BRANDED BY A CALLAHAN (10 page)

Xav gathered up his bedroll, canteen and other equipment. Ash watched him in disbelief, then rounded on her brother.

“You sound like Running Bear,” Ash complained, following them. “Existential is not attractive on you. I prefer a little more edge and fight in my brothers.”

“That’s okay, little sister. You’ve got enough for the whole family tree.”

Ash didn’t protest again, and they left the ledge and got in his truck. She hopped in the front seat next to him, and Xav got in the back. Dante added Xav to the list of people he wanted to pick a bone with, mainly to find out if the man had any intentions toward his sister—not that Ash would thank him for butting into her business. Scanning the horizon for snipers, and praying his luck would hold until he got his spirited sister back to the ranch, Dante drove away.

It was time he had a chat with the lately elusive Storm Cash.

Chapter Ten

To Dante’s shock, Ana was sitting in Fiona’s kitchen when he, Ash and Xav returned. He tried to appear cool, collected.

He wasn’t. Not by half.

“Howdy,” he said to Ana, as if she’d only been gone a day and not weeks. An early Christmas gift for him, hopefully.
Which reminds me, I’ve got until the fat man in red shows up to find that stupid gown, or I’m permanently out of the ranch raffle with the good aunt.

No gown, and no girlfriend. Seven new arrivals to make our lives hell, thanks to Wolf.

At least Ana came back.

He felt good about that, until he realized Ana probably either missed her little charges, or had second thoughts about giving up her position as bodyguard. Her return likely had little to do with him, which was not a good thought.

Never one to hold back, Ashlyn threw her arms around Ana, giving her an enthusiastic hug, which Dante longed to do himself.

Xav slid his gaze over to Dante to check his reaction. The man smirked.

That’s okay. You’re in no better shape, pal.
“Beer?” he asked Xav, determined to act like an arrow hadn’t just landed in his heart at the sight of Ana.

Ana turned to Dante. “Hi, Dante.”

He nodded, asked politely if she’d had a good trip, then pasted himself into a corner of the kitchen where he could nurse his beer and observe Ana unnoticed. She’d wanted out and she’d left, no matter how much he’d tried to convince her that she wanted to be here with him. Anyway, she hadn’t so much as smiled at him, and a man knew that a woman dug him when she smiled as if he was a god everytime she saw him.

He felt pretty mortal at the moment.

Fiona sailed into the kitchen, greeting Ana with enthusiasm. “You made it!”

“You knew Ana was coming?” Dante asked. Seemed like the least his aunt could have done was inform him.

“Of course. I know everything, nephew, you should know that by now,” Fiona said. “You look like the trip was easy on you, Ana.”

“Thank you, yes, Fiona,” Ana said. “And I saw the new billboard outside of town. I’m assuming there’s a lot I can do to help with the Christmas ball this weekend.”

“Hang on,” Dante said. “Are you back for good?”

Ana hesitated. “I’m going to be staying with River.”

“Huh.” That had been fairly ambiguous. She hadn’t said,
I’m taking back my old job.
Or
I missed the little boys and wanted to be in on the nanny act.

“There is a lot you can do to help me,” Fiona said quickly to cover Dante’s brusqueness. “We have over one hundred guests attending! It’s going to be a blowout!”

“I’m certain,” Ana said. “Twin cowboy hunks should bring in the ladies.”

Dante raised his head. He’d been covertly studying Ana’s ankles and delicate feet in Christmas-red pumps, but a siren went off inside him at the words
twin cowboy hunks
.

“Twins? Who are you sticking in the mousetrap, Aunt Fiona?”

“Mercy, Dante!” Fiona laughed. “No need to be so suspicious! The elementary school needs a new roof, and that’s expensive, so I thought the best way to bring in dough—lots of dough—was to offer two of my wonderful nephews as dates,” she said with an apologetic glance at Ana. “Of course, when I ordered the billboard and offered twin cowboy hunks, I had no idea you’d be returning, Ana.”

Ana’s gaze was clear. “I’m not certain what that has to do with me, Fiona. You have a big party every Christmas. And someone is always the prize, either for a mistletoe kiss or a dream date.”

Dante had heard enough. “Aunt Fiona, if I’m the twin you’re shilling, count me out.” Holy smokes, Ana acted as if he didn’t care if he went boot-scooting with another woman or not. How was that for a boost to a man’s ego?

Stunk on ice, actually.

“Anyway, I can’t. I’m going to be gone until Christmas,” he said suddenly, making up his mind on the spot. “Xav and Ashlyn were tied up in the canyons when I visited them a while ago.” Everyone gasped, and Dante was grateful to have his mind on a problem he could solve—like bandits—and not on a problem he couldn’t fix, which was Ana.

If she was over him, that was all fine and good, but he wasn’t over her in the least. Just seeing her again made his heart beat like a drum in a Christmas parade.

“Are you all right?” Fiona demanded, rushing over to Ash to inspect her. “You’re hurt! Why didn’t you say something instead of listening to Dante argue with me about him being the charity prize?”

“Wait,” Dante said, “I’m no charity prize. I’m a grand prize.”

“Really?” Fiona’s face glowed with delight. “I’m so glad to hear it! I’ll have that painted on the billboard immediately! The gal who does the billboards for us can be up there in a jif to write Grand Prize on it! Thank you for your generous contribution, nephew!”

“Anything to one-up Tighe,” Ashlyn said, and Fiona said, “Come over here and let me put ice on that. Are you hurt, Xav? What happened?”

“I’m fine,” Xav said. “I should have been paying better attention. I take full responsibility.”

Dante could practically see Fiona’s antennae quivering, which was great, because it took her laser-focus off of him, and he could get back to sneaking glances at Ana.

“Oh?” Fiona said. “Did something interesting have your attention, Xav?”

Dante leaned back against the counter, enjoying Xav’s pained expression. “Yes, Xav, what had obscured your attention?”

“I don’t exactly recall,” Xav said, “but I won’t let my guard down again. I promise you that. No one will get past me. Consider me the fire wall.”

“I’m going out for a while,” Dante said, and everyone turned to look at him.

“Why?” Fiona said. “You never ‘go out’ at this time of the evening. You hang around the house bugging me and eating me out of house and home.”

“Change of routine tonight.” He tipped his hat to the gathering at large, tried not to glance at Ana one last time as he walked out. He’d just be satisfying his eyeballs.

“I’ll walk out with you,” Ana said, stunning him as she hopped off the chair.

“Sure. Fine.” He waited while she grabbed her coat, and after saying goodbye, they walked out. “It’s going to snow tonight.”

“So I heard. I came back just in time.”

He assumed she was planning to head over to see River and the boys, so he stayed glued to the spot, waited to see what was on her mind.

“Dante,” she said, “I hope it won’t be awkward that I’m here.”

“Not at all.” It would be, but he planned to man up. Clearly the lady hadn’t been all that enthralled with his lovemaking—which was strange because he’d rather thought she was. He’d certainly been completely wowed with making love to her, but there was no telling with women. If he were a fish, he was pretty much on the hook, waiting for her to reel the line in. If she wasn’t, well, he was still hooked.

He’d survive, and try not to do much dangling on the hook, generating schmuck points from his brothers and sister.

“I’m glad,” Ana said. “I’m staying through the holidays. River wants to go home to see her family, and I told Kendall and Sloan I’d be glad to watch the boys.”

“That means you’ll go to Fiona’s shindig.” He shook his head. “Hope you brought your costume. It’s a fancy dress masquerade.”

“I came prepared.”

“I’m just going to toss on a fresh shirt and call myself dressed. It’s good to see you, Ana. I’m heading back to rodeo after the holidays myself, but I’m sure our paths will cross.” Okay, hopefully that took the awkward out of everything. He nodded and headed off, wishing his heart didn’t feel as though it was leaking out of his chest. She was gorgeous, more beautiful than he remembered, damn it, and he was only a guy head over heels.

But there were reasons not to get too sidetracked. Look at that poor sap Xav. Somehow some bad hombres had gotten to him and Ashlyn. Clearly he’d allowed Ashlyn to lose his focus for some reason—although Dante realized his sister could make a saint lose focus.

Anything was better than sitting around knowing that the object of his heart’s desire was only a few hundred feet away—and she obviously hadn’t come back to Rancho Diablo for
him
. So he was headed toward Storm Cash’s house to see what trouble he could stir up.

He couldn’t afford to lose focus the way Xav had.

* * *

“I
HAVE
A
COSTUME
,” Ana said, as she and River put the boys down for the night. “I’m going as Mrs. Claus.”

“That’s funny.” River kissed both boys on their heads and backed out of the nursery. “Kendall said you were welcome to stay as long as you like, by the way. For good, if you change your mind. She’s expecting the new bodyguard sometime this week, so you can help me show her the ropes.”

A stab of pain shot into Ana at the idea of someone else taking over her duties, but there was no reason to feel that way. She likely only had another month until she began to show. Right now what was saving her were the sweaters and jackets she wore in the cold weather. “I’ll do whatever I can to help her learn what she needs to know.”

River glanced at her as they went out to the den and settled on the sofas. “So I thought maybe you came back for Dante.”

Ana shook her head. “I knew when I left that we weren’t meant to be together.”

“It’s true he’s not exactly the marrying kind.” River sighed. “Those Callahans eat, drink and sleep commitment avoidance.”

Ana nodded. And what man wanted to know that his condom had been faulty? After Christmas, before he went back to the circuit, she’d tell him. They’d go their separate ways, and all would be just fine. “I miss the little guys. When you and I took this job, I thought, bodyguarding babies, piece of cake. But it wasn’t,” she said, “because eventually they grow up, or you have to move on to the next job. And that’s really hard on the heart, isn’t it?”

River’s eyes were soft. “I knew you’d miss them. How do you stay away?”

“Apparently, I don’t.” She’d come back to tell Dante about the pregnancy but it was almost impossible to imagine actually doing it. She’d have to leave here, leave him, leave the children. Everything would change forever—and she so desperately wanted her own child to grow up here at Rancho Diablo, among these wonderful people.
That’s how I know I got way too involved with my job.
“What do you think happened to Xav and Ash?”

“I don’t know. Everything’s been weird around here. I stay with the kids every single second because I’m so nervous something might happen. How easy would it be to take off with little fellows who can’t talk and don’t know what’s going on?” River shuddered. “Running Bear’s been hanging around, muttering about darkness and ill winds. The guys try to act like everything’s calm and they’ve got the whole thing under control, but every few months something like this crops up, and I make sure I’m ready for anything.”

Ana shivered. “I always worried about Dante. All the Callahans are brave, but Dante’s not afraid of anything, almost dangerously. There’s no telling what he’ll do if he ever catches who’s behind the attacks.”

“Believe me, I feel the same way about Tighe. I just keep my focus on these little guys, and try to believe everything will work out one day. It will.” She smiled. “Here’s some gossip. I floated a little fib that I was dating a guy in Tempest so Tighe wouldn’t think I had a thing for him. Which I do, as you know. It really wasn’t so much of a fib, because I did have a date, and Galen asked me if I had a guy, and I said
hopefully.
It was an ambiguous question, right? Because I wasn’t about to say I hoped that guy would be Tighe.” Her face lit up with a smile. “The strange thing is, ever since Tighe’s been back, it seems like he’s been hanging around a lot, in spite of my supposed boyfriend.”

“Really?” Ana’s brows rose. “Maybe he’s the kind of man who likes a little competition.”

“Did you see the advertisement Fiona and her gang of matchmakers put up outside of town?” River rolled her eyes.

“About the charity raffle? Hubba-hubba-hunk?” Ana shrugged, trying to act as if it didn’t matter to her that Dante was the supposed Grand Prize. “Those boys are putty in their aunt’s hands. Whatever she wants, they gladly do.”

“They love her. It’s all fine by me,” River said, “because I’m going to win the date with Tighe.”

“You are?”

“Of course I am. And you should win Dante! Then we could double-date!”

She was past the point of luring her cowboy. She was going to be the mother of Dante’s child—somehow it seemed she’d gone past the catch-him-if-you-can phase. “I don’t think so.”

“But why? He should be very intrigued by a Mrs. Claus costume. Although you do know it’s a fancy dress masquerade ball?”

“I didn’t know,” Ana said. “Now that you mention it, I think Dante did say that, but—” She hadn’t been listening because she couldn’t hear over the racing of her heart. “I don’t have a fancy dress.”

“Too bad,” River said. “Get one! Tighe and Dante are going to wear their tuxes, and they’ll be hot as pistols, I assure you. The ladies will go mad. All those ladies will be so jealous when I walk off with my prize!”

“I’ll watch Carlos and Isaiah that night,” Ana said. She wasn’t about to go buy a gown for one event, especially for an event where the father of her child would be auctioned off to another woman. “I will happily babysit the twins.”

“No, you won’t,” River said, “because Fiona is sending all the children off to Hell’s Colony that night. Jonas and Sabrina and all the clan out there have offered to take care of the little guys. Rafe’s picking them up in the jet the night before. So you have no excuse not to go!”

Oh, she had an excuse, one that made her smile everytime she thought about it. She loved being pregnant, she couldn’t wait to be a mother and hold her own baby. But that didn’t mean she wanted to see Dante walk off with another woman, and think about all that went along with a night with him and an eager female. “Do you think it’s best to give a man news he’s not really expecting before or after big events in his life?”

River coughed on her tea and set her glass down on the table with a whoop. “You’re pregnant!” She practically leaped over the coffee table and landed on Ana, hugging her with ecstatic giggles.