Chasing Christmas

by Shanna Hatfield

  He studied it a moment, and then tucked it in his shirt pocket. “That’s a nice logo. I’ll give this card to one of my friends. His wife is starting up her own ad agency and she might have some freelance work for you.”

  Surprised he’d be willing to share her information, she stared at him. “That would be great. Thank you.”

  “No problem.” Chase took the last bite of his steak. While he chewed, he watched her. “Why Rose as part of your business name?”

  She shrugged. “My middle name is Rose. It was my grandmother’s name. She always made me feel like I was somebody, like I mattered, when to most others I didn’t. So I named my company after her.”

  Chase continued to watch her. Guilty that she’d shared as much as she had, she didn’t know why she’d said anything at all. Yet, the rodeo star sitting across the table from her was entirely approachable and so easy to talk to, she’d felt drawn out of the shell she generally retreated into around complete strangers.

  “I like your logo, and your name. It suits you.” He gave her a rakish grin. “In fact, with those roses blooming in your cheeks, I can totally see how the name fits you.”

  A deeper shade of pink suffused her cheeks, and Jessie ducked her head. The server returned to the table and took their plates, asking if they wanted dessert.

  “None for me. How about you, Jessie?” Chase asked.

  “No, thank you. The salad was delicious and filling.” She smiled at Chase then at the server.

  “Glad to hear it. I’ll be right back with your bill.”

  Jessie fussed with her napkin instead of looking at Chase.

  “Is there anything you’d like to do or see this afternoon?” he asked, breaking the silence hovering between them.

  “I don’t have anything specific I’d like to see. You really don’t have to escort me around, if there is something you’d rather do.” She figured the last thing he wanted was to spend the afternoon with a girl he probably found boring.

  “Nah, I’m all yours.” He smiled when her eyes widened at his comment. “At least until five when I turn into a pumpkin.”

  She nodded. “Everything here is a new experience to me, so I’ll let you decide where to go.”

  Chase dropped cash on the table to cover the bill, stood, and held out his hand to her.

  The moment her fingers grazed over his palm, she felt a jolt roll up her arm and down to her toes. At the startled look on his face, she wondered if he felt it too.

  Most likely, her imagination conjured his reaction. He settled his hat on his head, placed a hand to her elbow, and guided her out of the restaurant.

  “Well, if I’m playing tour guide this afternoon, I better show you some of the best highlights,” he said, hurrying her out of the hotel.

  Four hours later, he slid out of a cab and held his hand out to her. The now familiar jolt still rocketed through her as soon as their hands connected, but she managed to keep the intensity of how his touch affected her from showing.

  Chase opened the front passenger door of the cab, removed the bags he’d set on the seat, and closed the door.

  “I can carry this stuff inside for you,” he said, easily holding the bags of souvenirs he’d purchased for her in one big hand.

  “No, Chase, I’m sure you need to get going.” Jessie took the bags from his hands. “Thank you for one of the nicest afternoons I’ve ever had,” she said, meaning every word.

  Chase had been kind, generous, funny, sweet, and so much fun. The hours she’d spent with him had flown by. They’d visited several famous attractions on The Strip, including the Fall of Atlantis and the High Roller Ferris Wheel. They stopped for dessert at a place that served waffles of every flavor and variety. The one she had with caramel-topped bananas and chocolate had been so delicious.

  After that, he’d taken her to a massive cowboy Christmas vendor show. Despite her efforts to refuse the gifts he attempted to buy for her, he’d laughed and said he held the right as her temporary husband to pay for anything he liked. Most of it was silly souvenirs, but he had purchased a beautiful silver cuff bracelet with raised roses on it. The moment she’d spied it, she’d admired it. Chase caught her looking at it and bought it before she could argue. Reluctant to accept such an expensive gift, she’d tried to pay him for it. He shook his head and guided her along to visit more booths.

  Now, as she observed him, she felt a tug at her heart that she’d never see him again. Oh, she’d see him ride at the rodeo, of course, but it wasn’t the same. Not when she stood almost toe-to-toe with him, lost in the bright light of his hazel eyes and the warmth of his smile.

  He stared into her face for the length of several heartbeats before he spoke in a husky tone that made her toes tingle. “I had a nice time with you, too, Jessie. Thank you for agreeing to Ashley’s crazy plans and participating in the sham wedding. It was fun to spend the day with you. You’re a great girl and anyone would be lucky to have you as their real bride.”

  Jessie blushed and would have backed away, but Chase’s callused palm glided along her cheek before he cupped the back of her neck, drawing her flush against him.

  His mouth settled on hers in a soft, gentle kiss that lingered far longer than she anticipated. When she attempted to draw a breath, he deepened the kiss, wrapping both arms around her.

  Feeling boneless as he captivated her with passionate kisses, Jessie forgot they were standing next to the curb in front of a posh hotel. She forgot about contests, fake weddings, and ridiculous publicity stunts. She forgot about being shy or shocked by his unexpected affection.

  All she could think about was the man holding her close to his heart, one that pounded in time to her own. His woodsy, leather-tinged scent tantalized her senses as she melted against him, wishing she belonged with him — to him.

  Finally, he drew back and shot her a puckish grin. “Thanks again for being my wife for a day, Jessie. If I had to do this, I’m really glad Ashley picked you.”

  Before she could gather her thoughts enough to respond, he climbed in the cab and disappeared.

  Heat seared her cheeks as she realized she’d just stood in front of who knows how many people and engaged in a kiss more sizzling than any she’d ever experienced. Any she’d ever dreamed of experiencing.

  Embarrassed, yet oddly invigorated, she rushed inside and up to her room. She had to hurry if she wanted to get to the rodeo on time to watch her make-believe husband ride.

  Chapter Five

  Chase took the abundance of teasing comments heaped on him since he arrived at the rodeo in stride. His friends felt it their duty to razz him about getting married with so much fanfare and in such a public manner.

  “Where’s the little wifey?” one of the bareback riders asked, giving Chase an elbow in the side. “She tired of you already?”

  “She’s sitting with Ashley, waiting for me to win this thing.” Chase gave his friend a cocky grin.

  “I saw part of the wedding on the news earlier,” Huck Powell said, thumping Chase on the back. The champion bull rider was the best in the business and the one man Chase needed to outride if he wanted to take home the title and championship buckle. “I’m sorry Mara and I couldn’t be there for the ceremony. Our youngest started the day by upchucking all over her bed this morning which caused a drastic and entirely nasty reaction from her brother.”

  Chase shook his head. “Bet it didn’t faze Katie Jo.”

  Huck laughed. “It seems my oldest daughter is way too much like her old man.”

  “Then she’s full of determination and pluck,” Chase said, grinning at the man he liked and respected, and considered a good friend. “Are you really gonna retire this year?”

  “I’m considering it. If I don’t do something different, my kids will be grown and I’ll have missed it all.” Huck sobered and glanced into the stands where his wife sat with their three children among friends. “We’ve got a good thing going with our ranch and I think I’m ready to focus on riding horses for fun instea
d of bulls for work.”

  “I’m still gonna do my best to beat you tonight.” Chase smirked as the two of them walked behind the chutes, waiting for the bulls to enter the chutes.

  “I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Huck said, slapping Chase on the back again. “Now tell me more about this girl you married. From the coverage we saw on the wedding, she looks like a nice girl.”

  “She is nice, really nice,” Chase said, surprised by the woman Ashley had selected to win the prize. He’d expected someone pushy, tacky, or at the very least expecting things from him he wasn’t willing to deliver. Jessie had been unassuming, sweet, gracious, and easy to talk to. Despite his reluctance to admit it, he had more fun with her that afternoon than he’d had in a long time.

  She didn’t ask him for anything, didn’t expect anything from him, which was why he insisted on buying her a handful of trinkets. He’d been astounded when she’d tried to pay him back for the bracelet he’d purchased from a vendor. Most women would have taken it and demanded more. Instead, tears had glistened in her big blue eyes and made something foreign but not entirely unwelcome grip his heart. From what little she’d said, he had the idea that Jessie hadn’t been given much in her life, including affection or attention. It wasn’t any hardship to lavish some on her for the few hours they were together.

  For one day, he wanted her to feel special and cherished. The look on her face after he kissed her assured him he’d done his part.

  In truth, he hadn’t meant to kiss her. He fully intended to walk away and never think of her again. However, something in those entrancing eyes called to him. Before he knew what had transpired, he was kissing her quite thoroughly and ardently right there in front of her hotel.

  The worst part was he couldn’t get the kiss out of his mind, or how much he wanted to continue kissing her. Although he seriously doubted she had a lot of experience kissing men, her reaction to him, to his affections, set his blood on fire and generated an insane wish that he’d married her for real.

  Since she’d been such a good sport and made the entire time they were together unexpectedly pleasant, he planned to acknowledge her after his ride. It was the least he could do for all the hoopla he and Ashley had put her through with the fake wedding.

  Things had gone better than he expected with it, though. He’d already signed two new sponsor contracts because of all the publicity it created. Shoot, if he’d actually married her, he’d probably have more sponsors contacting him than he could handle.

  He grinned derisively. If he’d actually married her, he might not care about sponsors or rodeos or world championships. If that one kiss was any indication of the sparks lighting up between them, he would take her home to his ranch and never leave.

  Thoughts of spending the winter tucked away with her in his arms spiked his internal thermometer to an uncomfortable level.

  “Is Jessie as tall as she looked on TV?” Huck asked as they watched the bulls enter the chutes.

  Chase nodded. “She’s just about as tall as Kenzie Morgan or Kaley McGraw.”

  Huck shot him a rascally grin. “Bet she fit in your arms just right when you gave her the kiss that had all the women swoony at the end of the ceremony. Even Katie Jo was watching all moony-eyed. I am for sure in trouble where my daughter and romance is concerned.”

  A laugh rolled out of Chase. “You better keep your eye on that girl, Huck. Some young buck will swoop in and steal her heart before you know what’s happened.”

  “I’ll nail his hide to the barn wall and not even blink.” The man stiffened as a dark scowl crossed his typically upbeat features. “Nobody better mess with my little girl. Why, I’ll…”

  Chase snorted and whacked Huck on the back. “A little over protective there, Dad?”

  Huck glared at him. “Just wait until you have kids, Chase. You’ll completely understand.” The seasoned cowboy shook a finger at him. “Are you gonna stand there jawing all evenin’ or are you gonna get on that bull and give me a little competition.”

  “You better ride for all your worth, Huck, ‘cause I plan to win.” Chase grinned at him.

  The two men exchanged a friendly handshake before they got ready to climb on their bulls. When Chase was young and green, Huck had taken him under his wing and mentored him, helping him become a better rider than he could have been on his own.

  Chase was grateful for everything Huck had taught him, for the friendship that had grown between them over the years, but he still planned to ride to win.

  Once he swung his leg over the chute, Chase forced himself to block out everything but the ride ahead of him. He needed to take the top score tonight to win the title of world champion. As long as he made the eight second ride, he’d at least place in the top three, but he really wanted to win.

  With slow, deliberate movements, he settled onto the back of the mahogany Brahman bull he’d drawn. Although the animal was burly and mean looking, Chase counted himself lucky that he’d landed on one of stock contractor Kash Kressley’s favorite bulls. The bovine might look like he’d take on a twister and win, but he was a good bull that wouldn’t try to stomp a rider and he always gave a good, solid ride.

  “Wild Willie will give you a good ride, if you can hang on,” Kash teased as Chase adjusted his leather glove and then ran it up and down the length of his bull rope, working rosin into the rope and his glove. The sticky substance helped him hold on during the ride. At least, in theory, it should.

  Chase gave Kash a narrowed glance and pulled the end of the rope over his palm. “Don’t you have something better to do than harass me?”

  Kash grinned. “Nope. The only other bull I have here tonight is the one Huck will ride and he’s last out the gate. If I was a betting man, I’d say you two are in for a tight competition this evening.”

  “That we are.” Chase made a final adjustment to his glove as someone yanked on the rope, pulling it so tight across his hand, he nearly lost circulation in his fingers — just the way he liked it. He glanced up as Huck stood on the gate and tightened the rope.

  Huck smiled at him. “Good luck, kid. Plan to make it the full eight. Let’s give these folks a grand finale to the show.”

  Chase nodded. “I’ll do my best, man. Now get out of here and get on your own bull.”

  Huck laughed and stepped on top of the gate, across the back of the bull, and came down behind the chutes. “I’m still plannin’ to win!”

  “So am I!” Chase adjusted his seat on the bull, rolled back his shoulders and took a deep breath. The bull’s floppy ears twitched beneath his curved horns and his tail switched twice.

  Ready to ride, Chase nodded his head and the chute gate swung open. Kash released the flank strap and Willie plowed into the arena, bucking, jumping and twisting.

  Many people had told him since he started riding bulls that he was too tall to compete, but Chase ignored them. The average bull rider he knew was around five-eight or so. Standing just a hair over six-feet barefooted, he knew some people thought his long legs gave him a disadvantage. A few had even tried to explain the centrifugal force working against him with every spin of the bull.

  In truth, it was part art, part science, part skill, a lot of determination, and a little luck that made him a successful bull rider. If a bull started to spin toward the hand he had lashed to the bull by the rope, he would drive his shoulder toward the leg on the inside of the spin with his free hand above his head, aligning it to his body. If the bull twisted in the opposite direction, away from his riding hand, he could drop the elbow of his free hand, while keeping his hand up, to preserve his balance. A touch of his hand to himself or the bull meant he was disqualified.

  While some viewed his height as an obstacle he had to overcome, Chase looked at it as a bonus. His legs might be long, but so were his arms and that helped him be able to ride out some of the spins, bucks, and twists that would unseat riders with much shorter arms.

  Chase didn’t think of any of that as he worked to keep his
rhythm. The bull reared up then kicked out its back legs before twisting sharply to the left. Chase started to slip to the side. Not about to fall off this close to the buzzer, he tightened his hold with his thighs and prayed he’d stay on for the full eight seconds.

  Willie came straight up in the air then twisted to the right as the buzzer sounded. Chase released his breath and reached down to free his hand from the rope. Giving the tail of it a hard yank, it came free from his glove and he jumped off the bull, landing on his feet. Mindful the bull wouldn’t try to stomp him into the arena dust, he tossed it a quick glance as Wild Willie docilely trotted out of the arena. Chase waved his hat at the cheering crowd.

  “Now that’s how you make a great finish, folks,” the announcer said in a loud, theatrical voice. “Let’s hear it for Chase Jarrett. That cowboy just scored an eighty-eight point ride. He’s definitely in the top two. And if that isn’t enough to get excited about, that boy got himself married to a sweet gal this afternoon. Give him another hand!”

  He made a point of searching out the blue-eyed, brown-haired girl sitting with his cousin, aunt and uncle, and her friend. With a rascally wink, he blew Jessie a kiss and the crowd went wild. She offered him a shy smile and a brief wave of her fingers in return.

  Full of adrenaline and exhilaration, Chase jogged out of the arena, unable to wipe the grin off his face.

  He removed his gloves and dropped them with his bull rope then hurried over to the chute where Huck prepared to ride. As he’d done for him, Chase helped pull the rope tight and held out an arm for Huck to grab for balance when the bull beneath him started to get squirrelly.

  “You okay?” Chase asked as Huck settled lower onto the bull’s back and wiggled his gloved fingers, making sure the rope was tight.

  Huck gave him a quick glimpse and a wide grin. “Are you trying to steal my thunder? First, you draw my favorite bull and then you had to go and get married today, making you the crowd’s favorite.”

  Chase chuckled. “As long as you are competing, you’ll always be the crowd favorite, my friend. Besides, Jessie and I aren’t really married. You know that was just a publicity thing Ashley put together.”