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

by Shanna Hatfield

  She would just have to banish her fears and get over what had happened with the stalker.

  Kenzie placed a light kiss on Tate’s strong chin then sat up and stared at the man who had won her heart.

  In the light from the bedside lamp, she could see his hair pinwheeling around his head. A day’s growth of beard accented his scruffy cheeks along with creases from the pillow, but he looked wonderful to her.

  Tate reached out and playfully flipped the collar of her blue flannel snowman pajamas. “Now that’s what I call sexy nightwear, Dewdrop. You get those at Victoria’s Secret?”

  Kenzie glared at him and scooted further away in the bed. “Snarky comments from a man who’s wearing red and green plaid pajama bottoms? If you aren’t careful, I’ll tell Cort and Huck you’ve got a pair of Spiderman pjs.”

  “You wouldn’t dare.” Tate grinned wickedly as he reached for Kenzie. She backed away from his grasp.

  “Yep. I’ll tell them that you suck your thumb, too,” she teased. Laughter spilled out of her as Tate lunged for her and grabbed her leg before she fell out of bed.

  “You, Miss Beckett, are a complete tease and a terrible liar.” He pulled her to him. Wrapping his arms around her, he gave her a warm hug while his lips brushed across her neck.

  Sparks flew between them while heat flooded through Kenzie. In another minute, those sparks would ignite into inextinguishable flames.

  “Guilty as charged.” If they didn’t get up, it was highly likely they’d spend their entire Christmas Eve in her bed. Forcefully pushing her thoughts toward the day ahead, she pulled back from Tate and got to her feet on the opposite side of the bed. “What would you like for breakfast?”

  “Anything’s fine. We can just have cereal or toast.” Disappointed she’d ended his attempts at cuddling so speedily, he knew it was the right thing to do given the circumstances. Leisurely climbing out of bed, he helped Kenzie make it.

  “Did you decide on your plans for this evening and tomorrow?” Kenzie asked as she followed Tate down the hall as far as her bathroom.

  “Yep. I’d like to spend them with you.” He grinned as Kenzie rolled her eyes in exasperation.

  “I know that. What I’m asking is if you want to spend the time here or at the ranch?”

  “If it’s all the same to you, I think we should stay here. Since I wasn’t home, I didn’t put up a tree and with the threat of another storm coming in, I don’t want to get stuck out there with you here.” Tate wondered how Kenzie could look any more adorable than she did at that moment in her snowman pajamas with her hair all mussed and not a speck of makeup on her face. “I’ll be closer to Pop as well. Do you mind if we have dinner with him tonight?”

  “Not at all. If you want, he can spend the night here. I can sleep on the couch.” It would be fun to have Kent with them all evening and in the morning.

  “I think he’ll sleep better in his own bed, but we can keep him out as late as he can stand it tonight then go get him early tomorrow.” Tate cupped her cheek with his right hand. “Thank you for being so good to my dad. He thinks the world of you.”

  “I’m pretty fond of him myself.” She turned her face to kiss Tate’s palm. “And I like his son a little, too.”

  “Just a little?” He asked, taking a step closer to her with a menacing look on his face.

  “Yeah. Unfortunately, he thinks enough of himself without anyone else joining in the efforts,” Kenzie teased then ran into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Tate’s chuckles echoed down the hall as he made his way to the guest room.

  They spent the morning delivering the rest of her goodies and made it home just as Megan and Owen arrived. Over a simple lunch, they visited and laughed, talking about plans for the New Year.

  “What did you do with the baby?” Kenzie asked as the two women put away leftovers and cleaned up the dishes while Tate and Owen talked cattle, horses, and ranching in the living room.

  “He’s with Owen’s folks. It’s a little hard to shop with him along and his grandparents thought it would be fun to keep him today.” Megan wiped down the counter and rinsed off her hands. “I’ve never seen your apartment look so festive, Kenz. I’m glad Tate helped you find your Christmas spirit.”

  “I know.” A dreamy look settled over Kenzie’s face. She’d worn it more often than not since deciding to give her heart to Tate. “He’s really special.”

  “You think?” Megan laughed and gave Kenzie a playful shove. “I’m pretty sure I tried to convince you of that about a hundred times last fall and multiple times before you ever met him.”

  “I had to arrive at that conclusion all by myself.” Kenzie grinned. “And I’m really glad I finally arrived. He’s the best.”

  “So what are you two doing for Christmas? You know you’re invited to our house. That should go without saying.” Megan linked their arms as they returned to the living room.

  “Tonight we’re going to take his dad to services at church then come back here for dinner and maybe watch a movie. Kent will come over in the morning and open presents and just hang out for the day. I’m planning to make a turkey with all the works.”

  “Really? You’re doing a full-on turkey dinner?” Megan asked, surprised. It would be a first for Kenzie.

  “Well, don’t sound so surprised. I am capable of cooking, you know,” Kenzie said as they rejoined the men. She sat down on the arm of the couch next to Tate while Megan took the rocking chair by the fire.

  They visited for a while longer before Megan and Owen decided they needed to finish shopping and head home. It had started snowing and the roads would soon be slick.

  The afternoon passed quickly with visits and phone calls from neighbors and friends.

  As evening approached, Tate and Kenzie hurried to change so they could swing by the care home for Kent then head to church for the Christmas Eve service.

  Kenzie breezed into the living room where Tate waited and caught her breath. Dressed in a new black sports coat with a bright blue shirt the same shade as his eyes, he looked devastatingly handsome.

  Quickly standing, he pushed at the legs of his jeans as the hem stacked around his polished boots. He nervously twirled his black Stetson in his hands as he looked at her.

  “Wow!” Mesmerized by Kenzie’s appearance, he drank in the sight of her. The teal green dress she wore outlined her curves to perfection. Although modest, it looked sleek and sexy. He could hardly wait to run his hands over the smooth fabric. A finger-tempting jumble of curls adorned her head and her eyes, those gorgeous dark eyes, glowed with an inner light. “You’re so beautiful.”

  She blushed then walked over and kissed his cheek. “And you, cowboy, are quite possibly the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.” As an excuse to touch him, she brushed at imaginary lint on his shoulder. “Where did you get this jacket? I know it wasn’t in your suitcase.”

  “I picked it up when we were shopping yesterday.” He wanted to pull the pins from her hair and bury his face and hands in the fragrant tresses. “I suppose we better hurry or Pop will think we’ve forgotten about him.”

  A short while later at church, tears stung Kenzie’s eyes, as they did every year, when the pastor spoke about the most precious gift the world ever received. Something else he said caught her attention as she sat between Tate and Kent thinking about a sweet baby in a humble manger.

  “Why wait to accept the gifts God has given you, my friends? They are there before you for a reason. Accept them gratefully, graciously, and with thanksgiving in your hearts.”

  Kenzie swallowed back the tears threatening to spill over her cheeks. Tate was such a beautiful, precious gift. One she’d pushed away, scorned, and ignored. If he hadn’t been persistent, if he hadn’t been so kind and forgiving, she’d still be sad and alone, mired in the misery of her past without hope for a happy future.

  Still contemplating the pastor’s words hours later after they left Kent at his room, Kenzie waited until they sat on the couch in front of
the fire at her apartment to tell Tate what was in her heart.

  “Tate, this has been the most wonderful Christmas Eve, Christmas season, I’ve ever had.” Kenzie set down her hot chocolate and took his hand in hers. Gently rubbing it, she savored the warmth as well as the strength of his hand against hers.

  “It’s been the best for me, too.” He lifted her fingers to his lips before turning over her hand and pressing a hot kiss to her palm. “You’ve made everything so special and fun, Kenzie. I appreciate you opening your home and your heart to me. I… well… I…”

  Kenzie didn’t let him finish. “Up until you got hurt I was awful to you. I ignored you, pushed you away, believed the worst about you instead of listening to the truth and I’m so sorry. I want you to know what a gift you’ve been to me, a blessing. I don’t ever want to take you for granted again. I love you, Tate, with all my heart, and I can’t see a future without you in it. You mean everything to me. I’m so sorry I wasted all that time we could have been together.”

  Caught off guard by Kenzie’s statement, Tate stared at her for a long moment trying to decide if he was dreaming or if the woman he loved was saying she couldn’t live without him. When tears slipped down her cheeks and she began to pull away, his heart melted in his chest.

  “It’s okay. Don’t cry, Kenz. Don’t cry.” Tate gathered her to him and kissed her wet cheeks.

  When she calmed down, he slowly pulled the pins from her hair and set them on the coffee table, then ran his hands along the smooth fabric covering her back. It looked so cool, yet felt warm to his touch. Warmed by Kenzie.

  Tate’s insides heated as he dug his fingers into her hair and gave her a flirty smile. “I don’t want to spend any more time fussing about the past. From here on, let’s focus on the future. Our future.” He kissed her until they lost the ability to think about anything except each other.

  Mindful that they needed to say good night, Tate lingered at Kenzie’s bedroom door, holding her close, breathing in her fragrance, thinking things he knew he shouldn’t.

  When he couldn’t stand it any longer, he pulled back and took a few steps down the hall, away from the gorgeous girl who stirred his emotions and tugged at his heart.

  “Dream of sugar plums tonight, Dewdrop.” Tate fused his fervid gaze to hers as he backed down the hall. “Merry Christmas, Kenzie.”

  “Merry Christmas, cowboy.” Kenzie felt overwhelming gratitude for how special Tate had made the holiday season for her. “Love you.”

  Tate caught the kiss she blew him with a grin and turned away from her before he gave in to the temptation to go back to her room and spend the night wrapped in her arms.

  After a peaceful night of sleep, the two of them awakened early, sitting beneath the tree, sharing kisses and laughter as they sipped hot Christmas tea.

  Finally deciding to open their gifts, they soon sat amid pieces of discarded paper, bows, and ribbons.

  When Kenzie opened the stand mixer Tate bought for her, she couldn’t believe he remembered she said she wanted one. The fact he got her a hot-pink model was an added bonus.

  After exchanging some frivolous and practical presents, they each had one gift left under the tree.

  Kenzie handed Tate a heavy box, covered in red plaid paper with a big green bow.

  The paper fell to the floor in a shredded mess and Tate stuck the bow on Kenzie’s head as he opened the box. Lifting out an album, he turned the pages, enthralled with the scrapbook Kenzie created.

  She spent hours online searching for articles and photos about Tate’s rodeo career and assembled everything she found into a leather-bound book. Kent contributed photos and news clippings he kept over the years and Kenzie added the few photos she’d taken of Tate in Santa Fe and Pendleton to make it more complete. Some blank pages at the back left room to add details from the coming year.

  “This is probably the best Christmas gift I’ve ever received,” Tate said, awed by the effort Kenzie put into his present. “Thank you, Dewdrop.”

  He set the book on the coffee table and wrapped his arms around Kenzie, giving her a tight hug. When he pulled back, he got to his feet and picked up a box from beneath the tree.

  “Why don’t you open this?” Tate set the box wrapped in western paper featuring bucking broncs and brands topped by a red bandana bow on her lap. Barely able to contain his excitement, he wanted to bounce off one foot to the other as he waited for Kenzie to open her gift. “Go on, open it.”

  Eagerly ripping away the paper, Kenzie opened the box to find a pair of hot pink boots, almost identical to a pair she had worn and loved as a young girl. Swiftly taking one boot out of the box, she ran her hand over the smooth leather and smiled.

  “Tate, I don’t know where or how you found these, but they’re perfect. I love them,” she said, still holding the boot as she gave Tate a one-armed hug.

  “Try them on. I want to make sure they fit.” He watched as Kenzie removed her slippers and tugged on the first boot.

  She held out her leg to admire how it looked.

  “I bet they’ll look even better with jeans instead of your reindeer pjs.”

  A happy grin curved her lips upward as she started to put her foot in the other boot. Something wedged in the toe prevented her from pulling it on. She tipped it up and a small box fell into her hand. She dropped the boot and opened the box, revealing a beautiful diamond ring.

  Tate took the ring and slipped it on Kenzie’s left ring finger then kissed her hand. Unable to get down on his knee, he made up for it with the look of love that filled his face.

  “I love you, Kenzie Amelia Beckett, and I can’t wait to start a life together. I promise it will always be filled with laughter, love, and more than a good share of Christmas cheer.” Tate kissed her cheek as she stared at him, utterly surprised. “Will you make this the best Christmas ever and agree to marry me?”

  Kenzie laughed and wrapped her arms around her Christmas cowboy, kissing each of his dimples before lingering on his lips.

  “Yes, I’ll marry you. Just name the time and place, and I’m there.” Kenzie lavished his cheeks with kisses before returning to his mouth for another passionate exchange.

  “How about today?” Tate’s lips moved tantalizingly against hers.

  “What?” Kenzie asked, sure she’d misheard him.

  “Let’s get married today,” Tate said, pulling back and looking into her eyes.

  “Today? Are you insane?” Kenzie only half-objected to the idea. “Your dad will be here for lunch and there are more gifts to exchange and where would we possibly find someone to marry us today anyway? We don’t have a license or anything.”

  “It’s Christmas. Miracles happen all the time.” He shoved aside all the trappings of gift opening so he could lean back against the couch cushions. After tugging on her arm until she sat across his lap, he gave her the smile he knew would make her agree to most anything. “I’ve never wanted a single thing as much as I want to be with you, Kenzie. Please, Dewdrop, end my misery and marry me as fast as humanly possible. Just say yes. I’ll figure out the details.”

  “Yes…” Kenzie managed to whisper before losing all ability to speak as Tate kissed her with a passion, a bone-deep longing she’d never dreamed of experiencing.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Impatiently glancing at his watch, Tate shifted from one foot to the other. Cort nudged him and gave him a teasing grin.

  “It’s not like she’s gonna run off, you know. She’s the one who planned all this.” Cort waved his hand around the elite Las Vegas wedding chapel filled to overflowing with guests.

  Tate and Kenzie agreed to a large ceremony the day after the rodeo finals so all their friends could attend. With the help of Kenzie’s mom and stepdad, Kent traveled to Las Vegas. Together, they watched the last night of the rodeo competition. They also escorted him to the wedding.

  At that moment, Kent sat in the front row across the aisle from Kenzie’s family, beaming at his son.

 
Red and white carnations, red roses, and a profusion of poinsettias decorated the chapel. Tate glanced down at the red rose boutonniere fastened to the lapel of his black tuxedo, inhaling the faint floral scent. Cort and Huck wore matching rosebuds on their jackets as they stood beside him.

  As he looked out over the sea of faces, Tate noticed Kenzie’s boss and her friends from Dew, their friends from back home, several of his ranch hands including Monte, many of his rodeo friends, and extended family members.

  The opening chords of the processional pulled his gaze to the back of the room where Kenzie’s twin sisters and her friend, Michele, walked down the aisle followed by Megan.

  When the wedding march began, Tate smiled as his wife of nearly a year floated down the aisle on the arm of her stepfather.

  Their gazes connected and she shot him a wink. His heart skipped a beat, like it did every time he set eyes on her.

  She looked stunning in a simple ivory satin gown that draped around her curves and fell into a short train. Kenzie’s glorious dark hair rested in a profusion of curls on top of her head, surrounded by a crown of ivory roses with baby’s breath. He couldn’t wait to pull out the pins and run his fingers through the silky tresses then undo the many buttons marching up the back of her dress.

  Tate smiled at Kenzie, flashing his dimples. He watched her eyes widen in response to him, felt her squeeze his arm, breathed in her familiar intoxicating fragrance that never failed to remind him of a field of flowers on a warm summer afternoon.

  More in love with this beautiful woman now than he’d been on the day they wed, he thought he had loved her then with an all-consuming passion. He assumed after a year the magic of their love would have dimmed, but it seemed to gain intensity and depth with every passing day.

  While they turned and listened to the words of the minister who performed the ceremony, both of them thought back to the day after Christmas last year when they drove to a little town in Idaho just a few hours from the Tri-Cities where they could get married without delay.