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

by Shanna Hatfield

  Tate stepped in front of them, blocking their departure. “I haven’t met your friend.” He gave Kenzie a charming smile before turning it toward her friend and holding out his hand. “I’m Tate Morgan.”

  “Mr. Morgan, Michele Ponti. It’s a pleasure to meet you. We watched you ride all week and we’ll be cheering you on tonight.” Michele wondered how Kenzie knew Tate and why she wasn’t falling all over the cute cowboy who seemed to hold more than a passing interest in her.

  “Thanks, Miss Ponti.” Tate smiled, courteously touching the brim of his hat.

  “Michele, please. Call me Michele,” the woman gushed, in awe of the gorgeous rodeo star smiling at her.

  “I appreciate the support, Michele. It’s going to come down to the wire to see who takes the title.” Tate offered an arm to Michele and held the other out to Kenzie. “If you’d like to come back to the table, I’ll sign a photo for you.”

  “I’d like that very much,” Michele said with a giggle. Fifteen years older than Kenzie, she had a fun-loving outlook that sometimes made her seem like the younger of the two. “It looks like you’re quite popular today.”

  “I guess.” Tate took two photos from the stack on the table and signed one for Michele before offering the other to Kenzie.

  Dramatically sighing, she snatched it from him and stuffed it in the pink bag slung over her shoulder. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather sign some part of my anatomy?” Kenzie bit out, glowering at him.

  “Darlin’, I’d be happy to later, in private, if you’ll meet me after the rodeo so we can talk, but I can’t do that here. It goes against my personal policy of only signing photos.” Much to his satisfaction, the heated look he gave her made her fidgety.

  “Point taken.” She dipped her head his direction. “We better let you return to your fans.”

  “I suppose I should get back to it,” Tate said, wanting to ditch his duties the rest of the afternoon and walk around with Kenzie. “Have you visited all the vendor booths?”

  “No, we’re just getting started.” Kenzie edged away from Tate’s table.

  “In that case, I won’t keep you.” Tate tipped his hat to Michele and then Kenzie. She’d only taken a few steps when he called to her. She stopped and looked back over her shoulder as he approached her. “Would you mind taking a look at this booth and letting me know if you think Pop would like one?”

  “One what?” Kenzie took the vendor map that he held out to her, noticing a booth number circled in red.

  “You’ll see when you get to the booth,” Tate said with a grin that made her nod her head in agreement. “Please, I’d really like your opinion. I know Pop’s taken quite a liking to you.”

  “The feeling is mutual,” Kenzie said, unable to keep herself from smiling when he mentioned his father. “Your dad is wonderful. I’d be happy to check out whatever this is and let you know what I think.”

  “Thanks.” Although people walking by bumped him on both sides, Tate watched Kenzie and Michele until they disappeared into the crowd.

  Kenzie could feel Tate’s gaze on her back and turned down a side aisle as quickly as possible, tugging Michele along with her.

  “You just hold it right there, missy.” Michele pulled Kenzie to a stop in front of a booth selling metal wall art. “We aren’t taking another step until you tell me all about that very handsome cowboy who seems quite taken with you.”

  “There’s not much to tell,” Kenzie said, pretending interest in a welcome sign cut from metal and juniper wood. “We met at the airport in May. We often catch the same flights. I thought we might have a future together until I caught him kissing some trollop at a rodeo. End of story.”

  Michele looked stunned for a moment then gathered her composure. “Was he kissing her or was she kissing him?” Michele eyed Kenzie. She’d known the woman for years and she’d never seen her worked up like she was around Tate Morgan. It was plain to see the strong attraction and chemistry sizzling between the two, whether either of them wanted to admit it.

  “What does it matter? The point is, I caught him with her and he knew from the get-go that kind of stuff wouldn’t fly with me.” Kenzie ambled toward another booth.

  “Kenzie, I’ve been married, quite happily I might add, for almost twenty-two years,” Michele said, giving Kenzie a knowing look. “I have a pretty good idea of what love looks like and you both are wearing it. Not to mention the sparks you can practically see flying between you two.”

  Despite her annoyance with Michele, Kenzie couldn’t keep from grinning. “You really are dramatic, you know that? And a little crazy. Maybe even something of a hopeless romantic.”

  Looping her arm around Kenzie’s, Michele tugged her toward a clothing booth. “Possibly, but you have to admit, I keep things lively for you.”

  “That you do,” Kenzie said as she picked up a blouse she knew she had to have.

  Two hours later, Kenzie sat on a bench outside, keeping watch over a pile of shopping bags, while Michele was in the restroom. While she waited for her friend to return, she sent Tate a quick text message telling him she fully approved of the vintage milk cans painted with farm and ranch scenes he liked for his dad.

  He sent back a message asking if she was still there and she replied that she was about to take a taxi with Michele to their hotel.

  She’d barely closed her phone and stuck it in her purse when Tate burst out the doors and hurried her direction.

  Surprised to see him, his sapphire blue gaze pulled at her, drawing her into a place she wasn’t sure she’d ever want to leave. She hated to admit it, but she’d missed him these past few months with an intensity that was nearly crippling at times.

  “Hey.” Her voice sounded soft and breathless as she got to her feet.

  “Hi there.” Tate took her hand in his and twined their fingers together, studying her face for a reaction.

  Kenzie thought about yanking her hand away, but Tate’s callused palm against hers felt too familiar, too right.

  “I’m glad I caught you before you left.” The smile he gave her made her knees as feeble as her resolve to ignore him, forcing her to sit on the bench. He hunkered down in front of her, still holding her hand. “Would you have an early dinner with me before the rodeo or can I see you afterward? Please, Kenzie? I would really appreciate the opportunity to speak with you.”

  “I… um… I just don’t…” Kenzie wavered between what her head told her to do and what her heart wanted to do. The look on Tate’s face pushed her heart ahead as the winner.

  “Please?” Tate pleaded.

  As he gazed at her with an overpowering intensity, she knew there was no way she could possibly refuse, even if she could have forced the word “no” past her traitorous lips.

  “Okay,” she said, nodding her head. When he kissed her cheek, his familiar scent filled her nose, stimulating her senses, and making heat ripple through her midsection. “I’ll see you after the rodeo. I don’t think you should let yourself get distracted before.”

  “What are you planning that would distract me?” Tate asked with a cocky grin and twinkling eyes.

  “Nothing and you know it, Tate Morgan! Why, I should…” Kenzie jerked her hand away from his.

  “Give me a good luck kiss before I ride tonight,” Tate interrupted, winking at her as he got to his feet and pulled her up with him.

  Kenzie looked at him for a long moment before she smiled.

  “I suppose I could do that.” Kenzie realized kissing him was likely to wreak havoc on the carefully constructed pretense of normality she’d built since September.

  “Great. I’ll come find you before I ride.” Once again taking her hand in his, he squeezed it gently. “Where are you sitting?”

  “Dew has a corporate suite at the event, but Mara Powell invited me to sit with them. I thought I’d take her up on the offer tonight.” She looked forward to seeing Mara and the kids, sitting with them as they cheered on Huck, Tate and Cort.

  “Perfect. I
know exactly where to find you.” Tate tipped his hat at Michele as she walked up beside Kenzie. “It was very nice to meet you, Michele. And you, Dewdrop, I’ll see later.”

  Michele and Kenzie, along with a few other women, watched Tate walk off with a swaggering step.

  “Dewdrop?” Michele finally asked, giving Kenzie a teasing look. Raising an eyebrow, she took note of the girl’s flustered state. “You’ve got to tell me how you acquired that nickname.”

  “Oh, just get in the cab.” Kenzie nudged her friend toward the taxi’s open door.

  Back at the hotel, Kenzie was too wound up to rest before the rodeo. Instead, she repacked her suitcase, gathering her training materials and stowing them in her oversized bag before taking a long shower.

  After dressing in a new blouse and her favorite jeans along with a pair of cowboy boots, she spent twice as long as usual styling her hair. She recalled how much Tate liked it hanging long and loose, leaving it down in soft curls. Mindful of how much she wanted to feel his hands in it again, she almost gathered it all up into a bun. At the last minute, she couldn’t quite talk herself into doing it.

  Since she still had time to kill, she dug around in her bag for a notebook to write down some training ideas. Instead of the notebook, she pulled out the photograph of Tate.

  Although it was black and white, she could imagine the intense blue of his eyes, the golden tan of his skin, and the light brown of his wavy hair. He leaned against a fence with his hat tipped back, leather chinks over his muscled legs, looking way too sensuous for Kenzie’s raw emotions to handle.

  Tenderly tracing her finger along his face, she released a sigh and carefully put the photo back in her bag between two training workbooks to keep it from being wrinkled or damaged.

  She sank down on the couch and decided to keep an open mind when she talked to Tate later. Maybe there was some truth to the story that he hadn’t been cheating on her in Pendleton. If it was true, if he really did have a stalker, she owed him the world’s biggest apology.

  After gathering her purse and phone, she went down to the lobby to wait with Michele and a few others for the shuttle that would take them to the rodeo.

  A while later, after arriving at the center where the rodeo was held, Michele convinced Kenzie to wander one last time through the booths set up outside. They purchased hot, doughy pretzels and cold drinks then strolled inside to meet the rest of their group.

  Kenzie settled into her seat in the corporate suite and hung out there with her coworkers prior to the rodeo starting. When she finished her pretzel, she told Michele she was going to sit with a friend.

  “Make sure you say hello to Tate for me.” Michele gave Kenzie a taunting smile.

  “Tate? Tate Morgan?” Tom Bridgeland, president of the Dew Corporation, leaned around his wife to pin Kenzie with an inquisitive stare. “You know Tate Morgan?”

  “Yes, sir,” she said, trying not to feel like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

  “You’ve been holding out on us, Kenzie.” Although his tone sounded scolding, his bright smile revealed his delight at discovering a link to one of the rodeo stars.

  “Yes, sir.” Kenzie noticed all eyes in the suite suddenly turned to her.

  “Do you think I could meet him?” Tom asked in a tone just short of pleading.

  “I can ask him.” Kenzie hoped Tate wouldn’t mind meeting her boss.

  “That would be great.” Tom excitedly slapped his hat against his leg. “Let me know what he says.”

  Kenzie sent Tate a quick text message. He promptly replied that he’d be happy to shake hands with her boss. After giving him directions on where to find the corporate suite, she sat back down and waited.

  When he arrived a few minutes later, Cort and Huck accompanied him. All three signed Tom’s program, as well as the programs of several other people.

  Kenzie could hardly take her eyes off Tate as he laughed and talked with her boss and peers.

  He was one good-looking man, especially with his light brown hair peeping out from the brim of his black hat, a charming smile, and broad shoulders that looked like he could handle anything. The shirt he wore intensified the blue in his eyes while a pair of jeans that looked like they were custom-made for him drew more than one set of female eyes to his fine rear-end.

  Lost in her thoughts of how good he looked, Kenzie was surprised when Tate took her elbow in his hand, bringing her to her feet. His unique scent tantalized her senses while sparks shot up her arm at his touch.

  “You all won’t mind if we steal Kenzie away for a while, will you?” Tate asked, his eyes sparkling like bright jewels and dimples dancing in his handsome face.

  “Not at all.” Tom shook Tate’s hand again. “It was a true pleasure to meet you boys. Good luck tonight.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Tate tipped his hat to the group before he took Kenzie’s hand in his, following Cort and Huck out of the suite and over to the section of seats where Mara and the kids waited.

  “Look who we found hobnobbing with the bigwigs,” Huck said as Katie jumped up and threw her little arms around Kenzie.

  “Kenzie! You came!” Katie enthusiastically tugged Kenzie into the seat next to hers. Huck picked up Hunter and held him on his lap while Mara held the baby.

  “It’ll be nice to catch up with you,” Mara said with a warm smile. “I’m so glad you came to sit with us, Kenzie.”

  “I’m looking forward to catching up with you, too.” Kenzie smiled as Katie climbed onto her lap and traced the glimmering sequins on the yoke of her shirt.

  “You’re so pretty,” Katie said in a singsong voice as she wiggled one foot, clad in a bright red boot. “Just like a princess.”

  “That she is.” Tate winked at Kenzie as he took Katie’s seat next to her.

  Cort squatted down on the edge of the aisle to visit for a moment then headed off to prepare for the last round of competition.

  “You better get down there, too, man,” Huck said, nodding his head toward Tate. “You want to be ready to take the title tonight.”

  “I’m more than ready.” Tate picked up Katie and bounced her wildly on his legs before setting her on her feet. Her giggles echoed around them as Tate removed his hat and put it up to block the view of anyone watching.

  He intended to give Kenzie a quick, chaste kiss. However, the sparks sizzling between them exploded and the kiss rapidly escalated into something driven, demanding, and utterly amazing. His free hand wrapped around the back of her neck, burrowing beneath her hair, and she leaned into his chest.

  Tate finally pulled back, slapped his hat on his head and kissed Kenzie’s cheek. While he appeared to recover quickly from the intensity of the kiss, Kenzie had a hard time regaining her mental balance as she stared into his eyes. They sent her messages she was afraid to interpret but couldn’t ignore.

  “How could I lose with a good luck kiss like that?” he teased, satisfied their kiss put the bright blush on Kenzie’s cheeks and left her looking slightly dazed.

  “Good luck,” Kenzie finally managed to say, still trying to gather the frayed edges of her composure together after that earth-shattering melding of their lips. “Ride ‘em, cowboy.”

  “You can bet I will, Dewdrop.” Tate hurried down the steps and out of sight.

  “Kenzie, why is your face all…” Katie started to ask, but was cut off by her father’s hand over her mouth.

  “You just never mind, kiddo.” Huck shot Kenzie a knowing grin that made her flush an even brighter shade of red.

  As the rodeo began, Kenzie was grateful Huck traded seats with her so she and Mara could visit.

  They laughed and chatted until Cort competed in the steer wrestling. He placed first and the score put him in second place overall for the event.

  When the announcer declared it time for the saddle bronc riding to begin, Kenzie grinned at Mara. She turned her attention to the chutes, waiting to catch a glimpse of Tate.

  Drawing Twister, Tate was the four
th to ride. Kenzie recalled watching him master the horse in Santa Fe. She hoped he would earn as good a score tonight as he had then. If he did, it would move him far ahead of the competition.

  The horse charged out of the chute in a burst of fury, swiveling and bucking wildly.

  In what seemed like slow motion, Kenzie felt a shiver slide down her spine as she watched Tate. She loved to see him ride, to watch his smooth, fluid movements on the horse.

  The fringe on his chaps flew up and down. She imagined she could hear the slapping sound it made each time it connected with his leg. His left hand tightly gripped the rein while his right hand danced in the air with each buck of the beast beneath him.

  Twister executed a rapid turn before jumping high into the air. He whipped his huge body around on the way down and the velocity of the action caused him to roll over on his back, on top of Tate.

  The horse quickly gained his feet as the buzzer sounded and raced around the arena while Tate sprawled in a motionless heap.

  Screams gave way to hushed silence as Kenzie surged to her feet. Cort and a few other cowboys rushed out to Tate, but he remained unresponsive and unmoving on the arena floor. Her breath came in tight, sharp gasps as she prayed he would be fine.

  Huck set down Hunter, grabbed her hand, and they hurried out of the stands, running through the masses of people in the corridor toward the medical area.

  Nothing could happen to Tate.

  It just couldn’t.

  In spite of every effort to keep from admitting it, she was completely and hopelessly in love with him.

  Chapter Ten

  Still trying to recover from the shock of discovering Kenzie was not only in Las Vegas, but also at the rodeo watching him, Tate couldn’t wipe the cheesy grin off his face. He’d been sporting it for several hours — ever since he ran into Kenzie that afternoon.

  He’d taken plenty of flak for it the past thirty minutes as he stretched and worked his muscles, waiting for his turn to ride.

  His friends all knew he’d gone through a rough time during autumn when his girl left him, but it was easy to see Tate was on top of the world as he waited for his final ride in the rodeo.