Merry Cowboy Christmas (Lucky Penny Ranch #3)(64)

“Let me see,” he whispered.

She opened the cloth bag and he gasped. It was half full all right, but they were all glow-in-the dark condoms and even through the wrapper, they lit up the whole inside of her purse in neon green, yellow, pink, and blue.

“What’s wrong? Does the big sexy cowboy not like pink?” she asked with a slight giggle.

“Hell no, I’ve just never been real partial to yellow,” he answered.





Chapter Seventeen



Only sixteen more shopping days until Christmas,” the DJ on the store radio said. “For all you folks on the road trying to get some shopping done this morning in central Texas, drive safe and keep your radio tuned to…”

Fiona blocked out the DJ’s voice and tried to decide if she liked blue or green better, or if one color made hotter sex than the other, when Sharlene came out of the women’s bathroom at the convenience store and threw her hands up in anger. “Are you aware that the condom machine in there is empty?”

“Try the men’s bathroom,” Fiona said without taking her eyes off the coffee stains she was washing from the table.

“I did and it’s empty, too.”

“Must be this weather. Folks got to stay warm somehow,” Fiona laughed.

Maybe she should ask the man who filled the dispensers once a week if he had some in Christmas red and green.

“Well, dammit!” Sharlene huffed. “I’m out and my boyfriend is planning to be here tonight and tomorrow. I’ve closed down the day care until Monday with this weather and that leaves us lots of time to play around in the bedroom. Don’t suppose you’d share any of your personal stock, would you?”

“Why would I have any? I don’t have a boyfriend.” Fiona skirted the issue. “And why doesn’t he buy them?”

“He usually does, but I’ve always kept a backup stock on hand. Oh! Oh! I forgot about Nadine’s. There’ll be some in the machines in her bathroom and I have a key.” Sharlene wiped her brow in a dramatic gesture.

“Well, aren’t you lucky?” Fiona said at the same minute the bell above the door let her know someone was entering the store. She glanced over her shoulder and caught Jud’s gaze and wicked little crooked grin. The blush started at the base of her neck and rapidly traveled to her cheeks.

“You are flushed,” Sharlene said. “That heater vent right above you has made you too hot or maybe”—she lowered her voice—“it’s the customer. You want me to buy a few extra things from Nadine’s bathroom so you’ll be prepared?”

“No, thanks,” Fiona whispered.

“Hey, Jud Dawson, what are you doing in town?” Sharlene asked.

“On my way to Lizzy’s for a pickup load of feed and thought I’d take her a cup of hot chocolate,” he said smoothly.

“I’m amazed that she’s keeping the store open in this weather,” Sharlene said as she dropped her hand and reached for the doorknob. “Does she have a machine in her bathroom, Fiona?”

“Of course. The deliveryman has to have at least two stops to even drive all the way up to Dry Creek. You should put one in the bathroom at the day care,” Fiona said.

“I’m sure that would go over real well with preschoolers.” Sharlene left the store and hurried on down the street to Nadine’s café.

“I don’t think she’s talking about a candy dispenser, is she?” Jud continued to grin.

“I think you know what kind of machine she needs.” Fiona started toward the front of the store and he opened his arms.

She walked into them and inhaled slowly, taking in the remnants of that morning’s shaving lotion on his face, the cold air still lingering on his coat and the smell of coffee on his breath.

“Last night was amazing,” he whispered.

“I think we need some red and green for Christmas day. I could wrap them and put them under the tree,” she teased.

“When I open them, will you blush?”

“Probably but then so would you.” Fiona took two steps back when a truck pulled up to the gas pumps. In a minute, she was at her place behind the counter and Jud was heading back to the coffee machines. He pumped out two cups of hot chocolate and took them to the counter.

He was putting the change from a five-dollar bill into his pocket when Deke pushed his way into the store.

“Man, this warm feels good. I’m never complaining about the heat of summer again. This chills a grown man to the bone. At least in the summer, we just sweat a lot and drink more beer. I want a big cup of hot chocolate,” he said. “And I need to make a run through the bathroom.”

“Machine is sold out. Sharlene tried both bathrooms and said there’s none left,” Fiona said.

“Looks like folks are finding one way to stay warm,” Deke chuckled. “I’ll just have to leave early tomorrow night and drive into Wichita Falls to a drugstore and stock up. Y’all want me to get you a box while I’m there?”

One of Jud’s sexy eyelids slid shut in a sly wink. Fiona could feel the high color in her cheeks but there wasn’t a thing she could do about it.

“I cannot believe we are discussing condoms like we would doughnuts and coffee. And the answer is no. I do not need a box.” She hoped that her comment would justify the crimson in her face. She hadn’t blushed in years, so it had to be living in Dry Creek that brought it on so often.