Capturing Christmas

by Shanna Hatfield

  “No, I’m good.” Kash smiled at her and nodded his head so subtly she almost didn’t notice it. She assumed that meant he didn’t mind her parents staying.

  It was probably a good thing her mom and dad showed up when they had. If they hadn’t… well, she wouldn’t think about that now. Her lips still tingled from Kash’s ardent attention to them. She almost dropped the tea pitcher as her thoughts replayed his heart-stopping kisses.

  Hastily pouring two glasses, she handed them to her parents and took a seat in an old rocking chair that had belonged to her great-grandmother. Kash sat across from her in a side chair that matched the couch.

  Trevor asked Kash about the stock contracting business, how many of the animals he thought he might take to Las Vegas to the finals, and the type of cattle they ran on their ranch.

  In turn, Kash asked Trevor about his beet crop, the process involved in turning them to sugar, and what made him move from Washington to Star, Idaho.

  The four of them visited for almost an hour before Kash stood and held out a hand to Trevor. “I’m glad we had the opportunity to meet, sir, but I need to get on the road home. I’ve got stock to load out in the morning.”

  “You’re driving back to Twin Falls tonight?” Trevor asked as the four of them walked to Celia’s door.

  “Yep. It only takes about two hours to get to the ranch. That’s an easy, short drive for me, compared to what I’m used to.”

  Jana smiled. “I remember all the miles Cort used to travel when he competed.” She put her hands on Celia’s shoulders and gave her a loving squeeze. “At least our girl usually stays within a day’s drive when she travels. You be safe out there, Kash. Maybe we’ll see you the next time you’re in town.”

  Much to his surprise, Jana gave Kash a hug then shooed him and Celia out the door. “Why don’t you walk him out, honey? Your dad and I will wait until you come back to leave.”

  Celia scowled at her mother, but followed Kash out the door as he settled his hat on his head. She heard it click behind them and wondered if her mother had her eye pressed to the peephole watching them.

  In the event she did, Celia took Kash’s hand and led him to the elevator. At least no one could spy on them with the elevator tucked around the corner from the hallway.

  “I’m sorry about that, Kash.” Celia started to rock back and forth on her feet and realized she’d forgotten to slip on her shoes. She wiggled her toes and glanced down at them, disappointed at the way their evening had ended.

  After waiting what seemed like an eternity for Kash to kiss her, she didn’t want him to stop. Not ever.

  Somehow, she had to tell him goodbye, knowing she wouldn’t see him again for two months.

  “Don’t give it a thought, Celia. I’m glad I met your dad. He reminds me a lot of your brother.” Kash placed his index finger beneath her chin and pushed upward until her gaze met his. “I really do need to head home.”

  Tears pricked the back of her eyes and burned in her throat, making her irritated. Hardly ever given to tears, Celia sure didn’t want them falling in front of Kash on their first date. He’d think she was some emotional mess.

  Then again, she’d acted like a lunatic around him since the day they’d met and he still seemed to like her okay. At least she assumed he did by the way he looked at her.

  Kash had it in mind to tell Celia he just wanted to be friends. His line of work wasn’t conducive to keeping girlfriends, and his past prevented him from trusting a woman enough to be in any kind of relationship with one.

  Regardless, the words died long before he could utter them. One look in Celia’s eyes, with all that glorious hair falling around her face and her just-kissed lips tempting him, he couldn’t think of anything beyond how much he wanted to hold her and love her.

  “Come here.” Kash opened his arms and Celia stepped inside the circle of their warmth and security. He kissed the top of her head and rested his cheek there for a long moment. “I’m gonna miss you. Promise you’ll text or call me once in a while?”

  “I promise. At risk of making you think I’m a crazy stalker chick, I might even do it every day.”

  Kash chuckled and gave her a slight squeeze before he relaxed his hold, putting a little space between them. “I’ll look forward to it.” He raised a hand and cupped her cheek, studying every detail of her face from her long eyelashes beneath perfectly shaped eyebrows, to the freckles dotting her nose and the stubborn tilt to her chin.

  A lone tear trailed down her cheek and his heart constricted painfully. “No tears, Celia. I hate having to leave, to be gone for so long, but the time will go fast. Before you know it, I’ll see you in Pendleton.”

  “I know, Kash, it’s just that…” Celia stopped and cleared her throat, swallowing back her tears. “Tonight was the best first date I’ve ever had. Thank you for making it such a wonderful evening.”

  “Thank you for going out with me.”

  The soft, tender kiss he gave her nearly broke her heart. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and never let go.

  “Thanks for asking,” she whispered. “You better get going. Even it is only two hours, it’ll still be late when you get home.”

  He nodded in agreement. “You stay out of trouble while I’m gone. No marriage proposals, walking in on half-naked men, or stepping in front of running horses. Is that clear, young lady?”

  The teasing grin he offered her held the opposite affect from what he intended. The smile he hoped it would evoke never materialized. In its place, her lip quivered.

  One more tear streaking across her silky smooth cheek would be his undoing. He pushed the elevator button, convinced if he left, she’d calm down. Then he made the mistake of looking into those moist green eyes.

  “Aw, Red.” He pulled her against him and lowered his head to hers.

  This time when their lips connected, Kash wondered if they might set the building aflame from the heat of the exchange.

  A clearing throat startled them both. They stared at a middle-aged man standing inside the elevator, waiting for Kash to get on. “Going down?”

  Celia buried her head against his chest and nervously giggled. Kash kissed her cheek and stepped onto the elevator.

  “See you in September, Celia.”

  She lifted a hand to him and waited until the elevator door closed to walk back down the hall to her apartment and parents.

  The time she spent with Kash that evening, the time she’d spent in his arms, had forever altered her world.

  Nothing would ever be the same again.

  Chapter Eleven

  Celia wheeled into the area reserved for rodeo contestants and staff at the Pendleton Round-up. She flashed her PRCA card and the photographer pass from the rodeo committee then listened as the security guard told her where she could park.

  Quickly locating a spot, she parked her pickup and grabbed her equipment. Desperate to see Kash, she rushed toward the holding pens. The rodeo would start in fifteen minutes, which didn’t give her much time to locate him.

  The past eight weeks had been pure torture. Every time they thought they might get to see each other, something interfered with their schedules.

  The evening he’d kissed her breathless at the elevator and left her so rattled she could barely form complete sentences for days afterward seemed like a lifetime ago.

  With plans to arrive in Pendleton the previous morning, she hoped to spend time with Kash, and photograph some of the slack competition.

  However, a friend who taught high school arts called Monday evening to remind her she volunteered to do a classroom presentation the following afternoon.

  At the time Celia said she’d be happy to do it, she’d mistakenly thought it was the week after the Round-Up. Averse to letting her friend or the students down, she vowed she’d be there.

  Kash was understanding when she called to tell him she wouldn’t be in Pendleton until late that evening. The moment she left the school, she planned to hit the road.

>   “We’ve made it through fifty-eight days. What’s one more?” he asked. Although his voice held a teasing note, he sounded as eager to see her as she was to set eyes on him.

  When Celia went to leave the school, she couldn’t get her pickup to start. Finally giving up, she called her dad and he towed her out to the farm where he concluded a worn out starter caused the problem. Jana offered to let Celia take her car, but she knew her Mom needed it to get to her part-time job and her dad needed his truck.

  With no automotive stores open that late in the evening, Trevor took her home with a promise to pick her up in the morning as soon as the store opened.

  At the latest setback, Celia called Kash, apologetic that she wouldn’t see him sooner.

  “I’ll jump in my truck and come get you, Celia. You are killing me. I need to see you.”

  A thrill of pleasure washed over her. “I want to see you, too. There’s no need for you to drive all night. I absolutely will be there before the rodeo starts tomorrow.”

  “I’m holding you to that,” Kash said before wishing her a good night.

  The following morning, Trevor picked her up as soon as the parts store opened. While he replaced the starter, she called Kash to assure him she’d soon be on the road.

  Her dad walked around the truck, giving it a close examination and pointed to Celia’s back tire.

  “You better stop and get someone to look at this tire before you leave town. It’s spewing air faster than a politician on the losing end of a debate. I don’t want you to have a blowout on the freeway. Your back tires are worn out, anyway. When was the last time you replaced them?”

  “Three years ago.” Celia kicked the tire and sighed. Although Cort had given his old pickup to her without asking a dime in payment, the vehicle was on its last leg. She’d just had the brake pads and rotors replaced. Three weeks ago, the intake manifold gasket leaked oil all over her parking space at the apartment complex like she’d drilled an oil well through the asphalt. While the mechanic replaced it, he’d mentioned an engine leak she needed to have someone check out.

  She asked him to rate the severity of the leak on a scale of one to five. When he said two, she told him she’d schedule it when she had more time.

  With all the money she’d put into the pickup in the last month, the last thing she wanted to do was get new tires, but her dad was right. It was better to be safe than be left sitting on the freeway trying to change a tire.

  “Thanks, Dad. I’ll stop at the tire shop before I leave. I really appreciate you fixing the starter for me.”

  Trevor washed his greasy hands at the sink in the shop then gave her a big hug. “Be careful, honey, and have a good time at the rodeo. Tell Jacob that Grandpa and Grandma miss him and we’re looking forward to seeing him for Thanksgiving.”

  “I will, Dad. Thanks again.” Celia climbed into the truck and rushed down the road. She stopped in Nampa at the tire shop and had all new tires installed. The service technician suggested she schedule an appointment to have it aligned soon. She added it to the mental list of things she’d take care of later.

  Although the trip to Pendleton should have taken four hours, Celia shaved off thirty minutes, even with road construction between Baker City and La Grande. She didn’t care if she got a speeding ticket. Her focus was on reaching Kash.

  The bulky camera bag bumped against her side as she hurried past the members of the rodeo court waiting to make a grand entry into the grassy arena. She glimpsed a pale blue shirt and dark blue chaps, hoping the man who wore them was Kash.

  When the cowboy turned around, her breath caught while the butterflies that had remained dormant the past two months burst into flight.

  He appeared more handsome than she remembered. Raising a hand above her head to catch his attention, she shouted his name.

  The men he’d been talking to joined him in looking her direction. Expecting him to meet her halfway, she hastened her step. When he didn’t move, she faltered. A deep breath confirmed her suspicions as she neared him.

  The man sneered and she smacked his arm. “You aren’t fooling me a third time, Ransom Kressley. Where is your brother?”

  “Well, hello to you, too, Miss McGraw.” Ransom shot her one of his cocky smiles and pointed to a man on horseback checking on horses in a holding pen beneath the stands. “You’ll find Saint Kash over there.”

  Celia gave him a curt nod then rushed toward Kash as he rode Tru. The cowboy sat so straight and tall in the saddle, a sense of awe washed over her.

  He stopped the horse and bent down to latch a gate. Celia called out to him and he twisted in the saddle, zeroing in on her several feet away.

  Faster than she could blink, he was off the horse and she was in his arms. Her hands laced behind his neck while her legs wrapped around his waist.

  Starved for each other, the fervent kiss they exchanged drew catcalls and whistles from those watching.

  Kash finally pulled back enough to take a staggered breath, but left his forehead resting against hers. “I missed you, Red. More than you can possibly know.”

  Her hands moved from his neck to bracket his cheeks. “If that kiss was any indication, I’ve got a pretty good idea.”

  “I’d give you a few dozen more, but our audience is rapidly multiplying and we both have to get to work. Can I talk you into joining me for dinner at the barbecue tonight? It’s not exactly candlelight and a private patio table, but at least we can sit together.”

  “I wouldn’t miss it.” Celia gave him another kiss. What it lacked in length it more than made up for with intensity.

  “You better let her up for air, bro.” Ransom smacked Kash on the shoulder, effectively breaking the spell the couple seemed to be under.

  Kash released her, and she slid to her feet. Swiftly scooping up the camera bag she didn’t recall dropping, she settled the strap over her shoulder. “See you later, handsome.”

  The flirty wink she gave him pushed his reason to the edge of dissipating. At that moment, he could easily forget about horses, bulls, and rodeos. All he wanted was to keep kissing the beautiful girl who fit so perfectly in his arms.

  “You can bank on that, baby.” Kash swatted her jean-covered rear as she rushed into the arena to take photos of the grand entry.

  Ransom snickered and thumped Kash on the back again. “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it. The mighty Saint Kash has fallen.”

  “Just shut it, Ransom. I don’t have time for your commentary.” Kash mounted Tru and turned him around to go check on the bulls set to compete that afternoon.

  “That’s too bad. I’ve got a lot of wisdom to share.” Ransom glanced around at the group that dispersed now that the amorous show had ended.

  “I’m warning you, bro. Leave it alone or I’ll make sure everyone knows you’re afraid of animals, won’t ride a horse, and still sleep with your security blanket.”

  Ransom’s face turned a mottled shade of purple as he stormed away and Kash chuckled to himself.

  The afternoon passed quickly thanks to the fast pace of the rodeo. Kash caught several glimpses of Celia but didn’t have another opportunity to speak to her. Each time he pulled a flank strap on one of his bulls, he watched to make sure she stayed out of harm’s way and breathed a sigh of relief when the ride ended.

  If someone had asked, he couldn’t have told them how many cowboys rode the full eight seconds or who was ahead in the rankings. His full attention centered on a spunky redhead hunkered down with her camera outside the portable fence keeping the bulls from running all over the grassy arena.

  As he wrapped things up once the rodeo ended, he sent Celia a quick text that he’d meet her at the main gate then they’d go to the barbecue.

  He gave Tru a quick brushing before rushing back to his travel trailer. In record time, he showered and changed then jogged to the gate where Celia’s red hair stood out in a sea of cowboy hats.

  Quietly sneaking up behind her, he wrapped his
arms around her waist, pressing a kiss to her neck.

  She spun around and gave him a kiss that made him forget they stood in a milling throng of people.

  When someone bumped into them, Kash raised his head and gave her a sheepish smile. “Ready for some barbecue?”

  “I’m starving. I was too antsy to get on the road to eat much breakfast this morning and I didn’t take time to eat any lunch.” Celia grabbed his hand and led him into the stadium where the barbecue would take place. “Cort and Kaley are here. I asked them to save us a seat. I hope that’s okay with you.”

  “That’s great. I was gonna ask Dad to save a seat for us but I got busy and forgot.” Kash followed her over to where her brother spoke with a beautiful dark-haired woman and a little boy who looked like a miniature replica of his mother. Across from them, Tate Morgan and his wife sat with their curly-headed toddler.

  “Good to see you, man,” Cort said, reaching out a hand to Kash. “This is my wife, Kaley, and our son, Jacob.”

  Kash tipped his hat to Kaley then grinned at the little boy and solemnly shook his hand. He turned and shook Tate’s hand.

  “Been a while, Tate. This lovely woman can’t be your wife.” Kash touched the brim of his hat and smiled at Kenzie before he winked at the baby she held.

  Tate grinned. “This is my wife, Kenzie, and our boy, Gideon.”

  “It’s really nice to meet you ladies, although I don’t know how you put up with these two clowns.” Kash smirked as Kaley and Kenzie laughed at his teasing.

  Kenzie kissed Tate’s cheek. “It’s a hardship for certain, but someone has to do it.”

  Gideon pointed to Kash. “Seal’s friend?”

  He reached down and wiggled the little boy’s boot-clad foot. “Yep, pardner, I’m Celia’s friend. Can I be your friend, too?”

  “Yep. Jake my friend. Mama my friend. Daddy my friend. Kaley my friend. Cort my friend. Seal my friend.” Gideon pointed to each member of the group. “You my friend.”

  “All right, then, friend. I’m glad that’s settled.” Kash grinned as Gideon nodded enthusiastically, making the curls on his head bounce.