Cowboy Jackpot: Christmas

by Randi Alexander

  "Damn right." He pulled the plug to drain the tub. "Bull riders have especially rugged swimmers."

  She laughed and started the water flowing in the walk-in shower. "Want to rinse off with me?"

  He stood and pinned her with a hot stare. "There are a couple other things I'd like to do with you in a shower."

  "So many wicked things to do, and so little time left." Her gaze locked with his, her eyes turning sad.

  Damn, he didn't want to think about it.

  ****

  Gieselle watched Boone's face shut down. Was he feeling the time slipping away, too? It made her nervous that they hadn't made plans to see each other again, but maybe that would come later. If he didn't bring it up before they parted ways, she would.

  This connection between them was something unique. Compared to Boone, every man she'd dated was a complete asshole. She could get used to being spoiled and pampered, even if she had to travel long distances to do it.

  She stepped into the shower. The hot water pulsed on her skin as a delightful shiver from his words ran through her. "What are the things you want to do to me?"

  He followed her, closing the glass door. "First one is making you scream my name."

  Licking her lips, she backed under one of the showerheads and wet her hair. "I think you've done that already. A few times."

  He took her face in his hands. "Not nearly enough to hold me over."

  Gieselle moved closer, her hands sliding around his back and sneaking lower, cupping his hard butt. Could she get enough of this man to hold her for their time apart? "I'm all yours, Boone." Her double meaning had to show in her eyes.

  He kissed her as the water rushed over them from above and from three sides. His lips were gentle on hers, almost like a farewell kiss, his tongue making love to her mouth.

  When he pulled back, his eyes searched hers. He tugged her close and held her for a moment.

  She tightened her arms around his middle, not ready to let him go.

  He turned her in his arms, her body facing one of the wall showerheads.

  The water hit her nipple, taunting it into a hard peak. Slides of lust raced from her breast to her core.

  Boone took the nipple in his fingers and played with it, teasing, using the water's pulses to make her quiver with bliss.

  She laid her head back on his shoulder.

  He slid a hand down her belly to her mound and gently slapped her bare, wet skin. "You like that?"

  She nodded and spread her legs for him, wanting him to touch her where her lips swelled and pulsed with need.

  He eased his hand lower and slapped her twice.

  "Mmm." The sting shivered as a wave of desire through her.

  Pushing a finger into her core, he pinched her nipple and bit her neck.

  "Oh, God." Her mind flooded with the pleasure of his triple assault. Reaching back, she grabbed his thighs. Hard and slick, they ramped up her desire for this man.

  He slid his finger deeper in her slit as his other hand brushed across her chest to taunt her other nipple, and his mouth sucked her neck.

  Surges of lust roared through her, and her mind began to slide into climax.

  When he eased a second finger into her slit, washes of heat shot up her spine. His thumb touched her clit.

  Gieselle jumped, the tender flesh already tightened and needy.

  On her clit, his thumb rubbed a pattern designed to make her go over the top. "Come, Gigi. Now. Cream all over my fingers." He sucked her earlobe into his mouth and bit. His fingers on her nipple increased their pace to match the rhythm of the finger fucking he gave her, and his thumb's beat on her clit.

  A wave of heat struck, swamping her, pulling her under until she couldn't tell up from down, didn't know if she was standing or falling. Sounds muted as she rode the wave, crashing with it in a sensual roll of ecstasy. "Boone!"

  His name echoed in the tiled room. She grounded to shore as the wave of delight receded, leaving her weak, wet, and quivering.

  He held her, his arms wrapped around her from behind, bearing the weight her legs wouldn't support.

  "Boone, you didn't warn me you'd be using another signature move."

  He chuckled and kissed her temple. "I'll give you notice right now, baby. All my moves are signature."

  "Yay." She turned in his arms and kissed him.

  He took over, tasting her deeply, sucking her tongue into his mouth for a nibble.

  She slowed the kiss and pulled back. "Damn. You're even an amazing kisser."

  He smiled. "I'm good with scalp massage, too." He grabbed the shampoo bottle and turned her to face away from him. "Hang on to your sanity, 'cause this will make you pure loco."

  She laughed but was soon moaning in pleasure as his strong fingers did wondrous things to her scalp.

  They washed each other, slowly and thoroughly, exploring and tasting. After they dried each other, Boone took the fluffy white hotel robes from their packages, slid her into one, and him into the other. With a towel wrapped around her hair, she held his hand as he led her into the living room.

  "Hold on." Boone dragged the loveseat in front of the Christmas tree and flipped the switch on the gas fireplace. He helped her sit then gestured toward the bar. "Gin and tonic?"

  "I noticed a bottle of red wine. That sounds nice."

  "Anything else, birthday girl?"

  She tipped her head. "I'd almost forgotten it was my birthday."

  He opened the wine and poured a tall balloon glass for her then put an inch of whiskey into a tumbler for himself. He carried them over, handed her the wine, and set his glass on the end table. Walking back to the bar, he bent over where she couldn't see him.

  "What are you doing, cowboy?"

  Chapter Six

  "Just hold on, city girl." A few seconds later, Boone stood up behind the bar holding a tiny cake with one lit candle. He carried it over to her on the loveseat.

  Her breath caught. "Boone." Her eyes misted. "How did you…" She sighed. "No. I don't need to know."

  He sat next to her holding the cake and a fork. "I'd sing, but it'd probably spoil the moment." His eyes gleamed a soft blue in the candlelight.

  Another chunk of her heart broke off and became his property. "Thank you."

  "For not singing?" He grinned. "Make a wish and blow it out."

  She closed her eyes, listing all the things she would have wished for before she met Boone, but trashing them all for the one thing she wanted right now. More time with him. She blew out the candle.

  He plucked it out of the cake, scraped it across the frosting, and held it out toward her. "Lick it, baby."

  She shook her head but smiled. "You're so bad." She wrapped her lips around it and sucked.

  "Yeah. That's the way." He laughed. "For some reason, I seem to have a tent in my robe."

  "We'll take care of that. After cake."

  "Promise?" He forked a piece and held it out to her.

  Delicious vanilla butter cream frosting and a dark chocolate cake melted on her tongue. "Mmm hmm. Promise."

  "Damn. You're callin' me bad?" He took a bite and nodded. "This is almost as delicious as you."

  After they plowed through the cake, she held her wine glass and snuggled close against his chest.

  His hand stroked her arm as they watched the cacophony of the Christmas tree lights against the background of the Las Vegas strip.

  "Boone?"

  "Uh huh."

  "Why did you decide to spend Christmas in Vegas?"

  "The rodeo."

  She glanced up at him. "Your parents didn't object?"

  "At first. Then we explained that the Old West Casino Invitational is something new the casino is doing. Put on just to benefit local food shelves."

  Gieselle laughed. "Kira and I wondered why people were carrying cans into the arena. At first we thought they were going to open them and pelt you with baked beans."

  He chuckled. "Doesn't happen at rodeo. It's a pretty respectful crowd, usually."r />
  "It was so much fun, Boone. I loved it, and I really want to see more live events." Her hint that he could ask her to join him was met with silence.

  A few minutes later, Boone set down his empty glass. "Mom made us promise to be back the day after Christmas. She's holding the feast until we return."

  "That's nice." When she finished her wine, Boone took her glass and arranged her more snugly against him.

  "Does Dallas live close to you?"

  "He does. He's on his own, though. Lives in an apartment in town."

  The warmth of the fire surrounded her in a cozy, muzzy blur and her eyes slid shut. The next thing she knew, Boone had her in his arms, carrying her into the bedroom.

  He stood her next to the bed, tugged off her hair towel and robe, and tucked her in. Before he even slid in next to her, she was half asleep.

  Gieselle woke with a start. The bedside clock said four-fifteen a.m. Boone's hand rested on her belly and she slid out from under him. Digging a T-shirt and jeans from the dresser, she grabbed her jogging shoes and walked out to the living room.

  The tree, the birthday cake, even the candle were the most thoughtful gifts any man had ever given her. She wanted to surprise him with a little gift. Something that said she needed more than these two amazing days with him.

  Grabbing her wallet and phone, she snuck out of the suite and headed down to the twenty-four hour gift shop.

  The casino was quiet. Just a few hardcore gamblers played slots. The poker rooms were busy, though. In the shop, she browsed a minute before the sleepy employee walked over and greeted her. When Gieselle explained the type of gift she was looking for, the woman came to life. In minutes, they found the perfect thing.

  A replica old West pocket watch. Flipping it open, there was a place to put a photo.

  Gieselle touched her phone in her pocket. Kira had sent her the picture. "Is there a place in the hotel to print out a photo?"

  The woman smiled. "What a great idea. The business center on the third floor is open twenty-four hours a day. They'll get you all set up, then you come back down here and I'll gift wrap this for you."

  Gieselle smiled. "Thank you. He's going to love it."

  A half-hour later, she snuck into their suite and set the little package under the tree for him to find. She undressed, slid back into bed, and he rolled over, capturing her in his arms.

  "Where'd you go, baby?"

  "Just felt the need to gamble." Gamble on offering this man a little more of her life.

  ****

  Boone felt the bed shake. Half-awake, he'd been dreaming of the beautiful woman he'd made love to early this morning, and his cock stood at full mast.

  The covers shifted and something warm touched his thigh.

  He opened one eye.

  Gigi's feet stuck out of the covers on the other side of the bed. She licked and nibbled at his hipbone.

  "What's going on here?" His growl set a giggle rolling from her.

  "Room service." Her soft hair trailed onto his belly as her breath blew hot against his shaft.

  "This is the kind of room service I've been looking for my whole life."

  A warm hand grasped the base of his cock and her tongue trailed a path up to his throbbing head. "Only in Vegas, baby."

  He laughed.

  She giggled, and got very busy under the covers.

  A half hour later, after Gigi begged him to get out of bed so they could go down to the buffet and eat, he stepped out of the shower.

  "Your phone buzzed." She stood gorgeously naked brushing on mascara in the bathroom mirror.

  He walked up behind her, dripping wet, and pressed his hard cock into the crease of her fine ass. "You sure we don't have time for a quick—"

  "I'm starving. And it's my birthday." She wiggled her ass against his erection. "Feed me first and I'll spend the rest of the day in bed with you."

  He hefted out a breath. He'd hold her to that promise. "Best Christmas ever." Their eyes met in the mirror.

  She smiled. "For me, too."

  Pushing back, he dried himself and forced his heart to back away, too. No sense in drifting into her pretty hazel eyes and dreaming of things that couldn't be. In the bedroom, he found his phone.

  Dallas had sent a text. Did you get $125K worth of nookie out of your buckle bunny?

  "Harsh." It was Dallas's way of reminding him not to get involved. Not to fall in… He looked into the bathroom where Gigi blow-dried her hair. No, not love. Just a need for companionship. If he kept telling himself that, sooner or later he'd believe it.

  Boone typed his reply. Less taxes, of course. He shook his head. This wasn't the conversation he should be having about a woman like Gigi. But if it would keep Dallas from busting in and hauling him back to Reno, he'd play along. He slipped into a clean pair of boxers and jeans.

  His phone buzzed again. Dallas texted, Taxes up the ass, buddy!

  "Crude fucker." He replied, That's a lot of taxes. Gonna need more lube. It felt awkward talking about her like that, but Dallas didn't need to know how invested he'd become in Gigi. He read his words again and wished there was a way to recall that last text. "Shit." He set his phone down and walked out to the mini fridge for a bottle of water.

  Cracking it open, he stood looking out at Vegas in the morning sunlight. A different world than the nighttime city. This morning, it looked hard and cold, frayed at the edges and dirty all over.

  "No." Gigi's soft cry came from the bedroom.

  He rushed back in. She wore her robe and held…his phone. "Aw, hell."

  "Dallas says to take the cost of the lube out of Gigi's half." She looked at him with pain and terror in her eyes. "I read the other messages, too." Her hand shook as she handed it to him.

  He set the phone in a dresser drawer as his heart shot a twinge across his chest. "You're reading my messages?" It was the first thing he thought to say, and the last thing he should have spoken out loud.

  Tears filled her eyes. "I saw my name. I didn't mean to…" She shook her head and turned away.

  "Listen, baby, it's just guy talk."

  She ripped off the robe and stepped into her jeans, slung on a bra, and pulled her T-shirt over her head. "Guy talk? You really talk about women like that?"

  He hefted out a breath. "We just have this thing. This promise. Keeping each other from making a mistake."

  With one shoe in her hand, she searched for the other. "A mistake? Treating a woman like a lady is making a mistake?"

  His back stiffened. "I treated you like nothing less than a princess."

  "You did. And you had me fooled." Her hands fisted at her hips. "I know you think of me as a one nighter, and maybe that's all I am to you. But for you and Dallas to talk about me like I'm a slut…" She dropped her head. "Maybe that's all I am."

  The words were said more to herself than to him.

  She wiped a tear from her cheek. "Maybe I was fooling myself."

  "No. Gigi. Wait a minute." He could diffuse this if he could think of the right things to say.

  Spotting her shoe, she reached under the bed and bumped her head on the footboard. "Bitches and whores." Rubbing her scalp, she stood and brushed past him, walking out into the living room.

  He followed. "It was inappropriate. Okay? I'm sorry."

  She looked at him with such agony in her eyes, he nearly choked.

  "I'm sorry, Boone." She picked up her purse and walked to the door. "Sorry you didn't get to take me up the ass the way you wanted." She turned the door handle.

  "Now hold on." He stormed over and pushed the door closed. Held it shut. "Forgive me, give me another chance. Let's just hole up here, lock ourselves in, and I'll find a way to make it up to you."

  "How, Boone? How can you take this hurt away?" She touched her chest. "Was I just imagining that we had something special? Something more than a couple days?"

  Ah, shit. This was what Dallas warned him about. Getting in too deep. Falling without thinking first. Making a mistake that'd c
ost him more than he could afford.

  Cold acid swirled in his gut. This was his chance. Break it off clean for both of their sakes without having to do the whole goodbye scene.

  "Yeah, baby. I think you were imagining it." The lie rose like bile but it was the best way to handle it. He removed his hand from the door. He turned and walked away.

  Silently, she left him.

  He nearly collapsed from the pain. Boone walked to the bar and grabbed a tumbler and the half-empty bottle of whiskey. He passed the tree and flopped onto the loveseat. "Merry Christmas, asshole." He poured a shot, added another inch, and set down the bottle.

  How did doing the right thing feel like fifteen seconds under a bull's hooves? She needed to move on, finish college, start her business. He needed to focus on his rodeo school. He had Dallas and Jay to think about, not just himself.

  Stretching out his legs, he bumped something under the tree. A package? He set down his glass and picked it up. Wrapped in cowboy Christmas wrap, it had to be for him. From her. Should he hand it back to her unopened?

  She's just throw it at him.

  He pulled off the paper and opened the cardboard box. A pocket watch. It reminded him of the one his grandpa left to his little brother. The cover had an engraving of a cowboy on a horse. He pushed the button to flip open the top. The time was right. Color caught his eye. He tipped it back.

  She'd printed a picture of the two of them standing in front of the Birthday Baby after their win, holding champagne glasses. She smiled, but her eyes looked mostly shocked. He had his arm around her and grinned, proud and happy and…about to fall in love?

  "Shit. Fuck me." He snapped it shut and wrapped his hand around it. The gift was sweet, but adding the photo was a message. They'd found something rare and special, and he'd shoved it away because it didn't fit into his timeline. "Asshole."

  His phone rang. Was it Gigi? He leapt to his feet and grabbed it. He didn't recognize the number, but it was a Vegas area code. Could she be calling from Kira's room? "Gigi?"

  "Ah, no. Is this Mr. Hancock?"

  "Yes."

  "This is Ray Truman, the slot department manager at the casino. We're ready to distribute the winnings to you and Ms. Colberg-Staub."