A Cowboy’s Christmas List: Holidays in Heart Falls: Book 4

by Vivian Arend

  He’d thanked her for her gift—trusting him.

  The moment was huge, and yet she wasn’t quite ready to acknowledge that out loud.

  Instead, she dipped her chin briefly then pulled the map from her pocket. “Not much farther. Want to help me find the treasure?”

  He winked and gestured her toward the hay bales. “Happy hunting.”

  Less than five minutes of crawling this direction then that, Yvette let out a burst of laughter. “No way.”

  Tucked into the far corner left of the loft, the hay bales had been moved to create a cozy little hollow with a thick, brightly coloured picnic blanket as a base.

  Alex made himself at home, stretching out on the sturdy cotton surface. He patted the space next to him. “Come here. I have something for you.”

  She couldn’t resist and crawled beside him, leaning up on one elbow. “I bet you do.”

  He stroked his knuckles over her cheek. “Surprise. The picnic blanket is yours.”

  She glanced down in happy surprise. “It’s beautiful.”

  “It’s got a sturdy jean fabric on the backside with a triple layer of batting, so it’s straw and hay durable,” he said with a smile. “Since we both know fooling around anywhere near such substances is a recipe for disaster.”

  “Were we planning on fooling around?” she asked innocently.

  “We’re planning on doing whatever makes us happy.” His cowboy hat tumbled to the side as Alex slid sideways until Yvette lay flat on her back. He gazed down with hunger in his eyes.

  Doing anything sexual in a barn where she worked was not part of her standard operating procedure, but focusing on what would make her happy right now was very enticing. “Kiss me?”

  He tossed his cowboy hat farther and adjusted himself so that the entire long, lean length of him pressed against her side. He leaned over, lips inches from hers. “Yes, ma’am.”

  She was so sweet. The contrast between her being absolutely fearless and totally in control to these moments when she showed delicacy and fear. The veterinarian who knew her shit and the woman who still seemed to be finding her feet at times. He loved all of it. How all her components wrapped together to create a woman who rocked his socks off.

  Also, touching her, even the slightest bit, made his cock harder than fucking stone.

  He cursed inside, because she was setting the pace. He’d said it was totally up to her how fast and how far—and he meant to keep that promise, but dear God, did he want her.

  Right now, though, he was going to take that first taste a little further. Resting his hand on her waistline, he put their lips together. They’d practiced this part enough over the past week that she automatically lifted her arms to wrap around him. Sliding the fingers of one hand into his hair and arching into him as he slid his hand slowly up her belly.

  He teased their tongues together, her breath escaping in teeny pants that rushed past his cheek. She gasped when his hand landed on her breast.

  Alex groaned before he could stop himself. Even through her thick shirt and bra, the heat of her overflowing his palm lit a bonfire inside him.

  Floorboards creaked. A steady, sharp rhythm followed—

  Footsteps.

  Growing closer.

  “Shit.”

  They scrambled apart. Yvette tugged at her shirt to pull it back over her assets while Alex rearranged himself to keep from cutting off all feeling in his cock. They both stayed seated, hidden behind the bales.

  “We should probably use up the hay in the second barn loft first.” Tucker’s voice. Deep, with a hint of laughter at the edges.

  Alex was sure they were out of sight. Yvette had pressed her fingers over her mouth, so they were silent even as they exchanged amused glances.

  But Alex also figured Tucker totally had their number and knew they were there. Now to see if they got busted or if the man waited until later to give Alex hell for fooling around in the loft.

  “I thought this barn still held enough to last a couple months. But you don’t want to use it now?” Ginny Stone, Tucker’s fiancée, made a huh sound. “That makes no sense.”

  “Keeping spaces open for…cats…to play is important.” Tucker said it dryly.

  For some reason Tucker’s comment got a huge laugh out of Ginny. “Okay, fine. Don’t know why you brought me up here then.”

  “You don’t? Let me refresh your memory, goddess.”

  A sudden gasp from Ginny was followed by more laughter, then one set of footsteps moved toward the far-right corner of the loft.

  Away from where Alex and Yvette sat motionless.

  No time to lose, because there were some things Alex didn’t need to hear. His future boss fooling around was one of them.

  Alex pressed a finger over his lips, tilting his head to the exit. Yvette followed him, scooping up the blanket and silently moving on his heels until they were at the edge of the loft.

  “How do we…?” she whispered.

  He pointed to the side wall, stepping around it to where a narrow but very sturdy set of stairs descended.

  They didn’t say anything until they were all the way outside. Then Yvette laughed, softly punching Alex in the biceps. “There was another way up into the loft.”

  “There are many ways to find treasure,” he teased back. “Can’t turn down a magical carpet ride for plain-Jane stairs, now could you?”

  She shook her head, glanced around quick, then kissed him. “That was fun. Thanks for the blanket as well.”

  He grinned. “I should get back to work. See you tomorrow, though?”

  “You bet.”

  He walked her to her truck, stole another kiss, and waited until her truck disappeared off the ranch before forcing his feet back into work mode. Eager for the day to be done and the next to arrive.

  He was standing outside when Yvette picked him up at eight a.m.

  Sydney Jeremiah was already sitting in the passenger seat, and she immediately slid into the middle, juggling coffees as Alex got himself settled and buckled in.

  “We could take my crew cab,” Alex pointed out.

  “I figured if Creighton sees my truck coming, he might not bundle himself off and hide.” Yvette pointed to the bags on the front dash. “My turn to pick up cinnamon buns. Tansy and Rose said to say hi, by the way.”

  Sydney helped by passing Alex a treat then held the bag as a plate for Yvette to grab hers from once they were out on the highway. “Is it terrible if I confess Buns and Roses is one of the main reasons I made the move to Heart Falls?”

  “That’s not terrible. Shows you got sense,” Alex assured her.

  Yvette grinned. “The coffee shop is near and dear to everyone’s heart, but I have to confess that Rose and all of the trinkets she sells make me just as happy.”

  “You like sparkly things?” Sydney asked.

  Alex met Yvette’s gaze briefly before she focused back on the highway. “A little too much, sometimes,” she confessed.

  “Well, that’s not possible.” Sydney took a long drink of her coffee before sighing happily. “Unless you’ve got a hoarding issue that I need to support you in correcting.”

  Alex was quick to speak in Yvette’s defense. “Definitely not hoarding, but you need to stop by sometime and see all the cool stuff she’s collected. Heck, I still need to take a thorough look. There’s a lot of neat collectibles in her home.”

  “What’s your favourite?” Sydney asked seriously.

  Yvette barely hesitated before cracking a grin. “Well, before this month, I would have said my sand collection, which isn’t so much shiny as very personal. Every time I’ve hit a beach, or a lake with a beach, I steal away just enough to put in a little tube. They’re all in a display case. It’s fascinating to see all the different textures and colours.”

  “That does sound amazing. I can see that bringing back a lot of happy memories. Good for you.” Sydney licked her fingers clean before asking, “What’s your new favourite?”

  Alex li
ked this woman who was smart and sharp and keen to encourage Yvette.

  A low hum escaped Yvette. “My new favourite is courtesy of that gentleman in the passenger seat beside you. He’s been giving me pretty charms to put on a bracelet.”

  Sydney gave him a friendly nudge in the ribs with her elbow. “Way to go, charmer. It’s nice to see a couple get along as well as you two do. How long have you been dating?”

  “What’s the date today?” Yvette said, a smile curling her lips.

  Sydney looked confused for a minute before Alex took pity on her. “Took a while to get my head out of my ass and be smart enough to realize what a gem Yvette is. Then I was out of town until the start of this month.”

  Shock briefly flickered in the woman’s eyes before she put on her game face. “Good for you.”

  Conversation slipped into discussing other places in town and where Sydney might be able to find someone to help with some construction items. Alex sang along when “Run Run Rudolph” came on the playlist, and the girls laughed as he hammed it up along with Luke Bryan.

  Yvette shook her head, though. “I seem to remember you once said you only sang during karaoke nights.”

  “That would be a pity. You’ve got a great voice.” Sydney nodded approvingly.

  “Always have enjoyed singing along with the radio.” Alex wasn’t about to confess that after deciding to pursue Yvette, he’d realized singing was another thing they could do together. He hadn’t thought of it in time to add anything musical to her calendar gifts, but he was already plotting future mischief.

  Mischief that involved her and him and some great love songs. Just to keep the mood rolling in the right direction.

  The bumpy road up to the farm smoothed slightly as they pulled into the yard.

  “Looks like he’s home.” Alex glanced at the dilapidated truck parked outside the cabin and the pack of dogs running toward them.

  “Smoke from the chimney as well,” Sydney pointed out.

  Yvette was already greeting the dogs, slipping them treats from her pockets as she ruffled their heads. “Hey, guys. Yes, it’s me again. Where’s the boss?”

  The boss was standing on his front porch, arms folded over his chest in a most unwelcoming posture. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Hi, Mr. Reiner. Good to see you again too,” Yvette called with utter cheerfulness.

  Alex fought to keep from smiling.

  Yvette gestured to the side. “This is Sydney, and I think you know Alex. He works at Silver Stone.”

  Creighton met Alex’s gaze. “Hoity-toity horses still selling like hot cakes?”

  “Yes, sir,” Alex said.

  “That Ashton still giving you hell?”

  “Yes, sir, and he brought in his nephew as backup for the days Ashton wants to take life a little easier and sleep in.”

  Creighton huffed before taking in the three of them again. “You plan on giving me any kind of religious pamphlets, you can just turn yourselves right around.”

  Yvette had made it to the bottom rung of the stairs. “I came back to take a look at Hunter and figured while I was checking on your dog, Sydney could take a look at your foot.”

  “Why would I let some little girl do that?” Creighton straightened, towering over them in spite of his years.

  Alex was about to remind the man of his manners when Sydney stepped forward, hands clasped in front of her as if she were a little girl about to make a recitation in front of the class.

  She might look like a pixie, yet the next minute, Sydney proved she had balls of steel. “I graduated at the top of my class, five years younger than most men in the program. But the real reason you want me to take a look at you is because I’m also a really good shot. If I have to use a tranquilizer dart and take you down when you’re out doing chores some morning and not expecting it, I will. Then I’ll be real pissed I had to do that instead of starting right here and now and doing what should be a five-minute examination. Stuff your attitude and sit your ass down in a chair so I can look at those stitches. Sound like a good enough reason to you, sir?”

  Alex kept an eye on Creighton but had to put a hand up to cover his mouth, pretending to scratch his cheeks, because there was no way in hell he could stop his grin.

  Yvette rocked slightly, almost as if she were choking.

  Sydney fluttered her lashes then switched her hands to behind her back, once again a little girl. “Shall we get on with it?”

  Creighton turned on the spot and went back into the cabin, but he left the door open.

  The three of them followed him in.

  Yvette stopped in the doorway. “Hunter’s not on the porch. You know where he’s gone?”

  Creighton shrugged. “Probably the barn. The dogs all got a nest out there to keep them warm in the winter.”

  The man leaned down to undo his boot.

  Yvette tilted her head toward Sydney, indicating Alex should stay with her, and then stepped outside, going to look for her patient.

  The old man grumbled a few times, but he let Sydney examine his wound and give him a shot along with a small vial with medication. “Yvette did a good job, and it’s healing well. Take the pills to make sure it stays infection free until it’s completely mended.”

  They were headed out the door when the old man spoke gruffly. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. If you do have problems, call someone, and I’ll come and check on you,” Sydney promised.

  “Don’t push your luck,” he grumbled.

  Alex chuckled as they walked down the steps and headed toward the barn in search of Yvette. “That was actually very friendly for Creighton.”

  “He seems like a lovely gentleman,” Sydney said with complete seriousness.

  Yvette was in the barn, confused and worried. “I’ve looked everywhere, and I can’t find Hunter.”

  Even after a joint search by all three of them, there was no sign of the dog.

  She finally shrugged and pointed back toward the truck. “I’ll come out again in a few days. He might’ve headed out to the far side of the property, and I’m not going to go wading through the snow to find him.”

  They dropped Sydney off first. The doctor wiggled her fingers before vanishing into her cozy little house at the edge of town.

  “She’s kick-ass,” Yvette said happily. “I’m glad she’s going to join us at the next girls’ night out.”

  “The men in this town are not going to know what hit them,” Alex complained with a shake of his head. “You ladies running wild once a month. It’s just disaster waiting to happen. Maybe you need some help at the next one. You know, some big strong guys to lift and carry things for you.”

  “You wish,” Yvette said. “Too bad that’s why we call it girls’ night out, so you can’t be invited.”

  “Invite me to something else, then,” Alex teased.

  “Maybe I will. Maybe you could come over tomorrow, and after I open my calendar surprise, you can join me when I visit my grandparents.”

  Alex froze, the ease with which she had asked him to do something so personal sending a thrill through him.

  Before he could speak, her fingers had tightened on the wheel, and she was staring straight forward. “Never mind. That was a silly suggestion. I’m sure you have other things you need to do.”

  “Yvette.” Her name came out sharper than intended.

  She glanced at him and made a face. “Sorry.”

  He caught her hand in his and kissed her knuckles softly. Breathing slowly as he tried to make sure he said what she needed to hear. “I am so pleased you invited me. I’ll say it again. Whatever expectations you have, we’re still figuring stuff out, but I want to be there for you. Which means you can invite me to something, and if I can’t make it, I will tell you why. And if I don’t want to do it, I will tell you that as well. Trust me.”

  “I’m trying.” The words escaped barely above a whisper.

  He laughed, letting the sound ripple through the ti
ghtness of the space between them. “You’re doing great. And I’m looking forward to seeing your grandparents, although I already know them, since Mack, Ryan, and I have been trading off doing the once-a-month fire drills at the senior lodge.”

  She blinked. “You’re right. I’d forgotten about that.” She wrinkled her nose. “Speaking of forgetting, that’s the other thing. We’re moving my grandpa tomorrow.”

  9

  Ten thirty the next morning, Alex parked outside the Heart Falls Senior Lodge and hurried to join Yvette. He was running a little bit late, but she’d responded to his text with happy face emojis and an assurance she still wanted him there when he could make it.

  The lodge was a cozy building, with a large central core and four residential arms. Two of those had one- or two-bedroom mini apartments for independent living. The third was for extended care, where trained healthcare workers helped with the day-to-day care of the residents.

  The fourth section included an Alzheimer’s and dementia ward, which is where Alex found himself headed as he helped carry the final load of Floyd Wright’s possessions.

  “Is it coffee time?” Yvette’s grandpa asked, his voice wavering slightly as he glanced over his shoulder at his wife, who was pushing his wheelchair.

  “It is,” Geraldine said agreeably. “And after coffee, we’ll get you settled in your new room.”

  “I hope they have proper cookies today.” He glanced at Yvette, who was walking beside him, a brightly coloured quilt draped over her arm. “Do you like cookies?”

  “Most of the time. Especially with coffee, but I also like cinnamon rolls, and doughnuts and lots of other sweet treats.”

  He made an agreeable sound, nodding firmly.

  Grandma Geraldine glanced at Alex, who held a banker’s box in his arms. “Thank you for bringing that. We didn’t have enough hands to juggle everything.”

  “Glad to help.” They paused at the security door and waited while Yvette punched in the code.

  A few minutes later, they had Floyd settled at one of the round tables in the common area. Geraldine sat beside him as the helpers brought around cups of coffee and plates of snacks.