Lone Star Christmas

by Delores Fossen

  Yeah. He should. But his temper hadn’t chilled nearly as much as his body, and Callen wasn’t ready to go back inside the inn just yet.

  So, he started walking with no particular destination in mind. Then he stopped outside the window of Ted’s and glanced in at the display necklace and creepy Russian nesting dolls. The same ones that’d been there for at least seventeen years. It was probably his rotten mood, but it riled Callen that nothing had changed. Of course, pretty much anything was going to rile him at the moment, so he jerked open the door and went inside.

  “I’ll buy the necklace and the dolls,” Callen snapped. His tone definitely wasn’t one of Christmas shopping merriment.

  Ted Barlow was sitting behind the counter of a glass display case, and he blinked in surprise when he looked up from the book he was reading. His mouth fell open.

  “I want to buy them,” Callen repeated. “Now, take them out of the window and put something else in there.”

  A therapist would have had a field day with that, but with his mood, Callen might have punched the therapist, too.

  Still wide-eyed with surprise, which might have been bordering on shock, Ted hurried to the window. Well, as much as a man in his eighties could hurry, and reaching into the display, he started scooping up the items to bring them to the counter next to the old-fashioned cash register.

  “If you want these wrapped, it’ll cost extra,” Ted said.

  Callen hadn’t actually considered what to do with them now that he was about to be the owner, but wrapping was a good option. “Yes, wrap them and have them taken over to my room at the inn.”

  With the shock/surprise wearing off some, Ted smiled, and Callen could practically see the dollar signs in the man’s eyes. “Who’s this for so I know what name to put on the gift card?” Ted asked.

  Another good question, but it didn’t take Callen long to come up with “Rosy.” She would appreciate the gold necklace, and he doubted the dolls would creep her out since she was a taxidermist.

  Ted nodded with even more enthusiasm when he started ringing up the items. While he did that, Callen looked around, and his attention landed on a pocketknife in the display case. It wasn’t flashy, but it had a horse carved into the wood handle.

  “That’s an antique,” Ted explained when he saw what Callen was studying. “It’s nice.”

  Despite Ted’s weak sales pitch, Callen was sold. “I want that, too. Wrap it up for Buck.”

  If Ted’s smile got any wider, he might risk dislocating his jaw. Callen figured he was taking the same risk with his scowl, but it was easing up a bit. Plus, he was actually doing some Christmas shopping, something that would please Havana.

  And speaking of Havana, Callen spotted some silver and purple stone dangling earrings that looked as if they’d be gaudy and expensive enough for her taste.

  “Those, too.” Callen motioned toward the earrings.

  “Uh, those are a little pricey. Six hundred.”

  Callen had no idea if that was a reasonable price to pay. Nor did he care. “Ring them up and wrap them,” he instructed Ted.

  “You want Shelby’s name on the card for this one?” Ted asked. “Seems like a nice gift for your girl.”

  Callen huffed, though he didn’t know why. Of course Ted knew about Shelby and him. Everyone did. “No, they’re for my assistant, Havana. Double wrap the box, though, because Havana will try to peek when the gifts are delivered.”

  Of course, the earrings wouldn’t replace Havana’s usual Christmas bonus, but she might be surprised and pleased that he’d given her an actual present.

  Since he was here and apparently on a roll, Callen went to another display case that was crammed full of jewelry, knickknacks and just plain weird stuff. Like pipes carved to look like snakes and a mechanical monkey holding a tambourine. Since the monkey had a switch that would likely turn on that clanging tambourine, Callen nixed buying it. No way did he want to have to listen to that.

  However, he did spot something by the cash register.

  Shelby’s business card. Horse Services: Training, Boarding and Sales.

  Sales.

  Callen recalled seeing a bay mare and a paint gelding at her place, and he could buy them for Mateo and Lucy. Of course, he’d need to arrange to keep them boarded at Shelby’s. But if the home worked out and the kids moved, it would give their new parents a reason to bring them back to Coldwater. That way, they could see Shelby, Rosy and Buck.

  With those two names ticked off his list, Callen went to the next display case. Three bronze figures of cowboys. One on a horse, one slinging a lasso and the other hauling a saddle on his shoulder.

  “You looking at those for your brothers?” Ted asked. “’Cause they’re kind of pricey since they’re signed by the artist and all. I can give you a good deal, though. Fifteen hundred for the lot.”

  “I’ll take them,” Callen decided, and that left one person on his list. “Shelby,” he mumbled under his breath.

  Ted beamed again. “I’ve got a few engagement rings.”

  Callen scowled. “It’s not that kind of...” Relationship was the first word that came to Callen’s mind with the mental addition of “It’s just sex.” Since Ted was likely to repeat anything he said, Callen settled for saying, “Christmas.”

  Of course, Ted would just assume that next Christmas would be the right timing for an engagement ring, and he would pass on his assumption as gospel to anyone who’d listen.

  “Shelby’s not exactly the jewelry-wearing type,” Ted concluded. “Not much for antiques, either. You see anything else in here you could get her?”

  Good question, and Callen was mindful that anything he picked for her in this shop would also make the gossip rounds, though Ted would likely hold off on that until after Christmas so as to not blow the surprise.

  Callen looked at the mishmash of items on the shelf behind the cash register. “I’ll take all of those,” he said.

  This time when Ted’s eyes widened, there was some concern in them. Probably because it was a strange mix. A pair of silver nunchucks, a body piercing kit complete with a navel ring, a gumball machine and two stuffed buck-toothed beavers poking their heads out from a stainless-steel barrel.

  “For Shelby?” Ted asked. Clearly, the man was perplexed at the possibility.

  But Callen just nodded. He’d donate them if he thought of something more suitable to give her. Which shouldn’t be hard. Anything else would be more suitable. Still, he was pressed for time, so this might be as good as it got.

  “With all this stuff sold, this might be the tipping point for me,” Ted said as he rang up the items. “Might just go ahead and close the place.” He motioned toward the For Sale sign.

  “You’d really sell?” Callen didn’t bother to take out the skepticism.

  “Sure would. The wife’s nagging me to retire. So is my back. It’d be easier to just sit at home in my recliner, reading a good book.”

  Yes, it would be, but it made Callen wonder if anyone would ever buy the place, and if they did, what kind of business would it become? Probably one that didn’t have Russian nesting dolls, bronze statues, knives and Shelby’s business card. Other than the dolls, Callen wasn’t sure if that would actually be progress or not.

  Ted’s eyes lit up brighter than a Christmas tree when he saw the total. And with good reason. Those sales for Callen’s ten-minute shopping trip probably exceeded what Ted usually made all year.

  “Just have everything wrapped and delivered to the inn,” Callen reminded him as he swiped his credit card, signed and headed for the door.

  “If you change your mind about those engagement rings, just pop back over,” Ted called out to him.

  Of course, the people passing by the shop heard him.

  And one of those people was Shelby.

  Callen figured it was both bad and good luck
that she happened to be walking by at that exact second. His mood still sucked, and he hadn’t wanted her to be embarrassed, hopeful, disappointed or whatever the hell else she might feel at the possibility of getting an engagement ring—especially one from Ted’s.

  However, there wasn’t a trace of embarrassment or anything close to it in her eyes or in the smile she gave him. “Ted’s doing some matchmaking, huh?” she remarked. “Be strong. Resist. That’s what I’m doing.” She added a chuckle, but the humor faded when she looked at his shirt. “Where’s your coat?”

  “At the inn. I forgot it.”

  Definitely no humor now. Concern. She hooked her arm through his and started leading him back toward the inn. “What’s wrong? Why were you in Ted’s, anyway?”

  Callen didn’t welcome either question. He didn’t want to talk about Avis and didn’t especially want to get into the details of his attempt at retail therapy. But he was cold, and while it was nice to steal a little of Shelby’s body heat, he didn’t mind returning to the inn. Maybe if Shelby was with him, Havana wouldn’t pepper him with questions.

  While he was hoping, Callen added that maybe he wouldn’t catch pneumonia.

  “How’s Buck?” he asked.

  She frowned a little because she knew he was dodging, but Shelby nodded. “He’s doing well. Minimal pain, and he’s sitting up and talking. I didn’t bring up what he’d said when he was in recovery.”

  He knew all of that, of course, because he’d gone to see Buck earlier.

  “I want to buy two of your horses,” Callen blurted out before Shelby could do some question peppering of her own. “As Christmas presents for Lucy and Mateo.”

  Clearly still suspicious, she went inside when Callen opened the inn door and he followed. It didn’t seem manly to sigh with such relief, but the heat felt darn good.

  The same good feeling didn’t apply to Shelby’s expression. Raised eyebrows and lips pressed flat.

  “I’d pay to have them boarded at your place,” he added as they headed up the stairs. “That way, they can, well, have some ties here no matter where they end up living.”

  She made a sound to indicate she was considering that, and while there was still a boatload of skepticism, she nodded. “It’s an expensive gift. I’m sure they’d be happy with something other than a large living creature.”

  “I want to get the horses for them,” Callen insisted. “Just send me a bill, and, no, don’t give me a discount or anything. Charge me what you would anyone else.”

  “A discount for sex.” Her smile returned for a moment. “Well, you are pretty amazing, so you probably do deserve a really deep discount.”

  It felt so good to see that smile and hear that slight smoky hitch in her voice. Hell, it felt good just to see her, period, and Callen hadn’t realized how much he needed it until she touched her smiling mouth to his.

  He spotted Havana peering out the doorway of her office, but Callen waved her off, pulled Shelby into his own office so he could give her more than a mouth touch. He kissed her, really kissed her, and the cold simply melted from his body, replaced by a nice buzz of heat.

  The kiss lingered on until she eased back, met his gaze. “Now, will you tell me what’s wrong?”

  Callen debated it. He hated to ruin this moment by even mentioning his prior visitor’s name.

  “I have my ways of getting to the truth,” Shelby added. She shut the door and slid her hand over the front of his jeans.

  He smiled in spite of that fierce debate going on in his head. And he grimaced a little, too, at the jolt of pleasure from that slick move of her hands. He wanted to let that jolt turn to full-blown sex against the wall, but there was something in Shelby’s eyes that told him they weren’t going to get that far—not until he’d told her what had put rocks in his belly.

  “Avis Odell showed up,” he said.

  With her gaze still nailed to his, she pulled back her hand, and for a moment he wondered if she even remembered who that was.

  She did.

  “What did that sonofabitch want?” she snapped, and that “something” in her eyes was now a hot ball of temper.

  Callen didn’t especially want to feed that temper since he was still working on reining in his own, but he didn’t want to keep this from her. Especially since Avis could go to Shelby next. The thought of Avis doing that gave Callen another layer of temper that he didn’t need.

  “He wanted money,” Callen said. “He said if I paid him he wouldn’t disrupt the wedding.”

  She whipped away from him, throwing her hands in the air. “That shithead sonofabitch. I hope you told him you weren’t going to pay him a cent.”

  “Yep, I did.”

  “Good,” she spit out, her tone still tight and mean with anger. But then she stopped, swallowed hard. “Did you beat him up? I hope you didn’t beat him up,” she quickly added. “Because if you did, he’ll have you arrested.”

  Callen shook his head. “I didn’t beat him up.” But he knew he likely wouldn’t be able to say that if Avis came back. “I’ll need to tell Kace and the others. I just wanted to calm down some first.”

  She made a sound of agreement and glanced around as if trying to figure out what to do. What she did was lock the door. And in the same motion, she pulled him to her for a hard kiss.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  SHELBY WASN’T SURE if she was doing this more for Callen or herself. Maybe it was a tie. But she needed to do something to cool down this powder keg of anger and what faster way to do it than replacing it with a powder keg of lust.

  Callen seemed to have some hesitation about that, though, and he pulled back from what she was certain was a darn good kiss to look at her.

  “You don’t have to do soother sex for me,” he said.

  She gave that a few seconds of thought. “Then we have to have soother sex for me. Because I need it.”

  That rid him of the hesitation, but she might have helped that along with another kiss and by sliding her hand over his erection. Shelby had figured that was the fastest way to end this conversation, and she was right.

  Callen made a manly sound of hunger and went after her. A full, long, deep kiss, complete with some quick grappling. This wouldn’t be finesse sex—which she knew he was really good at, too. No, this was fast, rough and completely satisfying. Along with an orgasm, it would exhaust them enough that they would be able to discuss Avis Odell without her using every word of profanity in her vocabulary.

  “This feels like I’m using you,” Callen grumbled with his mouth against hers.

  “No. I’m using you. Big difference.” She considered getting him out of his shirt, but no-finesse meant the removal of only the necessary clothing. Instead, she unzipped her own jeans. “And just to cover all the emotional bases, there are no strings attached to this. It’s just sex.”

  Sex with the man she loved, but Shelby wisely omitted that part.

  Good thing, too, because Callen accepted what she’d said and got right back into the swing of foreplay. He kissed her neck while he got her out of her boots and jeans. It felt strange since she was still wearing her coat and shirt, but the thought of “strange” went away when his hand got busy between their bodies. Shelby knew he was just getting unzipped and freed from his shorts, but his knuckles did some interesting bumps and brushes along the way.

  That orgasm nearly happened right then, right there.

  She was hot, ready, and she wanted him in her now.

  However, the urges of fast, furious, grappling sex had to pause for a sec to consider the logistics of an office orgasm. The first obstacle came when Callen lifted her, wrapping her legs around him and trying to put her back against the door. That didn’t work because there were hooks and shelves there. She cursed the idiot who’d designed those obstacles.

  Callen cursed, too, when he glanced around all the wall
space. Again, idiot design because there was no space. Ditto for the floor, though Shelby didn’t figure that out until she had already started dragging Callen in that direction. He stopped her, glanced around again, his attention landing on the adjoining bathroom.

  Also postage-stamp size.

  He must have discarded that notion because Callen raked what appeared to be well-organized files, pens and such off the left side of his massive desk. The stuff tumbled onto the meager floor space.

  Then, thanks to Callen, Shelby tumbled onto the desk.

  If it was uncomfortable, she didn’t notice. That was because Callen tumbled onto her, and one of the most interesting parts of his body was aligned with the neediest one of hers.

  “Condom,” he growled.

  More profanity. More nudging and bumping while he grabbed one from his wallet. Thank goodness he’d replenished his stash, and this time she saw three of them in there.

  His eyes were wild and stormy when he looked at her, and he had on his warrior face. She hadn’t needed anything else to get her to the flashpoint heat stage, but that alone would have done it.

  He kissed her when he plunged into her, and she quickly realized that was to muffle the rather loud sound of pleasure that she made. He already knew her and probably didn’t want to alert Havana as to what they were doing.

  Mercy, he was so good at this. Moving at just the right pace and hitting just the right spot. It was enough to make her crazy. Even better, it was enough to make her come.

  Callen kissed her for that, too, covering her mouth with his when the orgasm roared through her. He didn’t stop kissing, either, until he probably thought it was safe. But he didn’t stop moving. He continued those deep thrusts, giving her every last bit of pleasure that she could get from the climax.

  And because she knew him now, she could tell he was close to finding his release. So Shelby lifted her hips and helped him along with that. It worked. One last big push. He pulled her into his arms. His mouth pressed against her neck.