Dear Santa, Send Me a Cowboy

Chapter 4

Chapter Four

LAWSON

I knew I should’ve waited to drop off that goddamn tree. Now here I was, coming up with every excuse in the book to stay in this woman’s house because for some strange reason, the thought of leaving her didn’t sit right with me. I’ve heard plenty of stories about the stunning, stubborn-as-a-mule single mother who worked her tail off to provide for her son. The second she crashed into the ditch on our property, my old man couldn’t help but develop a soft spot for her. Hence why I was here. Didn’t want to be, but once she opened the door in those loose plaid pants and that tight-around-the-chest Christmas shirt, I was fuckin’ struck.

Straight in the gut.

Never had a woman made me want to drop to my knees, but in that moment when those big, brown doe eyes met mine, I knew I was a goner. No longer annoyed at the fact I was here to deliver a tree, I was more annoyed that I hadn’t met this woman sooner. She had a face that radiated angelic beauty, framed by a wild mane of hair that was thrown up into a messy ponytail. While some might think she looked a hot mess, to me, she embodied perfection.

Exactly how I’d have her looking every damn night if she were mine. Even her sass had my cock hardening.

Painfully.

I wasn’t used to having attitude thrown in my face. Never thought I’d enjoy hearing it come from a woman, but once she tried putting me in my place, I knew right then and there her ass was mine to make red. Her defiance, the way her cheeks flushed when her eyes dipped down the length of me, this woman had me all sorts of fucked up. Though I did my best at hiding it, I ultimately broke down and touched her. I pressed my big, towering body up against hers and grabbed a handful of her soft-as-fuck hair. I couldn’t help myself.

To inhale her scent was next on my agenda, but when she tensed up and escaped my hold, I knew I had fucked up. After announcing she was going to grab a jacket, I was slightly relieved she wasn’t kicking my ass out yet. Though if she tried, I knew I wouldn’t budge.

That’s all she really needed. A man who could handle her and give a firm hand when she needed it. And I had a strong fuckin’ feeling she would need it more than once.

Now here I was standing in her kitchen, waiting for her to return. Observing my surroundings, my eyes caught something lying on her counter. Hidden under a glass bowl filled with pine cones, I noticed bright red scribbles. Or was it writing? Getting a closer look, I confirmed that it was terrible fuckin’ handwriting and slowly pulled on the piece of paper until it was fully exposed.

I was being nosy, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted to ransack this woman's whole damn house until I learned everything about her. The good, the bad, I wanted it all.

Then peering all around me for any signs of the spitfire brunette, I made sure she was still out of the kitchen before I dove headfirst into the piece of paper in front of me.

Dear Santa…

At first, I was sure it was a letter her son had written, but as I continued to read it, it was more than obvious it wasn’t.

I’ve been a good girl, was the first goddamn sentence and I couldn’t stop my cock from thickening in my jeans.

This was Diana’s writing and although I knew I definitely shouldn’t be reading this, I couldn't deny myself from continuing. I was beyond curious about why this stubborn single mother was possibly writing a letter to Santa, and as I made my way through her obvious drunken words, it was becoming extremely clear what she wanted.

A man, but not just any kind of man—she wanted me. And I’d be damned if it didn’t make my chest puff out when she described me down to a T. Rugged charm, loyal to a fault, she captured me fuckin’ perfectly.

A cowboy is what she wanted.

Well, hell, baby, here I am. Now, what do you plan on doing about it?

This couldn’t possibly be a coincidence, could it? Sure didn’t seem like it, but the longer I processed her words, the more I wanted to be her Christmas miracle.

The answer to all her prayers, but I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

Not by a long shot.

“You ready to get this over with?” a velvety voice announced from somewhere in front of me, resulting in my back to straighten and my eyes to jump to Diana.

I looked guilty as fuck, but luckily she was too focused on getting her mittens on to see what I was doing. I then smoothly tucked the letter back under the glass bowl before she could see me snooping, and made my way over to her.

I didn’t want her outside in this shit weather, but seeing her dressed in blizzard-like attire, I couldn’t help but laugh. Wrapped in a puffy winter jacket, snow pants, thick black mittens, and a fuzzy hat, she appeared more than ready to conquer Mother Nature.

Fuckin’ adorable.

But once I stopped directly in front of her, the instinct to strip her naked and follow through with the fantasy that I was a gift from “the big man” assaulted my every thought.

How on the outside, she looked so beautiful and harmless, but on the inside, she was dying for a man to take charge. Not only in the bedroom, but in life. She wanted to be taken care of. She wanted to be told what to do and when she was acting like a brat. And right now, all I could think about was being the one she needed.

The one that could be everything she needed and more.

Her big brown eyes then peered up into mine as a mixture of confusion and annoyance filled her features.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked as if she had no fuckin’ idea what she was doing to me. How desperate she was makin’ me for her.

If she wanted to play this game, then I’d gladly play along with her. Regardless, I wasn’t leaving until I thoroughly fucked the sass out of this woman. So grinning, I stepped around her and headed in the direction of the front door.

“Lookin’ at you like what, darlin’?” I tossed the words over my shoulder with a knowing smirk before opening her front door and stepping outside.

From behind me I could hear her curse and eventually chase after me.

“Holy crap. It’s cold as fuck out here.” Diana shivered through her words as a chuckle fell past my lips.

I was used to Colorado winters from working on the tree farm with my dad years ago, so the cold didn’t faze me. But knowing Diana was affected by it, even dressed in her layers of clothes, made me want to carry her ass back inside and place her in front of the fireplace.

She didn’t need to be out here, but I knew I couldn’t stop her.

Not yet anyway.

“You don’t need to be out here for this,” I called over my shoulder as I trudged through the snow in her backyard toward the shed.

“And you don’t need to be here fixing my lights, yet here we are. Plus, you need my help.”

Fuckin’ sassy.

And I loved it.

“Don’t pretend like you don’t like havin’ me here. If anything, I think you’re plannin’ on a way to keep me here against my will,” I teased as I opened up her shed door and pulled on the light string above my head, illuminating everything around me.

She scoffed.

“More like I’m plannin’ on a way to never have to see you again.”

Ouch.

She knew exactly how to knock a man down, but unbeknownst to her, I thrived on it. Later, I’d punish her, but for now, I’d let it slide.

“You got any extra bulbs for your Christmas lights?” I went over to the ladder that was propped up in the back and reached for it.

I peered over behind me and noticed her shivering presence standing just inside the shed with her hands pressed close to her mouth.

Dammit, Diana. Go inside.

“Uh, there should be a box somewhere in here that has some.” She awkwardly stumbled over to a stack of boxes and started to search through each one.

Her poor cheeks were stained a bright shade of red and it took everything inside me to not scold her. It was obvious she was freezing her ass off, but she refused to let me win.

She refused to listen to me and that only made me want her more.

“Found ’em!” She lifted her hand in the air, holding a bag of spare bulbs, but it was the blinding smile across her face that had me wavering on my feet.

Holy fuck, she was stunning.

The sight of it nearly had me falling over.

Gripping the ladder more firmly, I watched closely as she rose back onto her feet and faced me.

“See.” She shoved them toward me with a cocky little smirk spread across her face. “Told you you’d need my help.”

I never said I wouldn’t, but seeing her so pleased with herself that she was doing something made my heart swell.

“Good, now you can go back into the house and warm up while I finish fixin’ these lights.” I picked the ladder up off the ground and went to go around Diana, but she swiftly stepped in front of me, blocking my exit.

“Do you know how difficult it was to get my ass into these eight-year-old snow pants?” she gripped each side of her waist, drawing my eyes downward. I hadn’t realized just how tight they were, but holy fuck did they look good.

Damn good.

She twisted her body to give me a better angle and I swear I almost fell to my knees and worshiped the perfect curve, perfect symmetry of her round, plump little ass.

“As you can see, it was extremely difficult.” She arched a knowing brow in my direction, causing my heart rate to rise. “And I don’t plan on getting out of them until after I help you with these lights.”

Or until I decide to strip them off your body and say fuck fixing the lights.

My jaw set as I almost let the ladder slip from my fingers and crash down onto the ground.

“Think you’ll need help gettin’ out of them?” I nodded my head toward her pants on a thick swallow. “Might need some strong hands to get them down your legs.”

Her pretty eyes went wide as a flush hit her cheeks.

“Did you… did you just ask if you could take my pants off?” She asked incredulously, but I could hear the slight breathlessness in her tone.

“I asked if you were going to need help.” My mouth lifted at the side as I watched an array of emotions sweep across her face. “Told you earlier that if you needed me, you could use me.”

Her eyebrows bunched together in challenge. “The last time I let someone help me out of my pants, I became a single mother. So, no thanks. I think I can manage getting them off myself.”

Almost immediately, the mention of another man having the chance to take her pants off sent a very unwelcome feeling throughout my gut. I didn’t like it. Not one bit as my fingers went taut around the ladder and my jaw set further.

Fuck… I felt murderous at the mere thought of it.

“Thinkin’ I’d be anything like your shit bag of an ex is a goddamn insult, darlin’. If you were with me, I’d make sure that every day would end with my hands on you.”

She looked breathless again. Mouth parted, eyes clouded in what I could only assume to be desire, she stared at me unblinkingly.

Seemed like I had a knack for eliciting that type of response from her.

“And I do mean every day.”

I brushed past her with a hint of a smile on my mouth, leaving her to ponder my words. Then carrying the ladder over to the side of the house, I gently laid it against the gutter before I cast a glance over my shoulder to check on Diana. Sure enough, she was following behind me with knitted brows and a tight-lipped expression.

“Thanks, darlin’,” I teased, with a beaming smile directed at her. “You can just set those next to the ladder. I’m goin’ to go run and get my gloves from the truck.”

As she stumbled in closer, barely acknowledging me, I knew I had either pissed her off or crossed some invisible line. Yet, when her eyes captured mine, I glimpsed a flicker of mischief dancing around in her gaze.

What the hell was going on in that head of hers?

“Don’t even think about climbin’ this ladder, Diana. You better wait till I come back, got it?” I asserted firmly, my gaze piercing with intensity.

“Got it, cowboy.” As soon as she set the lights down, she planted her hands onto her hips with a scowl. Though I was hesitant to leave her there, I gave her one last reprimanding look before turning around to head to my truck.

I swear to fuck if she climbed that ladder, I’d lose my damn mind.

She wouldn’t be that reckless to prove a point, would she?