Why was he pursuing her like this? He's not about to let this go. Or her. He could help, if she'd just let him...

CORIE

All Corie Ochoa wanted was to make some Christmas magic for the kids in the foster home — the only home she'd ever known. And she would. Come hell or high water. Or Ben Palmer.

The last time she'd seen Ben, he called her an impossible little thief. Apparently, his opinion hadn't changed. And now he'd come all the way to Texas to accuse her of a crime she hadn't committed. Why was he so relentlessly pursuing her? Was it just the cop in him?

Or was their connection deeper than that? No. No way. She hated him. And the feeling was mutual.

BEN

In all his years as a cop, Ben Palmer had seen some hard cases. But Corie Ochoa took the cake. There was more hostility in her gorgeous, five-foot-one frame than he'd seen in hardened criminals. Not to mention her uncanny knack for getting herself in trouble. But she was his adopted brother's sister, and he was going to help her whether she liked it or not. And clearly, she didn't.

Too bad. He hadn't come all the way to Texas to let this infuriating woman off the hook. Every instinct told him there was more to this story. And to her...