Tina Leonard - A Callahan Christmas Miracle

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 www.facebook.com/tinaleonardbooks www.facebook.com/authortinaleonard www.twitter.com/Tina_Leonard

A Callahan

Christmas

Miracle

Tina Leonard

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, 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

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Epilogue

Excerpt

“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.