The Counterfeit Cowgirl Read Online Free

But then again, he hadn’t expected his own physical reaction to Felicity Clayton. Accustomed to being in control at all times, Aaron was doubly angry with himself for finding the woman attractive. Lureen had told him her granddaughter thought of nothing but money.
    Aaron reminded himself that Felicity had stolen money from an elderly woman, her own grandmother. What was more, she was too skinny, with brown-and-brown rather than blue-and-blond as he preferred.
    His sister gave a mighty sniff and brushed tears off her cheeks with shaking hands. “Up until last week, they used to walk next door with you every day to see how poor Mrs. Tucker was feeling. I just thought maybe … ”
    Aaron’s antenna went up. He should have thought of that. “We’ll go over there and ask right now. Barney Deshotel at the realtor’s place says her name is Felicity Clayton, and that she’s Mrs. Tucker’s granddaughter.” He kept his arm around his sister and guided her across the lawn toward Lureen’s old house. The situation was too serious to allow prejudice to rule his good sense.
    “She seems so … so animated,” Deborah said hesitantly. “And so brave. Imagine staying all by herself in that spooky old house. And with all Mrs. Tucker’s papers and things still in there.”
    He heard Deborah’s unspoken desire to fear no man and no junked-up old house like the cheeky Miss Felicity Clayton. His heart was wrung. After all she had been through in her young life, and now this. Aaron cursed inwardly. He had sworn to protect his sister and her children. He had failed.
    Barely one month ago, Deborah had left her husband, Tony Sachitano. During that time, scarcely a day had gone by without Tony calling and demanding to speak to his wife, insisting he’d done nothing and issuing ultimatums that she return home instantly. Aaron privately thought Tony might possibly kidnap his two sons in hopes of forcing Deborah to come back to him, but common sense told him that hadn’t happened in this case. The dogs hadn’t barked a warning and both Deborah and the housekeeper had seen nothing. The boys had simply vanished from sight, probably by means of their own little legs.
    Aaron had always liked Tony and would have sworn he was a gentleman, but who really knew what went on between a man and his wife? Whatever had happened, Tony had no business terrorizing Deborah by kidnapping the children, and so Aaron would tell him if that turned out to be the case.
    “I think I would like her, Aaron. Do you think — ?” She broke off suddenly with a painful gasp.
    “Do I think what, honey?” Aaron asked gently.
    “It might be nice to invite her to your company barbecue tomorrow evening if — if … ”
    “Sure, honey. We’ll ask her.” Aaron frowned. The last thing he wanted was Felicity at the annual barbecue he threw for his employees and customers, but he would have agreed to anything that lifted Deborah’s spirits. “And don’t worry. We’ll find the boys. I’ll bet they caught a ride to Dairy Queen to spend that five-dollar bill I gave Pete this morning.”
    A shriek erupted from Deborah’s lips; adrenaline shot through Aaron. He prepared to fight or give chase. Deborah tore from his grasp and raced ahead.
    Aaron stared after her and saw the two small boys with Felicity. As they drew closer, Aaron saw that Felicity held each child’s hand and that the children were wearing heavy armor and prepared for battle. If she thought she was going to get away with encouraging this sort of play with his nephews, she had better think again.
    He thought longingly about lecturing her while his hands rested around her warm, slender neck. When his vision-self ended the lecture by dragging her against him for a kiss, Aaron knew he was in trouble.
    He scowled heavily. It didn’t help to realize he longed to take his frustration out on somebody capable of giving him a good fight. Aaron bit back a sudden grin. Perhaps he should invite her to dinner so