Racing Christmas

by Shanna Hatfield

  “Paige mentioned something the other day about posing for the spring ads, but said we could plan it for after Christmas.” Shaun put out a hand to hold open the door when the elevator reached the lobby. After they stepped out, they strolled to a nearby restaurant for breakfast.

  Since it was early, they had no trouble getting a table and were soon enjoying their meals.

  “Do you need help with Rocket this morning?” Shaun asked as he slathered jam on a piece of toast.

  “Already fed, stall cleaned, and exercised,” she said, cutting off a bite from a thick omelet.

  Both men looked at her and then at their watches, noting that it was barely eight o’clock. “What time did you roll out this morning?” Jason asked.

  “I left here a little past five,” Brylee said, forking another bite. “Did you guys rent a car?”

  “No, we figured we can hoof it, take a taxi, or ride the monorail.” Jason waggled his fork at Shaun. “This one thought we should rent a vehicle, but we’ll be fine.”

  “I brought my pickup back with me this morning, so if either of you need to borrow it, consider it yours.”

  “Thanks, darlin’, we might just take you up on that.” Jason stuffed a bite of fluffy biscuit smothered in sausage gravy in his mouth while Shaun toyed with a piece of crispy bacon.

  “So, what’s on the agenda today?” Brylee asked. She was glad she didn’t have any obligations. Starting tomorrow, though, the pace would be hectic until the rodeo ended.

  “I thought we could…” Shaun’s words drifted off as a hunky cowboy approached their table.

  He and Jason both stood and shook the man’s hand. Brylee recognized him as a steer wrestler. The cowboy had just missed making it into the finals, but he’d obviously come to town to either check out the competition for next year or cheer on his friends. Perhaps a little of both.

  “What are you up to, Nate?” Shaun asked, motioning for the cowboy to take a seat next to Brylee since she’d somehow managed to sit across the table rather than beside him.

  “Well, I heard there’s a pretty girl looking for something fun to do today.” Nate turned a megawatt smile on Brylee. “Some friends and I are doing a helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon. There’s room for one more if you want to come along.”

  Brylee shot Shaun a hesitant glance. Before she could politely decline the invitation, Jason enthusiastically nodded his head. “She’d love to go!”

  Her head snapped up and she scowled at Jason, but he merely grinned then looked to Nate. “What time are you leaving?”

  “We need to leave in about twenty minutes.” Nate glanced at his watch. “I told the others I’d meet them at the airport at nine.”

  “That sounds fine,” Jason said, waggling his fork at Brylee’s plate. “Eat up, honey, or you’ll be late.”

  She started to give him a piece of her mind about taking over as her personal assistant and lining up dates for her, but the livid look on Shaun’s face kept her silenced. He appeared as though he considered pummeling poor Nate. That wouldn’t be an easy task since Nate was a good three inches taller and at least twenty pounds heavier than Shaun.

  Brylee pasted on her sweetest smile and turned to look at the steer wrestler. “I’d love to go, Nate. Would you like something to eat or drink while we finish?”

  “No thanks. I already had breakfast and my limit of coffee for the morning.” He glanced at her outfit. “Do you want to change before we go?”

  Brylee glanced down at her lovely dress, hating not to wear it, but not wanting to be uncomfortable. She looked back at Nate. “Do you think I need to change?”

  He waggled an eyebrow at her. “Not on my account. You look about as pretty as a dewy rose petal.”

  Shaun grumbled something under his breath and broke the piece of bacon he held between his fingers into a pile of crumbles.

  “Everything okay, son?” Jason asked, feigning deep concern.

  “Just dandy,” Shaun said, wiping his hands on a napkin and rising to his feet. “I have some things I need take care of. Brylee, will you call me when you get back?”

  “Sure.” With a coy smile, she turned her attention back to Nate.

  The afternoon sun shone brightly overhead when she returned to the hotel. Unable to wipe the smile from her face, she’d abandoned trying. Nate had given her a ride to the airport where they met four other cowboys and went on a helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon. All five of the guys flirted with her, in a fun way, making sure she was warm enough, pointing out things for her to see, and taking selfies with her.

  Without a single doubt, she knew Jason had arranged the whole thing. On their way back, she’d crossed her arms over her chest and leveled each one of the men with a knowing glare.

  “Okay, who wants to tell me what’s going on?”

  The cowboys gave each other sheepish looks.

  Brylee leaned forward slightly. “I smell Jason Price all over this. Fess up. What’s all this about?”

  “Jason asked us if we’d take turns going out on dates with you. We had this tour already planned, so it seemed like a good way for you to spend time with us and get to know us a little better,” Nate explained. “He said Shaun deserves a little payback for something he did, and asked if we’d all help. Since we’ve been on the receiving end of Shaun’s pranks more than once, we were more than happy to step in. Everyone knows he’s sweet on you, Brylee. Jason thought this would teach him a lesson or two.”

  Brylee kept her face impassive. “It’s about time someone gave him a taste of his own medicine.” She broke into a grin and the guys started to chuckle.

  Nate laughed. “You should have seen his face when I walked up to the table and sat down this morning. He looked like he was about ready to shove me outside for a showdown.”

  Once the men stopped laughing at Shaun’s expense, Brylee sat back and studied them. “So, what are you guys doing after we get back?”

  She ended up going with them to a barbecue place for lunch. While the guys lingered after they finished eating, talking about rodeo, horses, and life in general, she walked over to a large mall across the street. With nothing else to occupy her time, she browsed to her heart’s content, admiring all the festive holiday decorations and did a little Christmas shopping before taking a taxi to the rodeo venue.

  After checking on Rocket and carefully feeding him so she wouldn’t get her clothes dirty, she caught another taxi back to the hotel. By then, afternoon gave way to dusk and the evening shadows made the lights of The Strip glow.

  Brylee hadn’t even fully stepped off the elevator on her floor when Shaun opened the door to his room and hurried her way.

  “Did you have a good time today?” he asked, taking the bags from her hands and following her to her door.

  “I had the best time. Have you ever done the helicopter tour?” she asked as she keyed into her room.

  Shaun followed her and set the bags on the couch. “I have and it was awesome. Didn’t you get cold in that outfit, though? It can get pretty chilly this time of year.”

  Brylee glanced over her shoulder at him as she dug through one of the bags. “No, the guys made sure I stayed warm.”

  A vein began to throb in Shaun’s neck and he muttered something she couldn’t hear. She had to turn away to hide her smile. If Jason’s plan was to tie Shaun in knots, it appeared to be going well.

  In truth, she didn’t like tormenting him by letting him think she was interested in someone else, but she did have a great time today. Halfway through the tour, she realized she hadn’t allowed herself to fully relax and enjoy anything frivolous for a very long time.

  Glad she’d gone on the tour, she looked forward to the “dates” the guys had planned out. Harmless and in good fun, she knew they’d be enjoyable, even if part of her felt guilty about how it would bother Shaun.

  Then again, he hadn’t expressed his feelings for her. No understanding existed between them, so he shouldn’t be upset if she went out with other men.<
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  On the other hand, if he started chasing other women, Brylee might run them over with her pickup and park her horse trailer on top of them for good measure. She knew turn about was fair play, but the whole situation was a plan his father devised. Surely he knew better than anyone how Shaun felt, and how he’d react. Wouldn’t he?

  Shaun took a deep breath and seemed to shake off whatever was bothering him. He turned back to her with an engaging smile. “Are you free for dinner tonight?”

  “As a matter of fact, I am. You have something in mind?”

  “I was hoping you’d keep me company. Dad ran into a couple of old friends from his college days and I’m on my own for the rest of the evening. If you’re game for it, I have a place in mind.”

  An hour later, she found herself seated in front of a window at a restaurant high above The Strip.

  She’d just finished eating a delicious meal when Shaun pointed out the window and they watched the fountains at the Bellagio come to life. Brylee had stood in front of the fountains and watched them, but looking down on the display provided an entirely different, spectacular view.

  “Oh, Shaun, it’s amazing!” she clasped his hand and squeezed it as they watched the water dance below them.

  After leaving the restaurant, they strolled through the large casino and attached shops. Shaun stopped at a Parisian-themed bakery and bought a small box of pale blue macarons decorated with feathery frosting snowflakes.

  “These are good,” Shaun said, after sampling one and taking another from the box, “but not as tasty as those cookies you made for us this summer.”

  “I’m glad you liked them. If you’re a good boy, maybe I can make a batch when I get home and mail them to you.”

  “Or maybe I can come get them in person. You know it’s less than three hours from my house to yours.” He bit into another cookie.

  Brylee finished her cookie and brushed the crumbs from her fingers. “I am aware of that fact. However, the pass could be treacherous and I don’t want to worry about you driving on icy roads when you don’t have to. You get enough of that with your job.”

  Shaun gave her a hopeful look. “You’d really worry about me?”

  She grinned and pointed to a towering Christmas tree glowing with lights, hoping to distract him. “At least for five whole minutes.”

  He snorted with mock disdain and took her hand, leading her to see more decorations.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Brylee stepped off the elevator in the hotel’s lobby and almost ran into Shaun as he stood near the doors. “What are you doing up so early?” she asked, taking in the two disposable cups of coffee he held.

  “If you don’t mind, I thought I’d tag along while you feed Rocket. Kash has two guys who are taking care of the stock, but I thought I’d see if they need any help this morning.”

  “Sure,” Brylee said, turning toward the entrance and handing a numbered ticket to the valet so he could bring her pickup around to the door. She glanced at the coffee Shaun continued to hold. “Are you planning to drink both of those?”

  Shaun grinned. “Nope. I figured you could use a jolt of java this morning.”

  “I definitely could,” she said, taking the cup he held out to her. It was black with just a hint of cream and one spoon of sugar, exactly how she liked it. “Thank you, Shaun.” She took a long drink then looked at him. “Thanks for last night. The food was fabulous and the company wasn’t bad either.”

  “I could take that coffee back,” he said, reaching for it.

  With a saucy smile, she held it away from him. “I don’t think so. I’ve already got my cooties all over it.”

  Shaun took a step closer to her and bent down until his lips nearly brushed her ear. He smelled of leather and coffee with a hint of mint from his toothpaste. “I kinda like your cooties, Bitsy. You can share them with me anytime.”

  She glanced over her shoulder at him, at the heat smoldering in his eyes, and wondered if he had any idea how entirely alluring he looked at that moment. With a day’s growth of scruff on his face, the captivating cleft in his chin, and that sexy half-grin on his face, how was a girl supposed to keep her wits about her?

  Before she could gather her rapidly scattering thoughts, the valet arrived with her pickup. On the way to the rodeo venue, they drank coffee and laughed at some of the crazy billboards they drove past on their way there.

  While Brylee fed Rocket breakfast, Shaun wandered over to check on the Rockin’ K stock. She saw him talk to two cowboys she recognized from traveling with them part of the summer then Shaun walked back as she filled a small stock tank with water for Rocket.

  “Billy and Sam get the early bird award today. They’re just finishing up feeding,” Shaun said. He took the rake leaning against the wall and started cleaning Rocket’s stall.

  “You don’t have to help me,” she said, trying to take the rake from him.

  “I know I don’t have to, but I want to. I’d rather be busy than stand around looking irresistible.”

  Brylee shot him a dubious glare, but she thought he’d nailed the statement right on the head. Shaun was gorgeous, whether he dressed nice or dressed down. Last night, he’d made her mouth water when he’d worn a pair of new pressed blue jeans and polished boots with a gray and blue paisley shirt that turned his eyes into an incredible whorl of color. Right now, he looked incredible in an old pair of faded jeans that fit him just right and a Wrangler T-shirt that clung to his solid chest muscles and biceps as he worked.

  In fact, she had no problem at all standing in the stall door watching him work, especially when he bent over to pick up a bit of baling twine that had somehow found its way into the sawdust on the stall floor.

  As though he sensed her perusal, he glanced back at her and winked.

  Cheeks flaming from embarrassment, she spun around and kept herself busy while he cleaned the stall and Rocket finished eating.

  “You ready for a little exercise, boy?” Brylee asked, fastening a lead rope to Rocket’s halter.

  Shaun waggled his eyebrows and shot her a rascally grin. “What’d you have in mind, darlin’?”

  She popped him on his all-too-cute backside with the end of the rope and led Rocket out of the stall. “I wasn’t talking to you, smarty.”

  Shaun reached up, as though he was covering Rocket’s ears. “Don’t listen, Rocket. She didn’t mean to call you a dummy.”

  Exasperated, Brylee sighed. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

  A chuckle rolled out of him as he pushed the wheelbarrow down the aisle of the make-shift barn to dump it.

  Brylee had already walked Rocket in a lap around the warm-up arena when Shaun caught up to them.

  “Want me to walk him?” he asked as he fell into step beside her.

  “I’ve got…” One of the other barrel racers waved at Brylee and motioned for her to join her and two other girls. Brylee bit back a sigh and handed the lead rope to Shaun. “If you’re sure you don’t mind?”

  “Not at all. You go do the girly chat stuff,” he said with assurance then waved at the girls.

  Brylee walked out of the arena and over to where the girls sipped coffee. “Good morning.”

  “Morning, Brylee. How’d you talk the bronzed Adonis into helping you?” one of the girls asked.

  Brylee glanced back to where Shaun walked Rocket around the arena. She shrugged. “He volunteered.”

  “After the ad I saw yesterday, it’s a wonder you don’t have guys following your every footstep,” another girl commented, giving Brylee a teasing smile.

  “I’m nobody important. If they don’t know that already, they will soon enough.” Brylee forced a smile. “Is there something you girls needed?”

  “No, we just wanted to watch him do that.” The third girl pointed as Shaun broke into a jog and ran alongside Rocket.

  Between the muscles, tanned arms, long legs, and early morning sunlight glinting off his hatless head, Brylee’s mouth suddenly turned dry
.

  One of the girls bumped her with her elbow and offered a smug smile. “You’re welcome.”

  Brylee grinned and leaned against the fence as the four of them watched Shaun. He eventually slowed to a walk and made two more laps before he joined them. Sweat made his shirt stick to him like a second skin. He handed Brylee the lead rope then tugged the hem of the T-shirt up to wipe his face, exposing washboard abs.

  One of the girls gasped and looked like she might reach out to touch them before the girl standing closest to Brylee grabbed her hand.

  “Hey, Shakin’ it Shaun. You planning any dance contests this year?” the cheeky girl with the wandering fingers asked.

  Shaun did a quick two-step, spun in a circle, gave his back end a little shake, then winked at the girl. “Nope. Not unless Cooper holds an impromptu dance-off again.”

  At Brylee’s confused look, he smiled. “When Paige first met Cooper, he played a joke on her by asking me and some of the others to join in a dance-off to showcase our backsides. Anyway, it ended up televised and I somehow got the nickname of Shakin’ it Shaun.”

  “Only because when you shake that thang, it drives the women around you crazy,” the cheeky one said, taking a step closer to Shaun with a man-hunting gleam in her eye.

  Shaun maneuvered so he stood on the other side of Brylee and took the rope from her hand. “I’ll take Rocket to his stall.”

  Four sets of eyes watched him walk away before Brylee pulled her thoughts back on track and smiled at the other women. “Are you girls going to the autograph session today?”

  “Yep. We’ll be there at two.”

  “I’ll see you all there. Have a great morning,” Brylee forced a cheerfulness she was far from feeling. As she watched the women ogle Shaun, she felt the most insane urge to tell them to keep their eyes and hands off her man.