by AE Rought
Slade and I parted in the hall by the kitchen. I cluttered the granite countertops with leftovers from the fridge, and stacked trays with meats and cheeses while he pulled boxes of ornaments and decorations from the storage room in the attic. Sunlight faded from the range and early evening shadows cloaked the vehicles when the ranchers parked in the circle drive. Even the Billings twins showed up, laden with jerky, meat logs and beer.
“Looks like a good time tonight,” Mark blurted when he plunked the meats down on the dining room table. At the far end, a large washtub filled with ice and bottles of beer, wine coolers and sodas sat on a sideboard. Mike drew three bottles from the tub before adding their contribution. He twisted the caps off, handing one to his brother, one to Slade and keeping the third for himself.
I wriggled beneath the tree with a string of white lights. Despite the restful, clean pine smell, banging my head and limbs against the branches and pokey needles, I developed the understanding of why the men had spat and swore while cutting the tree down. Needles in my hair, I scrambled out of the tree and came face to face with Rosie. She smiled, a little crook in one corner of the grin. “Don’t you just love decorating real pine trees?”
“Not so much anymore.” I rolled my eyes and then smiled. Even if decorating it was a pain in the ass and other places where the needles poked in, or it stretched my shoulder too far, the energy a real tree gave a house was beautiful. Surveying my work, I gauged how many more strings of lights I needed and then foraged through the boxes. The lights went on in levels, first the inner and then outer branches, until seven hundred lights draped the tree. When I stepped back I could appreciate my hour’s worth of work.
“Wow!” Slade smacked me on the butt. “The tree is awesome. Kally, you have a new job. It’s you and the lights from now on.”
“Oh goody.” The sarcasm was not lost on anyone. A collective giggle rose in the great room. I picked a needle out of my hair and pitched it at him.
He deflected it with his bottle before draining it. “Want a beer?”
“God, yes. I need one before you boys drink them all.”
“Ha. This was only my third. Come on then.” He extended a hand. “Let’s get you a drink and some snacks.”
Following Slade weaving through people and boxes, I noticed he was less than solid on his footing. In the dining room he loaded a plate with veggies and dip, crackers and cheeses, but his hand hesitated, hovering over the meats. I nudged him. “I’m not a girly girl. Go ahead and give me the meat and a beer.”
His smile was enormous. “A girl after my own heart.”
“Yes, I am.”
He stood blinking and clutching the plate. His eyes searched mine and then, as if the truth of my growing affections settled on him, Slade dropped the plate to the table and pressed me to the wall. Rosie in the hallway, the ranch—everything—dissolved in the heat building between us. I wrapped my arms around him. His hands roamed the sides of my body while his lips and tongue entangled mine in a passionate slow dance of touch and taste. Breathless, I clung to him, depending on his strength to keep me standing.
His voice was husky, suede on my ears. “You have no idea how badly I wanted to kiss you.”
Tipping my hip and shifting my weight, I spun him around and pressed him to the wall with a kiss equally fervent. “No, I really think I do.”
The gathering we’d neglected erupted into cheers. Even the Billings brothers raised their bottles in salute. “It’s about time.”
A blush burned my cheeks. I hid my face against the flannel covering Slade’s chest. He tipped his head down, those lips kissing my head and then he laughed, not a light giggle but a deep belly laugh. His laughter was irresistible, and I succumbed. Hands on my shoulders he turned me to face the conglomerate family who had welcomed me when I was a newcomer and now embraced our “couple” status.
Mike Billings handed me a beer and Rosie took my hand before we made our way to great room. The once cozy, earthen-toned room was now alive with natural pine boughs, berry sprigs and Bonnie’s rustic Santa collection. Burgundy velvet runners topped the tables and accented the sprays of pine and berries placed on them. The ornament boxes, however, were full, awaiting the gathered women. Emma hung the crocheted snowflakes, Grace placed the berry sprigs and Rosie and I hung candy canes and red blown glass balls. The overall effect was simple elegance.
I plopped onto the sofa with my second beer and first plate of snacks. Rosie sat beside me, casting glances over her shoulder before she leaned closer to talk to me. I expected her to tease me for losing myself and kissing Slade in front of everyone like I did. She didn’t. Rosie had much more embarrassing things to discuss. “So, like I was saying the first night…”
Emma squealed but stifled the sound with her hand.
“The decorating party story!” Grace closed the lid of an ornament box and joined us.
“Last year, we had a heck of a party under way. Even Grace there, who only drinks coffee and eggnog, was feeling pretty punchy.
“The men were outside stringing the lights on the roof and porches, and Slade had refilled his plate and grabbed another beer. He popped the top and sucked it down right there.” She pointed to the doorway between the dining room and great room. “Then, he announced loudly he needed the restroom. I watched him stagger down the hall, knock on the back door and then walk outside like he was walking into the bathroom.”
Hands settled over my ears before I even knew someone was behind me. The scent of Stetson cologne and smoked venison gave me clear indication of who the culprit was. “Slade Carlson, you best get your mitts off my ears.”
He released me, his hands falling to my shoulders. “Sorry, Kally. I was trying to spare you the story and me some dignity.”
I patted his hand. “No one is perfect.”
He sighed. “And this is one of my defining ‘not perfect’ moments.” He clasped his hands together in a gesture of supplication. Rosie just smiled. Throwing his hands in the air, he hunkered behind the sofa. “Okay, fine then, go ahead.”
Rosie inhaled a deep breath. “Like I was saying, Slade walked out onto the back porch, unzipped his pants and peed on his mother’s car bumper just after she’d parked in the driveway.” I cast a look at Slade, but he pulled his Stetson down over his eyes, his cheeks flaring red. “Bonnie blew the horn and scared poor Slade sober. He hiked his drawers and turned to run into the house, then slipped on the steps and knocked a ladder off from the house sideways, sending his dad and a string of lit Christmas lights into the snow bank.”
I clapped a hand over my mouth and Slade took off his Stetson, hiding his face behind my back. Laughter rose like a tidal wave within me, and I struggled to dam it behind my teeth.
Slade’s voice was muffled behind my back. “Go ahead and laugh. Everyone else does.”
My chest ached with the pressure. I released a giggle or two to lessen the pain. “It wouldn’t be so funny if you weren’t so damn perfect all the time.”
Slade emerged when the laughter ebbed. “Can’t fight years of raising, darlin’.”
I patted his cheek. “It’s okay, Slade. I like you just the way you are, flawed perfection and all.”
His wink softened my heart even more. “Thanks, Kally.”
The rest of the evening was spent enjoying the beautiful, rustic Christmas decorations while we chatted, ate and drank. Around midnight, Rosie and Grace stood by the fireplace and led a round of Christmas carols. I slid closer to Slade, and he wrapped an arm around my shoulders while we sang my favorite Christmas song, “Silent Night”. My soul lifted, my heart sang and though I wished for the moment to last until dawn, I knew it couldn’t. After the last chorus, we plastic-wrapped the leftovers and the ranchers headed home.
Nestled in the crook of Slade’s arm, we stood on the porch, braving the chill to wave goodbye to our guests. I leaned my head on his shoulder. “This has been the best night.”
He squeezed me tight. “Just one of many to come.”
Slade and Kally: Letting Go of the Reins, Book 1
Chapter Fourteen
They were on Highway 24, headed toward Hulett on Monday morning. The snow of yesterday had given way to sunshine, and Slade watched from the shade of his Stetson while Kally fished Ilene’s sunglasses from her bag and put them on.
His heart pattered, and other regions swelled with the increased blood flow. With her blonde hair, delicate beauty and those wide frames, she could be on the runway at a movie premier. Slade couldn’t resist teasing her. “So, should I call you Miss Hollywood? How about Miss Daisy?”
Kally snorted, and he was certain she rolled her blue eyes behind those shades. “I’d stop now while you’re ahead, Slade, or you won’t be driving me anywhere.”
“Well, on the possibility of losing my,” he coughed, “driving privileges, I will cease and desist further teasing.”
Her eyebrow arched over the rim of the sunglasses as she responded to his vague sexual reference but refused to comment. “So…” She redirected the conversation. “What’s on the agenda for the day?”
Dread over their final stop, anticipation of showing Kally around his town and joy at having her beside him wriggled together in his chest like a ball of snakes. “Well, we have to go to the Police Department and pick up your things, and I figured you might like to do a little shopping, maybe pick up something for your nephews for Christmas.”
“Ah.” Kally fell quiet then, and Slade knew she was lost in thought by the way she pulled her arms together over her chest. The slight downturn of her lips whispered of negative thoughts. He followed the line of her gaze to the Devils Tower, which dominated the landscape. His research had told him there was nothing like it in Michigan. She wrapped her fingers around his hand, her thumb rubbing his.
Slade pulled into the parking lot of the Devils Tower Trading Post, a long building with wood siding reminiscent of an old western movie. The sign was large and yellow, with tall black letters on it, and chainsaw-carved bears stood at either side of the steps. Kally looked through the truck window. “I half expected to see one of those animatronic smoking Indians seated on a bench by the door.” An excited expression replaced Kally’s reminiscent one of moments ago, and Slade was glad. She gathered up her purse. “The boys would love this place.”
“I thought they might.” He climbed out and then opened the door for her. “It’s just chuck full of souvenirs too. There are books and T-shirts, and little alien bobble heads. This area is famous for the Close Encounters movie…”
“I remember the movie,” she said, removing the sunglasses and tucking them back in her bag. “Hated it…” She stood in the parking lot and looked from the Trading Post to the Tower. “Joshua would get a kick out of this place. He loves alien stuff!”
Slade had to smile. He had never liked the movie, either.
They stood, hands on the handle, reading the signs with the scent of chili wafting beneath the door. The warning on the door advised patrons of their seasonal closing on November 30. “Wow.” She peered through the doors. “We just made it.”
“Yeah, I know.” Something close to a pout crept across his lips and felt very unnatural. “I stop here all the time for lunch and beer runs. It’s a pisser when they close.” He opened the door for Kally, stomping snow from his boots and holding his Stetson against the gust of wind.
“Hey, Slade.” A hand waved from the snack bar.
“Howdy, Carly.” Slade tucked his arm around Kally’s middle and guided her toward the racks of souvenirs. He preferred to avoid the youngest Crawford if at all possible. “Come on over here, Kally. They’ve got these really cute souvenirs. I love the stuffed horses.”
The knickknacks did not hold Kally’s interest for long. She tilted her nose up, sniffing the air. Her stomach growl was loud enough for Slade to hear. “These are great, Slade. No matter how cute the aliens are, I’m not going to be able to focus on shopping if I’m hungry. Can we get a bowl of chili and then shop?”
He shuffled his boot, fidgeted with his hat. He hated going to the snack counter and the little gossipmonger who worked there. Maybe he could bait her with the promise of fancy food… “Well, I had planned on taking you to the Golf Club at Devils Tower. I thought you might appreciate a nice meal after getting your things. Distract you from any negative energy it might bring up.”
He knew the second those words left his mouth he’d said something wrong. She turned to him with a shocked expression. “Golf Club? Fussy set tables and ladies in tight dresses? I got enough of waiting tables at the River Yacht Club back in Saint Joe.” She cocked an eyebrow, tossed him a curious look over the rack of books. “Don’t tell me you…golf?”
There was something close to dislike in her voice. It struck Slade as funny. “Nope. But my parents do. My parents are into a bit of everything out here—line dancing, golfing, watching the rodeo. Hell I saw ’em at a concert in Sundance once.” Smiling, he held up a T-shirt with a picture of Devils Tower and an alien on it. “What do you think of this shirt?”
“Shirt’s cute. Joshua might like it.” Kally walked past, headed for the snack bar. “I look forward to getting to know your parents. I also look forward to some chili, so how about it, Slade? Chili at the Trading Post, in a casual setting where I could sidle up to you, or a fussy meal at the golf club where we sit at a table all proper like?”
His chin dropped, he pinned her with the sexiest gaze he could manage. Sidling sounds damned good. “Since you put it that way…”
He grabbed her hand and pulled her close, inhaling her jasmine and lavender. Kally’s eyes nearly cast sparks, setting fires within him, fueling his desires. Her hands slid around his rib cage and she leaned on his chest. Then, she surprised the hell out of Slade by reaching up and taking off his hat, turning it sideways to hide their faces. Time stood still, trapping him in the heartbeat before their lips met. The rising desires turned to consuming lust when he pressed her lips apart. Her tongue wrapped his in an intimate embrace before she pulled away. “I like how you sidle, Kally.”
She tipped her head, gave him a naughty come-hither expression. “I haven’t even started.”
“Ha. Don’t threaten me, Miss Jensen.”
Slade was suddenly thankful for the privacy of the little nook they were in when she slid her hand down his stomach, wrapped his belt buckle in her fingers. “I don’t threaten. It’s a promise, cowboy.”
Handing him his Stetson, Kally wriggled past and aimed for the snack counter. Carly was a mousy high school girl who talked too much but held a striking resemblance to her older sister. “Carly Crawford, I’d like you to meet Miss Kally Jensen—”
“Slade’s girlfriend.” Kally cut in and extended her hand.
His eyes widened and his jaw dropped when she vocalized his hopes. He wanted to say it, call her his girlfriend for the longest time. He just didn’t think it was his place. Hell, he hadn’t formally asked her. He certainly wasn’t going to complain about her taking the initiative. Being claimed was a nice change.
Carly’s gaze clawed across Kally’s face like Slade was sure her sister Adelle’s nails would have, given the incident at Butch’s. Slade knew the sisters well enough to know Carly had been schooled about Kally’s evil ways the night Adelle returned home with her proverbial tail between her legs. Her expression hardly disguised her predatory posturing. She looked ready to leap the counter and attack. “Hi, Miss Jensen.” She turn
ed from Kally and focused on Slade. “What can I get you today?”
Slade wanted desperately to set the little snipe straight, but he bit his tongue, played nice and ordered two bowls of chili, “cheese and sour cream, please”, and two Cokes. The dishes were served up without another word, and then the girl disappeared into the back. Good place for you, Carly. The more distance between you and Kally the better.
Slade handed Kally a bowl and then doused his in hot sauce before they walked back to the souvenirs and ate while they browsed for gifts. Kally cast a glance at the back room door. “I wonder where she vanished to so quickly.”
“She’s probably going to call the Gossip Chain and start spreading the news I have an outsider girlfriend.”
Her eyebrow twitched in the way he knew meant her interest was piqued. “Dating an outsider is a bad thing?”
“Hell no. I would’ve called them myself if I knew where the central intelligence hub was.” He winked and stuffed a spoonful in his mouth.
“Girls, gossip chains and intelligence don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand.”
“Good thing you’re not one of them girly girls, eh?”
“Ain’t it the truth?” She smacked his shoulder and drifted off into the alien-related trinkets while Slade perused the male-oriented hunting and fishing magazines. He kept his eye on her, his mind stuck on Adelle and the convoluted way she had regarded him. Some days, he wondered if he would ever be free of the Crawford girls.
When the door opened, Kally peeked over a shelving unit. Slade half expected to see Adelle walk through, responding to the emergency call on the Gossip Chain. The bone white hat, however, announced Red Baxter, his friend and old partner from his years on the Hulett police force. Her gaze followed his path through the store and up to Slade. They shook hands, and Kally’s face sank beneath the top edge of the shelves. Red mouthed the words “is it safe?” and Slade rose up on his toes. Kally was busy thumbing through a book. “It’s clear. What’s the word?”
