“As I was saying, Mr. Gamblin”-she stressed his last name-”I’m busy.”

“You know what they say about all work and no play.” He hitched his thumbs into the belt loops of his cutoffs. “I was thinking about taking in a matinee this afternoon. Why don’t you come along?”

Her mouth fell open. “I can’t go to-”

“Clint Eastwood. You think he’s sexy, don’t you?”

“Yes, he is, but I-”

“I’ll buy the popcorn.”

“No-”

“Double butter. I like it real buttery, don’t you?”

“Yes, but-”

“Do you mind if I lick my fingers?”

“No, I-”

“Good. If you say please, I’ll lick yours too.”

“Mr. Gamblin!” she cried in a desperate attempt to stop his flow of flirtatious chatter. She drew in a deep breath. “You may be idle and have the time to joke the day away, but I’m busy. Will you please leave?”

His smile collapsed, his easygoing posture became rigid, and his lips drew into a thin line of vexation. “Well, pardon me. I won’t keep you from your work a moment longer.” He stamped toward the door, and nearly tore it from its hinges when he opened it. “Thanks again for the Band- Aid,” he said over his shoulder before he slammed the door behind him.

“Uptight biddy,” he muttered as he made his way into his own apartment, which still looked as if a hurricane had been through it. “Prissy, prickly, prudish.” He slammed his door behind him, hoping the reverberation overturned one of her paint bottles. “Who needs you, lady?”

Just who did she think she was, ordering him around as if he were an ill-behaved child? No woman had ever had the gall to speak to him like that. He chose the time he left a woman’s company, not the other way around.

“Mr. Gamblin, Mr. Gamblin,” he repeated in a nasty, mocking voice.

Damn! As if the next few weeks of exile weren’t going to be punishment enough, he was living across the hall from a nun!

“Bet she nearly fainted when I mentioned licking her fingers. Bet she-”

That was it! he realized. She was a plain woman. There had been little or no excitement in her sorrowful existence, especially of a sexual nature. No doubt there was a giant void in the romance department of her life. In walked a man. “Reasonably good-looking,” he mumbled immodestly. She didn’t know how to act, so she was putting up barriers.

Sure. Why hadn’t he seen it before? She wouldn’t be so defensive if he left her cold, would she?

A gleam sparkled in his eyes as he formulated a plan that would tear down her defenses. It would be fun. It would be a challenge. It would be something to occupy his mind while he was here. He couldn’t study his playbook all the time.

He didn’t consider the real reason he wanted to pursue her. For just a moment, when her slight body had come in contact with his, he had responded with heat and hardness. Unthinkable as it was, he, the prince of singles bars and boudoirs, had been fully aroused by Miss Ana Ramsey.

Three

“I’m going to treat you ladies to a movie tonight.”

Trent made the announcement as Ruby was ladling raspberry sauce over the cheesecake. “A movie! You dear boy, what fun!”

“I thought it would be,” Trent said. “Clint Eastwood.”

“Oooh,” Ruby said. “He’s so sexy, he makes me shiver.”

“Better take an I.D. along, Auntie. It’s rated ‘R,’ and they might not let you in.”

“Oh, you!”

Trent leaned back in his chair and flashed his aunt a huge smile. But he kept a surreptitious eye on Ana Ramsey. Just as he’d expected, her cheeks were turning red with anger.

“Thank you just the same, Mr. Gamblin, but you’ll have to excuse me,” she said tightly.

“You’re not going?” Ruby asked, evidently aghast. “How could you turn down an invitation to go to a Clint Eastwood movie?”

“I have work to do. I didn’t get much accomplished today.” Rana shot Trent a fulminating look, which he missed, because he had devoted himself entirely to eating his cheesecake.

“But you never work in the evenings,” Ruby argued. “You told me that you didn’t have enough light to work at night.”

“Well, that’s true,” Rana said, “but tonight is an exception.”

“Aw come on, Ana, be a sport,” Trent drawled. “You’ll mess up my plans if you don’t come with us.” He reached into the breast pocket of his shirt, took out three theater tickets, and waved them at her. “I’ve already bought your ticket.”

“He’s already bought your ticket,” Ruby echoed.

“I’m sorry,” Rana said ungraciously. “He shouldn’t have taken that liberty until I had consented to go. He’ll just have to return it and get his money back.”

Trent squinted down at the small print on the ticket and read aloud, “No cash refunds.” He shrugged apologetically. “See? It says so right here.” He extended the ticket toward her. “No cash refunds.”

“No cash refunds, Miss Ramsey,” Ruby said plaintively. She was glad that Trent had been thoughtful enough to include Miss Ramsey in their evening. The younger woman had no friends, as far as Ruby knew, except for someone named Barry, who owned the store in Houston where she sold her things. Ruby could count on one hand the times Miss Ramsey had gone out for an evening. If anyone could stand a night at the movies, it was she.

Rana, unaware of Ruby’s musings, glared at Trent. He had put her on the spot deliberately. Well, she would turn the tables on him. “I thought you said you were going to a matinee.” Nonchalantly, he took a sip of coffee before answering her. “I changed my mind. Movies are more fun when they’re shared. Not to mention popcorn.” He winked to remind her of their earlier conversation about popcorn. Rana fumed.

Ruby sprang to her feet with the impetus of a Jack-in- the-box. “Then it’s all settled. I’ll-”

“I haven’t agreed to go.”

“But you will, won’t you, dear?” Ruby’s smile was so pathetic, so pleading, that Rana couldn’t refuse.

“I suppose I will, since he’s already bought the ticket,” she mumbled.

“Wonderful.” Ruby clapped her hands like a young girl. “Run upstairs and freshen up. I’ll do the dishes in a jiffy and we’ll all meet at the front door.”

Trent had the good sense not to make any teasing remarks. He remained silent as Rana left the room. In fifteen minutes they all gathered at the front door. Ruby, wearing red from her earrings to her sandals, was disappointed in Miss Ramsey’s appearance. Ruby had hoped she would use the outing as an excuse to dress up. Instead, she looked more dowdy than ever in a shapeless pair of army-green slacks and a loose shirt that hung almost to her knees. Didn’t the girl own anything more suited to the climate and the season, something airy and light and summery?

Even though her hair had been brushed, it hung closer to her face than usual, hiding everything except her lips, her nose, and those damned glasses. Ruby sighed in consternation, but refused to allow Miss Ramsey’s disregard for fashion to spoil her own evening out.

She chattered gaily as Trent escorted them to Ruby’s sedan, which they had decided to use since there wasn’t room for the three of them in his low sports car. He opened the front passenger door and indicated that Rana should get in. Instead, she nudged Ruby forward. Before Trent could assist her, she had opened the back door, slid inside, and slammed the door behind her.

He only smiled as he walked around the back of the car and got into the driver’s seat. She was angry. Good. The thawing of Miss Ramsey was going to be great fun.

The theater was crowded, and they were lucky to find three seats together. Rana went into the row first, knowing that Trent would allow his aunt to go before him.

Her ploy worked, but only temporarily. He was cagey. He excused himself to get refreshments during the previews of upcoming movies. When he returned with his hands full, he asked Ruby to switch seats with him, so that the tub of popcorn he had bought would be accessible to all three of them. Ruby did as he asked without argument, and Rana found herself sitting beside him despite her earlier maneuvering.