The Christmas Cowboy: (Sweet Western Holiday Romance) (Rodeo Romance Book 1)

by Shanna Hatfield

  “Isn’t that your busiest time of year?” Tate asked, not at all surprised Kenzie would take a week off to spend with her sisters. He remembered her mentioning something about them visiting not long after they met.

  “One of the busiest, but it’s the only time they can come stay for a full week. I do some work from home those days and everything works out.” Quickly finishing the dishes, she wiped down the counters.

  “I can’t wait to meet them.” If the twins were like their big sister, they’d be full of life and fun.

  “They’ll be over the moon to meet you, but I won’t subject you to their effervescent personalities anytime soon.” She dried her hands and hung the towel on a hook, offering Tate a teasing grin.

  He laughed then asked Kenzie if he could use her computer for a while. She told him to knock himself out then looked sheepish, considering he recovered from a concussion.

  Full of too many cookies and not enough pain medication, Tate sat at the computer posting on his blog, responding to Facebook messages, tweets, and answering emails from friends. Offering reassurances he was doing fine, he let everyone know he looked forward to seeing them in the coming year on the circuit.

  When he finished with that, he began shopping online for gifts. He found a gift basket perfect for Huck’s family, purchased Cort a gift certificate to his favorite ranch supply store, and ordered some books and puzzles for his dad. He ordered gift cards for his other friends and a couple of surprises for Kenzie. Everything should arrive in time for Christmas.

  Feeling good about his shopping, Tate went back to the guest room and soon fell asleep, dreaming of the way Kenzie looked coated in flour with a special light gleaming in her dark eyes.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Kenzie sat by the fire in the rocker, letting the chair move back and forth in a comforting rhythm. For the first time since she’d moved in, her apartment looked festive. The only thing missing was a tree.

  It felt good, unbelievably good, to allow herself to embrace the holiday spirit this year. She had Tate to thank for the positive change.

  Thoughts of him made her stomach flutter and her heartbeat increase in tempo. He was handsome and funny, gentle and wonderful. He made her laugh, challenged her, and encouraged her. The way he looked at her with those smoldering blue eyes made her feel beautiful and wanted.

  Kenzie refused to think about how empty her life would seem when he went home. She knew it was wrong to wish it, but she hoped he wouldn’t feel like leaving anytime soon. Even though he was in no shape to do more than hold her hand and steal a kiss or two, she cherished the time she spent with him, getting to know him better.

  Tired in a happy, good way, Kenzie let her thoughts drift to the upcoming holiday. The realization she hadn’t yet purchased a gift for Tate sent her mind spinning into overdrive.

  She wracked her brain, trying to think of something special to get him, something that would let him know exactly how much he meant to her. Lost in her thoughts, she looked up when he hobbled into the room.

  It appeared he’d attempted to comb his hair, although the cowlick on the left side of his head refused to cooperate.

  The sight of it made her smile at him with such warmth, Tate momentarily worried both legs would give out on him before he seated himself on the couch.

  “What?” He ran a self-conscious hand over his head. Not used to her looking at him so intently, he found it both disquieting and fascinating.

  “I was thinking about you, and suddenly here you are,” she said with lazy grin, sending Tate’s temperature up a notch. When he continued to stare at her, not speaking, she wondered what ran through his mind. Unable to read his thoughts from the look on his face, she scrambled for a safe topic.

  Lazily turning so her legs dangled over the arm of the chair, she wiggled her feet and let out a contented sigh. “I don’t know about you, but I’ve indulged in too many treats today. Could you choke down a salad for dinner?” Kenzie asked, hoping Tate wouldn’t mind eating something light.

  “That sounds fine.” The firelight dancing through Kenzie’s dark hair, making it glow with a rich vibrancy, drew his attention. Instead of giving in to his longing to bury his hands in it and kiss her until they both lost their ability to reason, he nodded toward the kitchen. “Can I help with anything?”

  “Sure.” Kenzie got to her feet and held out a hand to help Tate stand. He used his cane to limp the few steps to the kitchen, following behind her.

  After pulling a variety of veggies from the fridge, she rinsed them before setting the produce on the counter. She placed a cutting board and knife in front of Tate then turned around to grate some cheese and wash a head of lettuce.

  As they worked together, she asked about his online shopping and he quizzed her about other things she planned to bake before Christmas. They sat eating salad and laughing at funny memories they shared from past holidays.

  Kenzie told Tate how her sisters decided to set a trap for Santa one year. She helped her step-dad make it look like they caught the jolly old elf and wrote a note admonishing the two little live wires to be good.

  Tate admitted to pulling a few pranks that nearly got his presents revoked, like setting a video camera in the fireplace to record Santa’s entry and trying to rig a duck blind on the roof to watch Santa land without being caught.

  After dinner, they snuggled on the couch to watch television.

  Tate, who absolutely loved everything about Christmas, was glad Kenzie wanted to watch The Polar Express. It was a cute movie, although he was much more interested in having her cuddled up to his side than what was on television. Partway through the show, he looked over to see Kenzie swiping at tears trickling down her cheeks.

  “What’s wrong, Dewdrop? I thought you were enjoying this.” Dumbfounded by her tears, he wiped them away with his thumb. She was still relaxed against him, not giving any signal that something bothered her.

  “I am,” she sniffed, offering him a watery smile. “I’m sorry, but those two little kids singing their hearts out always make me cry. It’s just so sweet.”

  Tate didn’t expect the rush of love for this amazing woman to engulf him at that moment. He knew behind her cool and confident business persona was a sappy girl who probably cried during greeting card commercials.

  “Sweet,” Tate repeated, cupping the back of Kenzie’s neck with his good hand and pulling her head toward his. When their lips connected, the jolt rocked Tate all the way to his toes. Resting his forehead against hers, he grinned. “You’re sweet and something else altogether, Miss Kenzie Beckett. Something very special.”

  “Tate,” she whispered, pressing her lips to his then resting her head on his shoulder while he slipped his right arm around her. They watched the rest of the movie and started watching another one when Tate glanced down to find Kenzie asleep. She had to be completely exhausted from taking care of him, decorating her apartment, baking, and doing all the other things she’d accomplished the last few days. She could run circles around him even when both his legs worked properly.

  Tate turned off the television and basked in the simple pleasure of having Kenzie so close to him. Drowsily, he watched the fire flicker and felt his eyes grow heavy. He knew they needed to go to bed or they’d both end up asleep on the couch with cramped muscles before morning.

  “Kenzie,” Tate said, gently shaking her shoulder. “Time for bed.”

  When that didn’t rouse her, he leaned over and nuzzled her neck.

  “Oh, Tate, that’s nice.” The sultry tone in her voice brought him instantly wide-awake. His gut clenched and the temperature in the room suddenly turned tropical.

  He moved from nipping her ear to kissing a hot trail down her jaw, ending with her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck, toying with the back of his hair above his shirt collar, leaning into his chest.

  Tate ignored the protests from his cracked ribs and held her close, kissing her with a fervor that brought her from half asleep to fully participati
ng in the passionate encounter in a matter of seconds.

  “I think we better call this good night,” Tate finally managed to say after giving himself a moment to catch his breath and rein in his errant thoughts.

  “Probably.” Kenzie took a deep breath and rose to her feet. After making sure the front door was locked, she turned off the fire while Tate stood and ambled toward the guest room. Kenzie followed him and turned down his covers, helped him take off his shirt and brought him a glass of water so he could take a pain pill.

  Tenderly kissing his cheek, she gave him one last, long gaze that left him overheated before walking out of the room and shutting the door behind her.

  Unable to relax in the big comfortable bed, Tate kept thinking about the affectionate, tempting woman in the other room who had worked her way thoroughly and completely into his heart.

  Despite his fatigue, sleep was a long time coming.

  ><><

  “Rise and shine, cowboy,” Kenzie said in a cheery voice as she breezed into Tate’s room. She pulled back the drapes and turned the mini blinds so sunshine filtered through the windows. “We’ve got places to go and people to see.”

  “What?” Tate asked, shielding his eyes from the bright morning light by putting a pillow over his head. “What time is it? Where are we going?”

  “It’s after eight and you’ve got a nine-thirty appointment with the physical therapist today. You better move that cute keister of yours out of bed.” A sassy smile tossed over her shoulder drew his gaze as he watched her turn on the bathroom lights then come back to the bed.

  “You think my keister is cute?” Tate asked, a sleepy grin spreading across his face that left Kenzie with quivering knees.

  “Never mind.” Before handing him his cane, she focused her attention on wrapping his arm in garbage bags and tape.

  Instead of limping to the bathroom, he turned his bright gaze on her and the heat of it seeped into her very bones.

  “What else do you think is cute? Any other details you want to share?” Tate asked with a bold smile as he got to his feet.

  “No.” She motioned him toward the bathroom. “Put some hustle in it or you’re going to be late.”

  “If you’re worried about me being late, why didn’t you wake me up earlier? Or remind me to set an alarm last night?” Tate asked as he hobbled to the bathroom door.

  “If you must know, I’m also guilty of sleeping in this morning. You’re always awake early and I didn’t even think about an alarm. So there.” She stuck her tongue out at him then flounced out of the room.

  Amused by her childish gesture, Tate shut the bathroom door. Quickly showering, he vowed to make time later for a shave. His face itched and if he had the opportunity to kiss Kenzie, he didn’t want his stubble to scratch her soft skin.

  When he emerged from the bathroom, she’d already made the bed. He appreciated that she kept things neat and orderly.

  He dug around in his suitcase and found a pair of basketball shorts and running shoes he’d used during his daily workouts in Las Vegas. He managed to get his socks on by himself but needed help with his shoes and T-shirt. If he was going to therapy, he assumed workout clothes would be the best thing to wear.

  With his cane in hand, he limped to the kitchen where Kenzie pulled a pan of muffins from the oven.

  “That was fast,” she said, glancing up to see his T-shirt draped over one shoulder. Swiftly setting down the muffins, she wiped her hands on a dishtowel then stepped around the counter to help Tate with his shirt.

  It required an enormous effort to drag her thoughts away from his broad chest and shoulders, covered as they were with impressive muscles. After helping him dress the past few days, she thought she should be immune to seeing his bare upper torso, but she wasn’t. The site of it made her mouth go dry and her stomach flutter.

  “You told me to hurry it up, boss.” A jaunty grin brought his dimples to the forefront. “Are you going to let me eat before you take me off to be tortured?”

  “Of course.” Kenzie poured glasses of juice and handed them to Tate to put on the table. She placed the muffins on a plate, scooped up the eggs she scrambled, and forked fried ham out of a skillet.

  As they sat across from each other at her little table, Kenzie split open muffins and buttered them, setting two on Tate’s plate.

  “I’m going to ask you something, Dewdrop, and I want a straight-up honest answer.” Tate stared at Kenzie over his glass of orange juice.

  “Okay.” Whatever he was going to ask sounded serious and she wasn’t sure she wanted to start out the day with that type of conversation. She folded her hands on her lap and waited for him to speak.

  “You’ve spent the last few days taking great care of me. I appreciate it more than you can know, but what about your life? Is having me here disrupting what you’d normally do? I can go home or find somewhere else to stay if I’m throwing off your schedule.”

  Tate looked at her with such sincere concern on his face that tears pricked her eyes. She loved him so much. More than he probably could guess, especially since she hadn’t gotten around to actually saying those three little words to him.

  The notion of him anywhere other than right there with her was unthinkable. She cherished the time they spent together, where she could see him anytime she wanted. It was easy to pretend they belonged together and he’d never leave when it was just the two of them.

  She glanced at Tate with her brown eyes simmering like warm, rich molasses. He fell into their depths without a single thought of resistance.

  “As a matter of fact, you’ve thrown me all out of whack. My routine has been completely disrupted.” The serious, irritated tone of her voice made her sound quite displeased although she was only teasing.

  At Tate’s crestfallen look, her lips lifted in a grin. “I’ve missed catching up on the soap operas, cleaning the lint out of the dryer, scrubbing the grout in the tub, and at least three or four great naps. I just don’t know how you’ll make that up to me.”

  “Kenzie, I’m serious,” he admonished, although the dimples in his cheeks said otherwise. He let out the breath he didn’t even realize he’d held at her cheeky reply. “I really do want to know if I’m in your way.”

  “Never, cowboy. Not ever.” She leaned over to kiss his cheek. Tate turned his head at the last second so her kiss landed on his lips instead. He wished he’d gone ahead and taken the time to shave when she pulled back after a potent kiss with her face red from his whiskers.

  “Honest?” Tate asked, still not certain what Kenzie hinted at. He rubbed his fingers gently over the red skin around her mouth before returning his attention to his breakfast.

  “For sure,” she said, taking a bite of her muffin. “Now hustle it up or we’ll be late.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Tate gulped his juice and stuffed the last of his muffin in his mouth. He rose from the table and hobbled back to his room to brush his teeth and grab his jacket.

  Kenzie watched him leave the table and shook her head. Did everything about him have to be amazing?

  Kind and thoughtful, funny and sweet, he also had a great pair of legs to go along with the rest of his killer physique. It was a good thing he was mostly incapacitated by his injuries.

  With the direction her mind kept venturing, there was no way she could have him staying with her if he was at one hundred percent.

  Kenzie rushed to do the dishes while trying to capture her runaway thought. When she finished, she dried her hands and ran out to start her car. She stood by the door buttoning her coat as Tate reappeared, carrying his shoes. After helping him put them on, they hurried out the door.

  At the physical therapy facility, Kenzie helped him inside then left to run errands. She mailed a few packages at the post office then hurried to the dry cleaners to pick up her business suits. At the grocery store, she loaded a cart while her mind spun around, trying to think of a gift for Tate.

  Finally returning to the facility ninety minutes later,
Tate waited for her, looking drained and spent.

  “How’d it go?” Kenzie asked, holding the door for him as he walked out into the cold to her car. Covered in a light sheen of sweat, she worried about him getting sick in the chilly temperature.

  “Fantastic,” Tate said derisively. “The doc set me up with some crazy woman who seems to think it’s her personal mission to whip me back into shape. Evidently, she’ll be working on both my leg and arm.”

  “Oh, you poor wittle thing.” She spoke to him as she would a pouting child. Carefully patting his leg, she started the car and backed out of the parking space. “Did the big bad woman scare wittle Tater?”

  Tate scowled at her then focused his attention out the window. He knew therapy would be painful and unpleasant, but he had no idea how much so. His doctor told him he could let his knee heal by doing exercises at home. However, since he was an athlete with an active career to return to, he suggested an accelerated course of therapy to help him get back on track.

  If the therapist didn’t kill him, his knee would be in great shape before long. Kenzie’s teasing made him annoyed instead of lightening the mood as he knew she’d hoped it would. He continued glaring out the window, ignoring her.

  “I’m sorry.” A glance at Tate revealed his frown as he stared out the window. “I shouldn’t have teased. I know therapy can be awful. I broke my elbow when I was in high school and had therapy on it for a few weeks. It was one of the most painful things I’ve ever experienced.”

  “How’d you break your elbow?” Tate pulled himself from his dark thoughts, curious if Kenzie played sports in school. He couldn’t remember her mentioning any sport activities.

  “It was stupid.” Her cheeks turned pink at the memory.

  “I know all about stupid.” Remorsefully glancing at his arm, he gave her an inquisitive look. “What did you do?”

  “Megan invited me to spend the summer with her before we started our senior year of high school. We were acting stupid like seventeen-year-old girls are prone to do, driving around in her dad’s old pickup. Megan had a crush on a boy, so we drove past his house twice then she decided to drive by again. We practiced looking cool, with our arms resting on the rolled down windows. Erroneously, we thought we had it all going on. Megan got so excited when the boy looked up as we went by, she didn’t pay attention where she was driving. I was watching her ogle him and didn’t see the mailbox until she drove too close and smashed it with my elbow. My mom was not the least bit happy to have me come home in a cast.”