His Christmas Cowgirl

by Alissa Callen

  Since when had she developed cleavage? And where on earth did that flash of side boob come from? She sucked in her stomach and ran her hands over her hips but the dress failed to fall in the shapeless lines it had when she’d previously tried it on. Now the material clung to curves that surely couldn’t be hers? She’d always been straight up and down. Perhaps if she put on the matching blue shoes it would make the dress hang better? But even with heels on, her hips pushed against the silken fabric.

  “Everything okay?” Ivy’s voice sounded.

  “No.” Peta flung open the curtain. “I’m so sorry. It’s a disaster. I hope you have a Plan B on those wedding lists of yours. I can’t wear this.”

  But instead of seeing her dismay mirrored on Ivy’s pretty face, her hazel eyes widened and her mouth formed a perfect ‘o’. She jumped to her feet.

  “Peta Dixon, where have you been hiding those to-die-for curves?”

  Peta groaned. “I don’t know, but I wish they’d go back to wherever they were. I can hardly breathe.”

  Lisa quickly came to her side and slid the zipper down a little. But all the extra room did was to allow more of her breasts to spill free. She pressed a hand against her chest. “I know there’s only two weeks until the wedding, and I’ll try to lose a few pounds, but I think I’ll need a new dress.”

  “No,” Ivy and Lisa said in unison.

  “This one’s perfect,” Ivy added, voice firm.

  “It is,” Lisa said, admiration shining in her eyes as she examined the bodice seams. “Just a little adjustment here and there and it will fit fine.” She took a step back. “The only thing not quite right is… your hair.”

  The salon owner reached behind the counter and produced a sparkling hair clip. With one smooth motion she twisted Peta’s blonde hair into a makeshift updo and secured the ends in place with the clip.

  Ivy clasped her hands together. “Simply stunning. I can’t wait to see all of my gorgeous bridesmaids together.” She half turned to look out the shop window and then back at a dark suit hanging on the far wall. “How tall would you say Garrett was? I didn’t take much notice when I met him at Grey’s Saloon last week.”

  Peta frowned. “I don’t know… maybe six foot two.”

  Ivy nodded but her attention remained on the suit. “And his weight?”

  Warmth flared in Peta’s cheeks at the memory of Garrett’s hard packed ridges that were pure muscle. “I’m used to sizing up cattle not cowboys… maybe two hundred pounds.”

  Ivy didn’t immediately reply. Instead she swung around and said over her shoulder. “That’s close enough to what Saul would be.”

  To Peta’s horror she watched Ivy open the bridal salon door as a denim jacketed cowboy strode by. Peta closed her eyes. And not just any cowboy. The one overbearing, broad-shouldered cowboy who should have been miles away at her ranch.

  *

  “Are you sure you don’t mind?”

  Garrett smiled at the petite brunette who barely reached his shoulder. He’d taken an instant liking to the quick-witted and no-nonsense Ivy when they’d met at Grey’s. “Not at all. It won’t take long to try on a suit.”

  But as he removed his hat and followed Ivy into the sweet-smelling bridal salon he realized that yet again he hadn’t read the fine print. The bridesmaid he was to partner, even if it was only for a five minute suit fitting, was his boss.

  His grip on his hat tightened. A boss who stood on a small round platform like a princess on a pedestal. A boss whose bountiful curves were showcased in a fitted blue dress that left little to the imagination. A boss whose chin tilted as he approached.

  “Peta.” He nodded and hoped the gesture didn’t reveal how the sight of her kicked up the tempo of his heartbeat.

  “Garrett.”

  Her tone was as cool as the fall breeze that had followed him down Main Street and chilled his neck.

  He caught Ivy looking between the two of them before she introduced the dark-haired woman kneeling at Peta’s feet, pinning the hem of her long dress.

  “Lisa, this is Garrett and he’s kindly agreed to be Saul for the fitting.”

  The bridal shop owner came to her feet. “Hi.” She cast a practiced eye over him. “You walking by was perfect timing. Saul’s suit will be a good fit.” She grinned. “So what type of pizza did Ivy offer you afterwards?”

  “No pizza. I’m happy to help out.”

  Ivy and Lisa exchanged smiles but Peta’s expression remained set. If he didn’t know better he would have said she appeared uncomfortable. But the way she stood with her shoulders back and her hands now on her hips suggested she was more likely bored or impatient.

  He accepted the suit Lisa handed him and went to change. When he emerged from the dressing room, Peta had stepped off the round platform. She turned sideways and he caught the flash of a creamy curve not quite covered by the bodice of her dress. His jaw tightened even as his blood heated. His testosterone needed to heed the memo that glamorous and socially-absorbed Peta would be nothing but trouble.

  To ease his tension he adjusted the royal blue silken tie that matched the blue of his vest beneath his jacket. He then bent his arm to adjust his shirt cuff. Peta’s gaze narrowed and her attention switched from his shirt cuff to the cowboy boots he still wore.

  Lisa brushed a speck of lint from off his sleeve. “The jacket shoulders are a tad too small but otherwise the suit’s a good fit. Ivy, you’ll get a good idea of how Peta’s dress will look alongside Saul’s suit.”

  “I sure will.” Ivy slipped her phone out of her stylish red handbag. “Okay, you two, cozy on up so I can get a photo of you side-by-side.”

  Peta’s mouth tensed but then she flashed him a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Seeing as I’ve a hem full of pins, you might like to come over here.”

  He nodded, taking his time to walk over. He hadn’t imagined the hint of challenge that edged her words. As he drew near, he offered her his arm. She slid her hand over his forearm, her touch light.

  He looked at Ivy. “How’s this? Cozy enough for you.”

  “Yes. Perfect.”

  Garrett focused on keeping his expression casual and not on how good the woman beside him smelled. Last night she’d worn a distinctive French perfume but today she wore a more subtle scent that reminded him of apple blossoms. The change surprised him.

  Beside him, Peta shifted as she edged away.

  “Just a couple more,” Ivy said, as she refocused her phone and captured some final images.

  Even before Ivy had lowered the phone Peta moved. He didn’t know what happened next, only that her grip on his forearm tightened and she pitched toward him. Without thought he held his arm firm to support her and caught her with his other hand. Her apple blossom scent filled his senses, her warmth and softness filled his arms.

  He gazed into eyes wide with shock and an unexpected vulnerability.

  “Hold still, Peta,” Lisa’s voice seemed to come from a long distance away. “Your heel’s caught in the hem.”

  “I won’t move. I don’t want to rip the dress.” Peta’s mouth barely moved as she spoke.

  Her brow furrowed as she concentrated on staying still and away from his chest. Surprise again filtered through him. Now was the perfect opportunity for her to collapse against him. He’d once had a rodeo queen land in his lap convinced her ankle was broken even after a nurse confirmed it was a mild sprain. But instead of taking advantage of the situation, Peta maintained as much distance as she could between them.

  “There you go.” Lisa’s voice sounded. “No harm done. Your heel’s free.”

  Peta’s sigh of relief was only matched by the speed with which she pulled away and headed for the dressing room.

  “This dress is coming off before anything else can happen to it,” she said, voice strained before whisking the curtain shut.

  Ivy turned to him. “Thanks again for being a Saul fill-in.”

  Garrett cleared his throat and diverted his imagination away fro
m what was happening behind the dressing room curtain. “No problem.”

  “We’re all going to Grey’s tonight to celebrate Peta and Kendall being home. It would be great if you could come, too? Rhett’s busting to finish the talk you were having about cattle genetics.”

  Garrett didn’t know if the smile in Ivy’s eyes was a result of the topic of his and Rhett’s discussion or because he snuck another look toward the dressing room.

  “Thanks, but I’ll have a quiet night in.”

  The fabric rustled behind him as Peta emerged from the dressing room. He heard Lisa’s words of thanks as Peta handed her the blue dress before the cowgirl appeared by Ivy’s side.

  Peta’s cheeks were still a faint pink but the steadiness of her gaze told him she’d put the heel-in-her-hem moment behind her. The wide neckline of her white blouse revealed the tanned curve of a bare shoulder. Her long blonde hair now hung loose and he slid his hands into the suit trouser pockets to stop himself from brushing stray strands from off her cheek. Never before had he found it so difficult to remember that a woman was off-limits.

  “Okay.” Ivy’s attention never left him. “But if you change your mind, you’re more than welcome to come to Grey’s tonight.”

  “Thanks.”

  She smiled before heading over to where Lisa had laid a selection of hair clips on the counter.

  He tugged at his tie to loosen the silken knot. Hal would be waiting for him. It was time to get out of Saul’s suit and walk over the railway line to the hospital. With any luck, the two new front tires on his truck would be ready by the time he’d seen Hal.

  “You didn’t mention you were coming to town this morning, too?” Peta’s words were low and quiet.

  “No, I didn’t. It wasn’t important. I needed new truck tires and I come in every day to see Hal.” Garrett slid the tie from around his neck and unfastened the top shirt button. “I always meet with the boys before I go and everyone knows what chores they need to have done before I’m back. Speaking of which, we can run through a ranch update after lunch.”

  “In the future, I’d appreciate you letting me know when you leave the ranch. As for the update… it will have to wait. I have other things to do in town and won’t be home until late.”

  Garrett only nodded. If he’d spoken he couldn’t guarantee frustration wouldn’t have clipped his words. He might not be used to being accountable for his actions, or to receiving orders but, for Hal’s sake, he had to cop Peta’s stern words on the chin. He also had to let his disappointment go, knowing she wasn’t a woman who put her ranch first.

  “No problem. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He swung away and shrugged off the suit jacket.

  Once again dressed in his Wranglers, faded green western shirt, and denim jacket he made his way to the hospital and to Hal’s room. As he always did, he took a moment at the doorway to settle his emotions and to make sure he remained in control. He couldn’t have Hal sense how seeing him bruised and broken upset him. Complications after Hal’s hip surgery had kept him in hospital longer than either of them had expected. Once back at Bluebell Falls he’d have at least six weeks of rehabilitation and Garrett wasn’t going anywhere until the man he loved like a father had fully healed.

  An easy smile on his face, he pushed open the door. His smile grew when he saw Hal propped up in bed, his eyes clear. Today was the first day he didn’t appear pale beneath his tan. He must have had a good night and managed to get some sleep.

  But as Garrett took in the fresh bunch of cheerful flowers and the large gift bag on Hal’s bedside table he knew Peta was the reason behind Hall looking much improved. According to the town chatter, Kendall was yet to make an appearance which left only one traveler who would have given Hal a present in a bag decorated with the British flag.

  Garrett pulled up his usual chair and took Hal’s favorite cowboy boot shaped chocolates he’d bought from Sage’s Copper Mountain Chocolate shop, out of his jacket pocket.

  “I see you’ve had a visitor?”

  Hal’s smile took years off his weathered face. “Sure did. Peta was here before they’d taken away my breakfast tray.”

  Garrett nodded. The upstairs floorboards had creaked while he’d eaten a quick breakfast before heading outside. Peta also had been up when the grey of dawn still streaked the sky. Her body clock must have been out of kilter from the change in time zones. He didn’t know of a single woman who’d ever been out of bed before eight o’clock. The truth was he’d counted on their late rising to enjoy some extra hours of peace.

  As if sensing his thoughts, Hal’s expression sobered. “I keep telling you that not all women are like the ones who spend your money and pout when you don’t pay them enough attention. You need to meet real girls and not those social butterflies that look pretty on your arm.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “No, you’re not. Are you going to Grey’s tonight to welcome Peta and Kendall home?”

  “Ivy asked me but I’m new to town, I don’t want to intrude.”

  Hal huffed. “More like you want to spend the night on your computer. You know if you invested yourself in a community as much as you did those companies of yours, you’d find a place that felt like home.”

  Garrett sighed. They’d covered this ground many times over the years. “I have been meeting the locals. If it was just casual drinks I’d go but I don’t know Kendall and Peta is my boss so it doesn’t seem right.”

  Hal wrinkled his nose. “Where have you been? You smell like some fancy flower shop?”

  “It’s worse than any flower shop; I’ve been in a bridal store.”

  Hal’s eyes brightened and he sat up in bed a little more. “The one on Front Avenue?”

  “Yes. I walked past on the way here and Ivy asked if I could try on a suit for someone called Saul.”

  “Was Peta there?”

  Garrett lost the battle to repress the memory of how well Peta filled out her blue dress. He fought hard to keep his voice normal. “Yes, she was.”

  “I bet she looked beautiful. She should wear dresses more often.”

  Garrett frowned. He’d only ever seen her in a skirt or a dress. “She did but you know as well as I do that a woman that beautiful is nothing but trouble.”

  Hal didn’t immediately reply, just rubbed at the grey whiskers on his chin, his faded blue eyes thoughtful. “So I’m guessing she hasn’t been involved in the ranch work yet?”

  “No, she hasn’t been home long enough and today she won’t be home until late. I’ve been thinking I’ll bring the roundup forward. I’m sure she won’t mind as from what I’ve seen so far, she won’t want to be involved.”

  A small smile played across Hal’s mouth. “Have you mentioned this to Peta?”

  “No, I haven’t had the chance.” Frustration tinged his tone.

  “I think it’s best if she hears it from you.” Hal’s eyes brimmed with sudden laughter. “So when she comes this afternoon to show me her photos, I won’t mention it.”

  Garrett came to his feet. It was a relief to see Hal’s spark return but there was something going on he didn’t quite understand. “Okay. Well, I’d better get going. My truck should be ready and I need to collect some roundup supplies from the Marietta Feed and Supply store. I hope you get the all clear from Dr. Wyatt this afternoon to come home tomorrow.”

  “Me, too. I’m looking forward to hearing how your roundup chat with Peta goes.”

  As Garrett retraced his steps to Front Avenue, his suspicions that he’d missed something crucial in his conversation with Hal deepened. But his thoughts refused to answer the puzzle and instead boomeranged back to Peta.

  He hadn’t mistaken the vulnerability he’d witnessed when he’d held her. Such fragility didn’t fit with the picture he’d formed of her, just like the more subtle fragrance she wore today seemed out of character. He didn’t normally have his first impressions contradicted. He quickened his stride. Just as well he wasn’t going to Grey’s tonight. Not only was he attr
acted to Peta, she also intrigued him. And such a combination only meant double-trouble.

  Chapter Three

  ‡

  “These nails are going to be the death of me.”

  Peta frowned at her reflection as she struggled to slip the gold loop earring through the tiny hole in her ear lobe. If she hadn’t promised Kendall to keep her nails long until after their welcome home get-together at Grey’s, they would have been cut as soon as she’d woken up that morning.

  After another try the first earring slid in, and then the second. She stepped back from the dressing table mirror and leaned forward to check she didn’t have black mascara smudged across her nose.

  Tonight was the last night of being Peta the carefree traveler, looking for love. Tomorrow she’d again be a boring and frayed-around-the edges cowgirl. She couldn’t wait. Her ranch was where she belonged even if she hadn’t found someone to share forever with.

  She smoothed her freshly washed hair off her face and pulled it into a high ponytail. Her teeth ground together as her long nails again interfered with her dexterity.

  The doorbell of her father’s Bramble Lane house rang. Kendall and Brent had arrived. She scooped up the ankle-high, black boots she’d bought in a designer outlet in Paris and tugged them on. She’d figured the high heels would give her good practice for when she walked down the aisle at Ivy’s and Rhett’s wedding. She refused to be the only bridesmaid who didn’t appear to glide along the carpet. Even working cowgirl, Payton, had mastered the art of walking in killer heels.

  Peta tucked her red sleeveless, knitted top into her slim-legged, black jeans thankful she’d never have to ride in them. Their fit was so snug she could barely lift her leg to put her boots on. She blew out a nervous breath as she reached for her lipstick. She hoped she didn’t look as awkward as she felt. Her eyebrows rose as she applied a matte layer of red. Surely the color wasn’t meant to be so bold or so bright?

  Her hand lowered as uncertainty hit her. She couldn’t pull this off, even if it was just a visit to Grey’s with old friends. She wanted to show everyone she’d had fun while away but she didn’t want to be the center of attention in the saloon. Her flirting skills were still a work-in-progress.