With a heavy sigh, I clench the strap of my travel bag and quietly leave the room. My heart pounds the further away from Olivia I move. It takes less than five minutes to arrange transport for Olivia back to the airport in Boston when she’s ready and then I’m on my way.
The roads are barely passable, which holds my concentration but as soon as I drop the hire car off and take my seat on the plane, all I can see is Olivia’s face when she realizes I’ve left her.
What have I done?
Panicking, knowing I’ve made the wrong decision, I unclip my seat belt and stand, only to have the stewardess tell me to sit as the plane starts moving down the runway.
I do as she says, and place my face in my hands.
I’m an asshole.
The moment I land in Montana, I’m heading straight back to Olivia.
I’ll make the move.
I can’t live in a city it will drive me crazy, but Lexington has lots of rolling hills. I’m sure we can find a house with an easy commute for Olivia, and maybe I can find a job on a horse farm.
Lexington is after all, horse country.
9
Olivia
When I reach out for Geary in the large bed and find the space beside me empty and cold, I know he’s gone. There had been something in his eyes as he made love to me during the night, but I’d been too tired to really see what he’d been telling me.
Now I knew that he’d been saying goodbye to me in the only way he knew how.
Tears slip down my face while I try and accept that he left me on Christmas day. Why would he do this? I know he loves me because it was written on his face when he made love to me. I’d whispered to him that I loved him, words I haven’t spoken to another man who I wasn’t related to. He still left me. Why wouldn’t he give us this day together before we had to go our separate ways?
Curling in to my pillow, I notice a sheet of hotel notepaper on his pillow. My heart kicks in my chest with fear. I don’t know why because he’s already left. However, for my own peace of mind, I need to know his reasoning for letting me wake up alone on Christmas day. For leaving me after I told him I love him. I cover my mouth with a hand as more tears pour from my eyes and down my cheeks.
My hand trembles as I reach out and retrieve the note. It’s folded with my name written in a beautiful script.
Olivia,
I love you.
I know it may not seem that way now you’ve woken to an empty bed, however I do—very much so. In fact, I love you to the point that I had no idea how I was supposed to watch you walk out of my life after Christmas.
You’re city and I’m country.
In the long run I’m trying to make this easier for you… That’s a lie. I’m making it easier for me because I have a pain in my chest when I look at you. You’re beautiful in every way and you captured my heart the first time I saw you.
I love you and want you to have the life you’ve worked hard for. I can’t be the one responsible for you giving all that up.
Be happy Olivia.
Love you always,
Geary.
I don’t know whether to be angry or sad at Geary’s words. I think I’m a bit of both. Angry that he’s making decisions for me, and sad that he thinks he comes second to the life I have.
My life is work and more work. It’s lonely and Geary has changed all that. I don’t care where I live as long as I’m close to him. I can cut down on my workload and split my time between home with Geary and my office in Lexington. It can be worked out, and just as soon as I pull myself together the man is going to be told that no one makes decisions for Olivia McKenzie.
* * *
Freezing my butt off curbside at Boston Logan, I can’t decide where my destination is going to be—Lexington or Montana.
Do I go after what I want? Or should I go home and nurse my wounds?
In the end it was an easy decision to make and the one my heart desired. Geary Tyler is about to find out that I will go after what I want, and that I’ve no intention of walking away from him. He’s going to get stuck with me.
Smiling, I clutch my ticket in hand and head for security.
Controlled and organized Olivia is no more.
Spontaneous Olivia is going getting her man.
10
Geary
Lucky for me the snow had kept off until I’d arrived at the cabin I call home. My SUV is parked at the back so that Madison and Derek won’t see it if they happen to glance over in this direction from their house. The last thing I want is for Madison to come over here demanding to know why I’m not with Olivia nor do I want her to drag me over to their house to join them. It’s their first Christmas together as a married couple and I want them to have that time before they leave to visit Tanner and Charlotte in Lexington on the twenty-seventh.
Sighing heavily, I poke the fire and suddenly laugh. A true sign that I’m home will be the smoke blowing from the chimney.
Groaning, I sit down in my favorite chair by the fire and not for the first time, I wish I had a dog curled up by my feet. Perhaps I’ll get a rescue dog to keep me company as I’ve probably blown it with Olivia.
All the way home I thought of nothing else but the woman I’d left behind. I couldn’t stop imagining her waking up alone in the hotel room and seeing my note waiting for her. I’d managed to talk myself out of turning straight around at the airport and heading back. Chances were she’d taken a flight home to Lexington, and I couldn’t get there from here, as there were no flights heading in that direction until the morning.
Rubbing at my brows, I settle back into the chair and let the heat lull me into sleep.
* * *
Slowly coming awake, I realize I’m no longer alone in my cabin. I don’t know why I get this feeling, but its as though I’m being watched. I strain to catch a sound. My eyes are still closed and I’ve kept my breathing even but…there! Another sound in the room, subtle but it’s there followed by a heavy sigh.
My eyes snap open and I’m staring straight at Olivia. I blink a few times wondering if I’m dreaming. She’s sitting in the far corner of my sofa looking so damn good that my hands clench on the arm of the chair so I don’t pounce. After leaving her the way I did, I’m not sure she’d appreciate that.
I swallow hard before finding my voice. “You really are here?”
She tilts her head and when her eyes narrow a loud sigh escapes her lips. “Believe it or not, Geary, I’m capable of making my own decisions.”
“You have every right to be angry with me, but why did you follow me?” I ask and see the hurt she’s trying to hide.
No longer looking at me, she suddenly moves and grabs up her jacket, shoving her arms inside. “I should have known this was a mistake. You don’t want me. You just said what you did in your letter for whatever reason known only to you.”
By the times she’s at the front door, I finally get moving and before she can open the door, I have her pressed up against it. “I meant every word, and those three words more than the others. I love you, Olivia McKenzie.”
Keeping her pinned, I tug her jacket off and groan at how her bottom looks in the tight jeans. “Why’d you have to wear jeans,” I groan, reaching for the zipper and tearing into them. “I know we need to talk,” I whisper, desperately trying to get to her flesh, “but first, I want to make you scream my name in pleasure, before you might scream it in anger.”
I hear a chuckle leave her lips before a loud groan when I bite her butt as I tug the jeans down her legs. They get stuck on her boots. “Fuck!”
“Leave the jeans and get inside of me. I ache for you.”
Standing, I rip into my jeans and seconds later I’m palming my cock. “Quick and dirty baby.” I spread her butt cheeks and aligning myself, I push inside.
Her channel is snug in this position, but holding her hips, I grind into her until I’m filling her and about to burst a nut. I toss my sweater across the room and reaching for Olivia, I get the rest of her clothing
out of the way. I wouldn’t have bothered but I’m desperate to touch her naked breasts. The soft mounds of her breasts and plump hard nipples are perfect and an extremely sensitive button on Olivia. She’s come in the past from my attention to her nipples and that is arousing as fuck.
Now I have them in my hands and my hips move. I rock back and forth and when the tightness around my dick contracts, I wrap my arms around her waist and turning us, I place her over the back of the sofa with her ass sticking in the air. From this angle I can see the glide of my cock as I slide in and out of her tight vagina. I see the ripples of Olivia’s release before I feel her tugging and milking my cock. The sight and feel unman me and I come. My release shoots from my body the pleasure intense. I push as far as I can go inside of her and end up on the tips of my toes trying to get further. At that point Olivia screams my name, her pussy convulsing around my dick, the wetness from her release warm as I feel it coating my still hard flesh and sliding down to my balls and thighs.
“Oh God,” she groans, going limp. “I don’t have words for that,” she whispers.
“Whatever it was, it felt amazing.” I’m not ready to pull out of her yet, but I do want her comfortable. So reaching around her waist, I haul her to me and slowly shuffle toward a chair. The moment my butt hits the seat, my dick jerks with excitement when her body settles on me.
I burrow my face into her neck and stay there while I catch a breath and breathe her scent into my lungs. It doesn’t help my arousal for this woman nor does it help when she wiggles around on my lap, rubbing back and forth on my dick while trying to remove her boots and jeans.
Once nude, Olivia slowly moves off of my cock and turns to face me. The sight of her flesh in front of my face has me reaching for her, but she smacks my hands away. I frown and hope like hell she’s forgiven me for being an asshole in Stowe.
Olivia crouches down and removes my jeans before she straddles my thighs. Her eyes stay on my hard flesh and then I watch, and feel, her small hand wrap around me. Her thumb caresses over the tip before she lowers herself down. My eyes cross as sensation after sensation massages my shaft.
She wraps her arms around my neck as I settle my hands on her hips to hold her to me. I shiver when her nipples rub against my chest before they get squished between us. Olivia rests her forehead against mine and whispers, “You left me.”
I notice the tears in her eyes, and admit, “Leaving you was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I love you Olivia, and want to spend the rest of my life with you. I didn’t know how that was possible so I ran because I didn’t want you to see me get down on my knees and beg. I would have done.”
She shakes her head. “I love you too, Geary. I want you. I don’t care if I have to move here to be with you. I just don’t ever want to be separated from you again.”
Tears move into my own eyes. “The moment I sat on the plane I realized what an asshole I was being and that I wanted you anyway I could have you. I would have headed back to you if we weren’t in the middle of take off.”
Her arms hold me tightly as she softly cries. “I like Montana.”
“Me too.”
“I’m still annoyed and hurt that you left without telling me what you wanted.” She lifts her gaze and holds mine. “You have a lot to make up for.”
I brush the hair back from her face and admit. “I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you…if you’ll marry me?”
With a mixture of laughter and tears, Olivia places kisses all over my face. “Yes!”
“One more thing,” I add. “You have to help me find a house outside of the city but in a short commute for you to Lexington.”
“What?” She asks, surprised.
“All I need is open space. So we move out of the city and you get to stay in your family business.” I squeeze her ass, moving her slowly up and down. “I’ve loved working for Derek, but it’s time to move on with the woman I love. It’s all about compromise.”
Olivia softly sighs, a slight moan following. “I do love you, and I can’t wait for you to meet my family on New Year’s Eve.”
Epilogue
Olivia
Aunt Lily and Uncle Michael always throw a wonderful New Year’s Eve party at their home and this year I’m so glad that I have Geary to share it with. He’s met some of my family before, but he’s never experienced the full McKenzie clan. We can be overwhelming, but as I walk up behind him while he’s talking to my cousin Joshua, I smile. Geary fits.
Joshua spots me first and grins. “I’ve just been telling Geary about that time I caught you and Madison by the river.” He wiggles his brows, teasing—at least I hope he’s only teasing.
I narrow my eyes and Geary laughs, tugging me into his side. “He didn’t get to the punchline if that helps.”
Rolling my eyes, I poke Joshua in the stomach. “I have so many stories inside my head to tell your intended,” I tease Joshua except his smile vanishes and all humor disappears.
“I’m going to get some fresh air,” Joshua mumbles.
I stare after him.
“I think I need to follow him. Something isn’t right.” Distracted, I kiss Geary on the cheek and sigh into him when he pulls me close.
“Your family are important to you Olivia, and that makes them important to me, so go and check on your cousin.” He smacks me on the bottom. “Derek is calling me over…Go.” He nudges me after Joshua, calling, “Make sure you put a jacket on.”
As though I’d forget that with the temperature outside. It’s below freezing with snow thick on the ground. I think everywhere I’ve been this December has had thick snow. For someone who loves the winter season, I’m actually excited for the summer.
The moment I open the back door the cold hits me in the face, so I pull the thick padded collar of my coat up until the lower half of my face is covered.
“You’ll freeze to death,” Joshua states.
“If you didn’t come outside then I’d be nice and warm inside.” I move closer to him and taking a long look at his face, I wrap my arms around his waist and rest my head against his chest. “I love you Josh, and when something is bothering you, I want to make it all better.” I sigh. “Except I can’t make it better because I don’t know what’s going on.”
Silence follows and eventually he relaxes against me and rests his chin on the top of my head. “I made a rookie mistake, and now things are awkward.”
“How?” I lift my head and hold his gaze until he tucks me against him once more.
“I went undercover with my boss at a nightclub. Things got a little…out of hand. We both got carried away and now I have to see her everyday, and there can never be more.” He breathes heavily. “I just need to get over it, or rather her, which is easier said than done.”
“Oh, I didn’t see that coming.”
“Me either,” Joshua mutters.
“Does she feel the same way?” I can’t resist asking.
“At the time. Yes. Now. She acts as though I’m just another one of her agents.”
“Maybe she feels the same, but if you think about it, she doesn’t have any other choice but to do her job and I bet you don’t make it easy for her. I mean you have those sexy blue eyes that all the girls used to fall over themselves for at high school.”
“Ugh,” he groans. “Please don’t remind me.”
I chuckle. “Will you come back inside? Please Josh.”
“Geary will hunt me down if I let you freeze,” he says, moving me with him inside the kitchen.
“Joshua,” I become serious again, “why don’t you try talking to her outside of work?” I shrug. “Perhaps you both just need to talk it out so that things can get back to normal.”
“If only I wanted things back to normal. I want everything Olivia.” Joshua slips quietly up the backstairs.
THE END
I hope you enjoyed this quick novella for the holiday season and that you look forward to Joshua and Mallory’s story in A Secret Affair, coming in 2019.
Dear Reader
If you liked A Cowboy for Christmas, I would appreciate it, if you would help others enjoy this book too by recommending it to your friends, family, and book clubs by writing an honest, positive review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iBook Store, Goodreads, etc.
Acknowledgments
Cover Designer: Robin Harper, Wicked by Design
Readers: Lynne Garlick and Sonya Covert
Other books by Lexi Buchanan
Bad Boy Rockers
Book 1: Sizzle (Jack ‘Phoenix’ & Thalia)
Book 2: Spicy (Reece & Callie)
Book 3: Sultry (Donovan & Mara)
Book 4: Savor (Ryder & Dahlia)
Book 5: Sinful (Jace & Savannah)
Book 6: Silent Night (Novella)
McKenzie Brothers
Book 1: Seduce (Michael & Lily)
Book 1.5: The Wedding (Novella)
Book 2: Rapture (Sebastian & Carla)
Book 3: Delight (Ruben & Rosie)
Book 4: Entice (Lucien & Sabrina)
Book 5: Cherished (Ramon & Noah)
Book 5.5: A McKenzie Christmas (Novella)
De La Fuente Family (McKenzie Spinoff)
Book 1: Love in Montana (Sylvia & Eric)
Book 2: Love in Purgatory (Dante & Emelia)
Book 3: Love in Bloom (Mateo & Erin)
Book 4: Love in Country (Aiden & Sarah)
Book 5: Love in Flame (Diego & Rae)
Book 6: Love in Game (Kasey & Felicity)
Book 7: Love in Education (Andie & Seth)
McKenzie Cousins
(McKenzie Spinoff)
A Cowboy for Christmas: McKenzie Cousins Book 8 (Novella) Page 4
