LITMIR.BIZ

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tried, but neither cowboy had had any interest in her life back here while she was dating them, which turned out to be a good thing as both men ended up walking out on her. “Well, my only focus right now is building one of the best equine programs Red Rock has ever seen.”

      “You’re kicking butt and your boss knows it, but that doesn’t mean all men—or all cowboys, for that matter—need to be off-limits. Cooper Fortune is perfect—” Jessica turned the corner and started past the next aisle, then stopped. “Hmm, it looks like perfect cowboy is having a problem at the moment.”

      Kelsey didn’t know what her sister was talking about until she noticed Cooper, standing in the middle of the baby aisle, a confused look on his handsome face as he held up two different jumbo-size packages of diapers. The shopping cart in front of him was full while his son dozed in the attached car seat.

      A burst of fiery attraction exploded in her gut, but she quickly put it out in hopes that Jess might just find herself drawn to the man. That thought gave Kelsey another kick in her stomach—and it wasn’t a pleasant one.

      The last time the two of them took a liking to the same guy was back in junior high school when Kelsey found herself crushing on a boy who ended up taking Jessica to the eighth-grade dance. The same boy her sister dated all through high school and married at the tender age of nineteen. Peter and Jessica had always only had eyes for each other, so it’d been easy for Kelsey to let go of her silly case of puppy love.

      Not that she liked Cooper Fortune.

      Not like that. Yeah, he was the quintessential hunky Texas cowboy, but again, she wasn’t interested.

      Remember that, girlfriend. Not interested.

      “Oh, the poor guy.” Jessica turned her cart. “Come on, let’s help him.”

      Kelsey silently repeated her words as she followed her sister’s lead, noticing the fine way Cooper’s shoulders filled out his faded, snap-front shirt, the sleeves rolled up to reveal strong forearms.

      “You’re looking a bit lost, cowboy,” Jessica said, stopping her cart next to his. “Need any help? This is probably the most confusing aisle in the entire store.”

      Her sister’s words pulled Kelsey from her thoughts in time to see the bewilderment on Cooper’s face fade into an easygoing smile.

      “You’re not kidding.” He dropped his hands, the diapers bouncing off his jean-clad legs. “It took me ten minutes to figure out which baby wipes were the right ones and I haven’t even hit the food area yet.”

      His dark eyes looked past her sister and latched on to her. His laid-back grin deepened as he added a hint of sexiness to it. “Hey, Kelsey.”

      The image of her kissing that mouth while slowly pulling open his shirt—snap, snap, snap—filled Kelsey’s head. It took a hard blink to erase it. Her mouth was suddenly drier than a Texas summer day and she had to lick her lips before she spoke. “Hey, yourself.”

      He held her gaze for a moment before dropping his eyes to her lips. She could’ve sworn he actually knew what she’d been thinking, as impossible as that might be.

      “So …” Jessica cleared her throat. “Are you a bit puzzled by the diaper selection?”

      Cooper looked at her again, his easy smile back in place. “It’s that obvious, huh? I didn’t even think to write down the brand my cousin and his fiancée had used for the little guy and we ran out this morning.”

      Jessica pointed to the package in his right hand. “Those always worked best for my crowd, but you need the right size.”

      “Size?”

      “It’s based on the baby’s weight.”

      “Oh.” Cooper looked at the packages, put both back on the shelf and grabbed three in the correct size. “Anthony is going through these things like crazy. Better safe than sorry. Now, it’s on to that amazing assortment of baby mush—ah, food.”

      “Jess, why don’t you lend your expertise on that, too?” Kelsey grabbed her sister’s cart and pushed it past Cooper’s to allow another shopper to get by. “I can keep working on your list for you.”

      Jessica shot Kelsey a frown over Cooper’s bent form as he shoved the diapers onto the bottom shelf of his cart. “Sure, I can do that.”

      Kelsey only grinned in return and forced herself not to look at Cooper’s perfect backside, encased in faded denim. “Great, where’s your list?”

      “Could I bother you to keep an eye on Anthony instead for a few minutes?” Cooper rose and turned to her, moving closer while gesturing toward the baby. “He’s been trying to nap since we arrived. Every time I move the cart it wakes him.”

      “Uh, yeah …” She had to tip her head back to look at him, and she could’ve sworn the tips of his boots scraped hers, he was that close. “Sure, it’s no bother.”

      Damn, that sexier-than-sin smile was back and directed right at her. “Thanks, I’ll owe you.”

      Cooper and Jessica moved toward the other end of the aisle where the stacks of baby food jars stood in precise rows on the shelves. Kelsey looked down at Anthony, watching his tiny eyelids flutter as he slept. With his dark brown hair, and the brown eyes she’d seen briefly yesterday at the cottage, he looked a lot like his daddy.

      He’d fallen asleep in Jessica’s arms yesterday, the two of them the exact likeness of Madonna and child. If there was anyone who’d been destined to be a mother, it was her sister. From childhood, she’d been a loving mama to her baby dolls while Kelsey’s side of the room had been filled with horse figurines.

      “Looks like we both got what we wanted,” Kelsey whispered, unable to stop herself from stroking the baby’s soft cheek. “Except Jessica never planned on being a single parent. That’s why your daddy and she would be such a good match.”

      Anthony chose that moment to open his eyes, and as if he wasn’t happy with her idea, started to fuss.

      Kelsey jerked her hand away and looked for Cooper. He and Jessica were at the other end of the aisle. The baby’s fidgeting intensified, his eyes now clenched tightly closed, so she grabbed the cart and started to push it back and forth, but that only increased his crying.

      Geez, it was moments like this when she usually gave her niece or nephew back to their mother. Another quick glance told her Jessica and Cooper weren’t heading back to this end of the aisle soon, so she quickly unbuckled the baby and hefted him into her arms.

      “Okay, no need to get upset,” she cooed while rubbing the baby’s back. “I’ve got you.”

      Anthony snuggled into her shoulder and she held tighter, tucking her face close to his and continuing with her soft words. Her body moved in a natural swaying motion, and soon she was rewarded when the baby heaved a deep sigh and fell back asleep, his breath coming in gentle puffs against her neck.

      “Well, you certainly seem to have the magic touch.”

      Kelsey turned to find Cooper standing behind her. Jessica and her shopping cart had disappeared. How’d that happen? And how was it that she and Cooper were the only people in this vast aisle of the grocery store?

      “Anthony looks right at home in your arms,” he added, taking a step closer, trapping her between the cart and the shelves behind her. “Not that I blame him. Envy, maybe. You know, I think you might be wrong about lacking the maternal instinct.”

      “Oh, no. Jessica is—”

      “An amazing lady and from what I’ve seen, a terrific mom.” Cooper cut off her words while reaching out to gently tug on a loose strand of hair that had fallen from her ponytail. “But she’s not the sister who’s caught my attention. You are.”

       Chapter Four

      As far as

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