Cowboys for Christmas

by Jan Springer

  Holy shit. Why was he even reacting to her? She was all wrong for the job. All wrong for this place. Everything was suddenly just totally out of whack.

  * * * * *

  “Table is all set. I even lit a couple of candles to make the new guy feel more comfortable. How’s the stew?” Rafe asked as he strolled over to where Dan stood stirring the food in his huge Crock-pot.

  “All ready,” Dan said as he withdrew a long wood spoon, placed it on a plate, then removed the apron. He moved over to allow Rafe a peek.

  Rafe’s mouth watered at the succulent, tangy smell.

  “Impressive,” he replied. He meant it too.

  Tomato sauce bubbled in the pot and he caught glimpses of sage, oregano, onions and potatoes mixed with generous chunks of meat. His stomach picked that moment to growl. He was surprised Dan could cook so well.

  “I do declare if that isn’t the best compliment you’ve ever given me,” Dan said in a feminine voice and batted his eyelashes at Rafe.

  “Screw off,” he rolled his eyes and shook his head. Sometimes Dan could be funny, but not now. Not when he could eat a freaking bear. That’s exactly what was in the pot. Black bear meat. One of his favorites. The meal had been simmering the entire day.

  Aside from the bear, the other ingredients had been homegrown in the garden Dan had created at the back of the ranch house. He grew everything in cages so the animals couldn’t get to it and he had to admit, homegrown was a hell of a lot better tasting than the store-bought stuff they ordered in through North Country Air.

  “You two. Get your asses down to the lake and pick up the shit that Kelly brought in,” Rafe’s gruff and very irritated voice shot through the kitchen like a missile.

  Rafe whirled around to find Brady standing in the hallway. The newcomer stood right beside him and appeared…tipsy?

  “What the fuck?” Dan’s question was drowned by a furious look from Brady.

  Uh oh.

  Brady was really pissed and the instant Rafe saw the new recruit’s face, he knew why. They’d asked for two strong men who knew how to cook and clean, as well as someone who could assist the cook in the kitchen and them doing chores. Instead, a young woman stood in front of them.

  “A mistake?” Rafe asked as he studied the woman. She was pretty. She had a light spattering of freckles across her flushed cheeks. Her face was pale and she had an odd smile flirting with the edges of her lips as she stared at them with big brown eyes that reminded him of an innocent doe.

  “A big one,” Brady acknowledged.

  “Oh, two more cuties.” She placed her mittened hand over her mouth hiccupped, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

  Brady raised his eyebrows and frowned at her. He then quickly focused his attention back to Dan and himself.

  “Get the stuff off the lake before the bears get a whiff and we lose our food supply,” Brady growled.

  Dan swore softly again.

  Rafe couldn’t stop himself from grinning. A pretty lady instead of two strong men. How wrong could Jenna get their instructions? This was an interesting turn of events.

  “I think it’s best if we leave these two alone,” Dan said and winked at Rafe. He wanted to warn Dan that this was not the time to piss off an already-pissed-off Brady, but Dan was moving past the duo and heading to the mudroom.

  “Maybe some coffee is in order? Want me to get it started?” Rafe asked, wanting to stay indoors and near this lady. Suddenly he wanted to know everything about her.

  “I’ll take care of it,” Brady growled.

  Rafe nodded and forced himself to rip his gaze from the pretty woman. As he was about to pass Brady and the woman who continued smiling, Brady stopped him with a stern look.

  “When you’re done helping Dan, get Jenna on the satellite phone. She’s got a lot of explaining to do.”

  Chapter Two

  “A woman?” Dan grumbled as he followed Rafe along the trail toward the shed where they kept their snowmobiles.

  Dan just couldn’t believe their new employee was a woman, especially when they’d specifically asked for two men. After Mrs. Wilson’s unexpected departure, they’d resigned themselves to thinking women just wouldn’t like it out here. They’d contacted Jenna, asking her for replacements.

  “Unless your eyes are playing tricks on you too, it’s a woman,” Rafe replied as he opened the shed door. His voice sounded somber. Heck, Dan was feeling pretty low himself. This cattle ranch was no place for a female.

  As Mrs. Wilson had pointed out, there were no shopping centers around. No grocery stores. No regular female companionships unless you counted the women bush pilots who worked for North Country Air, but they only dropped by about once a month to deliver the supplies that Moose Ranch ordered online.

  They stepped inside the shed and Dan flipped the light switch. The fluorescent lamps flickered on and illuminated the contents. Three yellow snowmobiles, sleds and trailers were parked in such a way as someone just needed to hitch up a trailer or sled, hop onto the machine, pop the key into the ignition and ride out of here.

  Dan grabbed the key for the closest snowmobile and tossed Rafe the key. He hitched the sled and Dan opened the shed doors and quickly climbed onto the seat behind Rafe.

  “We tried like hell to entertain Mrs. Wilson,” Rafe continued as he tugged his hood up over his hat, then put on his goggles.

  “And she still left us. The last thing we need is to take care of another woman with all the work that we have to do around here.”

  Dan followed Rafe’s lead and pulled his hood over his toque, and put on his goggles. Despite the short ride down to the lake, it would be colder than if they walked, but the trip would be quicker with the snow machine.

  “Don’t let this female hear you say that. She strikes me as the feminist type,” Rafe said.

  “What gives you that idea?”

  Rafe fell silent for a moment, then continued in a puzzled voice.

  “Why else would Jenna send her here? She probably thinks this chick is tough as nails. Hell, we thought Mrs. Wilson was stronger than an ox, but we were wrong. Unless Jenna made a mistake in sending that lady here?”

  “Maybe,” Dan acknowledged. He doubted it.

  He’d known Jenna for as long as he’d known Brady and the rest of their siblings. If anything, she was as meticulous as Brady. If she’d made a mistake, she would have corrected it already and not sent this woman.

  Dan shook his head and grabbed hold of Rafe’s waist as the snowmobile roared to life. He suspected Jenna knew exactly what she was doing and he wasn’t necessarily sure it was a good thing.

  * * * * *

  JJ felt great. For one thing, she was off that horridly small plane that had droned on endlessly. She was now tucked away in a log ranch house. When she’d sat on her suitcases on that frozen lakes and saw the buttery wash of lights splashing from the windows of the sprawling log house, and saw the gray spiral of smoke from one of the stone chimneys, her heart had clutched with the feeling of coming home.

  Several outbuildings were spread haphazardly all around the house and she’d spied several cattle in corrals as she’d walked up the trail past the barn.

  Now she had a hot-looking guy pouring her a mug of steaming black coffee while she sat at an awesomely long pine table that looked like something right out of the old western John Wayne movies she loved watching on the small black-and-white TV she’d had in her cell.

  Fortunately, the pills she’d been prescribed and had popped into her mouth back in Quebec had prevented her from going into full panic mode on the way to the airport. Sabrina had accompanied her onto a small plane, which had taken them to some isolated airport in Northern Ontario. The plane ride hadn’t been as bad as she’d thought. But then she’d been dropped off at a tiny airport with one small building and nothing but snow and trees surrounding a single runway with several very small bush planes parked here and there, that familiar claustrophobia she’d experienced in Sabrina’s office had begun to claw
through her.

  Another pill later, she said goodbye to Sabrina and reluctantly climbed into that tin coffin of a red plane that belonged to Kelly. Before she’d been able to fly into a full-blown panic attack and jump out of the plane in mid-air, she’d spied the case of red wine that the sweet pilot had been carrying just behind JJ’s seat.

  By the time Kelly had caught on that JJ was drinking, she was piss-drunk and two sheets to the wind and really didn’t give a shit if the plane crashed or if the walls squeezed her to death.

  Now she was being blessed with such a hunky cowboy that she wondered if she’d fallen into a drug- and alcohol-induced dream. She frowned as she gazed up at him. He wore a scowl on his luscious lips. Lips that she wouldn’t mind kissing. And his eyes were bluer than the sky she’d flown through.

  “Something’s missing about you.” She tried to figure out exactly what that might be.

  “The only thing missing about me is my common sense,” he muttered.

  He pushed the mug closer to her. He still wore his winter clothing and so did she, but the icy wind had put a chill into her bones and she wasn’t quite warm yet. He appeared to be getting hot, because suddenly he was chucking his coat and settling it on the back of one of the chairs. He wore a red-and-black hunter fleece jacket and a black turtleneck. He tore his black wool hat off his head and set it on the table. That’s when it hit her.

  “Now I know what’s missing. Your cowboy hat. I was told there would be sexy cowboys out here.”

  Had she just said the word sexy? She hiccupped. Oh, who cared. He looked hot. He was well over six feet, just like the other two men she’d seen earlier. He had broad shoulders and a strong jaw shadowed with dark bristle. His hair was dark brown and wavy, medium length and a bit scruffy. He needed a haircut, but those dreamy blue eyes…

  “Cowboy hats turn me on. Put yours on. ” She hiccupped.

  Oops, she’d just revealed one of her secrets to him.

  He rolled his eyes as if he were self-conscious and his face appeared so red. Was he embarrassed?

  “A shy cowboy. So sexy.” She hiccupped. Oops, she’d just said that sexy word again.

  “If I put on my cowboy hat, you’ll drink your coffee?” His scowl turned to one of hopefulness. Gosh, who was she to dash hopes?

  “Sure. I’ll do anything for a man wearing snug jeans, tons of muscles and a cowboy hat.”

  He stood so fast his chair toppled over behind him. He swore and swooped it back into place. He cursed beneath his breath and she watched as he strolled across the rustic-looking kitchen. She liked the tight way his worn blue jeans hugged his ass.

  “Very nice,” she breathed.

  When he disappeared down the hall, she gazed around the room.

  The coziness of the pine floor and matching pine dining table and chair reached deep into her soul, soothing her. She loved the open concept of living room, dining room and kitchen. A gorgeous stone fireplace took up one entire corner of the living room and dark brown wood beams crisscrossed the white painted ceiling.

  Colorful rugs had been placed on the floor and a couple of chocolate-brown colored leather sofas were set in the middle of the living room with a lovely coffee table situated between them.

  She could see herself raising a family here. Safe and friendly and so homey. She grimaced at that idea. Raise a family? Ha! Who in their right mind would want her? She was a convict who’d probably already screwed up her chance here. Suddenly she wanted to cry.

  “There, are you satisfied? Now drink your coffee.” His brisk voice ripped her back to reality and she gazed up at him. Her sadness vanished.

  Oh my, yes, a very tall cowboy. He wore a black cowboy hat. Sexy hot. She shivered involuntarily at his dangerously seductive gaze. Gosh, she wouldn’t mind having some raunchy and rough sex-in-a saddle with him.

  Wow, normally she wouldn’t give having sex with a man a second thought, especially with being locked up in prison. But her thoughts were changing big time now that she was out.

  “You are very handsome in a cowboy hat,” she blurted. Oh gosh, she was being so bold.

  His eyes widened with surprise and his dark eyebrows raised.

  Yes, she liked his reaction and she liked being bold.

  “Drink the coffee, sweetheart.”

  Sweetheart. How sweet.

  Emotions, thick and raw clutched at her heart. Hot tears bubbled into her eyes, blurring her vision. No guy had spoken so softly and tenderly to her. Ever.

  “Shit. Don’t cry,” he grumbled.

  “I’m not. I never cry.” At least not in front of people. Dammit, she wasn’t about to start now. Angrily, she wiped away her tears with the back of her hands. Thankfully, new tears didn’t follow and she struggled to take off her mittens, but they just wouldn’t come off.

  “Let me help you.” His voice was a gentle whisper. His fingers, strong-looking and tanned, grabbed the tips of both mitts and yanked them off her hands.

  “Oh, you are so strong,” she purred. She wouldn’t mind having those long fingers smoothing over her breasts.

  “Maybe I should put you to bed. You can sleep it off,” he muttered.

  “A roll in the hay? It sounds wonderful.”

  He scowled and she couldn’t stop herself from giggling. And hiccupping.

  “Okay, that’s enough. Let’s go.” He grabbed her elbow and she let him pull her to her feet.

  Yes, he was a big fellow. Was he as big between his thighs? She chuckled at that thought and allowed him to maneuver her down the hallway she’d come in earlier. He stopped at a knotty pine wood door.

  Huh. No bars. Cool.

  He opened the door, flipped on the lights and ushered her inside.

  “Oh my gosh, it’s beautiful in here,” she whispered. The room followed the log-beamed ceiling theme from the other area of the house. A large stone fireplace, similar to the one in the living room, took up a corner in the room. A cozy fire flickered in the hearth.

  The room was sparsely decorated with a large pine bed, a rustic dresser and a large oval rug on the floor. Warmth whipped through her as she spied the blue-and-white gingham curtains that hung on the three windows. Puffy dark-blue pillows and comforters were on the bed. It looked sharp. Wow, he had similar taste to hers.

  “This room is really, really, really beautiful,” she whispered again and sat down on the bed.

  By the wonderment in her voice, Brady knew she truly meant it. For a split second he felt sorry for her. There were a heck of a lot more extravagant rooms than this one in the world, but what else would he expect her to say? She’d just been released from prison. Any room without bars would probably look good to her.

  He clamped down on his emotions and hardened his heart.

  “Don’t get too comfortable, miss.”

  The severe frown that followed his words made him feel as if he’d just kicked a puppy. He regretted what he’d said immediately. Her perfectly shaped eyebrows had dipped, her forehead furrowed and she looked devastated.

  Shit. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. Suddenly he just wanted to see her dimples again.

  “Listen, we can talk in the morning.”

  That seemed all the encouragement she needed for she was smiling again and his breath was backing up at the sight of her cute dimples.

  “Oh, why don’t you sit on the bed with me?” Before he could protest, she’d pulled him down. On top of her!

  Wow, she was more powerful than she looked and a hell of a lot more curvy too. Even through the layers of clothing, he could feel her luscious curves. Full breasts pressed against his chest and heat wrapped around his lower half. His cock jerked and hardened and his balls quickly swelled.

  She must have felt his reaction, because she suddenly giggled and blinked prettily at him.

  “You really aren’t as shy as you look, are you?” she asked.

  Oh man, she was way too sexy. Almost irresistible. Her lips were lush and red and slightly parted. The wine she’d indulged in smell
ed pretty good on her breath and the combination of her lips and the wine made him heady with need.

  She was staring at him now. Not saying a word. Her big brown eyes were so expressive.

  Kiss me, they said to him. Kiss me.

  He didn’t even realize he was lowering his head until her hand slid against the nape of his neck and her warm lips innocently pressed against his.

  Heat stroked along his body. Longing burst deep in his belly. He deepened the kiss, wanting more from her. A tremor rocked through her. His shaft shuddered against his jeans. He needed more from her.

  Whoa! He needed to put on the brakes. Reluctantly, he broke the kiss.

  “Wow, I must be dreaming,” she whispered softly and licked her lips.

  “You and me both,” he said softly.

  Oh hell, he was dreaming. No woman had kissed him so tenderly before. So innocently.

  The sound of footsteps clomping into the ranch house down the hall broke the magnetic cocoon she’d woven around him.

  “Get some sleep,” he whispered.

  Despite her eyes begging for another kiss, she merely nodded. He sighed and cursed his erection for throbbing so much that he doubted he could even walk.

  Get off her!

  Yet he couldn’t move. Her warm curves hugged his body and he could feel her heart beating frantically against his chest. She was as excited as he was, but she was drunk. He had to get the hell away from her.

  “The guys are back. I’d better go.”

  Again, she nodded. He resisted taking off his cowboy hat and placing it on top of her luscious brown hair. He’d bet she would look sexy as sin wearing it.

  He could feel her hot gaze on him as he moved off her and stood. He didn’t want to leave. But he had to.

  Reluctantly he turned and walked to the door. When he reached it, he hesitated. The sudden urge to tell her that she could stay in his bed for as long as she wanted made him turn around.