DECEMBER 24, 2007

Hot Christmas by Julia Talbot

"Merry Christmas, y'all" Tank said, waving off the last of Binky's friends, then Binky.

Thank God. Ross went and curled his arms around Tank's waist, leaning against that big old body. He'd just gotten off the phone with Jed and Eli, and he was glad as hell he was in Texas.

"You do know it's twenty eight degrees and snowing in Eckert, right?"

Tank shivered. "That's just unnatural, Colorado."

"I didn't used to think so." But man, the last time he'd gone back to see his brothers and his mom, the cold had all but killed him. That was in October of all things. "Living in Texas makes a man soft."

Snorting, Tank turned and pulled him up close, staring down at him, eyes dancing. "Makes a man hot-blooded. It's cold enough here."

True enough. A blue norther had blown in, and Ross wasn't sure he'd believed that it could go from eighty to thirty in one day, but when the wind changed it sure could happen. It was a chilly fifty right about then, with Binky's tail lights disappearing in the distance.

"We could go warm up. Those jalapenos you made will do it."

"No. No more jalapenos for you," Tank said, one big hand on his ass as they turned to go inside.

"What? Why not?" Tank's spicy food was one of his great joys in life.

"I got something in mind for that smart mouth of yours, and it don't include burning my skin off with capsaicin."

Laughing, Ross slipped a hand into Tank's back pocket. "No burning, huh?"

Tank shook his head. "It's not that cold."

They stopped in the doorway to the front room from the kitchen, where Binky's latest girlfriend had hung some plastic mistletoe. Tank bent, touching his lips lightly with a kiss.

"Merry Christmas, Colorado," Tank said, leaning one cheek on his head.

"You know it, buddy. You sure know it." They stayed that way, kind of swaying to the sound of the wind, until Ross dug his fingers into Tank's ribs. "Now, show me what to do to get rid of the jalapeno taste… Just in case."

***

Tank's Easy Stuffed Jalapenos

25 fresh Jalapeno peppers
14-16 oz cream cheese
2 c shredded cheddar
2 16oz pkg of bacon

1. Cut stems off of peppers and cut them all in half along the long edge
2. Remove seeds and ribs from peppers.
3. Fill each pepper with cream cheese and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.
4. Wrap 1/2 slice of bacon around each pepper half.
5. Place on baking sheets and roast in 450 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until bacon is fully cooked.
6. Remove and serve when cooled.
7. Eat up, y'all!