Cut it out.”

  “Mmm-hmm,” Grant hummed quietly. “Looks like a certain playboy’s ga-ga over the preacher’s daughter.”

  “Shut up, Grant.”

  “Pretty impressive fridge, guys,” Dora said. “How about some eggs?”

  “Sure.” As long as she would quit bending over like that, he’d agree to just about anything.

  “Katie likes them scrambled, so that’s what you’ll get.” She set about cracking eggs in a bowl, tossing the shells toward the sink, dribbling egg whites across the countertop and down the face of the cabinets. Ethan expected her to get a rag and wipe up the mess. He was a clean-as-you-go type of cook. Obviously Dora wasn’t. She didn’t even appear to realize she was slinging white goo over his shiny granite and polished oak.

  He went over and took care of the mess himself, put the top back on the can of nonstick spray.

  She glanced at him and smiled. “You can do the toast if you like. If you want meat to go with the eggs, you’re on your own. Katie’ll get impatient.”

  “Eggs and toast will be fine.”

  “I’ll do it,” Clay volunteered, making a valiant effort to keep the cringe from his voice. The kitchen was pretty much Clay’s domain.

  Ethan nearly smiled at the bewildered, helplessly stunned expression on his youngest brother’s face as he watched the haphazard manner in which Dora was systematically destroying the huge, gourmet ranch kitchen.

  Clay was nearly as proud of the restaurant-grade stove and grill as they all were of their stereo equipment and purebred horses.

  Katie banged a spoon against the plastic tray of her high chair, and all three men came to a halt, each tu
rning to look at the baby.

  Dora scooped eggs out of the pan and spread them on the plate to cool, glancing at the three men who were so intrigued by the baby. She wondered if it was the heat from the stove that made her so hot, then had to admit that the sinfully good looks of the Callahan brothers—Ethan in particular—had more to do with the heat than a gas flame. All of them were dark-haired and broad-shouldered with faces that might have been carved by a world-famous sculptor. The testosterone alone in the room was enough to delight a crowd of women in their prime.

  And though Dora considered herself in her prime, she told herself she would not be affected. Especially by Ethan Callahan.

  She shouldered her way between them to feed Katie her eggs. “The toast is burning.”

  Clay swore.

  “Language,” Ethan and Grant admonished in unison.

  Clay apologized, then charged across the room to rescue the bread before the smoke alarm went off.

  Dora rolled her eyes. “You guys are going to get on my nerves.”

  Grant sat at the table to observe, and Ethan hovered close, watching every spoonful that Dora shoveled into Katie’s smiling mouth. The baby managed to grab a handful of mushy eggs and squish them through her fingers.

  “Sit, would you?” Dora suggested. “Katie’ll get indigestion with you staring at her like that.” Ethan obeyed without thinking.

  Clay set plates of eggs and toast on the table, then wiped up the floor beneath the high chair just as Max nosed his way in the kitchen. The golden retriever looked as bewildered as the Callahans felt, but recovered quicker when he noticed the eggs being slung on the floor.

  Katie squealed at the sight of the dog, and Dora beamed.

  “Oh, he’s beautiful!”

  “Max.” Ethan snapped his fingers, halting the dog in midlick. “Show some manners.”

  Katie reached over the side of the high chair, and Dora grabbed her hand, carefully introducing the dog and baby. Ethan realized she was accustomed to animals. The baby appeared so, too.

  “He’s a big dog. I’m surprised she’s not afraid.”

  “Oh, Katie’s grown up with animals. I’ve usually got a menagerie around me. I photograph them.”