Книга - A Callahan Christmas Miracle

A Callahan Christmas Miracle
Tina Leonard


Becoming a husband and family man in the middle of a raging land feud isn’t the destiny Galen Callahan saw for himself. But once he laid eyes on Rose Carstairs, he knew the bouncy blond with the warrior heart was his future.Now, with Rancho Diablo under siege, the eldest Callahan sibling will do whatever it takes to protect his new wife and triplets. Except Rose refuses to be protected! No husband of hers can stop her from fighting by his side while keeping their newborn sons out of the line of fire. With Callahan lives and legacy on the line, Galen has a new mission: To vanquish a dangerous enemy and bring his family together in time for Christmas!







TO LOVE, HONOR…AND MULTIPLY!

Becoming a husband and family man in the middle of a raging land feud wasn’t the destiny Galen Callahan saw for himself. But once he laid eyes on Rose Carstairs, he knew the bouncy blonde with the warrior heart was his future. Now, with Rancho Diablo under siege, the eldest Callahan sibling will do whatever it takes to protect his new wife and triplets.

Except Rose refuses to be protected! No husband of hers can stop her from fighting by his side while keeping their newborn sons out of the line of fire. With Callahan lives and legacy on the line, Galen has a new mission: to vanquish a dangerous enemy and bring his family together in time for Christmas!


He looked up at her, wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him, kissing her deeply until it felt as if her breath left her and became his.

“We’re going to get married.”

She couldn’t have been more shocked if the ground had opened up beneath her feet. “We are?”

“Yes. As soon as possible. Tomorrow.”

Rose moved away from his side, trying to take in what was the strangest proposal she’d ever heard. “Why are we doing this?”

“Because I need to take care of you.”

She blinked. “I’m taking care of myself just fine. But thank you for the offer. I guess.”

He shook his head. “It’s not an offer. It’s a marriage proposal. I want you to marry me.”

“I always heard Callahans were terribly hard to tie down. That they avoid the altar like the plague.” She moved to the opposite side of the table. “What’s going through your head, Callahan?”


Dear Reader,

In this thirteenth book of the Callahan Cowboys miniseries, Galen Callahan is long overdue a love of his own. His eye has been caught by Rose Carstairs, who proves herself worthy of the lifestyle of the New Mexico clan. Rose has always wanted the hunky Callahan for her own—but finding herself pregnant with triplets isn’t the way she wanted to catch him!

I hope you’ll join me for this latest story in the Callahan saga as family loyalties are explored and true love is tested. The family bond is as strong as the land—and Rose and Galen will need every bit of that strength to find their way to each other at long last.

Best wishes and happy endings always,

Tina Leonard

www.tinaleonard.com (http://www.tinaleonard.com)www.facebook.com/tinaleonardbooks (http://www.facebook.com/tinaleonardbooks)www.facebook.com/authortinaleonard (http://www.facebook.com/authortinaleonard)www.twitter.com/Tina_Leonard (http://www.twitter.com/Tina_Leonard)


A Callahan

Christmas

Miracle

Tina Leonard






www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tina Leonard is a USA TODAY bestselling and award-winning author of more than fifty projects, including several popular miniseries for the Harlequin American Romance line. Known for bad-boy heroes and smart, adventurous heroines, her books have made the USA TODAY, Waldenbooks, Ingram and Nielsen BookScan bestseller lists. Born on a military base, Tina lived in many states before eventually marrying the boy who did her crayon printing for her in the first grade. You can visit her at www.tinaleonard.com (http://www.tinaleonard.com), and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.


Much gratitude to all the loyal and supportive readers who have

taken the Callahans into their hearts—this book is for you.


Contents

Chapter One (#uedc1707f-e138-5946-a38d-034055e7928d)

Chapter Two (#u76de271f-29c6-5dcb-8f52-3d90819e9e1c)

Chapter Three (#uc0fce8db-8403-5244-81ce-fdb6fa154cd1)

Chapter Four (#u0ca6ef7c-247f-5954-b337-f83ba7adab93)

Chapter Five (#u76d3febd-93b1-501a-98d3-0f981e38c5a4)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)

Excerpt (#litres_trial_promo)


“Those Callahans come from fine stock. We’ve had our differences,

but you end up respecting everything they stand for.”

—Bode Jenkins to a reporter, when asked why he’d given up

the feud between their neighboring ranches



Chapter One

Galen Chacon Callahan looked over Rancho Diablo, where dark smoke filled the sky above the canyons with smudges of black. He put his binoculars to his eyes, studying the smoke as it grew and thickened.

He turned as his sister, Ashlyn, drove up in the jeep. “It’s not a wildfire,” she said.

“No.” Rancho Diablo was safely separated from the fire by the canyons, but if someone was sending up signals near the expansive ranch, it would be a message the Callahans couldn’t ignore. “It’s the land Storm Cash has offered to sell us.”

“I know. I wonder if the elderly farmer who sold that land to Storm still lives there.” She studied Galen’s face. “Think we should ride over and check on him?”

“I’ll call the sheriff. He can alert the proper authorities. I think it’s best if we stay out of it for now.” He was troubled by the fire, and an uneasy feeling was growing in the pit of his stomach. “I’m heading back.”

“I’ll stay here a bit longer.”

“Got your gun?” Galen asked, knowing full well that Ash could take care of herself. He could order her back to the ranch—should order her—but she’d just ignore him. Probably give him a blistering retort to send him on his way, as well.

“When do I not have my gun?” Ash didn’t even bother to glance at him. Her eyes were glued to the horizon.

“Don’t go over there.”

“I won’t. Quit fussing. You’re like a mother hen.” Ash finally turned to look him in the eye. “By the way, the new agents are at the house, waiting for you to interview them.”

“New agents?”

“The ones to replace Ana and River. Jace lined them up every hour on the hour for interviews. Remember we agreed we needed new agents? Sawyer Cash can’t handle everything on her own. And anyway,” Ash muttered under her breath, though he could plainly hear every word of her complaint, “I’m not exactly sure she’s capable of handling anything.”

He’d listened to all the negative things the Callahan clan said about Sawyer, and he couldn’t say there wasn’t real reason for concern. She was Storm Cash’s niece, after all, and they’d never been certain if they could trust their wily neighbor. He always seemed to be in the wrong place at the right time. “Maybe we’re just being suspicious,” Galen said.

“There’s no such thing as too much caution.”

“I know. I’m heading off. Be careful. Don’t invite trouble.” Even though he knew Ash was more than capable of protecting not just herself but the ranch, Galen couldn’t help leaving his sister with that warning before riding toward Rancho Diablo’s main house. After last month, when their aunt Fiona blew up Uncle Wolf’s hideout in Montana, he and his brothers had decided that the women in their family had earned their stripes. They could more than take care of themselves. Ash, like the rest of them, had been in the military, a trained operative. She was as tough as any male Callahan. Tougher, maybe. And so he and his five brothers had finally decided that their overprotective attitude toward their baby sister was accomplishing nothing and was detrimental to their family harmony.

Ash had never listened to anyone’s concerns, anyway. Like Fiona, and the women who’d married into the Callahan family, she did what she wanted—which was mostly chase Xav Phillips, a family employee who rode the canyons and kept an eye out for trespassers.

Galen was pretty sure Ash caught him on occasion, too.

He was so busy pondering the smoke in the canyons and his platinum-haired baby sister that he almost missed the rider heading his way. A brunette he didn’t recognize rode up on a gray horse.

“Hi,” she said, smiling, as if it was every day strange women appeared at Rancho Diablo.

“Hello?” He swallowed, peering into the dark green eyes smiling at him from under a white cowgirl hat.

Her smile turned sweeter, somehow sexy. Galen tried to pull his brain back from the alluring abyss into which it was threatening to fall. “My name’s Somer Stevens. I’m here to apply for the agent position.”

“I believe the agents are supposed to be waiting for their interviews up at the house.”

“There are ten candidates over there right now. It’s not every day that an opening comes up for a position at Rancho Diablo.” Somer winked conspiratorially. “I figured I’d better take a look around before I decided whether I belong here or not.”

He frowned. “My brothers were going to show everyone around.”

“Yes, but if I’d waited for the canned tour, I wouldn’t have gotten to speak to you directly.”

Direct. Assertive. These were valuable traits in someone working for the Callahans. Most likely he would’ve done the same thing, if he’d been in her shoes. But he wasn’t, and he was going to let her know that stroking his ego wasn’t going to get her anywhere.

This one wasn’t getting the job. Somer didn’t follow directions, and she made him sweat. She wore dark blue pants and a blue jacket, all very proper for an interview. She had a great horse and a lot of attitude, yet something told him Somer was nothing but trouble.

And he never ignored his instincts.

* * *

UNUSUAL MOMENT NUMBER TWO of Galen’s day was when he walked into the massive den at Rancho Diablo, looking for Fiona and the others. He wanted to corral his brothers into the upstairs library, where they always held their meetings, so he could set a game plan before they began interviewing. Galen wanted to apprise his brothers of Somer’s tactic, and make certain she didn’t win her way into the job by pulling the same thing on them that she had on him.

He gawked at the woman sitting demurely in the den, recognizing her from one of Fiona’s many Christmas balls in Diablo. She wore a gypsy costume and flashed a big smile he found irresistible. “I believe I know you.”

“I’m Rose Carstairs.” She shook his hand, and it was crazy how much he enjoyed feeling her small hand in his. “You were there the night Dante was raffled off. Will it be your turn this year?”

He found himself transfixed by her costume, which consisted of a flouncy black skirt that fell to her knees, a fluffy white blouse, lots of dangling chains around her neck and huge hoop earrings. She wore many thin bracelets, and her blond hair was swept up in a bouncy ponytail, topped by a red rose. “That’s some outfit you’re wearing.”

“I’m here to apply for the bodyguard position.”

Galen laughed. “You don’t look the type.”

“Isn’t that the point?”

He watched her full lips curve into a smile. Appreciated the sparkle in her blue eyes. “I don’t see how you’d blend into the background, gorgeous.”

“Hello, Galen,” Aunt Fiona said, bustling into the den. “Don’t stand there monopolizing the talent, please. You have interviews waiting.”

“The talent?” He looked at Rose.

“I see you’ve met Rose,” Fiona said. “She’s applying for the nanny position.”

“Ah. The nanny position.” Galen took a second look at her shapely calves, her flat black, practical shoes, and the laughter in Rose’s eyes. “I should have known.”

“Come on, dear,” Fiona said, “before Galen hires you to be his personal bodyguard. Goodness, Galen, get a move on. You need to change, look like a respectable employer.”

Rose grinned at him. “Good luck.”

“Good luck to you. Nice to meet you, Rose.” He went off, forcing himself not to watch her curvy backside as she followed Fiona out of the room. It was clear his aunt was interested in hiring her. He didn’t think his brothers would get a thing done with Rose around. The scenery would be just too tempting.

Then it occurred to him that he and Jace were the only bachelors left at Rancho Diablo. Sawyer was doing her best to monopolize Jace, though Galen wasn’t certain how effective her barrage of attention was on his brother’s single status.

But that left him as the lone available Callahan. The Lone Ranger of Rancho Diablo.

Neither Rose nor Somer might make the cut with his five brothers and headstrong sister. His brothers were dumb as woolly mammoths, and his sister, well, Ash was unpredictable at best. Her mind stayed on Xav Phillips. She could go thumbs-up or thumbs-down on either woman. Plus, there were a number of other applicants.

He was thumbs-way-up-high on Rose.

He’d just let the situation develop and hope that Rose and her playful, kid-friendly gypsy costume were voted yes by the family council. There was something so sexy and darling about a woman who came dressed to play.

Jace followed Galen into the upstairs library for the meeting. “Did you see that that woman from the Christmas ball year before last showed up?”

“I did.” Galen ignored his brother while he dug through some paperwork. “Let’s lay out our battle plan. We need a new strategy, or have to improve on the old one. Something has to change.”

“I might ask her out,” Jace said. “You know, she’s from Tempest. Not that far down the road—and we’ve got family and friends there. Our cousins have the Dark Diablo ranch in Tempest. It’s a nice place. And Rose is probably a real nice gal. Looks like it, anyway.” He grinned at his brother.

Galen hesitated, suddenly losing interest in the stack of papers. “Why?”

“She’s hot as an oven, dude.”

Galen swallowed. “Poetic.”

“I know, right?” Jace grinned, pleased with his announcement. “If Fiona hires her, I’m definitely going to think about it.”

“I almost hate to ask, and we do have greater matters to discuss other than your love life, but don’t you and Sawyer have kind of a secret thing going on?”

Jace shrugged. “If it’s a secret, why are you asking? And no, we don’t. Sawyer is a pretty girl. That’s all. I think she flirts with all the guys. She’d probably flirt with you, if you’d unbend.”

Galen decided he didn’t care about Jace’s love life. “Whatever.”

“Why? Do you want to ask Rose out?”

“No, I don’t.” Damn straight, I do.

“Because if you want to,” Jace said, like a dog with a juicy bone, “I wouldn’t stand in the way. I wouldn’t want to make you look bad. You’re not getting any younger, old-timer.”

“As if you could make me look bad.” Galen glanced toward the door. “Where’s the rest of the team?”

“I think they saw the other candidates and stopped to chat. I, on the other hand, stick to the assignment.” Jace poured himself a whiskey with a huge grin. “What’s up with your face, bro? Look like you have a stomachache. Need a soother?” He waved the bottle Galen’s way.

“I do not need a soother.” He sat on a sofa, dismissing his brother, and pondered what he should say about Somer. She’d definitely gone after the job, and he felt vaguely uneasy about her aggressiveness. He was the eldest Callahan, a doctor, a man who believed that fate and hard work brought many gifts. Why should Somer bother him so much?

“One of the candidates took off by herself to tour the ranch,” Galen said.

“Oh.” Jace seated himself at the opposite end of the sofa. “The tall, hot brunette? I think I heard Fiona tell her to go let her horse have some exercise. She pointed her in your direction, knowing the two of you would meet up. Fiona would never send a female onto the ranch without protection, but she knew you were on your way back, and that Ash was out there, too.”

Now that made more sense. Aunt Fiona’s fey mind at work, probably culling the tempting beauties from the herd and dangling them in front of the remaining single Callahans. “Why’d she bring her own horse?”

“Probably because she’d be expected to ride here? This is a ranch, you know.”

It all sounded reasonable.

“Gorgeous piece of flesh, if you ask me.” Jace’s grin was so irritating Galen wished he could bean him one across the head as he had when they were children. He’d given up beaning his siblings when they went off to boot camp.

“Are you planning on asking her out or not?” Galen asked.

Jace gave him an annoyed look. “The horse was a gorgeous piece of horseflesh,” he said, emphasizing the word as if Galen were stupid. Then he grinned again. “Galen, my brother, has a woman finally walked into your path that stirs your quiet, hard-to-reach soul?”

“No,” he said, thinking, Yes, that petite blonde with big eyes, but I’m not about to give you anything to crow about.

The rest of their brothers filed in, as well as Ash, whose grin was big as the quarter moon.

“What’s going on with the fire?” Galen asked her.

“Sheriff says he’s got men over there checking it out. We’ll know soon enough.”

He studied his brothers, grateful that he’d been able to keep them on the right path, the path of men committed to the fight. Strong, brave, true. Of course, Grandfather Running Bear had set the path for all of them. When their parents had gone away from the tribe, Galen returned home from his medical studies and raised his brothers and sister. They’d been a headstrong bunch, fierce and courageous. All of them had opted to join the military—and then retired to quiet lives. Then Running Bear had reached out with his astonishing instructions that they come to Rancho Diablo and protect cousins they’d never known they had. Protect a heritage they’d never known was theirs.

That decision had been the turning point that marked them all, and changed their lives.

“Excuse me,” Fiona said. Their aunt poked her head into the library. “I know the family meetings are sacred, but Rose is about to head back to Tempest. Are there any objections to her being hired on here?”

Jace looked at him. “Yes, Galen, are there any objections?”

Galen grimaced. “Why would I care who is hired as a nanny here? I don’t have children.”

“Well, you always seem to have an opinion about everything, relevant or not,” Fiona replied. “And you’ve met Rose before, so I just wanted to make certain there’d be no awkwardness. Awkwardness is bad when we all live as closely as we do.”

His frown deepened. “Why would I feel awkward around Rose? I barely know her.”

The rest of the family was quick to sense that something was in the air.

“Are we roasting Galen about something, Aunt Fiona?” Ash asked.

“No. Just making sure his highness is consulted about the new hires.” Fiona looked pleased with her jibe.

“Ah,” Dante said, “you’re trying not to get on his bad side by hiring Rose.” He nodded wisely, as if he understood the entire situation. Galen felt pretty much in the dark. “So, Galen, what do you think about the new girl?”

Galen cleared his throat, realizing his family had him pinned against the wall. If he let on that he did have a weakness for Rose, there would be incessant teasing and subtle ribbing. “I couldn’t care less who is hired on at Rancho Diablo.” He pondered his words for a moment. “Though I do admit I’m not certain about Somer Stevens....”

Everyone said, “Ah!”

He sighed. “I guess I couldn’t convince you that there’s just something about her that puts me off. It’s not personal.” He glared around the room at all the smiling faces. “Never mind. I don’t care who gets hired. Can we get on to planning how to beef up security?”

They moved on with the meeting, shooting him a few knowing looks, sizing up his mood in a way that family does when they know you’ve got something on your mind. His family did know him—very well—but on the matter of his heart, Galen preferred to remain an enigma.

Then he could romance Rose without his family observing every single move he made, the way they had with his brothers when they were courting. Of course, Galen did the same thing to them, which was why he had no desire to have the matchmaking tongs applied to him. Once his family had you in their sights, the well-meaning interference never ended.

If Rose accepted the position, he’d begin to plan a different strategy, called Romancing the Nanny.

He didn’t want to be the Lone Ranger of Rancho Diablo for the rest of his life.

“What are you grinning about, bro?” Tighe asked, and Galen shook himself from his daydream of Rose’s delightful curves and big smile. “Look like you had something sweet on your mind.”

“Just wondering how you dolts ever ended up with women. Proceed.” He waved a hand imperiously. “Let’s hear all your plans for securing this ranch, especially if that fire over there was set by our renegade uncle, Wolf. Because if it can happen across the canyons, it most certainly can happen at Rancho Diablo. And I refuse to allow the work of our father and Uncle Jeremiah to go up in smoke.”


Chapter Two

Rose knew immediately she was going to like living at Rancho Diablo, and it wasn’t just because of the long-term crush she’d had on Galen Callahan. He was just about the biggest hunk of delicious cowboy she’d ever seen. Tall, strong, with dark hair tumbling over his forehead and down the back of his neck—she got shivers just thinking about him.

She’d tried desperately to win him at the ball year before last, but Sawyer Cash had outbid everyone else. Rose figured Sawyer had needed a job really bad if she’d tried to grease the skids with winning bids.

Or maybe she’d just wanted a man. Rose thought about that. She could definitely see Sawyer Cash trying to catch a cowboy that way, by appealing to his ego.

Ego was something the Callahans didn’t lack, for sure.

Fiona bustled into the kitchen. “You’re hired!”

Rose smiled. “Thank you!”

“Now, when can you start?” Fiona pulled out a workbook and began inputting information.

“I can start as soon as you need me.” Rose knew her father wouldn’t be thrilled that she was taking this job—he said the Callahans were surrounded by danger and he didn’t want his little girl around them—but she needed work, and this was perfect for what she liked to do best.

“That would be today,” Fiona said. “We always need help, and we know you’re hardworking and that we can trust you. I’ll show you your room.”

She followed Fiona up the stairs, amazed by the size and beauty of Rancho Diablo as they passed a large window. The working ranch was almost like a museum, but every building was styled by a decorator with an eye to classic comfort. “Your home is beautiful, Fiona.”

“Your home, now, too.” The older woman opened a door, revealing a spacious bedroom decorated in blue and white, with toile curtains. “If this suits you, this will be home sweet home. I picked this room because it’s far enough from all the others that you can have some peace and quiet.”

Rose wondered where Galen’s room was. “This is perfect,” she said. She gazed at the white crocheted duvet on the bed, and immediately wanted to sit at the pretty vanity and enjoy the beauty of the room. “Thank you, Fiona.”

“No. Thank you,” Galen said, as he stepped past them in the hall, continuing on to another room. He grinned back their way, then went inside, closing the door.

Rose blinked. If that was Galen’s room, then they were less than twenty feet apart. She realized Fiona was watching her reaction, and Rose hurriedly said, “I’ll drive to Tempest and get my things, then be back tonight, if that’s all right.”

“Fine, fine.” Fiona beamed. “There’s just one thing I should mention before you formally accept the job. And we’ll all understand if you decide not to work here.”

Rose wasn’t about to turn away from this employment, not when it was everything she wanted, including having a big, handsome cowboy sleeping just feet away from her. “What is that?”

“We do ask, especially for the sake of the children, that you never go near the canyons, and that you never ride without an escort.” Fiona looked sad about her words. “It’s just the way it has to be for the sake of liability and the protection of our employees.”

“That’s fine,” Rose said. “I completely understand.”

The older woman beamed. “That’s it, then. I’ll let Jace go over the paperwork with you. Mealtimes are posted in the kitchen, as is what’s being served.”

Rose glanced one last time at the door Galen had passed through. All the Callahans had been rumored to be hard to tame—but once tamed, they made wonderful husbands and fathers.

If any man needed taming, it was Galen Callahan.

* * *

ROSE’S EYES SNAPPED OPEN in the night and she pulled the crocheted duvet up to her throat, telling herself she was nervous for no reason. She’d gone home and retrieved her things, and her father had sent her off full of dire warnings: Don’t go anyplace by yourself, and don’t let any of the Callahan men turn your head. They were rascals and scoundrels, and loved women like bees loved honey.

Her dad had no idea how much the thought of a rascal Callahan appealed to her. But the other warnings had scared her a bit. She’d heard tales of the danger that circled Rancho Diablo.

The door eased open, and she held her breath.

“Knock, knock,” she heard a man’s voice say softly.

“Yes?” At least it was a friendly visitor.

“It’s Jace. Got a second?”

Rose wondered if this was a Callahan ritual. “Do you always make nocturnal visits?”

“Sometimes. Depends. She’s in here, Galen. She says we can come in.”

She hadn’t said anything of the sort, but since Galen was around, Rose pushed herself eagerly to a sitting position. “What’s going on?” she asked, flipping on the tiny lamp on her nightstand. “Oh, my goodness! What did you do to yourself?”

Both men were covered in mud from head to toe.

“Don’t you dare get near my bed!” The pretty white coverlet wouldn’t stand mud on it—she’d never get it out. “Step on that rug, and don’t either of you move!” She hopped out of bed and pulled a robe from her closet, putting it on over her smiley-face pajamas.

Galen grinned at her. “Cute.”

“Thanks.” She wished she was wearing something sexier than the pajamas she’d had for the past two years, but she hadn’t expected two handsome cowboys to visit her in her bedroom. “What have you been into?”

“We want you to come down to the canyons with us,” Galen said. “We need a small, delicate person like you to do something.”

Rose eyed the mud that covered their jeans and smudged their handsome faces. “You two are nothing but trouble, I can tell. It’s written all over you.”

“That’s what they say,” Jace said, and he looked so pleased about it that Rose wondered if either of these men could be tamed. She looked carefully at Galen.

“If I come with you, and I’m not saying I will, what is it that you want me to do? Because I don’t want to come back looking like you. I don’t think crawling around in canyons was in the employment contract I signed.”

“We’ll give you combat pay,” Jace said. “Fiona baked fresh chocolate chip cookies tonight. You’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.”

“I bet. Occasionally, my dad sends me to Diablo to the Books’n’Bingo Society tearoom for cookies. We have a bakery in Tempest, but Dad likes what your aunt and her friends make better.” Their cookies were lures, and the Callahans had other lures, too. Her gaze longingly touched on Galen’s biceps, his broad chest, his lean hips in blue jeans.

Even caked in mud, he was so sexy she ached.

“So anyway,” Rose said, “I assume this outing is dress-down?”

“Something a little less bright than smiley faces,” Galen said cheerfully, and his brother glared at him.

“We’ll step out while you change,” Jace said, dragging him from the room.

Rose dressed quickly. Even though it was June, it could be cool in the canyons. She pulled on jeans she wouldn’t mind getting filthy, a dark sweatshirt that read Dark Shadows, boots and a dark hat.

Galen’s gaze widened when she joined them in the hall.

“I didn’t expect you to wait on me right outside my door.”

“Expediency,” Galen said. “We’re nothing if not expedient. Dark Shadows?”

She closed her door. “Seemed appropriate. You do go to the movies on occasion, don’t you?”

“No, he doesn’t go to the movies. He barely leaves this ranch. Galen is our resident nerd. Brother, it was also a black-and-white TV show many, many moons ago.” Jace waved them down the stairs. She followed, and Galen brought up the rear.

“I’m not a nerd,” he said, his deep voice husky. “I’m busy. And we didn’t have televisions in the tribe. Not back then. I missed the good days of black-and-white TV.”

“Don’t mind him,” Jace said, leading them through the kitchen. He slid all the cookies off the plate Fiona had put out and into a bag, and left the empty dish on the counter. “He’s harmless. Some of us had the opportunity to watch television shows, but Galen was always studying.”

They went out the kitchen door and headed to a truck. Rose was thrilled to be in on a Callahan caper. Their adventures were legendary; people spoke of their stories in reverent tones. Despite her father’s warnings, she wouldn’t have missed this for the world.

The brothers sandwiched her between them in the front seat, and she enjoyed the feeling of having a strong man seated on either side of her. “So what am I supposed to do?”

“We’re going to lower you into a cave,” Galen said. “We want you to tell us what’s down there.”

Bats and snakes, no doubt. “A cave?”

“Yeah. We’ve both tried, but we’re too big to get inside, with only one of us to pull the other out.” Galen winked. “We can lower you in and pull you out so fast it’ll feel like you’re on a carnival ride.”

“Pretty sure she’ll feel more like she’s a puppet,” Jace said. “With you being the puppeteer. Hope you’re a better puppeteer than you are a TV trivia expert.”

“I...” She wasn’t about to refuse, not when Galen’s blue eyes were smiling at her as if they shared a secret. He really was the most handsome man she’d ever seen.

“We looked for our sister,” Jace groused, “but Ash can never be found when she’s needed.”

“Maybe she doesn’t want to be put in a cave,” Rose said.

“When Ash can’t be found, it’s because she’s tracking Xav down.” Galen sighed. “Anyway, you’re thinner.”

“More petite,” Jace said, “like a boy.”

Rose gasped. “I’m nothing like a boy, thank you!”

“I didn’t mean that, exactly,” Jace said hurriedly, and Galen laughed.

“You’re beautiful,” he said. “And my brother’s a dunce. Don’t listen to a word he says. He has zero idea how to talk to a woman. Anyone on the ranch will tell you so.”

Rose felt a bit better, and her spirits lifted. Galen thought she was beautiful! That had to be a good sign—even if he did want to lower her into a dark cave on her first night at Rancho Diablo.

* * *

GALEN COULDN’T BELIEVE he’d talked the tiny blonde into a midnight adventure. His good fortune kept improving. And she felt so soft and dainty next to him. When he’d seen her in those silly happy face pajamas, his body had been hit with a lightning strike of sexual attraction. Desire, fierce and strong, had poured over him, stopping his breath.

The truck hit a rut and they all bounced. Rose flew into his side, and a breast brushed his arm, which he gallantly tried to ignore. “Whoa,” he said, “you all right?”

“I’m fine.” She smiled at him before quickly looking back out the window.

“Jace isn’t our best driver. He gets behind a steering wheel and thinks he’s at Daytona.” Galen didn’t want Rose to feel awkward about the accidental closeness they’d just shared—but his mind went right back to the tempting touch he’d just received courtesy of his brother’s terrible driving.

He was so glad Jace was driving.

“Not true,” Jace said. “In defense of myself, I’m such a good driver, I could teach driver’s education.”

Rose smiled. “I’m sure you could, Jace.”

A fire smoldered inside Galen, lit when he’d felt Rose’s breast against his arm. What he wouldn’t give to make that accidental touch the real thing. “Here’s the turn, Jace.”

He eyed the canyons, which were steeped in darkness. Somewhere out there, no doubt, their uncle Wolf’s henchmen lurked. No one knew yet how the fire had started, but according to the sheriff, the quaint, solitary farmhouse on the neighboring land had burned to the ground. Fortunately, the foreman hadn’t been home. Hadn’t lived on the property, except for weekends, after he’d sold out to Storm Cash.

“This isn’t Rancho Diablo, is it?” Rose asked.

“No,” Galen said. “This is Rancho Not.”

“Rancho Not?”

“What my ham-headed brother means,” Jace said, “is that we’re trespassing.”

Rose glanced at Galen. “Why?”

“Because we’re spying,” he said simply. “Actually, we’re not even spying. We’re gathering intel.”

“Spying,” Rose said. “You think your uncle Wolf has planted something in the cave we’re going to.”

“Not just another pretty face,” Jace said. “You see, Galen, I told you she had brains as well as beauty. You said Rose was a looker, and I said she was also a brain.”

“You were focused on my superficialities and not my intelligence?” Rose asked Galen.

“That’s about the size of it,” Jace said, happy to have him land in hot water with a huge splash. “This is the spot. Let me help you out, dollface.”

Galen glowered at his brother, who ignored his obvious discomfort with his flirting. “Dollface” took Jace’s hand, and he helped her from the truck, leaving Galen with no option except to get out and tag along behind them with a Maglite and a case of unexpected jealousy.

He had no reason to feel jealous. He barely knew Rose, and Jace was a boob of epic proportion. Rose would never be interested in his wild-eyed brother. And anyway, I have no place in my life for a girlfriend. Even one as sexy as Rose.

“Galen, tie the rope around Rose. I’ll check for snakes and bats, one last time.”

She let out an involuntary squeal. Galen grinned as he wrapped the rope around her tiny waist. “Don’t listen to him. He just likes to hear you squeak.”

“Well, I will, and loudly if there’s anything down there with two eyes!” Rose watched with trepidation as Jace shone his own Maglite into the crevice. “How did you ever find this cave?”

“Our intel revealed that there’s a lot of activity around this location. Then we found this cave. We want to know what’s down there.” Galen pulled the rope taut, tugging her a little closer to him. She smelled good, a flowery scent that tantalized him. “I’ll be at the other end of this rope, and nothing will happen to you. If you want to come out, you just jerk it, and we’ll get you out faster than a genie out of a bottle.”

“You’d better,” Rose warned. “Or I’ll commandeer the bag of cookies and not give you a single one.”

“That’s my girl,” Jace said, “hit him where it hurts. Now down you go.”

Galen handed her a flashlight, then stepped close to the edge of the cave opening, shining his own light so they could see as she was lowered down.

“What exactly am I looking for?” she asked, glancing up.

“Bodies,” Jace said. “Dead bodies.”

She let out a small gasp.

Galen laughed. “Don’t frighten her.”

“That’s right.” Jace grinned at Rose as he let out more rope. “You’re like a canary,” he told her. “You’re going to let us know if there’s any trouble down below.”

“Canaries die,” Rose said.

Galen smiled, impressed with her spirit. “Only in the case of noxious gas. And believe me, I’m up here with the only noxious gas around. You’re just going to be down there for a moment.” His words seemed to soothe her, but Galen felt suddenly anxious as Rose disappeared from sight.

It got very quiet underneath the velvety New Mexico sky. Galen listened, his pulse thundering, his breath short, his stomach even cramping a bit—maybe he shouldn’t have allowed his brother to talk him into this—and then suddenly, the rope went completely slack.


Chapter Three

“Rose!” Galen shouted, realizing that she was no longer at the end of the rope he held. He tossed it away, as did his brother. The two of them flattened themselves against the lip of the cave, peering down. “Rose!”

“Hold your horses,” she called from below. “All that bellowing is making me nervous.”

“What are you doing?” Galen gulped against the fear tightening his throat. She sounded as if she was talking to them from the bottom of a jar. “You were supposed to just take a quick look and come back out.”

“Yeah, but it’s pretty cool down here.”

Galen shone the flashlight into the crevice. “Put the rope back on and get up here!”

“Keep your pants on, boys. I may never come this way again, so I want to fully live in the moment.”

“What the hell is she doing?” Jace muttered. They pressed as close as they could to the hole, trying in vain to see what Rose was up to.

“I know just as much as you do, which isn’t exactly a comforting feeling,” Galen said.

“She’s a sparky little thing, isn’t she?” Jace commented, his tone admiring.

“Don’t you have a girlfriend?” Galen demanded.

“Not to my knowledge. Sometimes I wish I did. Other times, I think how lucky I am that there’s no nagging woman in my life.”

“Hey!” Rose called up. “I heard that! I think you should know it’s a well-known fact that men nag as much as women. Sometimes more. Now, get your muscles going, fellows. I’m ready to come out.”

Galen grabbed the rope with relief. He and Jace tugged her out as fast as they prudently could. She came out of the crevice, illuminating herself with the Maglite.

“Look,” she said. “I’m Tinkerbell, rising from Hook’s lantern.”

“Someone likes children,” Jace said. “Which is a fortunate thing, because I like children myself. Maybe you and I—” they set Rose on solid ground “—should think about having some children of our own.”

“I don’t think so,” she said sweetly, and she smiled at Galen, whose breath went out of him. “Anyway, look at what I found.” She held up a handful of silver coins, jingling them.

He was about to say, Marvelous, but you had me so worried when the rope went slack, when the sound of a truck engine approaching sent them running for their own truck.

“Holy crap,” Jace said, patting his jeans. “Where are the keys?”

“Damn it!” Galen exclaimed as they sat breathlessly watching Jace look frantically for the keys.

“Those keys on the dash?” Rose asked, and Galen uttered a curse word he never thought he’d say in a lady’s presence. Jace grabbed them and jammed one into the ignition.

“Wait!” Rose said. “We probably left a ton of footprints. They’ll know we were here!”

“No time to clean that up. Floor it, Jace.” Galen looked behind them. “Unknown vehicle at six o’clock.”

Jace switched on the engine, pulling away from the cave without turning on the truck lights. They sped into the darkness, and Galen lifted a rifle down from the gun rack, watching behind them.

Once they made it to the main road, he let out a ragged breath. “I don’t think they saw us.”

“Or decided not to give chase,” Jace said.

“It’s beautiful down there,” Rose said, completely unbothered by their haphazard getaway. “You can’t believe all the amazing stuff in that cave.” She held up the coins, eyeing them in the beam of her flashlight. “And look at this awesome statue.”

Galen stared at the delicate silver figure of a mustang, a Diablo, in Rose’s even more delicate palm. “That’s Rancho Diablo treasure.”

“Really?” Rose handed it over and he took it, reverently touching the horse, feeling it hum with the spirit that kept Rancho Diablo alive. “Then you’re going to love this, too.” She reached into her waistband and pulled out a handgun, giving that to him.

“What were you doing down there? Excavating?” Jace demanded. “Next time, we’ll send you with a sack so you can bring up everything your heart desires.”

“Good,” Rose said, “because I had to leave behind a really sweet painting of your grandfather.”

Galen stared at the woman sitting next to him, the new nanny they’d hired to watch the children and educate them and play with them, and it hit him that he was in the presence of a kindred spirit. A spirit that was unafraid and that walked in harmony with each moment. “How do you know it was our grandfather?”

She looked at him. “Everyone in Tempest knows Chief Running Bear. He hangs out sometimes at the Ice Cream Shoppe. You’ve got property in Tempest, so when he’s in town, he stops by. The kids love his stories.” She was quiet for a moment, then said, “I took some photos on my cell phone. I’ll be very curious to see if this Maglite gave off enough light to capture anything. Too bad you can’t fit down there. It’s like a museum of contraband.”

Galen’s breath caught at her sheer bravery, not to mention audacity. Instead of worrying that she’d barely escaped detection and possibly danger, Rose acted as if she’d passed a pleasant evening in an enchanted grotto. She handed him a cookie from the bag, and gave one to Jace, too. Then she smiled at Galen, and he grinned back, abruptly aware that his heart had just jumped headlong into the hands of a woman who wore smiley-face pajamas to bed.

* * *

GALEN LAY IN HIS BED after a hot shower, unable to wipe the smile off his face. He’d looked at the photos Rose had taken of the cave, and with the powerful Maglite she’d been able to illuminate some revealing items. There was a cache of guns in the hole, enough to do great damage in the hands of some dedicated shooters. He’d share those photos at the emergency family meeting he planned to call tonight. The painting of his grandfather had been a bit more difficult to see, but it was still an amazing portrait of a man he couldn’t imagine sitting still long enough to be painted.

Galen resolved to get that painting out of the cave ASAP. It looked as if they’d been using his grandfather’s likeness for the purposes of recognition and training. No doubt Wolf—or the cartel—had a bounty on Running Bear’s head. The portrait was old, done maybe twenty-five years ago—hard to tell without seeing it in good light—and no doubt stolen. Galen wasn’t certain how many years had passed since Wolf and Running Bear’s relationship had ruptured forever, but maybe Wolf had taken the portrait when he’d left the tribe.

Galen would be willing to bet his uncle also had photos or sketches of the four elder Callahans the cartel wanted flushed out for turning them over to the government: Molly and Jeremiah Callahan, his cousins’ parents, who’d built up this ranch, and Julia and Carlos Chacon Callahan, his and his siblings’ parents, who’d wholeheartedly embraced the battle for Rancho Diablo. Wolf would never stop trying to turn the Callahans over to the cartel, but they were in hiding, in witness protection. They’d never be found.

No one knew where they were, not even Fiona.

No one except Running Bear.

And me. But I’ve kept myself away from anything that might weaken me for so long, I know that secret is buried deep within me. I don’t understand Wolf’s desire for vengeance on his family. Even if they turned him in to the government, he shouldn’t want his relatives dead.

Family is all that matters.

Galen glanced over at the silver horse standing on his nightstand. The filigreed saddle glinted in the moonlight pouring in his bedroom window. It was a fine piece, designed by a master silversmith.

The mustang had come from someone who knew the old ways, and who understood the Diablos.

There was only one person he could think of who knew such things: his father, Carlos.

Somehow, Wolf had gotten hold of it, which meant he was getting closer. Galen decided he would wait until morning to discuss the situation with Grandfather, and then proceed with a family meeting. Matters were turning urgent.

An almost silent tap on his door interrupted his raging thoughts. “Yes?”

The door opened. “Galen?” Rose said. “Can I come in?”

“Sure.” He sat up, turned on the lamp on his bedside table. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She sat on the foot of his bed, wrapped in a plaid red-and-green robe that didn’t match the smiley-face pajamas she’d put back on. She wore some kind of fuzzy boots that looked comfortable and warm, and her blond hair had been washed clean of dirt and cobwebs, hanging in damp strands around her scrubbed, makeup-free face.

He thought she was cute as a baby deer.

“I forgot to tell you something else I saw in the cave.”

“What?”

“Besides the weapons,” Rose said, “there was also a front loader. I didn’t take a photo, because it was at the back.” Her blue eyes focused directly on him, waiting for him to draw the same conclusion she had.

“A front loader.”

She nodded.

Galen leaned back against the wall, his arms crossed over his bare chest. “There’s no way they got a big piece of machinery down the crevice, and filled the spot back in. The ground we were lying on was solid.”

“Exactly.”

Suddenly, Wolf’s desire to keep them off the new property became clear—and Storm’s wish to sell them the land because “things were happening there he wasn’t comfortable with” made more sense.

“They’ve dug a damn tunnel,” Galen said. “They’re burrowing under Rancho Diablo and the land across the canyons.”

“Could come from as far away as Mexico,” Rose agreed. “I think that cave is just a storeroom, an adjunct off the main tunnel. Maybe I went down some kind of air vent, or a fissure that’s recently cracked open, which they haven’t discovered. Had you ever noticed it before?”

Galen hadn’t, and right now it was hard to think with Rose sitting on his bed, a vision of temptation. What he wanted to do was grab her and kiss her, maybe even find out what was under those happy-face pajamas. But one didn’t seduce an employee, no matter how sexy she was.

His brothers had seduced employees and made them wives.

Not me. I’m going to leave well enough alone. We shouldn’t even have sent her down an air vent or shaft or whatever the hell that stupid hole was. What was I thinking?

He’d been thinking that he wanted any excuse at all to see her, and hadn’t dreamed she’d accept this mission and throw herself into it with more gusto than any Callahan.

“We haven’t had a whole lot of chances to check out that land. First of all, it’s huge, so there’s a lot to cover. We don’t have the manpower to do it, especially when we’d be trespassing.” Galen rubbed his shoulder absently. “But Xav Phillips was over there poking around one day—he’s one of our foremen—and he noticed something funny about the ground in that area.”

“We should go back and check it out more thoroughly, maybe in daylight.”

He looked at her, stunned. “You sound way too much like my sister. Don’t even think about going back there without me.”

Rose smiled, and his slow-working brain went blank as he stared at her mouth. Those lips were just made for him to kiss. He could feel it, the call of the wild screaming through his blood.

“I won’t,” she said, and he snapped back to the present.

“I’ll fire you if you do, on the spot, no questions asked,” he warned, suddenly afraid that Rose was indeed just like his sister, with an impetuous, adventuresome nature that bordered on wildness.

Or bravery. The military would call it bravery.

His sister was too brave for her own good. And this spunky woman on the end of his bed was beginning to sound very much the same.

“I promise,” Rose said. “It wouldn’t be any fun without you, anyway.”

“I wouldn’t call what we did tonight fun.”

She smiled again. “It was a lot of fun.”

“You realize we were within a rabbit’s foot of getting shot at.”

“You had us covered. I trust your marksmanship.”

Galen closed his eyes for just a moment, opening them to stare at her. In the photo she’d snapped of the weapons cache, there’d been a few AK-47s, and a few more exotic styles of weaponry. Someone was gearing up for battle, and he wondered if Rose recognized just how little protection his rifle would have been against, say, a clip with multiple rounds in it. “While my marksmanship is decent, we didn’t want to get caught.”

“That’s true.” Rose stood, her look teasing. “Still, it was something to tell the grandkids, wasn’t it?”

He shook his head. “God, no. Monkey hear, monkey do. Didn’t you ever tell your parents, ‘Well, you did it, why can’t I?’ As far as the kids are concerned, one should never admit to anything more than sitting in church seven days a week. At least that’s my plan.”

Rose laughed. “Not a very believable one, but whatever. When you have kids, you can revise your strategy.” She went to the door. “Good night, Galen.”

He watched her disappear into the hallway. When the door closed, he turned off the lamp and tried to settle back into a relaxed state conducive to sleeping.

It wasn’t going to work. Between the tale of the tunnel under Rancho Diablo, and the sweet woman he knew was sleeping just down the hall, Galen wasn’t certain he would ever relax again.

His phone buzzed with an incoming text. He glanced at it, his gaze widening with each word.



You know a tunnel under Rancho Diablo means this ranch is sitting on Dante’s Inferno? And maybe the nine circles of Hell? You should let me go down there again to find the entrance. I just need a little more time and equipment. If there’s a tunnel, it’s reinforced, so it would be a great find to turn over to the local authorities.



Galen’s blood chilled. Rose would do it. She wouldn’t think anything about turning over information about what she’d found to the sheriff, or probably even to the government. He thought he remembered hearing that her father had been in the military in a secret division, and then was a Texas Ranger before being voted Tempest’s sheriff many years ago.

Mr. Carstairs had spawned a fighter.

Nothing good could come of such a darling girl with the genes of a warrior sitting in her bed, pondering the next phase of an adventure she was itching to ignite.

Then again, there was no reason the two of them couldn’t ignite things together. Why start a fire by yourself when you could invite a friend to create mayhem with you?

Galen jumped out of bed, tossed on a T-shirt and jeans and headed down the hall.


Chapter Four

Rose raised a brow as Galen tore through her bedroom door. “Well, hello. Come to tell me what a great idea I had?”

“No,” he said, surprising her by hopping under the covers with her. “I’ve come to put my cold feet on you, which you richly deserve, after writing me that nonsense. And if you think I’m going to argue with you by text, you’re badly mistaken. Now turn off the light, and let’s talk this out.”

She complied as he got comfortable under the duvet. “You do have cold feet.”

“Remember that,” Galen said. “Cold feet, warm heart.”

“So I hear.” They lay side by side in the dark. “I don’t usually have a cowboy jump in my bed, so I’m not sure what the standard protocol is, but do you want a cookie, and maybe a sip of hot tea? It’s not as hot as it was, because I was down in your room, but it’s still good.” She reached into the bag on her nightstand and offered him a cookie. “I’ve developed an addiction to your aunt’s baking.”

“No cookie. No tea. You’re changing the subject, trying to get my mind off your text with some sugary lures.”

“Maybe.” She sipped her tea in the darkness, loving the feel of the big, strong man tucked up next to her in bed. She could definitely get used to this. “I’m right.”

“But you won’t go through with it on your own.”

She sighed. “Just think about my plan for a few days. You’ve got to find out what’s happening under your own ranch.”

“You won’t tell a soul,” Galen said. “Not Ash, not Jace, not Fiona, not anyone.”

“Of course I won’t. It’s your ranch, your family.” She put her teacup back down. “I always dreamed of having a room like this.”

“Didn’t you have a girlie room?”

“Sort of girlie. Not very. My mom died when I was very young.”

“I’m sorry,” Galen murmured.

“I was, too.” Rose took a deep breath. “Anyway, after college I began a busy job at a financial planning company. Didn’t have time to girlie up my room. Lived in a square box in Manhattan with no closet to speak of.” She laughed. “I look back on those days with a smile, because I learned a lot. This room is a treat.”

“You got me off the subject again.”

“You asked. Anyway, I already swore myself to silence. Your secret is totally safe.”

“All right. Then I’ll head back to my own bed and leave you to your snack.”

She giggled. “Fiona says she’s baking gingerbread tomorrow. I’m going to get fat.”

“I very much doubt it. But a pound or two will only enhance those great curves you’ve got going on.”

The man was born to flirt. She tried not to take it too seriously, decided to turn the topic back to business. “You know, if I quit eating Fiona’s treats, I can easily fit back through that opening—”

“No. If anybody goes back down in that hole, it’s going to be a Callahan. Maybe Ashlyn.”

“You wouldn’t put your sister in danger,” Rose said. “That much I know about you already. In fact, you won’t even want your sister to know it’s there.”

“A truer statement was never spoken in this room.” He got out of bed. “See you at breakfast.”

“Bye,” Rose said, catching a glimpse of his physique as he passed the window. He was a scrumptious hunk of man, and she should tempt him to stay longer. “Good night.”

“Good night.”

He closed the door, and Rose leaned back in bed. She put the cookies down, drank the rest of her tea and then got up to brush her teeth. The cookies had been a sugary lure, as Galen had noted.

Tomorrow, gingerbread.

* * *

GALEN DIDN’T GET much sleep, but then again, sleep wasn’t at the forefront of his mind. The gaping problem they’d unearthed last night deeply concerned him.

In the morning, he went to the canyons to try to root out his grandfather. Running Bear sat at the fire ring, the stone circle where he’d brought them when they’d first arrived at Rancho Diablo. The chief had told the Chacon Callahan siblings that this was now their new home.

Galen loved this land.

“Chief,” he said, and the old man seated on the ground, eyes closed, face raised to the sky, nodded.

“When you have a moment, I need to pick your brains.”

“I have many moments.”

Galen seated himself on the earth next to his grandfather, felt the spring sun warm his skin. “There is no place like Rancho Diablo.”

“There are many spirits here. Mother Earth is strong and beautiful in this place.”

“But there’s a bad current running under her, Grandfather.”

“I know.”

Galen sighed. His grandfather was always one step ahead of them, and knew the beginning, middle and maybe even the end of the journey they were on. Running Bear had also warned the siblings that one of them was the hunted one, the one who would bring danger to the family. Sometimes Galen wondered if it was him. He’d rather it was, than any of his siblings. One day they would know—and no doubt the decision they would face would be difficult.

Today, he had to worry about trouble closer to home. “The enemy may have built reinforced tunnels under our ranch.” He looked into the distance, seeing the deep canyons and mesas that time had carved into the land. “We found some machinery in a cave. The only explanation is that it’s at the beginning of a tunnel, or underground bunkers. They could be right underneath the house.”

“I know.” Running Bear rested his palms on his knees. “They are not there. Yet.”

“But they’re coming.”

“They are. It’s their mission.”

“To what purpose?” Galen pulled his cowboy hat lower, shielding his face from the sun.

“To surround us. If they can do that, they’ll have a stranglehold here that will be hard to break.”

“How do we stop them? Make sure they don’t get here?”

“Buy the land from Storm.”

Galen considered that. They’d need a consortium of some kind to buy that much land without stretching the resources of Rancho Diablo. “We’ll be operating on limited manpower.”

“We’ll hire more people. Or bring the Callahan cousins home. Let them live here, where there are no tunnels. One of you would have had the land eventually, if you’d won Fiona’s raffle.”

“We always figured that was a fairy tale you guys cooked up to get us married and with families.”

“No,” Running Bear said. “Well, yes and no. Yes, Fiona will do anything to see you happy, as your married cousins and siblings are. But we always intended to grow the ranch. We knew they were building tunnels. We hoped you would come to love it here as much as your cousins do.”

“I do. The whole family does.”

“I know. But one of you must be the head of that ranch. We don’t want it broken up and weakened, making it easy for the cartel to move in.”

Galen shook his head. “I don’t like it. If Ash wins the ranch, she’ll be over there alone. She may not want us all living there. We need to stay together as a family. As a unit. We always have.”

“So win the land yourself.”

“I have no reason to expect that I’m in the running. I have no wife, probably won’t for years.” He’d taken care of his siblings so long he didn’t know if he’d ever be able to relax and have time for romance.

He thought about Rose next to him in bed last night and decided he could relax a little.

“Tell your brothers and sister that you want the land.”

Galen started. “I can’t do that. I can’t tell them I’m bumping them out of Fiona’s ploy.”

“You don’t want any of them living on land that only you knows has been compromised. It’s not safe.”

“Can’t we destroy the tunnels?”

“We would destroy acres and acres of good land with them.”

There were no good answers, no good choices. “It’s too dangerous to raise a family there now, so what difference would it make if we destroyed it? Those tunnels are how they’re getting to Rancho Diablo so easily, Grandfather.”

“Yes.” Running Bear nodded. “You must ask your ancestors what the right answer is.”

“The right answer to what?”

“Your path. What you are meant to do.”

“I say we burn them out. From burned ground comes new growth.”

“It would take many men to do it.”

That was also true. He’d had lots of military training. Teamwork wasn’t unknown to him. “It would be expensive to bring in that much personnel.”

“Yes. But it can’t be done alone.”

“Explosives. I can think of a hundred ways to collapse tunnels.”

His grandfather opened his eyes to look at him. “You’d be put in jail. You can’t set fires and blow up land without breaking the law.”

“There has to be a way.” Galen just couldn’t think of one. But it made his blood hot with anger that the enemy was gaining on them by doing whatever they wanted, while he was confined by the law. “Some way I haven’t thought of yet.”

“Buy the land,” Running Bear advised. “Tell Storm you will.”

“By myself? Or you mean the family as a conglomerate?”

“You buy the land. Tell your cousins you need to use the resources of Rancho Diablo as collateral. Jonas Callahan will know what you need.”

The treasure of Rancho Diablo. Galen knew about it. There were a couple working oil wells, the fabled silver mine, the buried silver and gold, as well as the land and its holdings. But the black Diablo mustangs were the real wealth. They held the spirit of the land, kept it alive. “What does Wolf think he wants with Rancho Diablo?”

“The wealth. The riches.” Running Bear rose. “What my son does not understand is that he cannot have any of those things. They will never be his.”

Galen rose with his grandfather. “How is that?”

“Because evil never overcomes good. This ranch was built for good. The fight will be long. It will be difficult and costly. But it will not be lost. Think on what I have said, Galen.” His grandfather looked at him. “Tell Fiona the terms of the ranch raffle must change, if she’s going to get the last of you boys, and even Ash, to the altar.”

“Change how? And I don’t want to get married,” Galen said. “I’ve been alone too long. I like my life the way it is.”

“The shepherd must eventually have a flock.” Running Bear walked toward the gorges twisting through rocks carved by eons of wind and rain.

“I don’t need a flock,” Galen muttered. “And I don’t need a twenty-thousand acre ranch.” He sighed as he got in the jeep. “I don’t want the land. I want to burn them out,” he called after his grandfather. “Let the rest of them divide up the ranch over there.”

Silence met his words. Which meant the old chief had said all he planned to say on the matter.

Running Bear knew what had to happen.

Galen went back to Rancho Diablo to think.

* * *

SOMER STEVENS MET HIM as he drove up to the ranch house, a big smile on her face. “Just the man I was hoping to see.”

He parked the jeep, appreciating her dark beauty. And yet somehow she just didn’t ring his bell the way Rose did. “Why is that?”

“Wondered if you want to go riding. I’m fixing to take out Gray.”

“I’m afraid I can’t join you today,” Galen said, and wondered why she rubbed him the wrong way. Maybe because she was a shade too friendly.

“Next time, perhaps.” She disappeared into the barn, and Galen stared after her. He hoped she planned to exercise Gray in the corralled area of the ranch, where it was safest. What if it were Rose riding? Would she stay near the house, or stray off on an adventure?

Definitely stray off, for any reason.

Somer wasn’t his problem. She was Sloan and Kendall’s problem. She’d been hired to take Sawyer’s place guarding their twins. Occasionally she would switch and guard Tighe and River’s triplets. If she had an afternoon off, it wasn’t his business.

He went inside the house, his mind full of his grandfather’s advice.

“Hello!” Fiona grinned at him. “Why is your smile turned upside down, nephew?”

He sat at the kitchen counter, nodding gratefully when she pushed a mug of coffee and a slice of apple pie his way. “Thank you. Running Bear wants me to buy the ranch across the canyons,” he said, and bit into the deep, flaky pastry. Cinnamon and allspice and warm buttery piecrust melted in his mouth.

“You?” Fiona looked at him curiously.

He shrugged.

“Why?”

He couldn’t tell her everything. That was Running Bear’s job. Those two had been thick as thieves forever. “He’s got some plan working. But he said you needed better bait to get the rest of us married off. The ranch land plan isn’t going to work. I might remind you I don’t see myself as exactly marriage bound. Nor does Jace. Ashlyn is a wild card. I wouldn’t put too much of your pin money on that horse.”

He’d paraphrased Running Bear’s words, but it would indeed take more than land to get him to the altar.

Unless Rose was available. Maybe I’d consider it then.

“That was my best lure!” Fiona exclaimed. “How do I come up with a better prize than a ranch, I ask you?” His tiny aunt looked ruffled and annoyed. “Running Bear has some nerve, changing horses midstream.” She sat down in a huff on the stool next to Galen’s.

“No one really understands the workings of the chief’s mind, do they?” He took another bite of pie, giving a sigh of appreciation. “Your apple pie is the best, Aunt Fiona.”

She made an impatient noise. “Don’t butter me up, nephew. You do realize the fly in your grandfather’s horse pucky ointment?”

“There’s usually a lot of flies involved in what either of you do. I keep a flyswatter handy.”

“Your siblings will resent you, dare I say even want to string you up, if you buy the ranch land and put them out of the raffle.” Fiona’s face wore a studious, concerned frown. “You’re a strong man, but not strong enough to be scorned and ostracized by the family you raised.”

His aunt spoke the unvarnished truth. “What can I do?”

“I don’t know. Your grandfather is leaving me holding the proverbial bag, too. What am I going to tell your siblings? I set all of you up for marriage and families, and now you get nada?” Fiona looked as if she might cry. “I think there’s some law against bait-and-switch tactics like the ones your grandfather is proposing. Where is he, anyway? I want to give him a piece of my mind. No more chocolate chip cookies for him!”

Galen shrugged. “I guess I’ll head to the bank and start working up funding. First I’ll need to talk to Storm and make certain he understands I’m not going to pay a king’s ransom for land he just bought and never worked. Not to mention that the only livable dwelling just burned to the ground.”

“Oh, that termite pile should have been razed a long time ago,” Fiona said, sounding crankier than he’d ever heard her. “The land itself is the only thing of value there.”

Land with a maze of tunnels dug by dangerous smugglers running under it. “It’s not just me my sibs are going to be annoyed with. They love their families, but they’re going to think you planned this all along.”

She gasped. “I did no such thing! Running Bear is off his rocker! I can’t be responsible for your grandfather’s deviations. I’m just the handler around here. And most of the time it’s like herding feral cats, I can tell you.” She went off, highly annoyed. Galen grinned and finished his pie.

Rose came in and took Fiona’s chair. “Howdy, stranger.”

He looked at her, his whole being suddenly filled with happiness for some stupid reason. Why this woman affected him this way he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Yes, she was cute, adorable, even. Had a sparky personality, and was brave as a tiger. Had sexy curves he’d love to get to know. But that wasn’t enough to get his engine revving in overdrive every time he saw her, was it?

Who am I kidding? It’s more than enough. I’m about to break into a cold sweat just looking at her.

“Fiona made apple pie. Want a slice?”

She shook her head. “No, thanks. I’m going riding with Somer in a bit.”

He hesitated. “Somer?”

“Yes. Why?” Rose gave him a curious look. “Something wrong with that?”

“No. Nothing at all. Just weren’t aware the two of you were on such friendly terms.”

She smiled. “We’re the two new girls. Gives us a bond.”

“Oh. I see.”

“Yes. But then again, I’m on friendly terms with everyone.”

He could believe that. Even he tended toward more-than-monosyllabic when Rose was around. “You girls just checking out the scenery?”

“I did that last night with you.” She winked at him, and his stomach gave a little twist. Which was dumb, because women didn’t usually make him nervous.

This one did.

“Anyway,” Rose said, “we’re doing a little training.”

“Training?”

“You know, horse training. Get them a little more acclimated to Rancho Diablo.”

He stared at Rose, wishing he could kiss her. He couldn’t, of course. She was a ranch employee.

He’d been in her bed last night, and he’d liked it—even if not a darn thing had happened.

“Somer knows a lot about horses. Apparently, she and Sawyer grew up near each other, and both of them—”

“What?” Galen asked, tearing his concentration away from Rose’s lips with supreme effort. “What do you mean, Somer and Sawyer grew up near each other?”

“They’re cousins,” Rose said. “Didn’t you know?”

An uneasy feeling came over him. “They can’t be. That would have had to be disclosed on the ranch application.” Now that he thought about it, he recalled that Fiona had been in charge of reviewing the applications and making appointments for interviews.

Rose smiled at him. “I don’t like spilling beans. I better get a slice of pie before my mouth gets me in trouble.”

He’d like to get her mouth in trouble. Galen shook his head and carried his dish to the sink. “Feel free to spill anytime. I’m on my way into town to do some bank paperwork. And about last night...” he said, turning to face her.

“I know. Not a word. I wouldn’t tell a soul.” She smiled, and he grinned back, unable to help responding to the mischief in her eyes.

“No, what I was going to say is that we probably shouldn’t have sent you down in that cave. It was a terrible idea. I shouldn’t have let Jace talk me into it.”

“Oh, so he’s the adventurous brother. I’ll keep that in mind.” She bit into her pie. “You have no idea how lucky you are that your aunt Fiona bakes and cooks. Home cooking is a luxury.”

“Well, she’s annoyed right now, so if we get dinner, it’ll be a miracle.”

“Annoyed?” Rose raised a brow. “Did you make her mad?”

“Somewhat. I guess so.” He sighed. “Because of what we found, I’m going to buy Storm’s land.”

“All on your own?”

He nodded, glad to have someone to tell about it.

“You’re going to be the black sheep in your family,” Rose said, laughing. “Jace told me that if Sawyer hadn’t disappeared, he might have talked her into a fake marriage just so he could get his ticket in to win the ranch.”

“That would be cheating.”

Rose put her plate down, poured them each a glass of tea. “Not cheating. Maximizing his chances.”

“Cheating.” Galen took a sip. “Jace told you that?”

“Sure. Just like your sister told me that she’s gone off Xav Phillips.”

He choked on the tea, set the glass down. “Gone off? As in isn’t trying to herd him to the altar anymore?”

“I guess not.” Rose looked thoughtful. “So maybe the field is completely clear for you now, after all.”

“Why does everybody tell you everything? I should know these things.”

“Maybe I’m a little easier to talk to you than you are?” she teased. “Or they don’t want to let big brother down.”

“It’s still no reason to make you the resident advice columnist,” Galen groused. He was thunderstruck by everything he’d learned. “Does Somer know where Sawyer’s gone? Or why she left?”

“No. Didn’t say anything to me about it. I’d better go, though. Don’t want to keep her waiting.” She put her plate in the dishwasher.

“Just a minute,” Galen said, wishing she would stay a little longer. “Anything else I need to know?”

Rose smiled. “Perhaps.”

“I’m listening.” He wanted to kiss her in the worst way. Hopefully, he didn’t look like his brothers had when they’d been all slobbery about the women who were now their wives. That was the thing about watching his siblings fall like rocks to the bottom of a well—the process had been ugly.

He sure didn’t want to do ugly. “I’m listening, if there’s something I should know.”

“Here’s something you should know,” Rose said. Then to Galen’s utter astonishment, she walked over and pressed her lips against his in a gentle kiss that happened so quickly he didn’t have time to pucker up. She went out the back door, leaving him glued to the floor, his whole body humming like a divining rod.

She’d just kissed him. She wanted him to know she liked him—that could be her only meaning. And he’d missed the moment, like a giant doofus stuck on stupid. Hadn’t even kissed her back, or put a hand on her to drag her close to him. The way he would have if he hadn’t been frozen with shock.

If she ever does that again, I’ll pucker up like a girl in a kissing booth. I won’t be like my brothers. I’m not going down hard.

No, if that little gal wants me, I’m pretty sure I’ll fold like a cheap seat at a picnic—fast and easy.


Chapter Five

The last thing Galen wanted to do was talk to Storm Cash, but thanks to his grandfather’s directive he saw no reason to linger—even if he’d rather chase after Rose and find out if she had any more sugar with his name on it.

“Hi,” Storm said, when Galen drove up in his truck and got out. “It’s not often that I see a Callahan at my place. Is this a friendly call?”

“I hope so. It’ll start out that way. Could go either direction, depending on the weather.”

Storm laughed. “You Callahans are moody cusses, that’s for certain. What’s on your mind?”

“I may take you up on buying the land you offered us,” he said without stalling.

Storm picked up a bale of hay and tossed it into his truck bed. “Might you?”

“Is the offer still open?”

“Sure it is. I’m not the kind of man to go back on my word.”

Sometimes Storm seemed honest to his bones. Galen couldn’t say why he and his siblings felt a sense of unease about the big man. They just did. But then again, they didn’t trust many outsiders. “Why do you want to sell it? You didn’t buy it that many moons ago.”

“Let’s just say that I’m uncomfortable with the undercurrents attached to that land.”

That was a signal to dig deeper if he’d ever heard one. “Storm, you might as well get it off your chest. Skeletons don’t go away, you know. They have a disturbing tendency to hang around and rattle when you least expect it.”

“True,” his neighbor said, “but it’s not the skeletons I’m worried about.”

“So it’s the mercenaries,” Galen stated, and Storm looked him straight in the eye.

“Look, I’ll sell the land to you for a quarter less than I paid for it. I just want rid of it, Callahan. Take it or leave it.”

Galen watched his expression carefully. Storm had less of a poker face than he might have imagined. The man seemed concerned about something. Galen decided to be the needle that dug out the splinter. “That’s quite a loss you’ll take on the asking price.”

“I’ve got a beautiful fiancée. I don’t have time to oversee an enormous ranch,” Storm said.

“I think there’s more to the story.”

His neighbor gave him a dry look. “I don’t want to get caught in the middle of anything.”

“Nothing to get caught in the middle of. We’re the good guys.” A sudden thought occurred to Galen. “Wait a minute. You’ve come to our ranch a couple of times mentioning that you’d found stragglers camping on your land. That there were trespassers you couldn’t control. You haven’t been threatened in any way, have you?”

“If you want to buy the land across the canyons and my land, you’ve got yourself a deal, neighbor. We’ll leave it at that.”

Galen blinked, caught off guard. “You planning to move away, Storm? You haven’t been on this spread but about four or five years, have you?”

“Think I’ll move into town, to Lu’s place,” Storm said evenly.

The rancher had been threatened. Galen’s sixth sense was going wild with warning. “What does Lu think about that?”

Lu Feinstrom was Storm’s lady friend. She was a great cook and quite a woman. Storm had gone down like a sack of hammers for her and her cooking.

“She’d rather live here. But what can I do?” He glanced at the sky. “Looks like a storm is coming, Callahan. I’m going to have to bring some livestock in. Have your lawyer or agent send me an offer. Then we’ll smoke on it.”

“I’ll do that.” Galen watched as the big man headed off in his truck, then got in his and drove back to Rancho Diablo.

* * *

“IT’S BEAUTIFUL, FIONA,” Rose said, gazing at the wedding dress on her bed. “But I don’t know anything about modeling wedding gowns.”

“Sure you do,” Fiona said brightly. “Just hop in that one and let’s see what you see. I mean, let’s see how it fits you.”

“What is this big event Rancho Diablo is hosting?” Rose couldn’t say why she didn’t want to put the gown on, she just didn’t.

On the other hand, she couldn’t disappoint Fiona, whose face was bright and expectant.

“I’m just about out of bachelors, except for Jace,” Fiona told her. “So this Christmas, for the Christmas ball, I’m going to do a bride-a-thon. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”

“You’re planning early.” Rose’s heart shifted a bit. “How can you be out of bachelors?”

“I just ran out of available options.” Fiona snapped her fingers. “I can’t raise enough money for the charity projects I’m working on by selling cookies and pies, you know. So this time I’m going to have a bride-a-thon to end all bride-a-thons.”

Rose backed up a bit farther from the gorgeous gown. “What about Galen?”

“Oh, Galen’s a pinhead and Jace is loosey-goosey. Couldn’t get much for either of them. No, this year we’re going for the bachelorette angle. Much more lucrative, I’ll bet. Sure you don’t want to try this on? It’s still got the price tag attached.”

Rose didn’t think there could be anything more lucrative than Galen strutting on stage in front of a couple hundred leering ladies. “I bid on Galen year before last,” she said. “I’d bid again.”

Galen walked into her room just as the words left her mouth. He grinned and gave her a sly wink.

“I really appreciate that vote of confidence, doll face. I’m sorry you didn’t win me. Maybe another time.”

“I don’t think so,” Rose said. “Your aunt says you’re unavailable.”

Galen raised a brow. “Am I, aunt?”

“I think it’s a terminal thing,” Fiona muttered, gazing at the dress with some sadness. “I had great hopes for you and Jace, but the truth is, you two may be runts.”

Rose laughed, the idea of this tall man being a runt too ludicrous to imagine. “Poor Galen.”

He grabbed his aunt to him and gave her a big smooch on the cheek. She squealed and wriggled out of his arms. “Who’s the victim that’s going in that white shroud, aunt?”

“I was trying,” Fiona said with some asperity, “to get Rose to put it on, but it seems she doesn’t fancy white shrouds, as you so illustratively call this delightful creation.” She sailed from the room, murmuring about needing to redo her victim list.





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