Only Yours (Fool's Gold #5)(76)

He chuckled. “Hardly.” He cupped her cheek. “Don’t take this wrong, but you didn’t do a very good job. We rarely talked about the town.”

“I know. Like I said, I forgot.”

“You’d be a lousy spy.”

She sighed. “I wouldn’t want to be a good one. All that lying.”

She kissed him back, her mouth soft and hungry against his.

When they parted, he asked, “Did the mayor ask you to sleep with me?”

Montana stared at him. “Of course not. She would never do that.”

He held in a laugh. “Just checking.”

“Simon! How could you even think that?”

“I didn’t. I was curious as to how far the good people of Fool’s Gold would go.” He stretched out on the grass again. “I’ve been offered virgins before, after all. And a cow.”

“I know someone who has goats if you want to check into those.”

“No, thanks.”

“Okay, but it’s your loss. I think they’re French goats. Very sophisticated.”

“Well, if they’re French…”

She tilted her head. “You’re not going to suggest the sister thing as a way to entice you?”

“What sister thing?”

“Guys get this idea that because we’re identical it would be really cool to have all of us in bed at once. We think it’s icky, but trust me, we’ve had more than one request.”

He sat up. “No. You’re the only one I’m interested in.”

“Really?”

“You’re completely different from your sisters.” He took her hand. “Not to hurt anyone’s feelings, but you’re much prettier and more fun to be with.”

She laughed. “Thank you, but I think you’re biased.”

He knew he wasn’t, but she wouldn’t believe him. “Your names are interesting. A family tradition?”

“No. A quirk of fate. Mom had some trouble during delivery. For a while there was a question as to whether or not she would make it. There was my dad with three newborns in the hospital and three young boys at home. My brothers missed their mother and resented their yet unseen sisters for taking her away. To help smooth things over, my dad said they could pick out our names.”

She grinned. “Over the years, we’ve heard some of the alternatives. Oceania was tossed around, apparently, so we figure we got lucky. At least people can spell the states.”

“Multiple births are hard on the mother.”

“Is this the doctor speaking?”

“Sorry. I get carried away.”

“It’s okay. I like that about you.”

“When’s your birthday?”

“We’re Christmas babies. So Dad was dealing with the possibility of losing his wife and the mother of his children on Christmas Day.”

“Poor guy.”

Palmer and Jester raced toward her. She caught them both in her arms and kissed their heads.

“How are my best boys?” she asked, her voice full of affection. “You, too, Bentley. You’re one of my best boys.”

As if Bentley spoke English and would be hurt if he were left out.

Simon had never met anyone like Montana and doubted he ever would. While Fool’s Gold had gotten to him more than any other place he’d lived, what he would miss the most was Montana. Her laugh, her smile, the way she led with her heart.

Come with me.

The words formed in his mind and he almost spoke them. Because for the first time in his life, he was willing to consider the possibility of something more than a temporary relationship.

Then he looked around at the kennel and the grounds, at the other service dogs, lying in the sun. He thought about her family and her home.

This was where she belonged. Besides, to ask her to leave would imply a promise on his part. A promise he could never make.

If she were different…he began to imagine, then realized the foolishness of that line of thought. If she were different, he wouldn’t want her.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“MOM, I WANT TO ASK YOU something,” Montana said as she sat in her mother’s kitchen, a glass of iced tea in front of her.

“Of course. What is it?”

Her mother set a plate of chocolate chip cookies on the table.

They were fresh and the scent of chocolate reminded Montana of all the times she and her sisters had made cookies in this kitchen. Denise had set up three stations, so each of them could measure and stir, then carefully place the raw cookie dough on the cookie sheet.

“You did a good job with all of us,” she said impulsively.

Her mother laughed and sat across from her. “Thank you for that endorsement.”

“It can’t have been easy, raising six kids. Plus, Josh came to live with us.”

“After the first couple, it’s not that much harder. I had a lot of help from your father and not one of you was especially difficult.”

“Still.”

Montana wanted a family, but she’d never thought of having six kids. Talk about overwhelming.

“How are things going with you?” her mother asked.

Montana told her about the puppies and the fundraiser she would be going to with Simon. “Work is busy,” she said. “All my standing appointments. The library reading program is working out really well. Max has brought in some new dogs for training.”