Drake Sisters 02 - The Twilight Before Christmas

deep inside her. He made love to her slowly, leisurely, as if they had al the time in the world and the entire town wasn’t waiting on them. He made a thorough job of it. Kate felt like the most important person in the world. And the happiest.
    They lay on the bed in a tangle of arms and legs, fighting to breathe. She turned her head to look at him. “I’m thinking you should wear that robe more often, Matthew.”
    He snorted his derision and glanced at his watch. “Kate! We’re late.”
    “I told you we were late.”
    “Not this late, we’re holding up the parade.” He hastily leaped off her, looking around for his clothes. Kate laughed at him through the entire drive to the park where the members of the production were assembling. He caught Kate by the hand and ran across the lawn to the pavilion.
    “Where have you been?” Inez demanded, gesturing toward the huge crowd assembled along the streets. “We’ve al been waiting for you.”
    “And,” Danny added, “you didn’t answer your cel phone.” He shook his head, hands on his hips, clucking like an old hen. “You aren’t even in that lovely costume Inez made for you. What have you been doing?” He wiggled his eyebrows at Kate.
    “Are you feeling al right, Danny,” Kate asked.
    He tugged her hair affectionately. “I’m fine, but don’t tel Trudy, she’s babying me. And Mom’s worse.”
    Inez al but stamped her foot. “Why are you late?”
    “Kate made me late,” Matt told Inez, and the interested group of actors crushed together to see the fireworks when Inez told Matt off. Matt exchanged a long, slow smile with Kate while he listened to Inez politely.
    “I believe him,” Jonas said. “You know how the Drake sisters are. Barbie dol alone takes three hours to get ready for anything. Put them al together, it could take days.”
    Kate glared at both former Rangers and took Hannah’s hand. “Why aren’t you participating this year, Jonas?” she asked sweetly. “Inez, didn’t he promise you last year? I could have sworn Sarah told me Jonas real y wanted to play a major role.”
    “He likes to stand out,” Hannah added, smiling at Inez. “If you don’t offer him a lead, he won’t cooperate. You know Jonas. He has to be the star.”
    Inez turned to the sheriff. “Why didn’t you sign up this year?”
    “I didn’t sign up,” Matt pointed out.
    “We don’t have time for this argument,” Jonas said, glaring at Kate. “Traffic is going to be backed up from here to hel and back. Get this show on the road, Inez, or we’l have to shut it down.”
    Inez began barking orders like a dril sergeant. Hannah nudged Jonas. “Don’t look so smug. I’m putting your name in for the role of donkey next year. I’m certain Inez wil come up with a suitable costume.”
    Deliberately the sheriff leaned into her, so close her body was pressed up against his. “That’s great, baby dol , as long as you’re the one riding me.” He breathed the words against her ear, then stalked away from her.
    The wind rushed over him and sent his hat sailing toward the river. He glanced back, his grin wide. “You have such a bad temper, Hannah. Merry Christmas.”
    Matt tried to cling to Kate but was dragged firmly away and forced into his satin costume. He did his best not to notice the other actors hiding their smiles behind their hands as they looked at him, or that Inez and Donna looked horrified. The streets were lined with townspeople, from the oldest to the youngest. Even Sylvia had turned up, with one side of her face covered in a red rash.
    The parade began, and Matt was forced to endure trudging through the streets where everyone could see Inez’s bizarre creation. The other two wise men went before him. He thought they looked somewhat ridiculous in their robes of velvet, but if he squinted enough, he could use the word regal.
    Cursing the fact that his costume looked more like a woman’s bathrobe than a king’s robe, Matt thought it took an eternity to get through town, with everyone singing slightly off-key, and to final y catch sight of the town square. Worse, he couldn’t prevent the sil y grin from breaking out on his face. It just wouldn’t go away, and he knew it had to look like he was enjoying parading through town in a woman’s bathrobe. He knew Kate and her sisters had grabbed a spot near the makeshift stables to wait for him, and he kept a sharp eye out for them. He let out a sigh of relief when he final y spotted