Merry Cowboy Christmas (Lucky Penny Ranch #3)(83)

“Why only six?”

“Because that’s all Josie would let me have. She said I’d have company and she was out there in the boonies all alone so I couldn’t have all the movies.”

“Okay, then, see you in a few.”

Fiona changed into yoga pants and an oversized T-shirt, straightened her room in record time, and then started toward Jud’s room when she noticed that he’d set up his laptop on the credenza in the hall and the two wingback chairs were pulled up close enough so she and Jud could see the screen.

Three movie cases were on one side of the computer, three on the other. Some of the Fast & Furious movies took the right side. On the left, she had a choice of Something to Talk About with Julia Roberts, the first Lethal Weapon with Mel Gibson, and Shooter with Mark Wahlberg. She’d seen them all at least once and some several times but she chose the Julia Roberts movie.

“I can’t believe you even have a chick flick in your stash,” she said.

“It’s got a good lesson in it.” He slid the DVD drawer out of the side of the laptop, put the disk in, and started the movie. “Popcorn or a drink before it starts?”

“Too full still for popcorn. What do we have to drink?”

“Enough Jack for a shot each. Two beers and enough Crown Royal for a Crown and Coke. Your sisters pirated off the rest of it,” he said.

“A beer would be great.” She settled into one of the chairs and wiggled but couldn’t get comfortable. “I’ve got a better idea about how to watch a movie. Please push these chairs back where they belong.”

He went into his room, brought out two beers, set them on the credenza, picked up a chair, and put it where it belonged. She glanced over her shoulder as she headed for her bedroom and watched him pick up the second chair. Muscles straining at the sleeve of his shirt, his stance all powerful—her pulse jacked up at least three notches.

She disappeared into her room and brought out a down comforter and two pillows. She fluffed the comforter out on the floor in front of the laptop, tossed the pillows onto it, and stretched out on her stomach.

He eased down beside her with a groan as the movie started. “And to think that tomorrow night we have to move all that furniture back into the house.”

“Poor baby, want me to kiss it and make it all better?” She inched over and kissed him long, hard, and with so much heat that they were both panting when it ended.

“That definitely makes it all better,” he said.

Three hours later, the movie had long since finished, the beers were warm and flat, and Fiona was curled up in Jud’s arms as they both slept. The rental company had finished and locked the door behind them.

They were sleeping so soundly that neither of them heard Dora June’s labored breathing as she climbed the steps. It wasn’t until she yelled from the top of the stairs that Fiona set up with a start.

“I was worried about y’all,” she giggled like a schoolgirl. “We brought some fried chicken from Wichita Falls. Went on up there to see Irene after the church thing and I talked Truman into wearing his Santa suit. We took the extra candy bags and passed them out to the folks in the home there.”

“I could eat some chicken.” Fiona stretched and yawned. “We were watching a movie and fell asleep.”

“I see that. You might as well pour them beers down the drain, though. They won’t be fit to drink. Come on down to the kitchen with us and have some chicken. Your granny was having a good day and we talked about all you girls. And guess what, we drove past that RV place. I know Truman would never do it but sometimes I sure do yearn to see things before I die,” she said.

“We’ll be right down,” Fiona said.

“Are we in trouble?” Jud opened one eye a slit.

“I don’t think so. She didn’t catch us in a bedroom. And I think she wants an RV so bad that she’s got that on her mind.”

“It was nice to wake up with you in my arms,” he said.

“I thought so, too,” she said softly. “It felt right.”





Chapter Twenty-Four



Only four shopping days until Christmas and Katy would be home the next day. Suddenly, Fiona realized that she had not bought a single thing for Jud or for her mother. She’d gotten gifts for everyone else, including Truman, but not one thing had caught her eye for the man she’d fallen in love with or her mother.

Love!

She stopped in her tracks going from the back of the store to the checkout counter and gasped. There was no use in running from the truth. She was in love with Jud Dawson and there was no denying it.

The morning coffee drinkers had just left when the store phone rang. She picked up the receiver from the base with one hand and a wet dishcloth with the other.

“This is Fiona,” she said.

“Fiona Logan?” a deep masculine voice asked.

“Yes,” she said cautiously. The first thought that sent her heart to her throat was that something had happened to her mother.

“You are a difficult woman to track down.”

“Who is this?” she asked bluntly.

“Walton Pierce of Pierce, Davis and Green Law Firm in Pasadena, Texas. You brought your résumé to us almost a year ago and we are interested in interviewing you for a job. Are you still in Houston? If so, we’d like to schedule a meeting before Christmas.”