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he replied. “Sorry to bother you at work again, but I didn’t want this to wait.”
    His tone was all business, nothing like the taunting, sexyway he’d talked to her last night, in the stables. She was relieved.
    â€œYou have a lead on the twins?”
    â€œMaybe. There’s a man who runs an ice-cream parlor here in Ruidoso who thinks he might have seen them. He says he’d have to see the babies to be sure. Can you bring them into town after work this evening?”
    She thought for a moment. “Dr. Bellamy is leaving early this afternoon. I can have the babies in town by four-thirty at the latest. Where do I take them?”
    â€œMeet me at the Ruidoso Police Department. We’ll leave from there.”
    â€œI don’t want to do that,” she came back quickly.
    For a moment, the line was silent. “What do you mean, you don’t want to do it?”
    She let out a heavy breath as she glanced down the hallway to the examining rooms. Carlita would be coming back any minute. She didn’t want the woman to overhear anything personal she might be saying to Roy.
    â€œI told you last night—I don’t want to see you again. Have one of your deputies go with me.”
    â€œAre you that afraid of being alone with me?”
    â€œI’m not afraid. I just prefer not to be in your company.”
    â€œWell, forget your preferences and be there.”
    She opened her mouth to tell him no, but he hung up before she could get the word out. Furious, she slammed down the phone just as Carlita arrived at the desk.
    â€œMy goodness, you don’t look too happy,” she said, her dark gaze studying Justine’s red cheeks and tight lips.
    â€œHappy? Nothing about Sheriff Pardee makes me happy,” she said to the shocked receptionist, then turned and walked quickly back to the examining rooms.

Chapter Four
    â€œJ ustine, do you really think it’s necessary to take the twins into town?” Rose asked later that afternoon, as she helped Justine dress the babies in clean clothes. “It’s not likely this man really knows that much. Besides, it would be easier for him to come out here to the ranch than transporting the babies into town.”
    â€œI know,” Justine agreed. “But apparently that suggestion wasn’t put to him. Roy said for me to be there with the babies. And as much as I hate to, I’m going to be there.”
    In her usual quiet and thoughtful manner, Rose regarded Justine’s grim face and flustered movements.
    â€œYou don’t like Sheriff Pardee much, do you?”
    Justine didn’t look up from her task as she buttoned a shirt on the boy twin. “Not really.”
    â€œWhy?”
    Justine momentarily closed her eyes, and then her blood began to boil. Before she knew it, words were spilling out of her mouth. “He’s just not my type of man. He’s arrogant and cocky and he thinks women are playthings. He has norespect for women or families in general. He’s callous and hateful and he thinks all he has to do is look at a woman to make her lust after him.”
    Rose gasped softly. “Justine! My word, where did you come up with such things about a man you barely know? Sheriff Pardee has been kind to us. And when he looked at me, I didn’t get the impression he was trying to be suggestive or provocative.”
    Since Rose rarely had anything good to say about a man, Justine was more than surprised by her sister’s outspoken opinion on Roy.
    â€œI just happen to know his kind, Rose. I ought to—I encountered plenty of them in college.”
    â€œHe doesn’t seem like a phony to me,” Rose went on.
    It was puzzling even to Justine. A few days ago, she’d felt certain any feelings she had toward Roy had died when Charlie was born. But now that he’d kissed her, she knew he’d stirred up a long-buried need inside her.
    â€œThat’s because you don’t