Free Lone Star Daddy (McCabe Multiples) by CATHY GILLEN THACKER

think you could get them to eat veggies again when all other adults have failed?”
    The bravura he’d evidenced on the rodeo circuit returned full force. “I do.”
    “Yeah? Well, I’ll bet you can’t!”
    It was his turn to laugh. “Okay. You’re on.”
    Concluding she really did need to get her head examined for putting herself in such a precarious position, Rose placed her hands on her hips. “So what are the stakes?”
    One corner of Clint’s lips tilted up in a sexy grin. “I get as much time as I need to make it happen within the span of one week.”
    Which meant, Rose thought, they’d be seeing each other—a lot. Another shimmer of tension floated between them, and she felt her breath catch in her throat. Her eyes holding his, she swallowed hard, then stipulated firmly, “However you accomplish it, it has to be out in the open. They have to know they’re eating broccoli or whatever. You can’t do what you so thoroughly disapprove of me doing and disguise it.”
    He chuckled, a deep rumbling low in his throat. Then he slowly surveyed her from head to toe as if he found her completely irresistible. “Fair enough.”
    Trying not to think how attracted she was to him, too, Rose wrinkled her nose. “Now for the winnings...”
    Apparently he’d already decided what he wanted. “If I triumph, you go out on a date with me,” he drawled.
    Rose flushed as she thought about that. A date would mean another kiss, and another kiss would mean...well... “Okay. But if I win,” she countered, then stopped to contemplate.
    The logical prize would have been the opposite of what he wanted—which was to make him promise never to kiss her again. Oddly enough, she did
not
want that, probably because it was far too predictable a penalty. So she searched her mind for the chore most men complained about this time of year. In a burst of inspiration, she finally said, “You have to mow my lawn!”
    He ruminated cheerfully. “Could be sexy.”
    Especially if he took his shirt off. Rose willed her sudden flash of heat away. Resisting the urge to fan herself, she vowed, “It won’t be.”
    Mischief lit his dark-brown eyes. “Never say never,” he taunted her softly.
    Was it possible? Were they actually going to end up making love before this was all over?
    The back door slammed, saving them both.
    “Mommy.” The triplets barreled in. “We’re hungry!”
    Rose directed them over to the kitchen sink. Then she pulled up a stool and supervised the washing of their hands. “Want to help me decorate some individual pizzas?”
    They looked adoringly up at their guest, who had come over to wash his hands as well. “Can Mr. Clint make a pizza, too?” Stephen asked.
    Rose smiled. “Sure.” She looked at Clint, then nodded at the array of colorful toppings she’d put out. “Now’s your chance, cowboy.” The question was, could he accomplish what she had not?
    * * *
    C LINT SOON REALIZED that Rose had been right. This was not going to be an easy bet to win.
    “That sure is a lot of veggies,” Stephen said, looking at Clint’s creation, which was loaded with peppers, mushrooms and onion as well as crumbles of pepperoni and cooked sausage.
    Clint smiled fondly at Rose’s son. “I like mine with everything.”
    Scarlet paused to push her glasses higher on the bridge of her nose. “So does Mommy ’cept she puts olives on hers, too. We hate olives. Do you like olives?”
    “I do.” Clint added, “Just not on my pizza.”
    Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Rose’s warm, amused smile. Clearly, she thought he was going to fail. Which just went to show how little she really knew about him.
    Clint turned his attention away from the pretty woman on the other side of the kitchen island. “Sure you kids don’t want something besides cheese on yours?” he asked.
    Three heads shook in unison. “Noooo way. We like cheese pizza. And nothing else. ’Cause the other stuff is way too yucky.”
    Clint caught the