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Kelli’s voice. She pulled against his grip on her hand, and he tightened his fingers just enough to hold her.
    She didn’t raise her voice, but the anger came through clearly just the same. “Is that your—”
    “Sister. She lives in the other house on the property, just down the drive from here.” He rather enjoyed the way her fine dark brows rose and the light in her eyes simmered down from the temper he’d managed to provoke. “Tell me, do you always leap to conclusions, Victoria?”
    She relaxed slightly. “You have to admit, it was more of a baby step than a leap.”
    There was a time when she would have been correct to think it was his lover entering the house. He had matured beyond the need to keep more than one woman at a time. “I’m hurt. Do I look like the sort of man who’d try to kiss you if I was already in a relationship?”
    “I think most men fall into that category.”
    Before he could step in that snake pit, a whirlwind blew into the kitchen. He released Victoria’s hand in time to catch forty-five pounds of nephew launching at him.
    “Uncle Curry, Uncle Curry, look, Mom finally bought me the first-edition foil Charizard! It’s way older than me and it’s so cool! Look, look, you’re not looking!” He waved a plastic-encased trading card an inch from Curran’s nose.
    Gently easing the boy’s hand back so he could focus, Curran gave the prize his attention. He examined it carefully, wearing the most intrigued expression he could manage. “Yeah, it’s a first edition all right. Good onya, Robby. I’m very impressed.” He ruffled the boy’s hair, setting him on his feet as Kelli entered the kitchen.
    Kelli dropped several canvas grocery bags on the countertop, sliding her arms free of the handles. “You should be impressed, Curran. Those cards are expensive and you paid for it.”
    “Mom, can I play video games?”
    “Thirty minutes, Rob, then you have piano lessons.” The boy tore out of the kitchen as fast as he’d entered and slammed the front door. Kelli turned toward Curran and gave a visible start when she realized he wasn’t alone. “You have company.”
    “Victoria Linden, this is my baby sister, Kelli Davenport. Kelli, Victoria.”
    Kelli smiled and extended a hand. “A pleasure, Victoria. Do you live around here or are you two old friends?”
    Victoria shook her hand. “I’m house-sitting for the Campbells, just west of here. We met untangling Peg-leg from a fence.” A slight blush colored her cheeks when he coughed softly. Nah, Kel didn’t need to know how they really met.
    Kelli shot him a look of dismay. “Is Peg okay?”
    “A few punctures, some nasty scrapes. Nothing deadly.”
    She cast her gaze heavenward and turned to put the groceries away. “That creature would be better off wrapped as steaks and roasts in my freezer.”
    “Come on, Kel, you love old Peg.”
    “I loved him until he stomped on my flower garden last summer and ate everything.”
    Curran eyed the bags on the counter. When he first retired, she’d done his shopping to help him stay out of sight. Now, she did it just to be motherly. “Thanks for the groceries, but I wish you wouldn’t do my errands.”
    She smiled sweetly over her shoulder. “Just racking up babysitting hours, dear.”
    It didn’t matter that she was his sister. Owing anyone for anything made him uncomfortable. He laughed off Kelli’s words and turned his attention back to Victoria. She smiled at him, and he slid his hand across the table, lacing her fingers through his. Though she was nearly his height, her bones were small, her fingers long and delicate. The soft skin of her hand felt good against his fingertips, and he couldn’t help wondering just how good the tender skin under her clothing would feel beneath his hands.
    As if she read his thought—or had the same one herself—her expression changed, her smile tightened. She pulled her hand free of his and stood. “Thanks for the hot chocolate, Curran,