LITMIR.BIZ

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smiled at the brothers.

      “What about the lawsuit?” Nina asked.

      “We’re going to have to figure that out,” Valentine replied. “But Crockett says he’s going to help me.”

      “Since when did you become Rescue Ranger?” Nina demanded.

      “She’s reasonable,” Crockett said. “Reasonable is easy to work with. We’re all going to be one big happy family, anyway. Emphasis on happy.”

      “Told you Crockett could make matters work,” Navarro said. “Henny-penny, the sky is not falling.”

      “Good one,” Crockett said. “Very hen-dustrious of you to think of a famous hen.”

      “Yeah?” Nina looked at Navarro. “So if Crockett’s so skillful, how come he didn’t come to my room to fix the bed, instead of you?”

      “Probably because I liked your little voice challenging me,” Navarro said. “And Crockett never has been much for snippy. Too chauvinistic to stand it. I, on the other hand, am not bothered by ruffled feathers and a sharp beaking.” He grinned. “Now, back to the bed.” Glancing over it, he said, “So, Valentine, do you know how this bed ended up in this condition?”

      Everyone stopped moving.

      “Dude,” Crockett began.

      “Er—” Nina said, wondering why Navarro was trying to embarrass her sister.

      “Last jumped on it,” Valentine said. “Jumped a lot. Apparently he likes to jump on beds. I sort of thought it was freedom of expression, cowboy style.”

      Navarro and Crockett stared at her.

      “Our little brother was jumping on your bed, hard enough to break it?” Crockett asked.

      “He was having a great time,” Valentine said. “I stood right over there and watched.”

      “That doesn’t sound kinky at all,” Navarro said. “I’m almost disappointed.”

      “Well, you have to understand the age of this bed,” Valentine said. “It’s an heirloom.”

      “Right. The heirloom charmed bed. Guaranteed potency.”

      “Exactly,” Valentine said. “Now you just need to put it back together so it can work for Nina. She wants a baby, you know. And she’s no spring chicken.”

      “I thought she was pushing the dark side of thirty,” Navarro said. “Though she kisses like a baby.”

      “A baby!” Nina was outraged.

      “Yeah. All sweet and tender and trusting.”

      She stared at him. “You, sir, are no gentleman.”

      He snapped his fingers. “I don’t meet those librarian prerequisites. Damn.”

      Crockett laughed. “She wants gentle. He comes from a long line of men who know how to kiss women off their feet and enslave them with passion.” Reaching over, he patted Valentine’s tummy. “I can’t wait to be an uncle. We’re going to name him Eustus.”

      “No we’re not,” Valentine said. “We’re going to name her Mary. No more Valentines and Eugenias, though those are very fine names.”

      Nina gasped. “No family names?”

      “No.” Valentine shook her head decisively. “I’m going alone on this one.”

      “I still don’t understand why you called off the lawsuit you filed against Last,” Nina said. “I came down here to help save you from the bad guys.”

      “Turns out they’re kind of sweet,” Valentine said. “Look, Nina. I’m not like you. I’m not a card-carrying feminist. I’m not looking to be the woman who has it all. I just want a man and a baby. I don’t have the man, but I have the baby, and Crockett says the Jeffersons will make me part of the family. That’s all I want. It replaces what you and I lost when our parents died.”

      “And you believe him?” Nina didn’t think she could part with her trust that easily.

      “Yeah. I do. Besides, the lawsuit was Marvella’s idea.”

      The three of them stared at Valentine.

      “How’s that?” Navarro asked. “You mean, you girls weren’t looking to freeload off some wealthy cowboys?”

      Nina gave him the evil eye. “Tell me again how these men are the most gentlemanly men you’ll ever meet?”

      “You have a bit o’ the pit in you, my peach,” Navarro said. “Were you not involved in the lawsuit idea?”

      “I was not,” Nina said between gritted teeth. “I came down here to help my sister with her pregnancy. And to assist her in any other way possible. You know, since I’ve met you this afternoon,” she said to Navarro, “it seems like an awful lot has changed very fast.”

      “We aim to please,” Crockett said.

      “But hold on a minute here,” Nina said. “You’ve charmed your way into Marvella’s good graces. You’ve talked my sister out of a lawsuit to protect her child, with nothing more than promises on your part, and—”

      “And I’ve kissed you,” Navarro said cheerfully. “All in all, a very profitable afternoon.”

      “You’ve seduced us,” Nina said with a flash of understanding.

      “Not yet.” Navarro looked at her. “Could we count it as something you’d consider?”

      Crockett grinned. “Back to that twin fantasy—”

      “No!” Nina glared at both of them, completely aware they were yanking her chain. “Let’s just get the bed fixed. Then we’ll figure out everything else.”

      THREE HOURS LATER, the bed was good as new, maybe better. Valentine was completely worn out, so she lay on it, just for a test, she said, and went out like a light.

      Nina said she’d better make certain the bed would hold two bodies, and she got on the bed, next to her sister. With the twilight-fresh breeze blowing warmly through the room, Nina fell asleep next to her sister.

      Really annoying, especially when Navarro thought Nina should be so entranced by him that she would stay awake.

      The other problem, Navarro thought as he looked at the newly refurbished bed, was that Nina was so darn upright. She really needed to loosen that librarian corset of hers. It was so tight she didn’t have any fun! And he couldn’t figure out how to make her take another walk on the wild side. There was every possibility he might not ever get another kiss out of her.

      He needed to shake something up between them.

      Maybe that’s what Last had been doing when he’d jumped on the bed. Shaking things up a bit.

      Then there was Crockett, who’d made himself right at home between the two napping sisters.

      The dawg.

      “Hey,” he said, poking Crockett, who looked about as happy as any man in a nonconjugal, reclined position could be. “Wake up.”

      “Don’ wanna,” Crockett said. “I’m between two women. Life is good.”

      “They’re just sleeping,” Navarro said. “And you’re barely touching them.”

      “The future holds the key,” Crockett said sleepily. “One hates to second-guess surprise and random good luck. Besides, they counterbalance the bed perfectly. Go away.”

      Navarro decided the handiwork they’d put into sawing and remounting the slats must have worked if it held three bodies comfortably. Three and a half.

      “When are we leaving?” he asked. “I’m getting twitchy.” Super-twitchy, watching

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