Christmas at Twin Falls (12 page)

“Earth to Beau, you’re beginning to drool.” Cody’s voice held humor.

“Bite me sideways, Cody,” Beau replied. “Go tend your cattle and let me work on this demon horse.”

“Heading to Razzlez tonight?” Cody called over his shoulder as he walked away.

“Probably, the Friday night sunrise shooters are cool,” Beau answered.

“That’s all, huh?”

“Shut up, Cody,” Beau yelled, and the response he got was a snowball in the back.

His brother’s laughter faded away, and Beau faced Midnight again. Even though he needed to focus, Natasha’s face came to mind, and a small smile crossed his face. Ok so maybe he was into her more than he let on. It could be the middle of summer and he’d want to kiss her senseless. The holidays brought up feelings that couldn’t be trusted, especially with the loss of his parents and the feeling of loneliness that came with it. Beau didn’t even want to think of Christmas, the cheer, and all the other stuff that came with it. He knew he sounded like a Scrooge, but it didn’t matter. He was going to keep his head low until the New Year came in.

“Ok, Midnight, let’s dance,” Beau murmured and moved toward the horse. With slow, careful ease, he began trying to tame the willful animal once more, knowing full well that the next day he might have to start all over again.

* * * *

Rocking around the Christmas tree in a Christmas party hop.
The music was up loud and holiday cheer in the air. Natasha Quinlan looked around the bar and smiled. This was her baby, and everyone seemed to be having fun. The dinner crowd had moved out and as per Razzlez’s way, the night was for couples, dancing, and fun. The pool tables were in use and the dartboards along the back wall. The Christmas tree in the corner had envelopes pinned to the branches, and she hoped it would be packed before the end of the night. Her patrons were pinning tips to it for the children’s home in Huntsford. Natasha moved the little fuzzy ball of her elf hat back and scanned the room. The one person she wanted to see wasn’t there, and she felt disappointment well up inside her.
Stop acting like a lovesick puppy
, she told herself. But it wasn’t such an easy task to do. She left the town wanting to wrap her legs around Beau Everett and came back to find the feelings didn’t change. The man was built like a linebacker in a cowboy hat. She had it bad for the part owner of Twin Falls Ranch.

The door opened, and a gust of wind brought in some of the snow flurries from outside. Beau walked in, and she swallowed a shot of vodka. It made her eyes water, and Natasha cussed in her head. He looked edible in the pair of blue jeans that hung just right on his hips. He wore a black long sleeve shirt tucked at his waist and tight across those big biceps and broad shoulders. His beat up cowboy hat made him look sexier than ever, and when he took it off, he ran his hand through his short hair as he looked around. Natasha had already averaged he was probably around forty-two inches from shoulder to shoulder. She wasn’t the only one looking that’s for sure, but when his blue green gaze landed on her, Natasha felt her heart beat a little faster. Especially when he walked over and sat his hat on the bar before sliding himself onto the stool.

“Evening, Ms. Natasha, you look festive as ever,” Beau drawled.

“I could say the same for you, but I don’t see mistletoe on that hat. I might have been tempted to kiss you under it,” she said. “What are you drinking? Let me guess. A whiskey sour and a sunrise shooter.”

“You know me so well. I may start to think you’ve got a vested interest in my happiness,” Beau said.

“Stick around, you might find out,” Natasha teased. She slid his drinks in front of him. “Enjoy.” She felt his eyes on her as she moved down the bar.

The rest of the night got busier, and she didn’t really have time to talk to him one on one. He left the bar and was playing darts with Carter Moore from the hardware store.
Shots n’ darts, nothing good can come of it
, she mused. She left them alone. They were grown men letting off steam in a good way. Her wait staff was making good tips, and the crowd was a good one.

She changed the music, and the dancing started up just as she walked around the bar to serve some drinks to a group sitting in a booth. On her way back with an empty tray, she was caught around the waist and spun into a strong embrace. It was Beau who had the goofy look of having one too many. But when he pulled her close, her ass was pressed into the crook of his hips, and they began a slow roll. Her blood pressure went up a few notches.

“I’ve always wanted to have you in my arms like this,” he said into her ear, and Natasha shivered.

She knew he was tipsy, that she should move, but for a second she reveled in the feeling before pushing away. “Ok, cowboy, you need to sit down before you fall down.”

She led him over to a bar stool, and he sat on it heavily. She hated this time of year for him. He always overindulged for one day, and then he wouldn’t be seen until the New Year. Everyone knew how Beau and Cody’s parents died. The entire town had turned out for their funeral. Sixteen years later, it was still tearing the Everett boys up. That was how close of a family there were.

Natasha rang the bell and shouted. “Last call for alcohol!”

“I’ll have a…” Beau began.

“Not you, Beau Everett. You get coffee, and then I’m driving you home when we close up,” Natasha said sternly and pushed a cup in front of him. “You sit right there.”

“Yes, ma’am, yes ma’am,” he said and took a sip.

In about an hour the bar was clearing out and clean up began. The register was counted, wait staff pocketed their tips, and she ushered them out the door. In that time the snow fell harder. The heavy, thick flakes like soap bubbles hit the ground and stayed. There was no way she was going to risk driving to Twin Falls in this weather, and he certainly wasn’t going to. She’d have to bunk him in her guest bedroom in her third floor apartment.

“I should get going,” he said and got up from the stool.

“Take your ass upstairs, Beau. I’m going to call Cody and let him know you’re not at your place, so he doesn’t worry,” Natasha said in the strictest voice possible.

“Aw, Tasha, you care about me.” Beau pulled her into his arms. Her face was buried again his hard chest, and she could hardly breathe.

Natasha extricated herself and glared at him. “Yeah, I care. Now up the stairs.”

When she bought the building, she had renovations done to put an extra set of stairs on the inside. The winter was fierce in Wyoming, and walking out into blizzard conditions to go to her home was not something she looked forward to. She made sure the doors were locked and turned lights off as she went upstairs behind Beau. In her fantasies this was when clothes came off and he whispered how much he loved her. Right now he could hardly find the laces of his boots if she wanted him to. Sometimes life was a fickle bitch.

In her apartment she directed him to her spare bedroom and sat him on the bed. He was docile as she took his boots off and then his shirt before pushing him back in the bed.

“I’ve dreamt of you doing that,” he said, and a sleepy grin crossed his face.

“Same here, but right now you’re too snookered to appreciate me,” she said gently.

“I’m going to kiss you senseless one of these days,” he murmured.

She got his feet under the covers and pulled them up to his chest before she leaned over impulsively and kissed his forehead. “I look forward to it, but till then you get some sleep, stud.”

He sighed and closed his eyes, and she watched him for a few minutes before turning the lights out and going down the hall to her own bedroom. Tomorrow he’d wake up and apologize for being drunk. Then they would go back to the way it was before, mild flirtation and casual friendship. Natasha got ready for bed and slipped between the covers. Before she closed her eyes, she wished things would change.

* * * *

The smell of bacon in the skillet woke her up, and she turned over to see it was only seven am.
Jeez, freaking cowboys and being up at the crack of dawn
. Natasha moaned and rolled over trying to bury her head under the pillows. She was almost back to sleep when the whistling started, and she rolled out of bed with murder on her mind. She stood in the hallway to her living room area and looked across the wide expanse to her open kitchen. When she bought the building, she had the contractor take out the wall that separated the kitchen from the living room and use only a kitchen block as separation. Beau must’ve felt her glare because he looked up with a grin. Damn he even looked good early in the morning with his hair damp from the shower.

“Hey, I was going to wake you after the eggs were done,” Beau said. “I took a shower and used your mouthwash.”

“It’s the ass crack of dawn.”

“Seven am,” he replied.

“Like I said the ass crack of dawn,” she muttered. “Be quiet. I’m going back to bed.”

“Not a morning person, are you?” Beau chuckled, and she sent him a dark glare. “Ok how about I put your breakfast in the oven, eat, and get out so you can sleep?”

“I’d cheer but I’m to sleepy,” Natasha answered. She would regret her crabbiness when she woke up later, but right now, this was her with only four hours sleep.

Beau took the skillet off the stove and walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a big hug that lifted her off her feet. Natasha almost signed in pleasure.

“Thanks for crashing me out in your guest room,” he said.

“You’re welcome, and it was no big deal.” She pushed her messy hair out of her face.

“I hope it was a big deal, and you don’t let anyone sleep up here,” he murmured. “I’d like to think I was special.”

“You are, I mean… no one else has slept up here,” Natasha stammered and cursed the effect he had on her.

“Let me make you dinner tonight at Twin Falls and a thank you for taking care of me,” Beau said.

Natasha shook her head. “You don’t have to do that.”

“What if I want to do it?” he said. “Come on out and have dinner with me. You’ll save me from another night of paperwork, bad TV, and an early bedtime. I make a mean steak on the grill.”

“It’s winter,” she pointed out.

‘Yeah but I can still grill. Come out and see my set up.” Beau winked at her. She didn’t even complain that he was still holding her. Now as he looked down at her, he rocked her back and forth. The sensation was quite pleasurable. “I’ll make chocolate killer cake.”

“Sounds deadly.” She smiled.

“Extremely. I will have to make sure you don’t curl up on my rug and purr like a kitten,” Beau teased. “Hmm maybe I do want that. Say you’ll come, Tasha.”

He was the only one who ever called her that, and dinner at his house had many implications. How could she refuse something she had hoped would happen for half her life?

“Ok, I’ll leave Deena in charge and come out to the ranch. Is seven ok?” Natasha asked.

“Sounds perfect.” Beau kissed her nose. “Go back to sleep. I’ll eat my breakfast and let myself out. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Okay, get home safe,” Natasha said.

“Tasha.”

“Yeah?”

“I like how you smell and look when you wake up.”

“Um, thanks.”

Natasha moved quickly down the hall back to her bedroom and closed the door. She was flush with happiness at his words and wondered if this could be the start of something with Beau. After all these years, she didn’t want to hope and have it dashed away. She decided to play it cool and see where it went. That didn’t mean when she fell back asleep her dreams weren’t about Beau. Oh yes, they were, and the sexy images were high definition.

Chapter Two

By six in the evening, the lights of her truck hit the Huntsford town limits sign as she headed out to the Twin Falls ranch. All around the town and the outlying houses, she could see signs of the holiday. The mayor’s tree lined home had each tree filled with lights. Mr. Maynard’s fencing had Merry Christmas spelled out in neon, and the steer’s head he had on the gate wore a Rudolph nose. Mrs. Sims did her usual, transformed the pond on her property into an ice skating rink so that children and adults could skate. She even had her sons build a stand so she could give out hot chocolate and s’mores.

The holidays were a special time in the town, and everyone was filled with cheer. Except when she took the snowy turn to Twin Falls. Everything was dark.
Wait,
her eyes widened when she saw signs of the holiday at Cody’s house. Could it be the twins finally decided to embrace the holidays again? On the other side of the corral, the only lights in Beau’s house were on his patio. Well half of the duo at least, Natasha thought. She made the decision that she would bring Christmas to Beau. Before she went to Beau’s house she pulled into Cody’s driveway and knocked on the door.

His eyes widened in surprise when he opened the door. “Natasha, you’re a little far out from Huntsford.”

“I’m having dinner with Beau,” she explained. “Hey, do you have any of those decorations left?”

“Um, Kaleena dragged them out, but a few boxes are left. You know how my mom used to decorate,” Cody said. “What are you going to do with them?”

“I’m decorating Beau’s place,” she answered.

Cody looked at her somberly. “Does he know that?”

“I’d like to see him stop me,” Natasha muttered and asked. “How is it you’re all in the Christmas spirit, and why is Beau so hardheaded?”

Cody sighed. “Honestly, Kaleena is here, and she makes a difference. You have to understand Beau was the one who got the call and him and Dad had argued the night before. He felt as if he never got the chance to apologize to Dad, and its been eating him up all these years. He was going to talk him on Christmas Day, and it was too late in his eyes.”

“Doesn’t he understand that Mr. Everett would never hold a stupid argument in his head? He died loving both of you,” Natasha said.

“I know that and you know that. Maybe it’s time you show him love can surpass anything,” Cody said with a smile.

“Am I that obvious?” Natasha asked.