The Rancher Takes A Bride (The Burnett Brides Book 1)

his head. "Travis, you have nothing to worry about. I'm buying her some damn clothes because of Mother. It means nothing more."
    Travis walked over to his little brother and said low enough so that only Tucker could hear the menace behind his words: "Make sure of it."
    His younger brother smiled. "So when are you going to do something about it?"
    "Do something about what?"
    "When are you going to give into those urges concerning Rose?"
    "That is none of your business."
    Eugenia called. "Okay, boys."
    The men hurried over to the dress area. This time Travis let his eyes drink their fill. Though much more down-to-earth, this dress had an innocently seductive air that could have been worn by a schoolteacher, but on Rose it was tempting. That temptation made Travis want to carry her behind that screen and peel the dress from Rose very slowly, taking time to caress each inch of skin he revealed.
    He began to pace the small, crowded area. Time and again Eugenia brought Rose out, and each time he could only stare at the transformation. And each time his brother also stood there, gaze rapt, and drank in the sight of Rose in the new clothes.
    Travis didn't want any man, including his brother, ogling Rose. She was his.
    But she wasn't his. Yet he wanted her more than any woman in his life. Rose Severin was not the ideal woman he had pictured in his mind to win his heart, yet she was more.
    Just when Travis thought he would explode from seeing Rose's body adorned in so many different styles and colors, Eugenia approached Travis.
    "Why don't you boys go on over to the bar and get a drink while we finish up here. I think we've decided on the dresses, but now we still need to fit the underclothes."
    "I'm staying until you're finished," Travis replied.
    "Fine. But we're going to be behind the curtain trying on different pantaloons, corsets, and chemises. We've still got at least an hour's worth of things to try on and another thirty minutes worth of browsing. Tucker, take your bull-headed older brother and buy him a drink."
    "Come on, Travis, we both could use a drink to cool off. Rose isn't going anywhere."
    Reluctantly, Travis gave in. "All right, I'm going."
    ***
    Eugenia came back behind the screen. "Finally, those boys decided to go to some saloon down the street. I thought they would never leave."
    "Uh, Eugenia. I have a huge favor to ask," Rose said, anxiety tightening her voice. She didn't know what she was going to do if Eugenia wouldn't help her.
    The older woman picked up a pair of pantaloons and held them against Rose. "Hm. I think they're too large. You're going to need a smaller size."
    "Eugenia!"
    "Yes, dear. I'm listening. You were going to ask a favor. What do you need?"
    "The auditions for the theater production I told you about are today. I want to try out."
    Slowly Eugenia raised her head until her eyes met Rose's. "Oh, dear. I'd forgotten all about those auditions. We talked about it once before and I agreed to help you, didn't I?"
    "Yes, you did," Rose whispered urgently. "The auditions are today, and you know that Travis turned me down or I wouldn't be asking for your help."
    Rose seemed to run out of steam as she glanced at Eugenia's face and saw the frown that creased the older woman's forehead.
    "That boy of mine is so stuffy sometimes. He needs to loosen up." Eugenia chewed on her lip. "Well, I can't see a reason why I shouldn't help you."
    "So, we're going?"
    "Get dressed. We can do the rest of this shopping quickly. The main reason I sent the boys down the street was that I was tired of seeing their hang-dog expressions as they watched you model dresses."
    Rose threw her arms around Eugenia and shouted for joy. "Thank you! Finally I'll get a chance."
    Eugenia unwrapped Rose's arms. "You get dressed, dear, while I settle the bill. Then we'll sneak out the back door, just in case those boys of mine aren't down the street yet."
    Rose's heartbeat accelerated, and for a moment she thought she would faint. She placed her hand over her breast as if to keep her heart from jumping clean out of her chest.
    "We've got to hurry, if we're going to beat the boys back. Our purchases are all arranged, and all we have to do is pick them up. But we've got to hasten, if we're not going to get caught"
    "What if I get the part?"
    "We'll deal with that when we come to it"
    Lifting her drawstring purse, Rose wrapped it around her hand. Dressed in her new finery, she felt like a million dollars. And now Eugenia was taking her