Page 214 of The Cowbears of Curvy Bear Ranch

“You do. You do more around here than almost anyone else. But sometimes you need to rest. Go sit down for a minute. What did you need from up thereanyway?”

“I was looking for my mixing bowl. Vicki was helping me in the kitchen yesterday. I appreciate the extra hands, but now I can’t find anything,”Madisonsaid.

“She just wants to feel useful,”Codysaid.

“She already spends half the day cleaning the roomsforme.”

“Let her work as much as she wants. Now that she’s kicked the drug habit, she needs something to keep her occupied. She told me that she’s much happier when she’s working,”hesaid.

“Since when did you become Dr. Headshrinker?” sheasked.

“That’ll be five hundred dollars,” hegrinned.

“In your dreams. Anyway, we have a new guest arriving soon and I wanted to see if you could show her around the ranch. Mack said that if he catches me out in the cold again, he’s going to tie me to our bed. Which might not be such a badthing.”

“TMI,Madison.”

Shechuckled.

“How many guests do we have this week?” Codyasked.

“Just Abigail. We’ve never kept the B & B open in January before, so I think it’s going to take a few seasons beforewe’refull.”

“We’ll get there,”hesaid.

The doorbell rang. As Madison struggled to her feet, Cody shot her achastisinglook.

“I’ll get it,”hesaid.

He hurried through the foyer and opened the door. A stunning woman with fluffy golden hair, glacier-blue eyes and a creamy complexion stood shivering on the porch. Dressed in a damp, rumpled business suit and snow-saturated heels, she looked like she’d been in a fight with an army ofsnowmen.

“I fell,” she said. “I think I tripped over a rock underneath allthissnow.”

“Heels aren’t exactly the right shoes for January,” he said as he stepped back to letherin.

The moment she entered the B & B, her eyes went wide. As she took in the room, he stole glances at her cherry-kissed lips. If it was a makeup trick, it was a dammed good one because everything about her screamed natural, corn-fed sexy. When she turned to face him, he closed his mouth. He couldn’t let her see him drooling likeanoaf.

His bear stood at attention, obviously intrigued by her. He needed to keep the beast in check before he made a fool of himself.Down,bear!

“I’m Cody. I’m one of the brothers who owns the ranch,”hesaid.

“I’mAbby.”

He couldn’t stop staring at her lips as she spoke. He finally forced himself tolookaway.

“Is your luggage out in the car?” heasked.

“No. I… um… lost it,” she said. “I’m heading into town to get moretomorrow.”

“How did you lose it?” heasked.

“Well… it’s a longstory.”

She wrapped her arms across her chest and turned toward the living room. A crackling fire warmed the space. He’d been so busy staring that he’d forgotten his manners. She had to befreezing.

“Why don’t you go sit by the fire. Can I get you something?” he asked. “Coffee,tea?”

“Have anythingstronger?”

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