McGavin Brothers 13 - A Cowboy's Holiday Read online

  A COWBOY’S HOLIDAY

  THE MCGAVIN BROTHERS

  VICKI LEWIS THOMPSON

  A COWBOY’S HOLIDAY

  Copyright © 2018 by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  ISBN: 978-1-946759-58-0

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Ocean Dance Press, PO Box 69901, Oro Valley AZ 85737

  Cover art by Kristin Bryant

  Visit the author’s website: VickiLewisThompson.com

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Epilogue

  But Wait, There’s More!

  Also by Vicki Lewis Thompson

  About the Author

  CHAPTER ONE

  His back to the door, Pete Sawyer tilted the dolly and eased it over the sill into a recently constructed log cabin on the Crimson Clouds Guest Ranch. The interior was still fragrant with the aroma of freshly cut wood. As the ranch’s foreman, he normally wouldn’t be setting up furniture, but a week before Christmas, he was the sole employee on the premises.

  The ranch wouldn’t open to customers until next summer, but the six horses in the barn required his daily attention. Just not right this minute.

  “Keep coming.” Taryn Maroney, the ranch’s new owner, stood inside directing him. “I’m glad it fit through the door.”

  “Me, too.” He looked over his shoulder. “Better move. I’m gonna rotate this sucker so I can come in at a better angle.”

  “Right.” She scooted out of the way. “Oh, man, I love that dresser! I knew it would be a tight fit but I had to take the chance. It’s gorgeous.”

  “It is that.” She had good taste. The dresser matched the four-poster he’d brought in earlier along with the nightstand. The unassembled bed leaned against the far wall.

  The carved wood of the head and footboards appeared rustic at first glance, but the turquoise color rubbed into the design likely had added that extra zero to the price tag. He’d blinked when he’d checked the invoice before he’d loaded up the boxed furniture in Bozeman last week. Now that he’d had a chance to examine the craftsmanship, he was no longer surprised.

  He positioned the dolly near the wall. “Is this about where you want it?”

  “Let me double check.” She moved back and squinted at the configuration. “Yes, that’s good.”

  After sliding it off the dolly, he wrestled it into place. A cold breeze chilled his sweat-dampened hairline as he nudged the dresser tight against the wall. “Better shut the door.”

  “Right. I was so busy admiring the dresser I forgot.” She walked over and closed it. “Ready to set up the bed?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He took off his hat, laid it on the dresser and combed his fingers through his hair. Then he pulled his phone out of his back pocket and set it beside his hat. “Just so you know, I might get a call from my dad.”

  “Oh?” She took off her jacket and laid it on a rocking chair sitting in a corner.

  He did likewise, now that the door was shut. “I got a text a little bit ago. Faith McGavin’s gone into labor.” And he would soon be an honorary uncle to Faith and Cody’s baby. Ever since his dad and Kendra had fallen in love, the Sawyers and the McGavins had become one big happy family.

  “Listen, if you want to head off to the hospital, we can postpone—”

  “She’s having the baby at home, but I don’t have to be there.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Absolutely. My dad does, so he can share the moment with Kendra, and I’ll bet the entire McGavin clan is gathering at Wild Creek Ranch today. The Sawyer aunties and uncles don’t need to show up and add to the confusion, though. Not yet, anyway.”

  “I see your point.” Taryn smiled. “So Faith’s finally having that baby. Now we’ll find out whether it’ll be a boy or a girl.”

  “At long last.” He liked it when she smiled and her brown eyes lit up. He liked a lot of things about her. She was enthusiastic, hardworking and easy on the eye. Her hair was the prettiest shade of auburn he’d ever seen. “Did you bet on which she’d have?”

  “I meant to once I found out the profits would go to needy families this Christmas. Just never got around to it. How about you?”

  “I did, during the Fourth of July celebration. That’s when most people put money on it.”

  “That celebration looked so amazing.” She shoved her hands in the pockets of her jeans. “I’m glad Kendra put pictures on the town website so I could get some idea of what it was like.”

  “Maybe next summer you can talk your folks into coming here on the Fourth.”

  “They’ll have to if they want to see me. That should be a big weekend for us. I can’t be flying off to San Francisco.”

  “Speaking of flying, did they make it to London okay?”

  “Yes, and they’re having a blast.”

  “Good. And that reminds me. Dad and Kendra asked me to find out if you’d like to come to the ranch for Christmas Eve and Christmas dinner the next day.”

  Her bright smile flashed again. “That would be lovely. I can save my John Wayne marathon and sugar cookie pig-out for another time.”

  “That sounds like fun, too.”

  “Yeah, but I’d rather be with your big ol’ family.”

  “Okay, then.” He was glad Kendra had thought of it. Taryn shouldn’t end up alone on Christmas because of unexpected circumstances.

  Her folks had booked their trip before their daughter and what’s-his-face had filed for divorce. Pete had heard her ex’s name but had chosen not to remember it. Any guy dumb enough to mess up his chance with Taryn wasn’t worthy of notice.

  “I’ll text Kendra and thank her for inviting me. Maybe there’s something I could bring.”

  “She may say she has it covered, but you can always take her a bottle of that red wine they sell at the Guzzling Grizzly.”

  “I’ll do that. Ready to tackle the bed?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He turned toward the unassembled bed, moved the footboard to one side and positioned the rails perpendicular to the headboard.

  Taryn brought over her toolbox and opened it. “Did I tell you a couple booked this cabin for their honeymoon the first week in June?”

  “No, but that’s great.” He sorted through the packages of bolts, nuts and washers, comparing them to the list provided by the manufacturer.

  “That’s one reason I wanted to get this done ASAP. I promised to send a picture once I got the furniture in place. They’re excited to be the first guests in this cabin.”
/>   “They’ll be impressed with the bedroom set. I’ve never seen one like it.”

  “I think it’s my favorite, but wait’ll you see the one I got for the other two-person cabin. It has a completely different feel.”

  He glanced up from the list. “How so?”

  “This one’s colorful, which I happen to like, but the other one is more subdued. It’s massive, though, and sexy in a bold kind of way. When you see it, you’ll know what I mean. It’s very masculine, a very rugged Western look, so guys might like it better.”

  “Well, I’m a guy, and I think this one’s nice.” He took out what he needed from the bags and shoved everything in his pocket. If he’d known he’d be doing this, he would’ve brought his tool belt from home. “Do you want to work on the footboard or the headboard?”

  “Headboard.”

  “Alrighty. Here you go.” After handing her the plastic bags, he picked up the footboard and carried it down to the end of the rail.

  “I’m glad you like this one.” Crouching inside the bedframe, she inserted bolts in the pre-drilled holes. “I wondered if it was too over-the-top for a manly man’s taste.”

  “We like colorful stuff, too. It appeals to our softer side.” He put the bolts in the footboard. “Ready?”

  “Yep.”

  He lifted his end of the rail in tandem with hers as they attached each end.

  She looked over her shoulder. “I’ve decided to name each cabin so returning guests can ask for a specific one.”

  “Have you got names, yet?” When the footboard was secure, he moved to the other side.

  “I’m working on it. Maybe I’ll use names of Western towns. The two bigger cabins will be more family oriented, but for the smaller ones I wanted something intimate and sensual. I’m marketing them as the perfect setting for a honeymoon or a romantic weekend.”

  “I can see that. A cozy cabin surrounded by tall pines, mountain views, a little kitchen for snacks, even a wood-burning fireplace. What more could you want?”

  “Just two people crazy in love with each other.”

  “Yep.” If that was a painful subject, she didn’t give any indication.

  He hadn’t learned the details of her divorce until about four months into his tenure here. Her matter-of-fact description had made it sound as if neither of them had suffered from the breakup.

  They’d been married less than a year when they’d discovered they didn’t suit. Her ex was currently living in Spain and she’d bought out his share of the ranch they’d purchased together as a getaway. Clean break, no hard feelings.

  Maybe she was just that practical. Except there was nothing practical about this fantasy bed they were constructing together. He took a wrench from her toolbox and moved around the perimeter tightening all the nuts. Then they laid in the slats, slid in the box spring and added the luxury pillow-top.

  She stood back, arms folded, a gleam of satisfaction in her eyes. “Perfect. I can take it from here if you have stuff to do in the barn.”

  “Aren’t you going to put on the bedding?”

  “Yes, but you don’t have to—”

  “It’ll go faster with two people.” Idle curiosity. That was the only thing prompting him to offer his help. Yeah, right. You’re enjoying this bed project on a whole other level, hotshot.

  All right, he was attracted to her. But near as he could tell, it was a one-sided crush. Clearly she liked working with him, but she’d never flirted. Not once. She wasn’t flirting now, either.

  “You want to see how it’s going to look when it’s finished, don’t you?”

  “As a matter of fact.”

  “I get that. I stashed the linens and pillows in the bathtub to move them out of the way. Come on back and I’ll load you up. It’ll take both of us to carry it all. There are six pillows.”

  “Six?” He followed her to the bathroom.

  “Mounds of pillows make a bed more inviting.”

  “I suppose they do, but I—hey, you weren’t kidding.” He stared at the tub/shower arrangement. The glass shower door was the only thing keeping the stacked pillows and bedding from tumbling out.

  “Come to think of it, we should divide this into several trips. We’ll leave the pillows in here for now.” She reached into the enclosure. “If you’ll take the comforter and blanket and lay them over the rocker, I’ll bring the sheets and mattress cover.”

  “Will do.” He left the bathroom, arms full of fluffy material. The turquoise and brown pattern of the comforter resembled a Native American design that would look spectacular on that bed.

  She came out of the bathroom with the mattress cover and sheets. “I splurged on the linens. These sheets have some insane thread count and when I saw the pale turquoise I had to have them. They’ll coordinate perfectly with the finish on the bed.”

  “Yes, they will.” He’d never slept on high-thread-count sheets, let alone colored ones. In his world, sheets were a utilitarian white, which went with everything. That was if you even cared whether they matched other stuff, which he normally didn’t. But Taryn’s enthusiasm was catching.

  Positioning himself on the far side of the bed, he helped her put on the fitted mattress cover, followed by the sheets, which were silky as a foal’s muzzle. Handling them gave him a little buzz of sensual pleasure. Maybe this high-thread-count concept had something going for it. Sliding between those sheets naked would feel great. Making love on them would be even…whoa. Easy does it, cowboy.

  She retrieved the cream-colored blanket from the rocker and shook it out.

  He caught his edge and pulled it into place. “This is a really soft blanket.”

  “I love this brand. It’s the same kind I have on my bed and it gets softer with each washing. Sometimes I take it into the living room and wrap up in it when I’m vegging in front of the fire.”

  “Cozy.” He always left after feeding the horses their dinner, so he hadn’t spent any time thinking about how she passed her evenings. Now he probably would.

  She brought over the comforter and he tugged his side into place. “Looking good.”

  “Sure is.” She surveyed the bed. “Time for the pillows.” Heading back to the bathroom, she handed him half and took the other half.

  After putting on the pillowcases, he left all three at the end of the bed. “I have no idea how you plan to arrange these.”

  “I’m not sure, either. I just wanted a bunch of them. Let me fiddle a bit.” She put her pillows at the end, too. “First I want to turn back the covers so it looks inviting.” She folded them down several inches.

  He stepped aside, hands in his pockets. He’d made his share of beds as a solo effort. A few times he’d help remake one after spending the night with a woman. But this—decorating a beautiful bed so it would appeal to a honeymooning couple—was a first. And it was turning him on.

  At first Taryn arranged the pillows in a neat configuration—three across the headboard, two more in front of those and the last one centered. “That’s pretty, but I’m not sure it sets the tone I’m looking for.” She glanced at him. “What do you think?”

  He wasn’t about to say. His thoughts were veering toward X-rated. “I’m no expert at this.”

  “But imagine you were the bridegroom, and you walked into this cabin. What would you like to see?”

  “Some disorder.” He spoke before he had a chance to censor himself. “I might have the urge to dive into bed with my bride, but if the pillows are neatly stacked, I’d hesitate.”

  “Yes! That’s exactly the problem. It looks structured, not spontaneous.”

  “You want uninhibited.” His blood heated.

  “Yes. This is supposed to be a fantasy.” She cleared her throat. “It should generate strong emotion.”

  Could she be getting a little turned on, too? He’d never seen any evidence that he affected her that way. Could just be the bed and the sexy sheets, which would be enough to give anyone ideas.

  She took a breath. “But what�
�s the best way to jumble them up?”

  “Just do it.” He walked over and tossed one at the headboard. Damn, that high thread count made for a very sexy pillowcase. “Like that.”

  “So just throw them helter-skelter?”

  He shrugged. “Better than too neat.”

  “You’re right.” She grabbed a pillow and lobbed it in. “Your turn.”

  He aimed one that nestled close to hers. “Go for it.”

  This time she put more force into her throw and it smacked against the headboard. She laughed. “Got a little carried away.”

  “I’ll bet you’re dangerous in a pillow fight.”

  “You know it.”

  “I’m not so bad, myself.”

  “Prove it.” She picked up her last one and opted for a rainbow toss.

  He went for speed, and his collided with hers in midair, making her laugh. The pillows went down together, tumbling against the others in complete disarray against the carved headboard. “I like it.”

  “Are you saying it makes you want to dive into that bed?”

  Was she flirting? He met her gaze. Yes, she was. His heart beat faster. “Yes, ma’am. It certainly does. How about you?”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Now what? Taryn met his gaze. She’d gotten herself into this so she jolly well better figure out what she wanted to happen next.

  Hindsight was twenty-twenty. If she hadn’t accepted his offer to help make the bed, she wouldn’t be in this fix. Instead, for the first time since she’d hired him, she’d given in to the temptation to flirt. Bad decision.

  He was an excellent foreman, the perfect choice to handle the riding stable part of this guest ranch operation. He was also tall, blond and beautiful. But if she allowed herself to get involved with him and it blew up in her face, she’d be out her right-hand man. She couldn’t take that chance.

  So even if she was fired up, even if he was looking at her as if he could read her mind, she had to put a stop to it.

  But how? What would get her out of this sexually charged moment gracefully? Because if she didn’t do something fast, he might decide to kiss her. And once that happened, there would be no going back. Unless he turned out to be a lousy kisser. That would cause a whole different set of issues. But he wouldn’t be lousy. Not with his sexy—