Christmas Cowboy (A Standalone Holiday Romance Novel)

by Claire Adams

  Finally, I hopped into a long shower and took my time getting ready to go over to Gretchen's. I pocketed the little box that held her Christmas gift and went down to the parking lot, slipping into the rental car that I'd borrowed for the holiday, not wanting to pull Mark away from his family.

  When I knocked on Gretchen's door, there was no answer, but when I tried the front door, it was unlocked. I stepped hesitantly inside, reflecting that this was something I would never have done back in New York, and especially not with a girl who I was sleeping with, whether we had agreed to meet up that night or not. But being with Gretchen in Hawaii just felt different.

  I could hear the shower running upstairs, and I smiled a little to myself. I sat on the couch and pulled out my phone, waiting patiently for her to make her way downstairs. And trying not to think about what was going on just upstairs, the water droplets sliding over her body, her lathering up her long hair with shampoo, giving herself a good scrub, her hands sliding over each plane of her skin…

  I swallowed hard and pulled up the news. Nothing less sexy than politics.

  “Oh!” Gretchen said as she came down the stairs and found me sitting there waiting for her.

  I grimaced. “Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you,” I said. “I was a little early, and the front door was unlocked, and-”

  “No, no, it's fine,” Gretchen said, shaking her hair back. “Sorry, I just didn't hear you come in.”

  “I think you were in the shower,” I told her, trying not to blush a little.

  “Sorry about that,” Gretchen said. “Mina and I went for a spa day today, and I had this great oil massage. I just wanted to smell like myself again.”

  I laughed. “So, even masseuses get massages?” I teased.

  “Very rarely, actually,” Gretchen admitted, grimacing a little. “I could use them more often, but…”

  “You don't set enough time aside for yourself,” I guessed.

  “I guess not.” Gretchen laughed. “Speaking of work, how was your call this morning? Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah,” I said, leading her out toward the car with a hand at her lower back. I chewed my lower lip, trying to figure out what exactly to say to her. I mean, I was going to have to tell her that I would be leaving soon; there was no option about that. But I didn't want to spoil our date that night with the news that I'd already started looking at flights.

  Finally, I decided just to say, “Paul wanted to wish me a merry Christmas. We didn't talk business that much.”

  “That's sweet of him to call you just for that,” Gretchen said, smiling over at me.

  I shrugged. “Yeah, Paul's one of my best friends. We’ve known one another for well over a decade now. The other two guys, Alex and George, we don't get along so well, mainly because they think they know everything.” I paused. “You know what? I don't want to talk about all that if that's okay. Not right now at least.”

  “Okay,” Gretchen said soothingly, smiling over at me from the passenger's seat.

  We made it to the restaurant and were seated in a cozy corner by ourselves, with a good view of the ocean; it was amazing all the perks that you could get if you gave people a little extra money.

  “This is incredible,” Gretchen said, looking out over the sunset view.

  “It is,” I agreed, watching the colors of the dying sun reflected in the dark color of her eyes. God, she was pretty like this, with her hair flowing in casual waves and her face shining. It reminded me, for some reason, of the night at the luau.

  I could never take her to New York with me. This was her world. This was where she was happy.

  “What are you thinking about?” Gretchen asked, looking curiously over at me, maybe feeling the way my grip had tightened on her hand.

  I forced a smile, shaking off my dark thoughts. I wanted just to enjoy this, being here with her. For as long as I could have it. “I have something for you,” I told her, reaching into my pocket for the box. “After all, I couldn't spend Christmas with you without getting you anything. And I know I probably should wait until tomorrow, but I know you were going to Skype your family and everything, and anyway, I'm excited to give it to you.”

  Gretchen laughed, looking pleased. “I have your gift here with me tonight, too,” she admitted. “I guess, same thing. I'm just excited to give it to you.”

  I grinned at her. This was the first time I had ever been so much on a wavelength with anyone, let alone a female, and yet we seemed to perfectly mirror one another's thoughts. I pulled out the small box and held it out to her. Gretchen pushed a similarly shaped package toward me, except that hers had a large green bow stuck to the top of it, and I couldn't help grinning.

  “Oh, Christian, it's gorgeous,” Gretchen said, her fingers lightly touching the necklace that I'd bought her. It was a little seashell, nothing special, but as soon as I'd seen it, it had just seemed right for her.

  “Let me help you put it on,” I told her, moving around behind her chair. She held her hair off to the side, and I couldn't help letting my fingers linger against her neck as I did up the clasp. She shivered a little, and when I slipped into my seat across from her, I noted the lusty look in her gaze, the way that she slowly licked her lips.

  My cock twitched in response to my earlier thoughts of her in the shower as much as this current look on her face. “I'm coming over tonight,” I growled under my breath.

  “Of course. I want you to,” Gretchen said breathlessly, her eyes dark with want.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Gretchen

  Dinner was delicious, and I couldn't help feeling happy after watching Christian unwrap the watch that I had so carefully picked out for him. It had a wooden face on it rather than the sleek metal designs that most real estate agents probably preferred, but I thought it was the perfect mesh of professional and personal. The Christian who I was lucky enough to see there in Hawaii was one I wasn't sure anyone else had ever gotten to see before.

  We were hardly inside my front door before Christian had pushed me back against the wall, narrowly missing knocking us into the table as we went.

  I giggled a little, but the giggle died in my throat as he pinned my arms up above my head, kissing me soundly. I couldn't help the soft whimper that fell from my lips as he crowded me against the wall, pressing his muscular form tightly against my own fleshy curves.

  “We're not going to make it to the bedroom,” Christian said into my ear, his breath hot against the shell of it. He grazed his teeth along the lobe, making me gasp and grind down against the leg that he had, at some point, slotted in between mine. I couldn't help nodding in agreement, though. Going all the way upstairs, in this state, seemed impossible. I'd wanted him since he'd put this necklace on me since he'd stroked his hands lightly across my tender flesh and made me need contact with him. Made me crave more. And that naughty way that he'd told me, so confidently, right then and there, that he was going to come over that night.

  The thing about it was, each time I slept with Christian, things felt just as incredible as the first time.

  His palm came up underneath my dress, stroking smoothly across the heated skin there, making me shudder with desire. He cupped my breast, thumbing at my nipple through the thin, lacy fabric of my bralette.

  “Come on,” I urged. He wasn't even really teasing me all that much, but I just felt so impatient, so needy, so…

  So breathless, as he yanked off my panties and then undid his shorts, letting them and his boxers fall to the ground. His cock was already straining toward me, but I only caught a glimpse of it before he lifted me up, quickly sheathing himself in my warm, wet hole.

  I gasped, clinging to him, curling my legs around him. There was something undeniably sexy about this impatience, about the fact that we were both still mostly clothed, having sex there in my front hall like horny teenagers.

  I moaned as Christian maneuvered my hips, thrusting deeper inside of me.

  Christian kissed my neck, right next to the sh
ell pendant that he had bought for me, which was so perfect in ways that I couldn't even describe. He didn't know about all the times that I had combed the beach as a kid, looking for shells with holes in them that I could wear as necklaces. He didn't know about that one time when I'd been five years old, that I'd told my kindergarten teacher that clams were my favorite animal because of their pretty shells.

  I ran my fingers through his hair, no doubt making it stick up at odd angles, but neither of us was concerned with that at the moment. Instead, Christian's head dropped back a little, pressing into my fingertips in a clear request for more. I grinned until he started kissing me again, his lips hot against mine. But I had to turn away from the kiss as he thrust even more vigorously up into me, leaving me almost breathless.

  He rested his forehead against my temple, his fingers slipping against the skin of my hips but not enough to hinder his movements.

  I gasped, caught unawares as a sudden thrust hit just the right spot inside of me to have my nerves singing. My fingers scrabbled for purchase against his shoulders, and I was glad for the ways that he was supporting me or else I probably would have collapsed.

  With my walls pressing tight around his straining cock, he came with a muffled cry. His hands slipped over my hips, but he kept me there, pressed against the wall, the cloying scent of his cologne surrounding me. He pressed a kiss against my collarbone and slowly lowered me to the floor.

  I suddenly became aware of the fact that we'd had sex right there in the hall, and I couldn't help blushing brightly, much to Christian's amusement. “You can't tell me you've never done that one before,” he said, sounding almost incredulous.

  I ducked my head, clearing my throat awkwardly. “I guess it's just never felt so urgent before,” I admitted, feeling almost foolish.

  “Oh darling,” Christian said, kissing my forehead gently. He glanced down at his shorts and boxers and then deliberately kicked them off his feet, bending down to scoop them up even as he also stripped off his shirt. Soon, he stood there naked in front of me, a challenging look on his face. “Let's go to bed,” he suggested, holding out a hand to me.

  I swallowed hard and grinned shakily at him, already imagining what round two might be like. I let him lead me upstairs.

  A little while later, we were both there naked in my bed, cuddled together. Christian traced aimless patterns against my arm with his fingertips. “This has been the best month of my life,” he said quietly.

  “Oh, yeah?” I asked. I could tell that he was more relaxed now than he had been when he had first showed up in my massage parlor, and we all knew what a good bout of relaxing could do to a person.

  “I've enjoyed your company,” Christian said honestly. “This is the first time that I can recall that-” He broke off and cleared his throat, sounding almost awkward.

  “That what?” I pressed, sensing that it was something important.

  But Christian shook his head. “This is the first time that a vacation has been about more than just sex with random strangers,” he told me. “It's been nice. I didn't expect things to end up like this.”

  “I didn't either,” I admitted softly. I wasn't sure what I was admitting to, either; it was twofold. On the one hand, I could never have expected that this billionaire would open up to me the way that he had. On the other hand, I could never have expected that in such a short amount of time, just under a month, at this point, I'd develop such deep feelings for him. It was getting to the point where I could imagine him staying there in Hawaii, being part of my life for a long time.

  And that was the scary part.

  “Thank you for showing me your Hawaii,” Christian said. “With the waterfalls and the luaus and the scooter tours and everything else that we've done, I feel special.”

  “You are special,” I couldn't keep myself from admitting. Then, I clapped my hand over my mouth, feeling embarrassed. I started to roll away from him, but Christian caught me around the shoulders and drew me back into his side.

  “You are too,” he murmured, reaching forward to press a soft kiss against my skin.

  I blushed, and he smiled, swirling his fingers once more across my skin. “So, what's your plan for tomorrow?” I asked. “You must have some family who you need to contact or something, right?”

  Christian sighed and shook his head. “Nah,” he said, nonchalantly, as though there were no feelings about it either way. “Christmas hasn't been a big thing to me in a while. Usually, I just work my way through a bottle of good wine and maybe a couple of movies, things that I don't have time to do at other times of the year. And normally, if I get lonely-” He cut himself off, and I raised an eyebrow at him, guessing what he'd been about to say.

  “Normally, you'd call up some whore.” I sighed.

  Christian looked embarrassed, but he nodded. “Yeah,” he admitted.

  “Might have guessed that,” I said. I nudged him a little, trying to get him to relax. “If you need some company, I should be free once I've talked to my parents for an hour or so.”

  Christian let out a slow breath. “That would be nice,” he said. There was feeling in his voice that belied the casual words, and I suddenly got to wondering at how lonely his life in New York must be. No wonder he was constantly trying to fill that void with a string of commitment-less attachments.

  “I make the best Christmas dinner,” I informed him, winking at him.

  “Oh, really?” Christian asked, a sly note back in his voice, and I was glad to get him out of whatever introspective funk he'd fallen into and back into something that sounded more like himself.

  “Yeah,” I told him. “Hawaiian pizza. Can't beat it.” Christian looked for a moment like he wasn't sure if he should believe me or not. Then, he burst out laughing. “And then, I curl up on the couch and watch all the Christmas specials that I can find,” I continued. “Best way to go.”

  “Maybe I'll have to join you,” Christian said, grinning fondly down at me.

  “Maybe you will,” I said.

  He dropped off to sleep not long after that, and after a long moment of listening to him breathing, I hesitantly moved over so my head was resting on his chest. I lay there stiffly, not even daring to breathe for a moment until I heard his breaths even out even further. Then, I finally allowed myself to relax and breathe normally.

  I wasn't sure what I was going to do once he went back to New York. Despite Mina's words, I knew he would end up going back to New York, and sooner rather than later. I traced my fingers over his chest, sighing softly. The last thing I wanted to do was let him go, but I knew I didn't have any say in the matter.

  It wasn't as though I could tell him to stay there, just for me. And it wasn't as though he was going to invite me back to Hawaii to stay with him. He had his world there, one that I could never hope to fit into. I would never stack up against those blonde, busty women who he was accustomed to taking home.

  I shouldn't have been thinking along those lines. I should just be enjoying what I had. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, and then I finally allowed myself to drift off to sleep next to him.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Christian

  I woke up feeling pleasantly warm and relaxed, with a heavy weight on my chest. When I opened my eyes, I saw that it was Gretchen, who had apparently fallen asleep with her head pillowed on my chest, her arm curled possessively around my torso.

  It was the first time I had ever woken up in bed with a woman. Let alone in another woman's bed.

  I frowned down at her and considered moving, but I honestly liked being here, like this. She was the first woman who I hadn't felt the need to kick out of bed, and even now, early in the morning, when I knew I should probably be slipping away before she opened her eyes, I couldn't bring myself to move.

  The thing is, I knew better. I knew that if she woke up with me, she was probably going to start getting attached, but I was already a bit attached to her. The more I thought about it, the more going back to New York wa
s going to hurt. Of course, it was something that I had to do; there was no getting around that.

  Before I could even complete that train of thought, Gretchen was stirring against me, peering blearily up at me. “Good morning,” she said, her words a bit slurred with sleepiness.

  I couldn't help smiling down at her. “Good morning,” I rumbled.

  “And Merry Christmas,” she said. She yawned, belatedly covering the movement with her hand. “Sorry,” she said.

  I laughed a little. “That's okay,” I told her. “How are you feeling?”

  “Hungry,” she said immediately. Then, she looked a bit embarrassed.

  “Me too,” I said before she could second-guess herself. “How about we get some breakfast?”

  Gretchen peered over at the clock on her bedside table and looked surprised when she read the numbers. “It's already ten!” she said in surprise. “I haven't slept that late in forever.”

  “So, brunch, then,” I amended, grinning down at her.

  “Brunch,” Gretchen agreed, shaking her head. “Wow.”

  “You slept well, then?” I asked.

  “Yeah, really well,” she said rolling away from me and stretching, the move reminiscent of the one that she had performed on the beach after we'd had sex.

  I couldn't help coloring and shifting a little, feeling my morning wood stirring. But Gretchen was laughing and rolling out of bed. “Oh no,” she said, shaking her head. “We're already late enough that we're in danger of having to wait forever in line for a spot at a brunch place. And anyway, I need to Skype with my parents at some point before it gets too late in the day. They're a few hours ahead, remember?

  “Yeah.” I sighed, rolling out of the other side of the bed. I looked around for my clothes.

  “Pretty sure all your clothes, and maybe my panties, are downstairs. Last night was so incredible.” She blushed, stealing my heart.