Santa Wore Spurs

by Various

  "Cade!" Justice’s voice broke the spell. "Dad called and said for you to get your father’s spurs from the attic in the barn. They’ll be good luck for you."

  They pulled apart and Cade smiled at her. "Will do!" he answered Justice, then he leaned his forehead against hers. "When I come back, I want to take you out on a date. Will you say ‘yes?’

  "Yes." Abby didn’t hesitate. Why would she? There was nothing or no one Abby wanted more. "I’ll be waiting."

  "Abby!" Justice called from inside. "Mom’s on the phone. She wants to talk to you." Apparently Justice was still chatting with the folks.

  "Let me go get those spurs. Crockett is picking me up in a few minutes, but I’ll make sure to say bye before I go."

  "Okay." She stood and watched him sprint toward the barn. Abby touched her lips. He’d kissed her. He was so perfect. She placed her hand over her pounding heart. This was it, the beginning of her perfect life.

  Only it hadn’t been so perfect.

  Justice turned the phone over to her, glad to make his escape. She listened to her mom expound on everything from Shiloh’s new girlfriend to a new pair of shoes she’d found at Barton Creek Mall. Abby was polite, but her mind was on Cade. He might be waiting on her. When at last she made her escape, Abby flew out to the porch. Almost immediately, she knew something was wrong. She could hear horses whinnying and stomping. And then she smelled smoke. The barn was on fire! And Cade was inside. "Fire! Fire!" she screamed over and over. Justice yelled, but he sounded far away. There was no time to waste. Abby ran for the barn, she threw open the door and a wall of smoke hit her in the face.

  "Cade! Cade!" she screamed. As she ran toward the back, Abby released the stall doors. The horses ran madly for the barn door. One of them knocked her down, but she rolled to one side, still screaming Cade’s name.

  "Abby!" It was Justice. He came barreling into the inferno. Fire was lapping at the sides and rushing across the ceiling. "Get out of here!" He grabbed her by the arm, but she pulled away. "I’ll get the rest. You head out!" he screamed at her.

  Assuming she’d obey, he made sure the other horses were freed and headed in the right direction. Crackling and popping, flying embers and intense waves of heat mixed with choking smoke made everything seem like an insurmountable task.

  "Cade!" Abby screamed, heading for the loft. She was sobbing, the loft was consumed. "Cade!"

  "He’s not in here, Abby!" Justice yelled. "Get out!"

  "No, he’s here. I saw him come in!" She made a wild, frantic dash toward the back. "He may be in the office!"

  "He’s already gone, Abby!" Justice was frantic. "Please!" He made another grab at her, but she tore away again. And then all hell broke loose. There was a loud, shattering noise and the room collapsed. A massive beam fell, knocking Abby down and landing across her lower abdomen and upper thighs. It was smoldering, red with intense heat. Liquefied creosote oil made the burning wood as consuming as lava. Abby screamed, "Cade!"

  Justice would later say it was the most pitiful agonizing sound he’d ever heard. He’d fought to get the beam off her, but it had lain atop her too long, doing its damage, burning through her clothes and ravishing her flesh, right over the place that made her a woman.

  Blessedly, Abby passed out.

  The firemen arrived. The horses were safe. Justice escaped with minor injuries to his hand, face and arms. But Abby was left with second and third degree burns below her waist. Her parents rushed to her side, frantic with worry. She was taken to the hospital in Houston, in extreme pain. But worse than the burns was the sad truth of her diagnosis. When she heard the doctors lamenting about the location of her wounds and the extent of her injuries, she’d begged her mother not to tell anyone the details. Her mother understood. Abby’s thighs, mons, and abdomen would be scarred. She’d have years of surgeries and skin grafts ahead of her, and even at that, the doctors told her she would always bear the mark of what she’d endured. Plastic surgery could only do so much in severe cases like this.

  Of the brothers, only Justice knew the full truth. When he’d come to Abby, she’d been medicated, but she knew enough to swear him to secrecy. There was no way she ever wanted Cade to know she’d been burned in a frantic attempt to find him in the blaze.

  Only now did she find out his ride, Crockett, had arrived earlier than expected. He’d been in a hurry, so Cade hadn’t been able to come tell her goodbye as he had promised. So, Abby’s assumption he’d still been in the barn had been wrong.

  When Cade learned she’d been hurt, he’d called. Abby had talked to him, but she’d flat-out lied. With his schedule and her being away at school, she was able to hide the truth of her condition from him and the younger brothers. She never wanted them to know. She didn’t want their pity. It had taken almost two months, but Abby had got on her feet again, and she was able to go home for Christmas. When she and Cade saw one another again, everything had changed. Despite his efforts to pick up where they’d left off, Abby avoided him, not answering his questions nor allowing him even one moment to be alone with her. She could tell all of this hurt him. He assumed she was no longer interested, that she’s moved on, found someone else, decided a half breed boyfriend was not to her liking, when nothing could have been further from the truth. Abby pretended not to care, when she’d really been dying inside, knowing her life would never be the same.

  Months of hospital stays, surgeries and skin grafts had done their best, but even now there still were scars. Her parents and Justice knew how severe they were, but no one else did. Because she’d never shown anyone and she had no intention of baring herself. The scars were still too ugly for words. And that was why she didn’t date, that was why she could never marry. All her hopes and dreams and fantasies were now ashes.

  "Oh, Cade. What am I going to do?" Now he seemed to think he wanted her, and God knows she wanted him. If there was one thing which had come out of these nightmare nuptials, it was a clarification of their relationship. Since that fateful day almost ten years ago, she and Cade had snapped and fussed with one another because all of their pent-up energy and emotion had to go somewhere. Since she’d rejected him again last night, he’d disappeared. Abby presumed he was with one of her brothers, but he could have left for all she knew. She wouldn’t blame him.

  Pushing herself off the floor, she carried the box into the living room, pushing the sad memories from her mind. Maybe tomorrow she could hunt a tree. Abby preferred a live tree instead of an artificial one and there was a section of nice cedars over near the river where the family had always harvested trees for Christmas. After the holiday was over, they put them in one of the lakes for the fish to nest in. A chill ran down her spine when she remembered Cade’s foot being lodged in one of the old stumps in the lake. When her father had chosen places to open up the creeks and dig ponds, the low-lying spots had been full of timber and large oaks. Now, she didn’t know if she’d ever swim in the lake again. The idea of Cade dying there was unfathomable.

  Again, a wave of longing swamped her body and soul. He wanted her. He wanted her. She stood at the bar and considered what that meant. Damn! What she wouldn’t give to know what it was like to be loved for just one night. She could never ask for forever. But maybe she could ask for now… if she was careful.

  For the rest of the evening, Abby contemplated the possibility. She went to a bachelorette party at a neighbor’s house, she endured Pam’s relatives, she ooed and ahhed over lingerie and when she was given a pair of crotchless panties as a party favor, it hit her. Maybe she could wear clothes which would turn Cade on, yet cover her scars.

  Could she ask him? Would he be willing to do it her way? And it would only have to be the one time. If it was a complete disaster, they wouldn’t have to try again. The only thing she had to make sure was that he never knew what she was hiding. Abby agonized. Could she do it? Was it possible? Finally, Abby decided it was worth a try. Spending the rest of her life alone was her destiny. Years and years of loneliness loomed large.
One night. One night with someone she loved was not too much to ask.

  When the men came at the end of the evening to help cart the packages back to the main house, Cade was with Jase. The moment he walked through the door, he zeroed in on Abby.

  All right. This was it. Taking a deep breath, she walked up to him, leaned in and whispered, "Cade, I’ve changed my mind. I want to make love to you."

  Chapter Five

  "Come again?" Cade asked her to repeat what she’d said.

  Abby blushed, but complied. "I want to make love to you, if you still want to."

  "Hell, yeah!" She’d be the one cumming again and again. He couldn’t believe it! Abby wanted him to make love to her! Playing by their old rules, he would have fired back with some kind of a smartass remark. Not tonight.

  "Let’s go." He held out his hand. He’d gone instantly hard. His cock had received the message before the rest of him did.

  She let him take her hand. He made her feel safe. Her family watched as they made their exit and she gave her brothers a casual wave. Nothing would suit them better than if she ended up with Cade, but she knew that wasn’t going to happen. This was temporary, a one-time thing. God, she was nervous.

  They got to the porch and he noticed the wet ground. "Come here." He swept her up in his arms and carried her toward his truck. Abby’s heart was beating so hard, she wondered if he could hear it. Glancing up into his face, she saw a pulse point next to his mouth. Was he nervous too? Impulsively she kissed him there and a heartbeat later he had turned his head and joined his lips with hers. "I can’t wait to love you."

  "We need to talk first," she explained as he put her in the truck and shut the door.

  When he climbed into the driver’s seat, he turned on the engine. "Here." He handed her an afghan. "Wrap up your legs. The heater won’t have a chance to get warm."

  That was true. They had less than a mile to go. "I’m fine. After our dip last night, this is the tropics."

  He laughed. "Let me straighten something out." He reached for her hand and clasped it, rubbing his thumb in her palm. "I owe you my life. I knew I was dead." He stopped talking, looking into the distance. "If you hadn’t come to me when you did, we wouldn’t be sitting here right now."

  Abby picked up his hand and kissed it. "There was no question. I never hesitated. Not once. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat. What would I do without you? I’d be lost and bored all by myself." She tried to make light of the situation.

  "You aren’t by yourself, Shortcake. I’m not going anywhere." He squeezed her hand in understanding. "Now, what do we need to talk about?"

  They pulled up to her house, so she saved her answer until they were in the warmth. Her fireplace, already filled with wood had a gas igniter, so he flipped a switch and there was instant heat and atmosphere.

  "Do you want some hot chocolate?"

  "Sure." He wanted something sweet, but it wasn’t chocolate. Abby seemed nervous, so he went along with her suggestion, even helping her fix two steaming mugs.

  "Let’s sit down in front of the fire." She threw some pillows on the floor.

  Cade maneuvered down, his bones creaking. "Man, I’m getting old."

  "No, you’re not. You’re perfect."

  He didn’t understand what was going on, but he didn’t need to. He was just thankful. Lord, he wanted her. "I want to make it perfect for you." The fire crackled and hissed. Abby looked everywhere but at him. She was twenty-nine years old, but had an air of precious innocence. Cade was completely under her spell. "Now, what did you want to talk about?" She took a sip of the chocolate, leaving foam on her upper lip. He couldn’t resist kissing the sweetness away.

  Abby was about to pass out from the intense sensuality of the moment. Still, it was necessary to tell him her wishes. "First, I want to be with you, but I need for it to be in the dark."

  Cade’s hand froze in the midst of raising his cup to his mouth. "In the dark?" Didn’t she know how much he’d fantasized about looking at her body? He sat his cup down, took off his Stetson and ran his fingers through his hair. "Why in the hell would you want to be in the dark?"

  "I just would, please." Firelight danced over the room. The only other light was a lamp by the couch, but she could see him clear enough. He didn’t often remove his hat. All of the guys seemed to think it was a necessary part of their wardrobe. But when he did, she couldn’t help but stare. Cade’s hair was dark, a little on the long side and had a bit of a wave to it. Abby longed to touch it, and maybe soon she’d get the chance.

  "Don’t you realize how beautiful you are?" He sought words to convey his feelings to her. "You’re exquisite."

  She couldn’t answer.

  "Look at me."

  She raised her eyes.

  The look on his face was pleading. "I know we have a history of wrangling and locking horns, but you have to realize I did that just because I couldn’t get my hands on you."

  "Cade." She hugged herself to keep from reaching out to hug him. "Thank you, but I need this. Please."

  "Can you tell me why? Are you shy?" He couldn’t imagine it. She was always in the middle of anything he or her brothers did. A look of pain flashed over her face and he realized it was more. "You can tell me anything, you know?"

  "Not this." She shook her head. Her long dark hair flowed over her shoulders. "Not yet."

  "Deal." Cade gave in. There was really no question about it. "I’ll take you anyway I can get you."

  "There’s more." She bit her lower lip. He waited. "I don’t want you to touch me below my waist, except—"

  "Except?" Alright. He was confused. Cade remembered her panic when she thought he’d undressed her. Something was going on. "There’s a lot of important stuff below the waist, Abilene."

  His humorous tone made her half giggle, half cry. God, she couldn’t do this. "Nevermind."

  "No, no, nevermind." He wanted to touch and kiss every part of her body. And he was fairly certain his cock wanted a vote in this proposal. "Help me understand."

  "We can…make love." There, she’d said it. "I just need to leave my clothes on, but—" God, she had so many fantasies she’d never have fulfilled.

  "It doesn’t matter. You can tell me what you want." A look of relief relaxed her pretty face. She was scared. Dammit! He was going to get to the bottom of this if it killed them both. As his mother always said, half a loaf is better than none. Besides, he had every intention of pushing the envelope. Once he got her between the sheets, it would be a whole new ballgame. "I only want to please you."

  "I want to please you, too." She admitted. "Shake?" She held out her hand.

  "Shake." Instead of a handclasp, he pulled her over into his lap.

  "Cade, I need to get ready." She wanted to go freshen up and put on the panties and find something decent to wear on top, something she could pull down over her shoulders and free her breasts. Oh, yea, she’d put a lot of thought into this. She wanted as much of Cade as she could get, but she couldn’t bear for him to see or touch her scars.

  "Let me hold you just a second and then we’ll both get ready for bed. Okay?"

  "Okay." With a sigh, she relaxed into his embrace and rested her head on his shoulder. "Being around you has always made me happy."

  "Me too." He chuckled. "There was a hotel room in town. I just told Jase to tell you there was no choice but for me to stay with you."

  "Why you…" She grinned at him, then threw her arms around his neck. "I’m glad you did."

  "Let’s go to bed, Baby. I’m gonna love you all night long."

  * * * *

  Mirrors don’t lie, but you could make them fib every once in a while, if you were careful. Abby turned this way and that, making sure none of the ugliness showed. A low cut pink sleep shirt would have to do. It came down long enough to cover her down to the middle of her thighs. Maybe the sexy panties would serve their purpose. For ten years, she’d avoided intimacy, turned down dates, and kept herself sexually cloistered away from men. T
he times she’d turned Cade down were the ones which hurt the most. Embarrassment and shame over how she looked below the waist had robbed her of intimacy, tenderness and love.

  For a few more seconds she stood there, gathering her courage. So often she’d tried to convince herself that her life was full enough. She had her work and her family. She had the satisfaction of knowing she’d saved those horses and she’d have saved Cade if he’d been there. Because of that day and what had happened to her and the horses, she’d decided to enter the field of veterinary medicine. Besides, animals didn’t judge. Of course, she’d never given anyone a chance to judge her—until tonight.

  Cade waited. He soothed his hand over the sheet, anticipating touching her velvet skin. Lord in heaven! She’d never know how much he wanted her. How often he’d thought about her over the years. Every time he climbed on the back of a bronc or a bull, she went through his mind. He’d tried to ignore it, he’d tried to explain it away…after all, they were like dynamite and fire. Anytime they were together it was explosive. Well, tonight, he was aiming for an explosion of a different variety.

  He heard the door open. The bedside lamp was on, filling the room with a warm glow. She walked toward the bed and he felt the earth shift beneath him. Dark brown tresses flowed past her waist. A baby pink shirt clung to her, thin enough he could see those generous breasts. Cade was well aware of her figure, for she dressed in tight jeans and western shirts all the time. But he’d never been privileged to see those long, gorgeous legs or so much cleavage. His mouth watered. But more than that, he liked her. God, he really liked her as a person, and yes, as a friend. Saving his life was huge, but she’d been making his life worth living for a very long time.

  He wasn’t saying anything. Cade was staring at her. Abby froze. She glanced down to make sure how she looked. Had he changed his mind?

  "I could look at you forever."

  Tingles of awareness and relief sparked over Abby’s skin. She moved another step or two and when he held out his hand, she ran the rest of the way and he caught her. "Turn out the light."