A Cowboy For Christmas (A Copper Mountain Christmas) by Katherine Garbera Page A

was pretty sure she’d break her own too.
    “ I can’t believe the storm blew in that quickly,” she said as her CD ended and silence echoed around them. “One thing I’ve always liked about snow is the quiet of it, but with that wind howling not so much.”
    “ I like the storms,” he said, hugging her close. “It’s the one time there is nothing else for me to do except stay inside and stay warm. Something that is certainly not a burden when I have you in my arms.”
    She snuggled down next to him, letting him hold her in those big arms of his and she wanted to say something else but for once she couldn ’t plan this. She didn’t want to ruin the moment by talking or thinking. Instead she just enjoyed the comfort that came from Carson.
    She knew it wouldn ’t last and she suspected by the way he held her that he knew it too. She wondered if they were star-crossed lovers. Meant to always fall for each other but never get too keep each other.
    “ Carson?”
    “ No,” he said.
    “ I haven’t asked you anything yet,” she said.
    “ You have that look. Can we just enjoy the rest of this evening?” he asked. “I know that nothing is settled between us and you’re going to want to hash it out.”
    “ How do you know that?”
    “ Um…you’re a woman, aren’t you?”
    “ That’s sexist.”
    “ It doesn’t make it not true,” he said.
    He had a point but she didn ’t have to like it. “I just don’t want to ruin anything. I feel like we’re friends again.”
    “ We are,” he said.
    “ And—
    He pulled her down closer to her, put his mouth on hers, and kissed her until she couldn ’t think of anything but the way he tasted of milk chocolate and something that was uniquely Carson. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and he lifted her onto his lap and rubbed his hands up and down her back.
    He was a good kisser. Not rushing this embrace but just taking his time with it. Suddenly all her fears dissipated and there was magic in the air. A sort of Christmas magic that came from the snow and the lights twinkling on her tree.
    The scent of the pine log in the fire and Carson ’s cologne surrounded her and she almost believed that this was meant to be. That she’d been creating a problem that didn’t exist.
    He stood up, carrying her easily in his arms and started down the hall to her bedroom. He hesitated outside her door. “I’m not going home tonight.”
    “ Good. I want one entire night with you,” she said.
    “ I want more than one,” he said.
    “ I know.” She put her head on his shoulder.
    He didn ’t say anything else, just carried her into the bedroom that was lit only by the spill light from the hallway. He set her down next to the bed and slowly removed all of her clothing.
    “ Take your socks off this time,” he said.
    She bent over and took them off and then switched on the lamp on her nightstand to watch him slowly undress. He looked better than a body had a right to, she thought. His muscles were heavy and delineated from years of hard ranch work. He had a washboard stomach with a very thin line of hair that led downward ...
    She reached out stroked him and he hardened in her hand. She drew him closer and leaned over to take him in her mouth. His hands went to the back of her head and rubbed over her skull while she caressed him with her lips and tongue.
    He pulled away after a few moments and pushed her onto her back, coming down over the top of her and entered in one smooth swift motion. He thrust heavily into her again and again until her orgasm rushed over her and at the last minute he pulled out of her and came on her stomach.
    She understood why he did, but it just made her a little sad as she thought that even he knew that this wasn’t something that could last forever. After they cleaned up, they crawled back in bed together and held each other as it were the last time.
     

     
    Liz was waiting for Annie when she got off her shift at the diner. Liz had been