Christmas At Love House: Bittersweet Interlude (Bull Rider #3)

by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel

  “She wants to talk to you.” Torre leaned back against the pillow, giving in to his predicament.

  Pacing out into the hallway and back a couple times, he explained he’d hang around, or maybe get a room if he could find one. “I’ll give Foley a call. I have to make this trip before Christmas.”

  “It’ll work out, honey. Did you cancel your flight?”

  How come she was positive when he least expected it? “Not yet. Well, this is the second flight. The first was cancelled, or you must know if you’re tracking. I need to grab a cup of coffee and chill out, get my brain together. Damn headache is messing me up.” He wrapped his fingers around the back of his neck and squeezed it tightly, released, and squeezed again. Standing, he stretched his back so he didn’t tighten up, and realized he never should’ve mentioned headache to Doctor Velia, God love her.

  “You have a headache? Did you hit your head, too? Now, you have a concussion?”

  Caulder glanced both ways down the vacant parmesan colored hallway and blew out a breath. “Nah, I was lucky this time. My seat belt was on—airbags opened.”

  “Wait, what do you mean, Torre’s seat belt wasn’t?”

  “It was until he had to have a cookie from the backseat.” Velia’s end went silent and he could imagine the image running through her mind, and probably blaming herself for making them cookies. “He’ll be okay, sweets.”

  Another sigh. Another hesitation. She finally spoke, “I’ll believe that when you get home.”

  Chapter Four

  By the next morning the snow had stopped. The forecast showed no snow for a couple days. He’d call to reschedule the flight three days from now. It’d give Torre a few days to come around. Caulder waited at the hospital until they discharged him. According to the local news, the highways had been plowed and it looked good to go home. “Don’t you hate when shit happens, Torre?”

  “Sì. When can I ride? You are the expert with concussions, so when can I ride?”

  “Ask the doctor.” Smartass.

  Torre gathered his belongings, zipped his suitcase, and sat on the edge of the bed, determined not to give up. “When would you ride after a concussion?”

  No way would Caulder answer such a question. He’d get on the bull the next night if the doc didn’t stop him. Now Caulder knew why his mom got so mad at him when he was a kid. This must’ve been a payback. No, the payback would be when his own kid pulled this crap on him. He got into his jacket and tossed Torre’s coat to him. “Hey, it’s your pain. Might as well get used to pain if you plan on being a bull rider.”

  ***

  After settling in at home that afternoon, Caulder trekked down to the river-sized creek behind the house. The water was high and running fast—the ice thin at the bank due to a warmup in temperature. Where it wasn’t frozen, the water raged on over the small rapids as if each drop had been angry. He hadn’t seen it like this in a long time—rambunctious. Dangerous. It made him glad they had put a buzzer on the doors to alert them if Kase attempted to go out alone if the security alarm was off. Some summers, the creek could be dangerous when it wasn’t low. It didn’t take much to bring out the curiosity of a four-year-old, especially if he spotted visiting deer from time to time.

  Caulder rubbed his neck, which hurt on down his backbone more than he admitted to anyone. It’d be better by time their break was over. By Sunday nights during the season, his body reminded him retirement loomed overhead.

  He scanned the shoreline again, gazing at footprints near a black cherry tree, the overhead branches drooping now and covered with snow. What the hell? The footprints veered off toward the west, so he took a few steps in that direction. When his phone rang, he removed it from his jacket pocket and said hello to his cousin. “Hey, Jase, what the hell you doing?”

  “Bad news in a way,” said Jase Carlson.

  “It doesn’t stop sometimes. What’s up?”

  “The kids have all come down with chickenpox. I’ll be coming to Pennsylvania by myself. Their doctor said it’d be okay. The ranch hands and my brothers will help Brenna keep an eye on my horses while I’m gone.”

  Caulder moved back toward the edge of the creek. He tossed a tree branch onto the frozen section, but the branch fell through and was swept away downstream in a rush. Yep, thin ice. “We’ll be glad to have you visit, but I’m sorry you’ll be without your family. Is Aunt Judy still coming?”

  “Don’t know yet. Mom’s helping with the kids—giving us a break on and off. They’re doing okay other than trying to scratch their itches.” Jase chuckled. “I remember those days.”

  “Good to hear,” said Caulder. A whooshing sound buzzed through the phone like Jase had been tossing hay or straw, and when a horse nickered, Caulder figured he must’ve been right. He’d been doing barn chores, which probably meant his boots were covered in manure. It made him miss the smell of the back pens.

  “Well, I’ll come for a short visit with you guys. Damn, cuz, I haven’t seen you in forever, but then I’ll fly back home on Christmas Eve day to be with my family. It’s all good, and Brenna insists I come see you without her.”

  “We need a family reunion, dude.”

  “Sounds good. We’ll talk about it when I get there. I prefer not to do a reunion during a snowstorm. Y’all can keep that damn snow.”

  Caulder laughed, then proceeded to tell him about the accident he had just had, wishing Jase well before hanging up. He turned around and peered at his house, glad he had gone through with the log design. That’s a damn big house. While building, the design seemed to get bigger the longer time it took until completion. When he learned that Velia would marry him, he put more into the kitchen and dining room—creating the open floor plan and great room. Help from his and her mother made the kitchen into a cook’s dream. After he found out they were having a baby, even more changes went into the bedroom plans.

  Looking uphill at his home, he wasn’t a bit sorry, except for the times he had to beg the builder not to ditch the job with all the changes he continued to make. Hell, he could afford the costs, so why not? Velia was happy, which made him happy.

  Glancing at his watch, dinner was near ready when he had left. Before heading back to the house, he took another glance at the creek, which looked more like a raging river now. Before going inside, a spot out of the ordinary caught his attention right near the door. He touched the hole with his finger. A damn bullet hole? If not, the circular shape sure as hell looked like one, but if so, the bullet had gone in deep. Scratching his chin with his gloved hand, he recalled waking in the night a couple nights ago after hearing a shot. He’d forgotten all about the sound arousing him from sleep. Hmm, this deserved a call to his dad’s cop buddy. He turned back to observe the area thick with trees, as he reflected on the footprints down that way.

  Caulder glimpsed the hot tub, the room enclosed with glass and sliding blinds at the rear of the house, resembling Paulo’s enclosure in the Catalina Foothills in Arizona. He snickered. Tonight he wanted his wife in that hot water. Yeah, baby.

  ***

  Velia turned off the living room lights ready to join Caulder in bed. She’d left nightlights on in the kitchen in case their guests got up during the night. Family members in their home brought peace to her soul. She loved her cousins like they were sisters and a brother. Soon, her parents would visit, but they’d be staying with Caulder’s folks, Dolly and Aiden. She was proud to be able to have so many family members congregate here for the holidays. When Caulder built such a large home with family in mind, it filled her heart with love.

  At the bottom of the stairway, she glanced toward the doorway when Caulder cleared his throat. He stood in nothing but a towel wrapped around his slim waist. Hmm…sexy man. “Oh, I thought you were in bed.”

  “Not yet, darlin’.” He held out her terry robe. “Follow me. The champagne’s chilling and the water is bubbling. Colored lights are reflecting on the blinds. The boy’s asleep.” Coming toward her, he took her hand as if he couldn�
�t get her in there soon enough.

  “I’ll pass on the champagne, but the hot water sounds wonderful.”

  Slipping his arm around her, he asked seductively, “Why no champagne? I know what happened the last time you refused alcohol.” Once in the room, Caulder locked the door, turned to her and lifted her arms around his neck. “Do you have some news to tell me?”

  “Honey. I need a clear head because I have to get up early. I have refused alcohol since then. You drink a glass for me.” She glanced around for the monitor to Kase’s room and saw it in the corner.

  “Are you sure?” He lifted her sweater over her head. Caulder slid his hand to her abdomen. “Huh? Nice and flat. Is it going to stay that way?”

  “Let’s get into the water.” She didn’t have anything to tell him right now. “Come on, get the towel off your waist.” Her gaze followed as her fingers journeyed over his chest. “Other guys must envy your abs. Hard work becomes you.” With a grin, she slipped her hand lower to grasp him when the towel dropped. “Hard everything becomes you.”

  “Velia, you make me nuts when you talk like that.” Caulder unhooked the snap on her jeans. “Baby, I want you tonight. I expected to be gone, but now that I’m home instead, let’s take advantage.” He let her pants drop to the floor and knelt when she stepped out of them. His hands went to her hips and he pulled her body close to his face. “Sweetheart, your smell calls me…your perfume, your skin.”

  Velia dropped her head back when his fingers caressed her skin before slipping them between her legs. Exploring fingers moved her panties aside. “Amoroso, the water…is waiting…your idea.” She bent forward to kiss the top of his head, shoving her fingers into his hair when he pulled her panties down to her thighs. “Ahhh…” slipped out in a favorable sigh. An instantaneous blaze spread like wildfire throughout her body.

  Caulder pushed them to her ankles then removed them and coaxed her legs apart. “What do you want, honey? What are you asking for with those sweet sighs that drive me wild?”

  Finding herself already far over the edge of excitement, she pleaded now. “For you to do the job you’re so good at.”

  Caulder stood and tilted his mouth over hers, an inch away from her lips. “I will.” He wrapped one hand against the back of her neck while the other hand caressed her breast.

  The grin on his face reminded her of a cat stalking its prey, knowing it was within reach.

  “I know what you want,” he whispered confidently. “I want it, too.” His lips pressed against hers, the kiss slow and sexy as he took his time teasing with the tip of his tongue—enough to turn her legs to mush. When the kiss ended, he lifted her. Her calves squeezed around him.

  “I can give you want you want.” He stepped over the side of the hot tub and lowered them both to the water. He kissed her again and led her to the side of the tub—their lips still locked. His voice now barely audible, he said against her mouth, “I want you a lot.”

  Lifting her to the top cornered edge, he knelt into the water, spread her legs again and kissed her in places that made her moan. “Caulder, oh, sweetie.”

  “Enjoy, love, for I’ll be gone in a couple more nights. Keep what my lips can do, in your memory.”

  “I will…” Velia leaned back and closed her eyes. Her fevered body ignited by instinct alone as Caulder’s lips and tongue searched each part of her. Warm waves of passion rolled across her flesh. Sparks lapping at her psyche, burst into fireworks behind her eyes. Sitting up, she buried her screams against the top of his head. She cried out on a wave of desire, pushing at his shoulders to move him back in order to catch her breath. She sank down onto the bench, sated. Happy.

  “Woman, you take me to places of intense ecstasy, just by what I do to you.” He moved beside her.

  “Then you can multiply it by ten times to know how you affect me.” Velia straddled his lap. “Now, it’s your turn. Take me.” He stood and stepped over the side to lay her on the towels beside the tub. “Tell me where you want to go.” Caulder slowly sank into her warm, needy body and made tender love to her.

  “That’s a good start. I want to go…mmm, to that same place, to experience…intense ecstasy…aahh, along with you.” His gentle movements gave way to hot and wild lovemaking, and once again, she had to hide her face against his shoulder to keep her moans confined to the room. If not, someone might rush downstairs to see what was amiss.

  Caulder collapsed against her chest, his lips lingering at her neck, her throat, finding their way to her lips. “I love you. So much, woman.”

  Velia let her body relax in its own time, yet, with his lips kissing and suckling her breasts, it didn’t come quickly. Mmm… “You’re so strong and charged with adrenalin, even at home.” She released a pleasurable sigh and relaxed beneath him.

  “We’ll get back in the hot tub in a minute. Let me cool down.” Caulder entwined their fingers and they relaxed—their damp skin pressed tightly together.

  She relished in this unexpected surprise. Tonight she’d sleep in his arms like she did each and almost every night. After a few minutes, Velia shivered. “It’s time to get back in or go to bed.” She patted Caulder’s back. “Are you falling asleep?”

  “Nope.” He hopped up and reached for her hands.

  They got back in the hot tub and Caulder handed her a champagne glass, poured some into his, and held the bottle above hers. “Prove to me you aren’t pregnant.”

  “Excuse me? Prove to you? No, absolutely not. It’s as simple as I don’t want to drink champagne tonight.”

  Setting the bottle down, he took a drink from his glass. “Come on, Velia. Don’t keep it a secret this time.”

  “Caulder, stop this. I don’t need a reason, nor do I need to prove anything to you. It wasn’t a secret for long with Kase. You knew almost as soon as I did.”

  “I see a guilt trip won’t work.” He drank down what he had left. After setting his glass behind them, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and explained to her about his cousins and their kids having chickenpox. “We’ll have less at our table for Christmas.”

  Velia opened the blinds just a bit. Through the outside lighting, it made visible, snow falling softly. “It looks like more snow. Do you think you’ll make it out for your next flight?”

  “Think positive, darlin’. The weather forecast looks decent. The longer we wait, the more healed Torre will be, because I know I’ll have to knock him on his ass to keep him off the bulls now.”

  With a cock to her head, she grinned. “Don’t you dare.”

  “A figure of speech. The bulls will knock him on his ass enough times. I don’t want them knocking him on his head. He won’t wear a helmet.”

  Velia stood and reached for her robe. “Yeah? Let Foley talk to him—show his scars…”

  “No doubt. Another stubborn kid who learned his lesson the hard way. Thank God he has a normal life. Not the life he’d choose, but the life he has is acceptable and he’s half-ass happy. He makes a damn good business partner, too.”

  ***

  Velia observed the huge tree, loving the way it looked in the corner of her favorite room—the great room where her family spent most of their together-time when home. She adjusted heirloom ornaments and garland, more to get a closer look than to really move anything around. Her cousin came bouncing in from the bathroom. “Natale, settle down. If you keep brushing your hair, you won’t have any left.” She pulled a strand from Natale’s sweater. “See? Come on, help me finish in the kitchen.”

  “I haven’t seen Foley for a month. I’m excited.”

  “Don’t you mean two months? October was the last time you saw him.” Velia stirred her special tomato sauce, her grandmother’s recipe. The smell of roasted garlic, onions, and peppers filled the home.

  “Um, well, not exactly. It was one month.” She removed salad items from the refrigerator.

  Do I even want to know? “How, Natale?”

  “Velia, you aren’t my mother.” Natale slapped her palm agai
nst her thigh. “Forgive me, I don’t mean to sound snarky. I went to visit him at his ranch. It’s that simple. His family is as friendly as ours.”

  Yes. Velia dropped the wooden spoon to the floor, then had to wipe up the mess it caused. “I’m just surprised. How’s the salad coming?” She sprinkled salt into water in a large pan, covered it, waiting for it to boil.

  Natale stopped slicing a cucumber. “I’m eighteen. Torre and I both went if you must know. Torre rode a bunch of bulls. I watched. We sat around a fire pit…a small one since it was so dry there. Torre went to bed early… It was only Foley and I up.”

  And? Thank God Foley was a gentleman and a nice guy. She was thrilled for Foley. For both of them. “I didn’t realize you were seeing him in person. How’d it go?”

  Natale’s attention was swept away in a memory. “Fantastica. We had a nice time. Velia, it’s no lie that I’m crazy about him.”

  “I don’t want to see you get hurt. You have your whole life in front of you.” Now Velia sounded like her own mother and she had hated it as much as Natale did.

  “Foley won’t hurt me. We understand each other.” Natale stood beside Velia as she carefully lowered spaghetti into the boiling water. “I love the way you so gently fan that into the pot. Reminds me of my mamma. Natale’s chin quivered as she made eye contact with Velia.

  Velia gave her a soft smile. “Well, darlin’, she probably got it from her mother. I learned a lot from my nonna.”