All I Want For Christmas. GINA WILKINS

her cheek, making her tingle in response.

      Oh, yeah, he was good. Even knowing exactly what he was, she might have been as susceptible as the next woman, if he’d come along a year ago. Six months, even.

      Okay, so maybe she’d been accused of being rigid and inflexible on occasion. Maybe she was. But her thirtieth birthday was inching closer and she didn’t for a minute believe that Max was looking for a permanent relationship. A holiday fling was all he had in mind, and she simply didn’t have time for such foolishness. Nor would she put her heart at risk with a man who’d undoubtedly broken more than his share of them.

      “I’d better go,” she said, sliding skillfully out of his loose embrace just as his mouth lowered toward hers. “Thanks again, Max. It’s been fun.”

      He blinked. His expression would probably make her laugh when she thought about it later. Obviously, he wasn’t accustomed to having women cut him short when he went into his turn-her-knees-to-jelly routine. “Uh—”

      She opened her car door. “Good night, Max. Maybe I’ll see you around sometime.”

      “But—when?” he demanded, trying to detain her.

      She closed the door and smiled through the driver’s-side window. “Good night,” she called through the glass, deliberately ignoring his question.

      She started the engine. He had to move back quickly or she would have flattened his toes as she drove away from him.

      She glanced into her rearview mirror. He was still standing where she’d left him, looking after her with obvious bewilderment. She smiled sadly.

      He wasn’t such a bad sort. A little vain, definitely cocky, but he was charming and probably a lot of fun to spend time with. At least until he grew bored and moved on.

      As intriguing as he was, Max Monroe was no more husband-and-father material than…than the mall Santa was the real Santa Claus, Ryan told herself ruefully.

      It was a shame, actually. Max Monroe was the first man who’d made her tremble in longer than she could remember.

      LYNN STONE and part-time employee Cathy Patterson spent the first hour at work Sunday afternoon trying to get Ryan to tell them about her date with Max. She told them she’d had a nice time, advised them to see the film for themselves and informed them firmly that she had no plans to see Max in the future.

      “Did he ask?” Lynn demanded, daring her to lie.

      Ryan sighed. “He asked. I said no. There’s no point in it, Lynn. He’s just not my type.”

      “Lynn said he was gorgeous,” Cathy said. “And that he had a killer smile.”

      “He is and he does,” Ryan admitted. “But that’s not enough reason for me to get involved with him.”

      “And why not?” Lynn challenged. “Do you really want to spend the entire holiday season alone?”

      “I’m not alone. I have my father and my brother. And I used to have good friends,” Ryan added pointedly.

      As she had expected, Lynn ignored the subtle rebuke. “But as you said yourself, it’s a couples’ season. And you aren’t even dating anyone. Wouldn’t you at least like to have a date for New Year’s Eve?”

      “You,” Ryan told her friend, “are making me crazy. Would you stop with this Max thing? Couldn’t you tell by looking at him that he’s nothing but trouble? You know I would love to meet someone and fall deeply in love and get married and live happily ever after. But not with a guy like that. He’s not the settling-down type.”

      “Okay,” Lynn conceded. “So Max Monroe probably isn’t destined to be your soul mate. But do you have to be alone all the time while you wait for Mr. Right to appear? Can’t you just have fun with a guy occasionally? And even you have to admit that Max would probably be a lot of fun, especially if you don’t expect too much from him to start with.”

      “From what Lynn’s told me about him, I’d bet he’d be a lot of fun,” Cathy seconded. “Loosen up, Ryan. Enjoy yourself for a change. Then, when the right guy does appear, you’ll be ready to settle down and devote the rest of your life to raising kids and running that chain of doll shops you have in mind.”

      Ryan shook her head. She didn’t see any reason to mention that she was ready for that now—more than ready.

      She’d accomplished so many of the goals she’d set on her twentieth birthday. She’d seen Europe and Australia. She’d earned her degree, with honors. She’d started her own business and thus far was doing very well with it.

      She had a great apartment, a lot of good friends, a loving and supportive family. All that was lacking was a life partner.

      And no man she’d met so far had even come close to the ideal mate she had in mind. Including Max Monroe.

      “Excuse me,” she said to her co-workers. “I believe I see a customer in need of assistance. Several of them, as a matter of fact.”

      Finally taking the hint, Lynn and Cathy busied themselves in the shop. Ryan did the same.

      IT WAS JUST BEFORE THREE when she spotted the little girl standing in front of the dark-haired doll. Ryan was surprised. She hadn’t expected to see Kelsey at the mall for a third day in a row. She appeared to be alone this time; Pip was nowhere in sight.

      Ryan moved toward the child. “Hello, Kelsey. This is a nice surprise.”

      Kelsey’s rosy face lit up with her smile. “Hi, Ryan. I just came to visit the doll again.”

      “You’re always welcome to stop in,” Ryan answered. “Um—is your mother with you?”

      Kelsey’s smile faded. “No, ma’am. My mother’s dead.”