Holidays on the Ranch (Burnt Boot, Texas #1)(34)

“Hey, I have to go into Gainesville for a load of feed. We can go right after our workout,” Finn said.

“I thought we had a workout last night,” she moaned.

“That was a mission. We still have PT.” He grinned.

“Anyone tell you we’re not in the military anymore?”

“Couple of times, but it didn’t keep me from staying fit. I’m not forcing you to work out, Callie. You were up all night. Go on back to bed and catch a few hours of rest,” he said.

“Hell if I will. I ate three of those doughnuts, one last night and two for breakfast. I’ll be ready when you are,” she said. “Will we have time to stop by a Western-wear store or a tractor supply where they sell work coats?”

“Sure. Does Martin need a new coat?”

“His will do until Christmas. It’s a little short in the arms, but it will last a few more weeks.”





Chapter 10


The quick shower hadn’t done nearly as much as a soak in a tub of hot water to help her tight muscles from the workout that morning, but if she got into the tub, she would fall asleep and not wake up until evening.

So she trudged into her bedroom, pulled a vinyl bank bag from under a stack of underwear, and removed a hundred dollars. She filed it neatly in her wallet and put her jacket on before she slung her purse over her shoulder.

“That didn’t take long,” he said.

“The mission takes top priority.”

“And that is?”

“Buying a coat so I don’t freeze my ass off when we’re feeding cows or fixing fence in the middle of the night because two women are fighting over you.” She bent against the wind and took off in a jog toward the truck. She was halfway across the yard when her feet went out from under her, and strong arms caught her as she grasped for anything other than snowflakes to break her fall.

“Whoa, darlin’,” Finn drawled.

One second she was about to land on the ice, the next he had pulled her up to a standing position and held her to his chest. She could feel his heart beating beneath all those tight chest muscles and hoped that he attributed the extra thump in hers to almost falling.

He traced her jawline with the back side of his fist, opening up his hand when he reached her lips to outline them with his calloused forefinger. She hung in limbo for his next move, wanting him to kiss her so bad that she moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue.

His blue eyes bored into hers, unblinking, going all dreamy and soft as thick dark lashes fluttered shut and rested on his high cheekbones. Then his lips met hers in a long, lingering, passionate kiss that made her knees go weaker than ever before. His big hand held her head firmly as he deepened the kiss.

Forget the damn coat. All he had to do was kiss her about every two hours and she could run through the snow naked as a newborn baby and not even feel the cold.

“Guess we’d best get going,” he said hoarsely.

“Guess so,” she whispered.

He kept a firm grip on her arm as he got her settled into the truck.

“You need some boots, too. Those sneakers ain’t worth a damn in this kind of weather. At least let me buy you some rubber boots,” he said.

“I have money, Finn. I can buy what I need, and right now these shoes work just fine,” she told him. Dammit! She wanted to talk about that kiss, not boots and coats.

When he started the engine, the DJ’s voice filled the truck. “It’s only twenty-three days until Christmas, folks. Have you started your shopping? The weatherman is agreeing with my grandpa’s almanac that this is going to be a tough winter, so drag out the horse-pulled carriage because some of the back roads could get too slick for cars and trucks. And now five of your favorite Christmas songs performed by your favorite country artists. At the end of the five for five, the fifth caller who can tell me all five singers in order will receive a ten-dollar gift certificate to Buster’s Western Wear in Gainesville, Texas.”

“Is that where we’re going?” she asked.

“I have no idea. Only been to Gainesville a couple of times, and that was traveling through—not going into—town. I know where the feed store is, but we’re on our own for shopping,” he answered.

“Suzy Bogguss,” she said.

“She’s got a Western-wear store here?” Finn asked.

Callie pointed at the radio. “No, that’s Suzy singing ‘Two-Step ’Round the Christmas Tree.’ I like this song, and we’d probably get a better deal at the tractor supply or a feed store. Most of them carry work coats.”

***

Callie moved her shoulders to the beat of the music and sang along with the lyrics, asking if you’d ever seen Santa in cowboy boots two-steppin’ around the Christmas tree.

Finn chuckled. “When I was a little boy, Grandpa O’Donnell would dress up as Santa, but he always wore his cowboy boots. He’d grab Grandma after he’d handed out the presents, and they’d dance around the tree. She’d pretend to be embarrassed and say that Grandpa would be mad if she danced with another man even if it was Santa Claus.”

“Tanya Tucker,” Callie said when the next song started.

“‘Christmas to Christmas,’” he said. “This is one of my mama’s favorites.”

Tanya sang about having someone to watch each Christmas come and go with, and then the lyrics continued with “love is always in season.”