The Grinch and Miss Goody-Two Shoes — Joann Baker; Patricia Mason

Mistletoe, falling snow and a six foot grinch!

Private investigator Nicholas Trent hates the snow and whole sentimental hype of Christmas. All he wanted was to finish his investigation and get the heck out of Winterfall, Nebraska, and back to the sunny beaches of California. But he hadn't counted on falling for his new assignment. The quiet beauty had a knack for melting his cold heart. But would she forgive him once she found out the secret he harbored?

Kate Harris had never met a sexier man than Nicholas Trent. Even though he'd been sent to dig into her personal life and perhaps take away the niece she'd raised on her own for the past three years, his soul-stirring kisses fueled her dreams. Would she lose more than her heart, or would she receive a Christmas miracle?

EXCERPT:

The doorbell pealed its merry greeting again and Nick covered his ears to mute the jingling bells. With his head pounding in time to the clanging chimes, he cursed his Christmas luck.

This just wasn't shaping up to be his day.

“Who the hell could that be?” he mumbled to himself. He moved cautiously, using the sound to orient himself. He spied the gleaming doorknob in the inky blackness and quickened his pace. And promptly banged his shin against some unseen object.

“Hell and damnation.” Hopping on one leg, he flung open the door and blinked against the harsh glare from street light.

“What?” he roared.

“You shouldn't do that, you know.”

Nick shook his head, certain the pain radiating up his leg had caused some kind of traumatic reaction in his brain. There couldn't be an angel on his doorstep and certainly not one with curly dark hair and a voice like warm honey. Not to mention the luscious curves that made his mouth water.

“What?” he said again, his voice husky with the first hint of desire he'd felt in years. Maybe he'd knocked himself unconscious and this was a dream.

“Open the door like that.” His uninvited guest cleared her throat. “At least, not until you find out who's there.”

The pain in his leg escaped in a short bark of laughter. “Thank you, mother. I'll remember that.”

“Well, really, I didn't…”

He saw the heat rush to her cheeks and groaned. He'd sounded pompous and patronizing. But the cold wind penetrated his clothing and he could feel his temper rise as his teeth started to chatter. He absolutely hated the snow.

“Lady, you've got some nerve lecturing me. You just knocked on a strange man's door on a night when even Rudolph couldn't find his way home and you're giving me tips on the do's and don'ts of safety? Hell, I could be an ax murderer for all you know. ”

“Are you?” Sable brown brows arched over wide, guileless eyes.

Nick snorted, taken aback. It had to be an act. There were no innocent women left in the world. They all knew the secret to turning the screws on a man.

He wasn't about to fall for her innocent routine. “Look, I'm kind of busy. What do you want?” He did not feel guilty at the flash of hurt in her big brown eyes he told himself. Not one bit.

She thrust the covered dish toward him so quickly he barely had time to grab it before it dropped to the ground.

“My housekeeper baked you this pie. She wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood.

Nick's eyes narrowed at the edge he heard in her voice and the way she stressed the fact that the pie was her housekeeper's idea. Not hers. He placed the still warm glass plate on the small table by the entryway and stared at the woman on his step.

He looked her up and down, from head to toe. At his best guess, she stood a little under five-foot-five, coming roughly to the top of his shoulder. The tan pantsuit clung to the lusty curves he'd drooled over earlier. The thin white sweater draped around her shoulders did little to conceal the natural effect the cold weather was having on her mouthwatering shape.

His body responded in a typical male way.

He quickly revised his earlier impression. The lady was no angel.