Her mom beamed at Katherine's scowl as they all walked into the kitchen.

After heating and dishing out the dinner, Katherine squirmed in her chair again. She wanted to scream, listening to her mother carry on a polite but pointed conversation, prying personal information out of Jared.

“You look awfully young to have a law practice in downtown Houston and a branch office in New York."

Jared's gaze speared Katherine's. Amusement lit up his face as he turned his attention back to her mother. “I guess I am, but I've worked hard to make it happen."

“How old did you say you were, Jared?"

Katherine grimaced. I'm going to kill her.

“Old enough to avoid the obvious, Grace.” He chuckled and wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Thirty-four."

“And how'd you end up with Harriet's place, God rest her soul?"

“Harriet was my aunt. When she died about a year ago, she willed me the property."

Her mother smiled at Jared. “Why didn't you sell it?"

He grinned back. “I didn't want to."

“Why would a big, strapping young man like yourself want to live in a quiet neighborhood like ours?"

“Harriet talked about this neighborhood all the time. I came here and enjoyed the people so much that I decided to keep the house-at least for awhile. I divide my time between Harriet's, a penthouse in New York and a ranch I own in Katy, Texas."

“You own a ranch, too?"

He nodded and glanced at Katherine, who wanted to crawl under the table-and stay. The rapid staccato questions fired by her mom continued for twenty more minutes, interwoven with equally embarrassing personal facts about Katherine.

“So, Jared, you missed your high school prom and always regretted it. That's too bad."

That's it. I can't stand this Barbara Walter's routine one second more. Katherine glared at her mother. “His favorite color is green. He went to college on a football scholarship. Oh, and he gets hives when he eats strawberries. Anything else you want to know?"

“Dear, we must show interest in our guest, or he'll think we're rude."

Jared wiped his mouth with the napkin again, but she saw his grin, all directed at Katherine.

“Mom, I want another sandwich and a pickle,” Matt said.

Katherine passed the platter, glad for the diversion.

Her mother turned her head toward Jared. “Are your parents still living?"

Katherine stared at Jared when he didn't answer right away. His eyes blinked, his mouth tightened and his usually sardonic, lazy eyes grew angry and hard. What was that all about?

“No, they're both dead,” he said coldly.

“I'm sorry,” Katherine whispered. He looked up and their gaze held. For a brief moment, they shared some painful emotion that tugged at her heart. An emotion she could not understand.

Wrenching her gaze away, she assaulted Matt's food with a knife and fork. She shredded it into an unrecognizable heap.

Matt stared at his plate, his mouth wide open. “I don't like it tiny."

Jared placed his hands over the top of his own plate, guarding its contents against any invasion into his territory with her pulverizing knife. She felt her face grow hot. “I'll get you another sandwich and pickle, Matt."

Katherine appreciated a man with a good appetite. Jared put away a large salad, two sandwiches, three pickles and two helpings of hot cobbler. She hated to admit it, but he even looked sexy when he chewed. The way his jaw tightened and his muscles flexed made his profile stronger.

“You know what?” Matt said in between bites.

Gasping, Katherine dropped her fork, and it clanged against her plate.

Her mother and Jared stared. Katherine lifted her fork, speared a bite of pickle and shoved it into her mouth.

Please let it be something I can do. Let it be something I can do on the ground, something I can lift by myself without Hercules over there-she glanced at Jared-having to assist. I do not want to depend on him every time Matt says, “You know what?"

“What, pal?” Jared asked.

Matt glanced at her and placed his finger on his chin. “We gotta find Santa and tell him we're at Grandma's again. He might deliver our presents wrong."

She breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness. Finally, something she could do by herself.


* * * *

Jared watched Katherine throughout the meal.

He couldn't figure out exactly why she fascinated him, but she definitely did. And her anything-but-subtle mother made sure he learned even more fascinating tidbits about her daughter during their conversation.

Katherine, he decided, was an enigma. And he loved a mysterious woman.

She certainly didn't fear tackling this two-story house, even though she had no business climbing, according to Grace. Katherine loved outdoor sports, which indicated her adventurous nature. But she'd planned her accounting career path carefully, passed exams and obtained her license as a Financial Planner. She owned her own investment firm, an overachiever, like himself.

She looked pretty, except when she got that soft, dreamy look in her eyes watching Matt or her mother. With love shining in her jade eyes, she changed into the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Radiant in fact.

He fought the memory of her sprawled on top of him on that roof, her thighs squeezing his. He wondered if she wore that same sensual look in the throes of passion. She was also the most infuriating woman he'd even met, he reminded himself, forcing the erotic thoughts from his mind.

Jared didn't know what to make of this enigma, or the fact she'd been divorced for two years. The ‘don't-bother-me-look’ Katherine shot his way when he tried to help, and the way she fought her mother's attempts at matchmaking told him she didn't need or want anyone-especially him.

Well, she needed him to meet Matt's newest request, although she didn't know it yet. A little favor he did for a friend who normally played Santa would allow him to be intimately involved in making Matt's wish come true.

“I know where you can find Santa and his schedule for the week.” He provided the name of the mall, the location and the times Santa would appear.

Matt squirmed in his chair like fire ants invaded his pants. “Can we go tomorrow?"

Jared didn't appreciate the wary look Katherine gave him, which did not correlate with her words. “Thanks a lot."

“Yes, we've got to go shopping in the mall, so we'll drop by and visit with Santa.” She turned toward Jared. “You don't need to take us. I can manage this on my own. Thanks."

There went the enigma again. Thank you on one hand, cold-shoulder on the other. Fascinating.

“Oh, I had no intention of volunteering.” He enjoyed the tempting picture her full, bow-shaped mouth formed as it flew open to say something, but closed instead. Positively kissable. “But, I would like to take everyone riding around the neighborhoods to see the lights next Saturday night.” Matt almost flew out of his chair in his excitement, begging to go. Katherine rolled her eyes, smiled faintly, and reluctantly nodded in agreement.

Jared grinned at her unwilling smile, and caught his breath when her tongue licked her lush lips. No, he wouldn't offer to take her to the mall. He couldn't possibly be in two places at once; he had no intention of taking them to see Santa since he was Santa.

Maybe she'd sit on his lap and tell Santa what she wanted for Christmas.


* * * *

After Matt finished his bubble bath, Katherine dried him and the drowned bathroom floor. She dressed him in his favorite teddy bear pajamas and carried him to bed. His warm, chubby arms went around her neck and gave her a hug. He snuggled under the mountain of covers while she lay beside him and read.

“Do you think I need to tell Santa my list of toys when I see him tomorrow?” he asked.

She scrunched up her forehead in confusion. “You already saw Santa and told him what you wanted for Christmas. I don't think you need to repeat the list."

“Maybe he forgot me."

She rubbed the tiny worry lines between his eyes. “How could anyone who meets you possibly forget you, Matt? You're pretty special.” Since he believed it was important to keep Santa informed of his whereabouts, she wanted to reassure him. “I think you need to tell him whose house you're visiting and everything will be fine."

He beamed at her. “You know who else said I'm special?"

“Grandma,” she guessed.

He giggled. “No. I mean someone new, today.” He paused. “Mr. Randall said I'm special. We're pals. I like spending time with him, ‘cause he really likes me. He's not like Dad."

Hugging Matt, she wanted to make up for all the pain she knew his father caused him. Why couldn't Paul spend time with his son? Why couldn't he love his son?

Minutes later, Matt yawned and closed his eyes. Half asleep he cuddled against her on the bed. “You like Mr. Randall?"

Katherine breathed deeply and lifted her shoulder blades, rotating them back to relieve the tension that question caused. Did she like Jared? Something about him irritated the heck out of her every time she laid eyes on him. Her mother shoving him down her throat didn't help. Jared liked Matt and went out of his way to please him. She certainly liked that.

Did she like Jared? Well, she didn't hate him. But she didn't want to get involved with a man like him. From what she'd seen and heard, he was cut from the same skirt-chasing cloth as her faithless ex-husband.

“I like him. I think he's a good man.” Not good for her, but the memory of lying atop him on the roof snuck into her mind. Hmm, he'd give her a hell of a ride though.

She kissed her son goodnight.