Cowboy Christmas

by Carol Finch, Elizabeth Lane

  He began his journey of discovery by feasting on her dewy-soft lips, her perfectly arched brows then the elegant column of her neck. When he dared to caress her nipples with thumb and middle finger, she moaned huskily and arched toward him.

  “More,” she demanded, not that she had to ask because he was all in favor.

  “My pleasure.” He flicked at her nipple with his tongue then suckled gently.

  “Ah, Logan…”

  Her voice fizzled out when his wandering hand glided down her rib cage to swirl over her concave belly. When his fingertips drifted over the silky flesh of her inner thighs, he groaned in torment. The hot desire he’d called from her was so close yet so tormentingly far away. The things he wanted to do with her might shock her, he knew. But he’d had enough to drink—and all too quickly—that it was difficult to restrain himself. He shifted sideways to spread a row of moist kisses from the crests of her breasts to her navel then to her abdomen.

  When he parted her heated flesh with his thumb then skimmed his lips over her, he felt her body tremble and he heard her breath whoosh out on a shattered sigh. When he kissed her intimately, repeatedly, she clamped her hand over his forearm. Her nails bit into his flesh while she whispered his name like a chant.

  Logan had never spent much time seducing a woman. None of his previous encounters had been as magical as discovering what Tori liked, discovering what made her come undone in his arms. Logan never realized that sharing this kind of intimate passion even existed. Or that it would satisfy and fascinate him quite so much.

  “Come here…please…” she gasped when he glided his fingertip inside her to caress her slowly and deliberately.

  “Don’t rush me,” he teased then skimmed his lips over her hot flesh.

  She moaned when he caressed her with his tongue then inserted two fingers to stroke her. She was so tight, so warm and inviting that need roared through him, demanding that he take what she offered and appease the ravenous hunger gnawing at him.

  “Logan, I need you like crazy,” she panted as her sensitized body all but melted around him.

  He twisted above her then eased between her legs. He looked down at her while he brushed familiarly against her. He could feel the warm rain of her desire bathing him. Mesmerized, he stared into evergreen eyes that glowed with passion in the moonlight. He saw the mahogany cloud of curly hair that fanned her beguiling face and he was hopelessly, completely lost.

  He wanted to be one with Tori more than he wanted his next breath. Of all the holidays he had endured and survived in his hardscrabble life, this was the one he would cherish in all the years to come. The gift of this unique, amazing woman’s desire was every fantasy come true—

  Logan stopped breathing when Tori wrapped her hand around his engorged flesh and caressed him.

  “I want you now,” she rasped. “I don’t think I’ll survive another minute if you don’t make this maddening ache go away.”

  Tori measured him with gliding fingertips, stroked him repeatedly. She guided him closer, aching to satisfy the need burning deep inside her. When his powerful body surged toward hers, she hooked her legs around his bare hips, desperate for him to fill the empty ache he had aroused in her.

  She hissed out her breath when he plunged inside her, stretching her, consuming her. The fire in her blood blazed higher as she instinctively moved toward him, meeting thrust with urgent thrust.

  She had never understood what total abandonment or overwhelming desire was like. But now she knew. She would never forget the incredible feeling of her body locked intimately to Logan’s muscular flesh.

  The faint twinge of discomfort was no match for the hot sensations building like a fiery crescendo inside her. Pleasure intensified and she struggled to breathe over the wild pounding of her pulse. She clung desperately to Logan as he drove into her, creating even wilder needs with each penetrating thrust.

  She heard him groan, felt his panting breath against the side of her neck. He tensed, as if holding back. Which was the last thing she wanted. She clutched him closer and arched into him, gyrating impatiently in an attempt to capture some elusive need that teased and tormented her.

  “Oh, damn…” he mumbled.

  Oh, damn is right, thought Tori. She felt him shudder uncontrollably—triggering the most indescribable sensation imaginable. She swore she had been lightning-struck. No part of her was left untouched by the electrifying passion that sizzled through her and melded them together.

  Tori tumbled through time and space—stunned, amazed, completely sated. Pleasure radiated from her as she nuzzled her head against Logan’s muscled shoulder. She held on to him until the last of her strength and energy drained away.

  A moment later, she sagged against him like a rag doll. Her last thought before she collapsed in the afterglow of all-consuming pleasure was that sharing Logan’s passion was the best holiday gift she’d ever had.

  Logan awoke with a vague headache to find himself half-draped over Tori’s lush, naked body. Reality hit him like a doubled fist to the jaw. He had taken Tori’s innocence. He hadn’t been able to stop himself, even when he realized that he was her first experiment with passion.

  “Damnation,” he muttered when he remembered how he and his pretend wife had guzzled liquor then broke every rule of propriety by creating a bonfire of flaming passion that burned him alive.

  This was to have been his finest hour, he told himself disdainfully. It had been more than fine, but not in the noble way he’d intended. His desire for Tori had outmuscled his willpower. He wasn’t sure what he had been doing the past decade when he’d scratched an itch, but it was nothing compared to the pleasure he’d shared with Tori.

  The disturbing thought of creating a little Timmy of his own, who ran around pouring wine on a maid’s head and breaking heirloom dishes, made him wince.

  Damn it, for a man who dealt in dispensing consequences for bad behavior he had fouled up royally. He might have caused complications that extended long past the Christmas holidays and changed the course of Tori’s life.

  One thing was for sure and certain: he never wanted Tori to marry him because she had to. He wanted her to marry him because—

  When that runaway thought galloped through his head, Logan recoiled, careful not to wake Tori. Scowling silently, he raked his fingers through his tousled hair and asked himself at what point last night had he discarded the good sense he’d nurtured for three decades. It only took a moment to pinpoint the instant that he’d thumbed his nose at consequences like a thief on his way to rob a bank.

  He had looked down at Tori, lying on the bed, her lush body bathed in moonlight, and he’d known there wasn’t enough noble restraint in the world to prevent him from living out his wildest fantasy.

  Although she was the best mistake he’d ever made, it was still a mistake. He predicted she would hate him, and herself, when she woke up. She had become entrapped in her own scheme and the price had been excessively steep.

  Mentally kicking himself repeatedly, Logan eased from bed then freshened up with the cool water left in the tub. Then he dressed hurriedly. He wasn’t sure he wanted to be on hand when Tori roused and realized he had failed to protect her from her worst enemy—her pretend husband.

  Worse, he had no idea how to make this up to her.

  Easing the door shut behind him, Logan went downstairs. He hoped a cup of coffee would clear his head. Something damn well better. He needed to think. Unfortunately the exceptionally good time he’d had last night was the one thought that kept parading through his mind while Franklin chattered on—and on—about the ins and outs of the newspaper business.

  Tori had been bustled around the estate most of the day, involved in last-minute arrangements for the Christmas Eve ball. She hadn’t had the chance to be alone with Logan. She hadn’t seen much of him, either. Her father had taken the menfolk—Timmy included—on a tour of the estate, the newly expanded newspaper office and to view the Christmas decorations the city council had
set up in the parks.

  “I’m truly sorry about your broken heirloom dishes,” Priscilla told her mother while the threesome set up additional tables in the foyer and dining room.

  Her mother smiled ruefully. “They were sentimental favorites but I have another piece that I will display behind glass on the top shelf of the china cabinet.”

  “At least Timothy seems better behaved after his evening jaunt with Uncle Logan,” Priscilla remarked, casting Tori a meaningful glance. “In fact, Timothy seems to have taken a liking to Logan. I’m glad of that.”

  Tori rather thought that Timmy, even at his young age, had learned to respect discipline and a firm hand. She predicted Logan would make an exceptional father because he didn’t sit back; he resolved problems before they got out of hand.

  The thought of a child of her own gave her pause. She had been focused on making a success of her bakery and avoiding the long arm of her family’s unacceptable expectations. She had intended to be a spinster. However, the consequences of last night’s intimate tryst could change her future plans.

  Tori swallowed uneasily, wondering if she would be forced to tell another white lie to her family. She would have to dispose of Logan—figuratively speaking, of course—so he wouldn’t have to be involved in future charades.

  Well, she told herself. She would deal with whatever consequences she encountered. She had insisted Logan teach her the meaning of passion, after all. The thought of her lack of restraint, the unbelievable intimacy, and the incredible pleasure she’d discovered put a crimson blush on her face.

  “Are you feeling okay, sis?” Cilla asked attentively.

  Tori pasted on a bright smile. “I’m fine. It’s just a bit stuffy in here. I’m not accustomed to the heat given off by these oversize fireplaces. I rarely use one at home. Even Decembers are mild because the protective bluff of Lone Ridge blocks the wind and moderates the temperatures.”

  “I am definitely coming for a visit,” Cilla declared. “Boston is positively frigid. Besides, I would like Timothy to develop an appreciation for wide-open spaces.”

  “Name the time,” Tori offered generously. “You’re always welcome. Plus, I could use helping hands since my business is expanding rapidly.”

  Good gracious, she thought a moment later. As much as she delighted in Cilla’s company, she would have to break down and confide to her sister that she wasn’t married. Not that Cilla would betray her, but Randolph was another matter entirely. The unfaithful cad.

  “I doubt Randolph can make the trip with us, though,” Cilla went on to say. “According to him, he has too many responsibilities to visit Texas more than once a year.”

  Good for you, thought Tori, smiling wryly at Cilla. Leave the bastard at home and develop a strong, independent streak that he can’t stifle.

  “That is so sweet of you, Cilla,” said their mother. “Despite your busy schedule you are willing to make the journey to help your little sister.”

  Tori rolled her eyes. Some things changed, but others remained the same. Cilla was Belinda’s little darling who inherited her coloring and delicate good looks. Tori knew she would always be compared to her sister. It didn’t bother her as much as it used to. It just didn’t matter anymore that her parents could not see her for who she was.

  She realized that because she lived a rewarding, productive life, she had learned to accept and appreciate her family for who they were. She was her own person. The thought made her smile. Coming home for Christmas was turning out to be an epiphany.

  “Are you feeling all right?” Tori asked while Logan tried to tie the fashionable cravat in place. “You’ve been exceptionally quiet this evening.”

  Logan tossed out what he hoped was a nonchalant smile. Truth was that he’d beaten himself black and blue the whole livelong day while Franklin hauled him around town. “I’m fine. Perfect. Having the time of my life.”

  “Pfftt!” she sniffed in contradiction. “You spent most of the day with Papa, Randy-the-unfaithful-bastard and Timmy-the-terror.”

  Logan frowned curiously when Tori walked over to rescue him by tying his cravat properly. “Did Cilla tell you Randy was prone to sleeping in other beds besides his own?” he blurted out of the blue.

  Her long lashes swept up to meet his gaze and it was all he could do not to take her in his arms and kiss her until he appeased the lingering desire that hounded him.

  “When did you figure that out?” she asked curiously.

  “Last night when Randy ogled you like his next meal. If he touches you improperly tonight, don’t be surprised if I shoot off his wandering hand.”

  Tori grinned. “How very chivalrous of you, dear. And yes, Cilla confided that she had an unhappy marriage. I invited her to Lone Ridge. She can come as often as she wants and stay as long as she pleases. Timothy, too. That child will be better off without Randy’s negative influence.”

  “Amen to that.”

  “In addition, I’m sorry about last night,” she remarked then quickly looked the other way.

  He’d wondered when regret would get the best of her and she’d bring up their reckless tryst. “It was my fault.”

  “No, it wasn’t.” She stepped away then turned her back to him. “I insisted and you darn well know it…Fasten these tedious buttons, will you? I don’t want to call in a maid. The servants are busy with last-minute preparations.”

  Logan enjoyed the feel of his knuckles brushing over the bare skin of Tori’s back. As enchanting as she looked in the eye-catching, form-fitting silver gown that displayed her breasts to their best advantage, he’d prefer to have her out of it and in bed with him.

  Christmas Eve ball go hang, he thought. He’d made a gigantic mistake with Tori last night. So why not do the holidays up right with another colossal one tonight?

  Are you out of your mind? the voice of reason railed at him. He felt guilty about taking her innocence. Now he was contemplating the prospect of skipping the party and spending the evening in bed with Tori. That would impress the hell out of his pretend in-laws, wouldn’t it?

  “Brace yourself,” she forewarned as she pirouetted to face him again. “Father informed me that he intends to use the party to introduce you to his friends and announce our recent marriage. We’ll dance the first waltz.”

  “Oh, hell!”

  “Do you want to practice before we go downstairs?”

  He snorted. “You know where that first dance lesson ended up. And no more toasts to Christmas, either. Last night, I—”

  She pressed her index finger to his lips to shush him. Despite her telltale blush she said, “Don’t you dare apologize for the best night of my life.”

  He blinked, enormously pleased with her remark. Then he reminded himself that he was the only night of her life. She had nothing for comparison—and he didn’t want her experimenting, either. The very thought roused his deepest feelings of possessiveness.

  Mercy, what was happening to him? He had agreed to be Tori’s holiday husband and poof! All sorts of troubling sensations and emotions overcame him. This charade felt too real and he was enjoying his role entirely too much.

  When she pushed up on tiptoe to kiss him, every thought flew out of his head. Impulsively he wrapped her in his arms and drank the sweet nectar of her lips. This kiss had to be enough to get him through this evening and through this charade, he told himself determinedly.

  “Ready?” she asked as she backed from his arms.

  “As I’ll ever be. Let’s get this over with.”

  Tori smiled so often she feared her face would crack. Her parents kept hauling her from one guest to the next, forcing her to be as charming as she knew how. If she heard another person say it was a relief to see that she’d emerged from her ugly duckling stage to blossom into a lovely woman she was going to resort to Timmy’s tactic of dumping wine on people’s heads.

  And poor Logan, she thought in dismay. He had been bombarded by teasing remarks about how he was lucky he hadn’t met Tori during h
er awkward adolescence. A time when she had skinny arms and legs, her eyes seemed too large to fit her face and her mouth practically stretched from one ear to the other.

  She was excessively pleased when Logan had his fill of the comments and told one of her spiteful childhood chums that dredging up memories bored him and that as breathtakingly lovely as he thought Tori was, it was her inner beauty, character and lively personality that intrigued him most. Then he gave several of her former school classmates The Look he was famous for. They backed off, turned tail and poured themselves a glass of courage before daring to face him again.

  “Ladies and gentlemen! I want to introduce my new son-in-law, the highly respected marshal who has made an impressive name for himself in West Texas!”

  “I see why Franklin is in the newspaper business.” Logan remarked as he came to stand beside Tori. “He can turn a phrase and dress up facts like nobody’s business.

  “May I formally present Logan Daniels.” Her father swept his arm in an expansive gesture to single out Logan, who nodded graciously during the applause.

  “Victoria and Logan, we wish you many happy holidays together. The floor is yours,” her father declared then signaled for the band to strike up a waltz.

  Tori forgot this was a charade when Logan took her hand and drew her familiarly against his broad chest. He lowered his head to drop a quick kiss to her lips, drawing smiles from the attentive crowd.

  He nuzzled her neck in a display of affection and whispered, “Start counting the cadence of the waltz, sweetheart, and don’t stop until this damn dance is over. I’ll give you anything you want if you can prevent me from looking like a clumsy fool.”

  “You are too light on your feet for that to happen,” she assured him then counted the steps while he whirled her around the room.

  For the next few minutes, while she stared into Logan’s fathomless eyes and felt his body moving provocatively against hers, she realized that it was no longer enough to fool her family and friends into thinking she was married to a capable law officer and that she owned a popular bakery in Lone Ridge. What she really wanted for Christmas was Logan’s genuine love and devotion—forever.