he said, merriment dancing in his eyes. “But Andrea needs to get into some dry clothes and to eat something. My prescription is that you, Brandon, as the owner of Hamilton House, extend some extra tender loving care toward this weary guest. I definitely have the feeling that you can handle that.”
“What?” Brandon said. “Oh, right. Sure thing. Yes. You bet.”
“You’re so articulate,” Ben said, chuckling. “Well, I’ve got to get back to my office. I have patients waiting to—hey now, here are my favorite girlfriends.”
Andrea’s eyes widened as she saw two women, who appeared to be in their seventies, bustling toward them.
The women were identical in size and features—mirror images of each other. But there the similarity stopped.
One was wearing a sedate gray, long-sleeved dress with a high, old-fashioned collar. The other was adorned in a flashy red satin number that reminded Andrea of pictures she’d seen of turn-of-the-century saloon girls.
The women smiled as they arrived where Andrea, Brandon and Ben were standing.
“Andrea,” Brandon said, “may I present my greataunts Prudence—” he swept one hand toward the woman in gray “—and Charity. The Hamilton twins.”
“Hello,” Andrea said, smiling.
“Good day, dear,” Prudence said. “We heard you had the vapors, and thought perhaps we might be of assistance.”
“Why would she want our help, Pru,” Charity said, “when she has two hunks of stuff like Brandon and Ben fussing over her? All that’s missing here is Taylor, our other handsome bachelor-on-the-loose.”
“To know ‘em is to love ’em, Andrea,” Ben said. He kissed each of the elderly ladies on the cheek. “I’m gone. I’ll check in with you later, Brandon,.”
“Goodbye, Benjamin,” Prudence said.
“See ya, hotshot,” Charity said.
Ben laughed as he strode away.
“Andrea needs to get settled into her room,” Brandon said.
“It was a pleasure to meet you both,” Andrea said to the women.
“Oh, you’ll be seeing us again,” Prudence said. “We live here in Hamilton House. How long will you be with us, dear?”
“Two weeks,” Brandon said. “Come on, Andrea. We’re not following Ben’s orders by standing here. You need dry clothes and some food.”
“Two weeks?” Charity said. “Don’t you have a family that will miss you over the holidays?”
“Charity,” Prudence said, “that is none of our business. You’re being terribly nosy.”
“Well, how am I supposed to find out what I want to know if I don’t ask?” Charity said. “Andrea?”
“No,” she said quietly. “I don’t have any family, Miss Hamilton.”
“Well, you do while you’re here,” Prudence said. “You call me Aunt Pru, dear, and Charity will be your Aunt Charity, and Brandon will be... well, just Brandon.”
“He’ll see to it that he’s more than just Brandon if he has half the sense he claims to have,” Charity said.
“Charity, hush,” Pru said. “Mind your manners. You’re being naughty.”
Brandon gripped one of Andrea’s arms and propelled her forward at a rapid pace.
“‘Bye,” she said over her shoulder to the aunts.
“Ta-ta, dear,” Aunt Pru said.
“Put some makeup on,” Aunt Charity said. “You’re as pale as the ghosts who live in this place.”
“Ghosts?” Andrea said.
“Ignore that,” Brandon said.
At the registration desk, he released Andrea’s arm and moved behind the counter.
“I’m sorry about my aunts,” he said. “They can be a bit much at times.”
“They’re darling,” she said, smiling. “For being twins, they certainly have different personalities.”
“No joke. Forget what Aunt Charity said about ghosts. She just likes to keep things stirred up. Both Aunt Pru and Aunt Charity have hearts of gold, though.”
“And you love them.”
“Well, I... Yes. Yes, I love them very much.”
Their eyes met across the gleaming counter that separated them.
Oh, Lord, Brandon thought, there it was again...the heat, that coiling heat, tight and low in his body. Andrea’s great big dark eyes did unnerving things to his mind and, heaven help him, his libido.
“Sign this,” he said, tearing his gaze from Andrea’s. He shoved a card toward her. “I’ll have Mickey show you to your room, and carry your suitcase for you. Would you like some hot soup and a sandwich sent up?”
“Yes, thank you, that would be lovely.” Andrea paused. “Brandon, I apologize for all the trouble I’ve caused since I arrived.”
“Don’t give it another thought. You haven’t been one bit of trouble.”
No, the trouble stemmed from the strange and unsettling impact that Ms. Cunningham had on him. All she had to do was gaze at him with those big, expressive dark eyes of hers and he was consumed by a flash of heated desire.
Emotions he was very unaccustomed to were not doing anything for his peace of mind, either. That protectiveness and possessiveness he’d felt toward Andrea had come out of left field.
Oh, Andrea Cunningham was trouble, all right. He was going to have to keep his distance from the enchanting Andrea during her stay at Hamilton. House.
He had an etched-in-stone rule about never becoming involved with a guest in the hotel. Not only was it tacky from a business angle, it was also potential heartache. Patrons checked in, then checked out. Poof. They were gone.
Jennifer came rushing to where Brandon stood behind the registration counter.
“I’m sorry, Brandon,” she said breathlessly. “I was covering the desk, but got called to the dining room to solve a seating problem.”
“Where’s Teddy?” Brandon said.
“He went home with the flu. He was fine one minute, a sick puppy the next.” Jennifer looked at Andrea and smiled. “I hope you’re feeling better, Ms. Cunningham.”
“It’s Andrea, and I’m fine. Thank you.”
“Wonderful,” Jennifer said. “That means you’ll be able to enjoy your stay at the hotel and take part in all the Christmas activities
