“Every time I kiss you it’s like standing in the middle of firework explosions with the softest snowflakes falling all around me. Fire and ice. Magic and moonbeams. I don’t want it to ever end, Celia.” His thumb brushed over her cheek and trailed across her just-kissed lips. “I love you.”
Certain she’d misunderstood him, she caught her breath. The tenderness in his eyes, the gentleness in his touch assured her she’d heard him perfectly.
“I love you, too, Kash. So, so much.” She pulled his head down toward hers. “And kissing you is the single most wonderful thing I’ve ever experienced.”
He chuckled before laying claim to her lips with a newfound confidence borne from her love.
When he raised his head, he slung her camera bag over his shoulder and picked her up in his arms. “Let’s get you back to the house and warm you up.”
“If you think those kisses haven’t sent my temperature skyrocketing, you better sit down and have a conversation with your father. I think you might have missed a lecture or two before you hit puberty.” Celia’s impish grin made him smile. “You better be careful or we’ll melt a trail from here all the way to the house and how will you explain that to everyone?”
Kash shook his head and walked over to where his horse, Tru, waited. He set Celia down and mounted then held out a hand for her to swing up behind him. “I’ll tell them the truth: I can’t keep my hands or lips off one red-hot, fiery-tempered, photo-taking cowgirl.”
Celia laughed and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Good, cause I don’t want you to try.”
On the ride back to the house, neither one of them paid any attention to the glorious, wintery landscape around them.
Kash turned around to kiss Celia so many times, he almost stopped to pull her across his lap then thought better of it. He’d never hear the end of the teasing and taunts from his crew, much less his dad and brother, if they saw him.
Once they finally made it back to the house, he rode Tru right up to the front porch steps. The involved, fervent kiss they exchanged blinded them to the audience of dogs and humans peering at them from the house, barn, and shop.
When Kash lifted his head and smiled at her, Celia started to press her lips to his again. A round of whistles, claps and cheers startled them both. Two of the dogs barked and yipped, adding to the chaos.
Tru sidestepped and Kash reined him in next to the porch. He held out an arm and she used it to swing down.
Cheeks nearly as red as her hair, Celia gawked at their audience as she took her camera bag from him.
“That’s getting it done, boss,” said Mark, one of Kash’s right-hand men.
“Don’t you boys have work to do?” Kash glowered at his crew.
“Yep, but this is far more interesting than anything in the barn.”
Ignoring their teasing, Kash leaned forward and touched Celia’s cheek. “I’ll see you in a little while, Red.”
“I’ll be here.” Embarrassed, yet undeniably happy, she flounced into the house. Frank didn’t sneak away from the front window fast enough to avoid getting caught. She scowled at him as she removed her outerwear. “I can understand the crew acting like a bunch of peeping Toms, but aren’t you too old for that sort of thing?”
“Nope. I’ve been waiting thirty years to see that boy fall in love and I’m not missing it while it happens right under my nose.” Frank settled his arm around her shoulders as they walked down the hall to the kitchen. “Did you find the horses?”
“I sure did. They’re amazing, Frank. Just amazing.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“What is that smell?” Kash asked as he stepped inside the back hallway and left his coat and hat on hooks near the door.
“Good or bad?” Frank asked, grinning at his son as he entered the kitchen.
“Good. Really good. Like candy.” Kash walked over to the counter where Celia cut something chocolatey into bars. He slid his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek. “Did you make us a treat?”
“I made all the good boys who live here a treat, so I guess Frank will have to decide if he wants to share with you and Ransom.”
Frank laughed as he set a bag of potato chips on the table. “She gave me a sample already, son. I might just keep the whole thing to myself.”
“What is it?” Kash asked, trying to sneak his hand around to snitch a bite, but Celia elbowed him in the ribs. “Just a peanut and marshmallow bar my grandma always used to make at Christmas. It’s kind of like fudge, except easier to make. You melt three kinds of chips together, stir in peanuts and marshmallows, and let it set up. Now, wash your hands. No candy until after lunch.”
Kash frowned at her, making twin vertical lines appear between his eyebrows. Celia grinned and waved her chocolate-coated knife at him. “You give me a grumpy face like that again and you won’t get any at all.”
Frank slapped Kash on the back. “She’s a feisty one, isn’t she?”
“No doubt about it, Dad. She’s full of sass and bossiness with a temper to match that bright red hair, but I think I’ll keep her. Since she hogtied me and ordered me to fall in love with her, what else can I do?” Kash disregarded his dad’s shocked look and winked at Celia.
Heat burned her cheeks at his teasing as she set a dozen pieces of candy on a plate and placed the rest into a resealable bag.
A whoop from upstairs and the sound of feet pounding down the back stairway drew their gaze to the kitchen door.
Ransom rushed into the room, wearing a big smile. He grabbed Celia in his arms and two-stepped her around the room.
Kash glowered at him and Frank stared in astonishment as he spun her around before releasing her.
He beamed at all three of them. “I’m in! I got the job!”
“Congrats, man! That’s awesome!” Kash thumped him on the back and moved aside so Frank could offer his congratulations.
Celia even gave Ransom a hug and an encouraging smile.
After they sat down at the table and Frank asked the blessing, the conversation focused on Ransom’s new job.
“Tell us more about what you’ll do,” Frank said as they ate sandwiches and munched on chips.
“It’s kind of like what I’ve done with our company, except it’s football. I’ll promote the team, oversee the marketing, and be involved during the games. I can’t wait to get started.” Ransom’s excitement was palpable as he spoke with enthusiasm.
“When do you leave?” Kash asked.
“They want me there the second full week of January, so I should leave soon. I need to find an apartment, get some new clothes, that sort of thing,” Ransom said, tapping notes on his phone as he spoke.
“And you aren’t gonna miss the ranch at all?” Frank asked.
“No, Dad, I’m really not. I can’t wait to live somewhere there aren’t chores, animals, and manure. I need to buy a few suits, dress slacks, and maybe even a pair of shiny-toed shoes.”
Celia laughed. “You should get in touch with my friend Kelly. She knows all the best places to shop in Portland and she might even have a suggestion or two on a place to live.” The gaze she pinned on him held warning. “But don’t you mess with her or try any funny business, or you’ll have me to answer to and you know I have good aim.”
Ransom chuckled. “I promise I will not mess with your friend, but if she’s willing to show me around, that would be great.”
“I’ll get in touch with her and give her your number if you give it to me.” Celia took the phone Ransom held out to her and programmed his number into her phone then added hers to his contacts.
Frank cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what I told you boys earlier in regard to selling the business.”
Kash cast a wary look at his father. He’d hoped since his dad had received the news Ransom wanted out to pursue his own dreams with relative calm, that he’d stop talking about selling the company.
“And?” Ransom asked, giving Kash a sympathet
ic glance.
“I’ve decided to sell it, provided the buyer is still interested.” The air whooshed out of the two brothers and Celia froze, watching all three Kressley men.
A stony look settled over Kash’s face. He opened his mouth, started to say something, and snapped it closed twice.
Frank broke into a broad grin and slapped him on the back. “Are you still willing to buy it, son?”
“What?” Both Ransom and Kash gaped at their father, confused.
“Everyone seated at this table knows Kash loves the business and will do a bang-up job not just running it but owning it. I want to sell, retire, and relax. When one of you boys screw your head on straight and get married, I’ll have plenty of time to spoil grandbabies.”
Celia choked on the juice she’d just swallowed and started coughing so hard her eyes watered. Kash rubbed her back while Ransom handed her a handful of paper napkins.
Chuckling, Frank glanced at Ransom. “What I propose is that we subtract out everything Kash has invested in the company including stock, equipment, and the like because that is his regardless of anything else. Whatever that remaining number turns out to be, we’ll divide it by three. Kash can buy out your third and I’ll keep a third.” Frank winked at Celia. “At least until those grandbabies start arriving.”
Frank turned back to Ransom. “Or, you can keep your third and know that anytime you want to come back, you’ll still have a hand in the business. Kash would essentially own half the business because of what he’s already invested.”
Ransom studied his father and brother, considering his options. If Kash bought out his share, it would give him a nest egg to start over with in Portland. On the other hand, a cushion might provide too much of a safety net.
Astounding everyone at the table, Ransom shook his head. “No, I don’t want to split it up just yet. Maybe sometime down the road we can have this conversation again, but I want to start over with a clean slate, knowing I’m going to work hard to make it. If Kash bought out my share, that money would make it easy to fall into old habits. To make it clear, though, I don’t want involved in the business at all. Kash is large and in charge.”
Frank’s eyes held pride as he squeezed Ransom’s shoulder. “You’ll always have a place here at the Rockin’ K. Isn’t that right, Kash?”
“For sure.” Kash grinned at his brother, still trying to process the changes he’d witnessed in his twin the past few days. It was as if Ransom had done a complete turn-around and finally headed the right direction.
“To celebrate, how about some of that candy you’re hoarding over there, Celia?” Kash motioned to the plate sitting on the counter.
“I’m not hoarding anything,” Celia said, retrieving the plate and handing it to Frank.
Kash reached out and popped her bottom. She turned on him with a mock glare. He held up his hands in a gesture of innocence as Ransom took a piece. Kash grabbed a chocolate square off the plate, sniffed it, and took a bite.
“Man, this is good,” he said, eating the rest of it in two bites and reaching for another. “You might need to make another batch so we’ll have some for tomorrow.”
“You boys can’t eat that whole big pan in one afternoon. I’ll hide them before I let that happen.”
Frank took another piece off the plate, ready to fight off his boys and claim the remaining candy all for his own. “Thank you for making this, honey. Barb doesn’t usually leave us any Christmas candy.”
“She probably knows you three would inhale it all the first day she was gone.”
Kash winked at her and took a third piece. “She wouldn’t be entirely wrong.”
Celia laughed and snatched the last piece off the plate. It would be so, so easy to get used to being there with the Kressley men, as a part of their family.
Abruptly shoving her runaway dreams back to reality, she didn’t know what her future held, but she hoped it included Kash.
After the lunch dishes were cleared away, Celia wandered around the house, taking photos of things that caught her interest, like the barnwood wall in the guest bathroom and the cowhide rug on the front room floor. She often took photos of textures and colors, never knowing when she might want to use the images for something.
She’d just put her camera equipment away in the hall closet when the jingle of spurs drew her gaze down the hall as Kash walked toward her.
Love and yearning flooded her heart until she thought she might drown in the emotion. She loved him so much and couldn’t get enough of watching him, especially in form-fitting jeans with a dusting of snow across the shoulders of his work coat and along the brim of his black hat.
“What are you up to, baby?” Kash kissed her cheek. His lips were cool, but instantly made heat rush through her.
“I took a few photos around the house. You guys have some really great stuff in here.”
“Thanks. We kind of like it.” Kash grinned and opened the closet door, taking out Celia’s coat and holding it for her.
“Am I going somewhere?” she asked as she slipped her arms inside the sleeves. Kash reached into the closet and pulled out a stocking cap, tugging it down over her head until it covered her eyes.
“Hey!” Celia huffed and pushed it up far enough she could see.
Kash chuckled and handed her the snow boots she’d worn earlier. “I want to show you something.”
Her eyes narrowed to a glare. Even though she wanted nothing more than to spend every second with him, she didn’t appreciate being told what to do. “For future reference, I’m much more cooperative when asked if I want to do something, not told I’m going to do it.”
“And I already know you’ll go with me no matter how much you fuss, so why are you still standing there talking instead of putting on your boots. We’re wasting daylight, as my grandpa always used to say.”
Celia gave him a dark scowl while she yanked on her boots, buttoned her coat, and wrapped a scarf around her neck. Kash opened the front door and she marched through it while pulling on her gloves.
She almost stumbled down the porch steps when she realized two saddled horses waited at the end of the walk. Quickly turning around, she put a hand on Kash’s chest. “Are we really going for a ride?”
“That was my plan, unless you don’t feel up to being out in the cold again.”
“No, I’m fine.” Celia grabbed his gloved hand in hers and almost skipped down the sidewalk. She hadn’t gone riding in ages. Her horse was at her mom and dad’s place, but she rarely had time to ride.
Kash boosted her up into the saddle, possessively touching her back as she settled into it. The touch of his hand beneath her coat made warmth curl from her head down to her toes. While he adjusted the stirrups for her, she reached over and gave Tru a friendly pat.
When Kash finished, he tugged on his gloves, swung into his saddle, and followed a trail that led past the bunkhouse. He showed Celia the cattle, more bulls, the rest of the horse herd, and a spot where he wanted to put in a horse barn for training saddle horses.
“How many acres do you have here?” she asked, standing in the stirrups, surveying the world around them covered in brush and snow.
“We own four sections. It gives us plenty of room for the stock we have now and room to grow.”
“Wow! That’s awesome.” Celia smiled at him before returning her gaze to the beauty of the landscape around her. She wished she’d been thinking straight and brought along a camera.
What she really wanted was to snap photos of Kash riding Tru. Something about the dappled horse and his dark mane stirring up the snow with the rugged man on his back made her want to capture the image to remember this as the most wonderful holiday she’d ever experienced.
Big fluffy snowflakes started drifting down about the time the dusk arrived. Kash moved Tru until he was so close to Celia their legs brushed. Everything in him wanted to hold her, love her.
He removed his glove and rubbed his hand along her cool cheek. His index finger traced the
long column of her neck to where it disappeared behind her heavy scarf.
“Celia,” he whispered. Leaning over, he took her mouth in a driven kiss so incredible, he wondered how he’d managed to live thirty years without it. He filled his lungs with a deep breath and inhaled her fragrance along with the fresh tang of snow, blended with horses and leather. The combination was one he could grow accustomed to with no problem.
Slowly, he raised his head and glanced at her, memorizing every freckle on her nose, every smooth contour of her creamy cheeks, every detail of her beloved face. Snowflakes clung to her eyelashes. Kash kissed one eyelid followed by the other.
Determined, she reached out and grasped the collar of his coat, pulling his mouth back to hers, conveying every bit as much need and longing as he felt.
“Come on, Red. If I don’t take you back to the house right now, I might just have my way with you in the snow.” Kash turned Tru away from her and they rode in the direction of the house.
He wouldn’t do such a thing, but the fact he’d mentioned it made her smile.
“If you kiss me like that again, I might just let you.”
Kash forced himself to keep riding home. He left Celia at the door then put the horses away while his crew teased him without mercy. Briefly, he considered firing them but decided that would be a rather Scrooge-like thing to do so close to Christmas.
Rather than return to the house, Kash helped with the feeding, and made sure the dogs had plenty of water and food. He stood out front and stared at the house awhile, pleased at how festive it looked with the lights Celia asked them to string and the decorations she’d added around the porch.
Through the front window, he watched as she plugged in the Christmas tree lights. The bulbs softly glowed, spreading color through the evening darkness and falling snow.
The scene before him, the contented feeling it created in him, etched itself in his mind and onto his heart.
Capturing Christmas Page 25
