A Cold Creek Noel. RaeAnne Thayne

being beholden to anyone, especially not very attractive veterinarians.

      In this case, she could even the playing field a little bit. “I talked to Ridge last night. He says you and your family are more than welcome to move into the foreman’s cottage until your house is finished.”

      “Did he?” he asked, his expression pleased and more than a little relieved. “That would make the holidays much more comfortable all the way around.”

      “You may want to come out to the ranch and take a look at the place before you agree. We’ve kept it up well, but it could probably use a remodel one of these days.”

      “Three bedrooms, you said?”

      “Yes. And Ridge suggested we work something out with rent in trade for vet services, if you’re agreeable. I’ll still probably owe you my firstborn but maybe not my second.”

      He smiled—not a huge smile but a genuine one. Her stomach flip-flopped again and she remembered that moment when she had walked into the clinic and found him half-dressed.

      What in heaven’s name had come over her? She did not react to men this way. She just didn’t. Oh, she dated once in a while. She wasn’t a complete hermit, contrary to what her brothers teased her about. She enjoyed the occasional dinner or movie out, but she usually worked hard to keep things casual and fun. The few times a guy had tried to push for more, she had felt panicky and pressured and had done her best to discourage him.

      She couldn’t remember having such an instant and powerful reaction to a man, this immediate curl of desire. She certainly wasn’t used to this jittery, off-balance feeling, as if she were teetering in the loft door of the barn, gearing up to jump into the big pile of hay below.

      Ridiculous. She wasn’t even sure she liked Ben Caldwell yet. She certainly wasn’t ready to jump into any pile of hay with him, literally or figuratively.

      “I’m sure it’s fine,” he answered. “If it has three bedrooms and a halfway decent kitchen for Mrs. Michaels, I don’t care about much else.”

      She drew in a breath and subtly shifted to ease her shoulder away from his. “For all you know, it might be a hovel. You would be surprised at the living conditions some ranchers force on their workers.”

      “I would like to think you wouldn’t have suggested it if you didn’t think it would work for my family.”

      “That’s trusting of you. You don’t know anything about me. For all you know, maybe I make it a habit of bilking unsuspecting newcomers out of their rent money.”

      “Since we’re talking about trading veterinary services for rent, that’s not an issue, is it? But if you insist, I guess I could stop by your ranch later this morning after Joni comes in to relieve me. She’s coming in around ten.”

      “That should work. I should have just enough time to rush back there and hide all the mousetraps and roach motels.”

      This time he laughed outright, as she had intended. It was a full, rich sound that shimmied down her spine as if he’d pressed his lips there.

      This was a gigantic mistake. Why had she ever opened her big, stupid mouth about the foreman’s cottage in the first place? The last thing she needed on the ranch right now was a gorgeous man with a sexy chest and a delicious laugh.

      “Should I help you take Luke outside before I go?”

      He seemed to know she was doing her best to change the subject. “No. I can handle it.”

      She nodded. “I’ll see you in a bit, okay?” she said, rubbing the dog’s head again. “You need to stay here just a little longer and then you can come home.”

      Luke whined as if he knew she were going to leave. It was tough but she shut the crate door again.

      “You know he’ll probably never be a working dog now. I set the bones as well as I could, but he’ll never be fast enough or strong enough to do what he used to.”

      “We’re not so cruel that we’ll make him sing for his supper, Dr. Caldwell. We’ll still find a place for him on the River Bow, whether he can work the cattle or not. We have plenty of other animals who live on in comfortable retirement.”

      “I’m glad to hear that,” he answered.

      She firmly ignored his disreputable smile and the jumping nerves it set off in her stomach.

      “Thanks again for everything. I guess I’ll see you later.”

      She headed to the door, but to her dismay, he beat her to it and held it open, leaving her no choice but to brush past him on her way out. She ignored the little shiver of awareness, just as she had ignored all the others.

      She could do this, she told herself. It would only be for a few weeks and she likely would see far more of his housekeeper and children than she would Ben, especially if he consistently maintained these sorts of hours.