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to God.”
    Rosie moved with the speed of light to position herself in front of Ethan.
    Ethan started to laugh. He couldn’t help himself. He was still a little hungover, still very confused by Rosie’s recent offer, and horny as hell to boot. Could his life get more muddled?
    “It’s true,” he confirmed. “Riley is as macho as they come. Hell, he’s so macho he has hair on the soles of his feet.”
    “I do not.” Riley turned to glare at him. “And don’t help me, all right?”
    Biting back his smile, Ethan said, “By the way, Riley, I was talking about those twins who wanted to double date, remember? The one toldyou I was a great kisser and she wanted to test you out to see who was better?”
    Riley’s frown lifted, a smile started and he said, “Oh, yeah.”
    The redhead looked beyond confused, on the verge of bolting. Her apparent nervousness kept her shifting her feet and twisting her hands. “Are you open?”
    Obviously dismissing Ethan and his memories of the twins, Riley looked her over, crossed his arms and said, “I could be.”
    Clutching her satchel, Red said, “I need to learn some self-defense.”
    Riley cocked a brow at that, Rosie scowled and Ethan felt mired in guilt. “Good God, I didn’t assault you, did I?” He never should have gotten drunk. He never should have…
    “No, of course not.” Her green-eyed gaze darted to Rosie, to Ethan and back to Riley. Her slim brows puckered in a suspicious frown. “Am I interrupting?”
    “We were just about to leave.” Rosie took Ethan’s arm and tried to drag him behind her.
    He planted his feet and refused to budge. “If I bothered you last night, I am sorry. I don’t usually drink like that.”
    Red’s smile was distracted when she forcedherself to look away from Riley. “You were fine,” she assured him. “Mostly you just talked about a woman.”
    Ethan groaned. He felt moronic enough already, but, God, if he’d been waxing poetic about Michelle, he’d have to leave town.
    Rosie elbowed him hard to show her displeasure. He grunted, caught her lethal pointy little elbow so she couldn’t inflict more damage to his ribs and said to Red, “Again, I’m very sorry. You should have shoved me under a table or something.”
    “I didn’t mind.” Red’s expression softened. A small smile teased her mouth. “Actually, I thought it was rather sweet that you’re so obviously in love with her.”
    Ethan stiffened, embarrassed and outraged. “I am not in love with Michelle.”
    “Michelle?” Red frowned and again looked around at each person in the room before settling back on Ethan. “But…I thought her name was Rosie?”

CHAPTER THREE
    R OSIE DID HER BEST to hide her grin as she turned off the Crock-Pot and dished up heaping bowls of thick stew. She’d gotten home half an hour ago, quickly showered, then changed into cutoffs and a T-shirt. She’d barely finished before they’d arrived.
    All of them.
    She sneaked a peek at Ethan and felt her heart patter in excitement. He sat at her small round dinner table, behaving like a surly badger, but at least he’d shown up.
    He hadn’t wanted to. He’d even refused—until Riley suggested to Rosie that they could do a little more practice after they’d eaten. Ethan had immediately changed his mind about dinner, and Rosie was starting to hope that jealousy motivated him.
    Just as she finished serving the stew, the bread machine dinged and she carefully removed the hot loaf to a cutting board. The men were allsniffing the air impatiently. Harris even smacked his lips together, making her laugh.
    “Ethan, will you pour everyone something to drink? And get the butter out of the refrigerator.”
    He grumbled an incoherent reply, then fetched a tea pitcher and began filling glasses.
    Riley took a long drink and said, “Did you know that Red is a reporter? She was there last night to do a story on Ethan.”
    Ethan froze with the pitcher poised over Buck’s glass. “Oh, shit.”
    Rosie