Tina Leonard - A Callahan Outlaw's Twins (7 page)

“Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,” Kendall said, her voice sleepy. “I’m sorry I invaded your zone, soldier. You’re doing a great job. Sign off and go back to your post.”

He wryly grinned, rolling over onto his side. She had no idea how much strength it took not to violate the terms of his engagement here. After he heard her breathing return to a gentle, sonorous rhythm, he got out of bed to look outside.

She was right about it being colder. A thick layer of snow had fallen, casting a white blanket over the roofs of the barns and bunkhouse. Glancing at his phone, he saw that the temperature had dropped to twelve degrees Fahrenheit.

That meant two things: one, he didn’t need to keep his promise to take her to photograph the canyons today. She was stuck inside where she’d be safe. Two, she wouldn’t be flying or driving out today. He checked the forecast, seeing that the snow should continue for the next week.

He doubted very seriously that Kendall was the kind of woman who stayed cooped up very well. It was three o’clock in the morning, and snowflakes continued to drift down in big, wet, thick abundance. Maybe he should toss another blanket on top of her for warmth.

Pile another layer of security between them.

A dark shadow on the snow caught his eye. It was just a random pattern in the white light from the spotlights shining from the bunkhouse, but still he waited at the window, frowning.

He texted Tighe, who was stationed as lookout at the bunkhouse.
Watch your door.

The reply came back swiftly.
On it.

Sloan texted Jace.
Back up Tighe
.

Again, swift reply.
Got it.

Barely two seconds passed before he saw his brothers checking out something in the deep snow. He waited, watching for a signal.

We’ve got company,
Tighe wrote.

Sloan sent a mass text to his brothers.
Man on-site.

“What is it?” Kendall asked, sitting up.

Damn it.
“Nothing. Go back to sleep.”

She crossed to the window to see what he was staring at. He tried to shove her back. Taking exception, Kendall popped him a good one on the shoulder, knocking him slightly off balance because he hadn’t expected her to be so strong.

“What are they doing?”

“What they’re supposed to do.” Standing beside her, he returned his gaze to his brothers, watching closely for danger, his semi in his hand. Sloan got ready to jack open the window and fire if necessary—vaguely aware of the scent of strawberries invading his usual tight self-control.

Chapter Seven

Kendall stared down at the Callahans—and of course her brother, Xav, was in the thick of it—stunned as they grabbed a man from a deep snowdrift and wrestled him into the bunkhouse. The door closed, and it was like watching someone get sucked into another dimension. No sound, too fast for struggle—it was simply over.

“What was
that?
” Kendall demanded. “What just happened?”

“Back in bed, gorgeous,” Sloan told her. “I don’t do your job, you don’t do mine.”

She smacked at his hands as he tried to shoo her away from the window. “Tell me what is going on, Sloan, or I’ll go out there myself.”

“Not dressed like that. You’ll give the watchmen heart attacks.”

She snatched up a blanket, wrapping it around herself. “I’m going to check on Fiona and Burke.”

“They’re fine. Stay here.”

She whirled on her way to the door. “Your brothers just abducted somebody. And what about my brother? Why don’t you want me to check on Fiona and Burke?”

“They’ve got more protection than you do.” Sloan eased into the chair. “I just got six texts saying everything is under control. What we don’t need is you running around in your underwear with a gimp leg, trying to protect the old folks. Go back to sleep. I have to be up in an hour and a half.” He checked his gun, made sure the lock was back on, and put it into the holster.

Now he had to figure out how he was going to calm the wild-eyed blonde glaring at him.

“I want you to check on Fiona and Burke.”

“I have.” He held up his phone. “Galen says the house is secure. Was never breached.”

“Then what happened?”

“I don’t know yet. I can’t do my job because I have a hysterical female to soothe.”

“I don’t find you remotely soothing, thanks. And I’ve never been hysterical in my life.”

“Get in bed. I’ll bring you a cup of hot tea.”

She glanced toward the window. “I don’t need tea. I don’t need you.”

That was fear talking. Maybe Kendall didn’t even recognize it herself. She was going to have to get over it. “Okay,” he said, his voice soft. “I’m going to go out for a while.”

She stared at him, her eyes huge like an animal desperate not to get preyed upon. “A while?”

“Yeah.”

She glanced nervously at the window, then back to him. Got into bed. For a moment he thought he’d made her realize she was safest here.

“I’ll go with you.”

She jumped out of bed, long limbs in motion, and began pulling a sweatshirt over her cami, stretching the thin material to accommodate her breasts. A lump formed in his throat.

“You can’t go with me.”

She snorted. “I’m going. Figure out a way to brace yourself, because it’s happening.”

Big-time backfire on his plan. “You can go as far as the kitchen, make us both a cup of tea and grab us some cookies or something. I’ll check with my brothers and see what they caught. Then you meet me back upstairs, and I’ll tell you everything I find out. Can we compromise on that?”

She pulled on some comfy pajama bottoms that wouldn’t abrade her stitches. “Sure, soldier. I can obey orders when I’m not being patronized.”

He wouldn’t bet on her being a good follower. But determination was all over her face, so this time it was probably better to give in. “Stay close to me.”

“That’s a harder order to obey.”

“You got pretty close to me in bed last night. Didn’t seem too hard on you.”

She didn’t say anything as they went down the stairwell, but she did get right up close to him.

A hand fell across Sloan’s back. He heard a muffled squeal from Kendall.

“Falcon.”

His brother appeared from the shadows. “Fiona and Burke haven’t moved. Slept like babies.”

“Oh, thank heaven,” Kendall said.

“I told you the house was never breached,” Sloan said, his voice quiet.

“Like I trust you to tell me the truth!” Kendall slipped past him. “I’m going to make tea. You want some, Falcon?”

“Sure.” He grinned at Sloan. “My job’s easier than yours.”

“I heard that, Falcon,” Kendall said. “Would you like some arsenic with your tea?”

The brothers rolled their eyes at each other and shrugged. Sloan heard Kendall put the kettle on. She didn’t turn on a light in the kitchen, clearly deciding that the cover of darkness was necessary.

“I’m going out,” Falcon said.

“I’m coming, too.” Sloan followed his brother.

“What about her?”

“She’ll be fine. We’re just going to the bunkhouse, Kendall,” he called.

“Okay.”

She sounded a bit more nervous than he would have expected her to. Sloan glanced back, to find her staring down at the mugs she’d set out, not moving.

Well, this was as good a time as any for her to figure out whether she wanted him to be her bodyguard. She was here until the roads could be traveled, so they were stuck together.

He went out the door.

* * *

I
T
WAS
REALLY
COLD
. Or maybe she was just shivering from whatever had happened out there. Kendall picked up her mug and went to the window. Nothing was revealed in the darkness. Even footprints had been covered over by the fast-falling snowflakes.

Sloan appeared from the bunkhouse, crunched through the snow to the main house and came inside in a swirling burst of frigid air. Kendall handed him a steaming mug of tea.

“What happened?”

His cold fingers touched hers for a split second as he gratefully took the hot drink. “The good news is that it wasn’t a merc.”

She wasn’t sure he wasn’t just trying to calm her down. “Do I believe you?”

He drank some of the tea. “That’s good. Thanks. I’m going to bed. If I hurry, I have thirty minutes before I need to head to the barns. And no, it’s not always good to believe me. I didn’t sign an honesty clause. I said I’d protect you.”

She followed him up the stairs. “What’s the point of not being honest?”

“In this case, I am. I’m just saying in general it’s okay if you don’t trust me. You don’t know me.”

He pulled off his shirt in the dimness, not bothering to turn on the light. The spotlights shone outside the window, but otherwise it was deathly dark and quiet, thanks to the snowfall. He had a broad chest and wonderful pecs, a lean waist and—

“Let me take that. I’ll hang it in the bathroom.”

“Thanks.” He handed her the shirt and shucked off his jeans.

Kendall’s breath caught. She didn’t bother to try to turn her eyes away, though she probably should.

He wore black briefs that molded to his hips—and he had great legs. Did guys have “great legs”? It didn’t matter. Sloan did. In fact, he was pretty much the most attractive male she’d ever laid eyes on.

She put out a hand for the jeans.

“These are wet. They’ll have to go in the dryer,” Sloan said.

“I know.” She took the clothes, draped them over a rack in the bathroom, noticing that the warmth of his body still clung to them though he’d been out in the cold. After taking a moment to try to think about what she wanted, what was right, Kendall went back into the bedroom.

He’d slid into the bed, underneath the sheets and blankets. The wall of king-size pillows was firmly in place.

After a long pause, she got into bed. Sloan’s breathing was deep, even. She thought about the forbidden aspect of mingling business with pleasure.

To him, she was business.

She’d always taken care of herself.

Taking a deep breath, she moved the pillows away. And curled up against his wide, muscular back.

* * *

S
LOAN
DIDN
’
T
FALL
ASLEEP
while Kendall was in the lavatory; he was wide-awake, tense. He hadn’t been completely honest with her about the man they’d intercepted. The intruder wasn’t a contract killer—but he’d been sent to scout information about the Callahans and relay whatever he learned back to his employers.

Sloan’s brothers had not quite drawn all the information from the scout—but they would. As much as the man actually knew, anyway. Sloan doubted the team of mercenaries who’d hired the nearly illiterate man had told him much. His brothers would get out what they could.

Sloan saw no reason to share any of this with Kendall. He heard her moving around in the bathroom, situating his clothes, and thought about what might have happened to her if she hadn’t been so fast, so courageous, when she’d been attacked. Her sense of independence had already been shaken. She didn’t need to know any more about the scout.

She needed to leave the ranch, though. Sloan had to convince her.

She came out of the bath, and the scent of strawberry wafted to him. He felt her get into bed, lift the covers and settle in. He let out a breath—then tensed up hard when the pillows moved. The movement was deliberate, and he couldn’t miss the message when she curled up against his back, laying her cheek between his shoulder blades.

Sloan squeezed his eyes shut. “What’s up, baby girl?”

She ran a hand up his chest, holding him to her. “Make love to me, Sloan.”

He swallowed hard. “You’ve had a shock, Kendall. It’s normal to reach out. But that’s not what you really want.”

“Glad to hear I’m normal.” Her forehead pressed against his back; he could feel her slight breath against his skin. Ripples of desire ran through him. He deserved a medal for withstanding this onslaught of female invitation. She slipped her hand down his abs, flattening her palm above his groin. “But I don’t need a psychological evaluation. I need you.”

He was only so much of a saint. In fact, he wasn’t a saint at all. Sloan rolled over, crushing her beneath him. He took her hand, shoved it up above her head so that he pinned her. “Kendall, tomorrow you’ll feel differently. Tonight you’re scared. I understand that. But I’m not the answer.”

“I’m not looking for answers.” She moved his hand off her wrist and ran her palms up his back, pressing him closer. “You treat me like a china doll. As if you’re afraid of me.”

“I’m not...” Kendall did scare the hell out of him. They had nothing in common except Rancho Diablo, which wasn’t even his home, nor hers.

The problem was how much he wanted her.

Chapter Eight

It wasn’t easy throwing herself out on the edge. Kendall knew Sloan would probably have some kind of alpha-male fit all over her for trying to seduce him. He treated her like she was too fragile to have human emotions. She did—and right now, she was giving in to them.

“I want you, Sloan.”

He didn’t reply. He’d tensed up, practically a hard stone fortress in her arms—but then his lips touched hers, seeking, before turning demanding.

Sparks ignited inside her. She kissed him back, drawing him to her, not about to let him get up on his good-soldier horse and ride away. Moving her hips beneath his, she teased and mocked his self-control, daring him to turn away from her.

He groaned, and the teasing turned to urgency. Sloan kissed her like a dying man, his touch stroking, invading, loving.

Kendall thought she would scream if he didn’t let go of his iron self-control. He was hard and muscular in her arms, his lips everywhere—and at the moment she thought she was going to die if she didn’t get him inside her. But then Sloan slid her legs open, filling her.

She closed her eyes, holding him tight, enjoying the rocking of their bodies. Stars seemed to glitter behind her eyes and she opened them to center herself. Sloan kissed her deeply, his mouth hungrily devouring hers, and there was no centering herself.

She let the magic completely possess her.

* * *

O
KAY
. H
E
’
D
LOST
his mind.

There was no other way to explain what he’d done last night. Sloan had slept with Kendall wrapped around him, his face buried in her hair. When he’d climbed from the bed to head out into the cold for the chores, he’d had to shove away the desire to linger, make love to her again. Kendall murmured a sleepy protest when he left, but he didn’t allow her siren song to entice him.

He met his brothers in the barn. “Where’s the scout?”

“Gone.” Galen glanced his way. “Is that lipstick on your mouth?”

Sloan scrubbed a hand across his face. “Hell, no.”

“Didn’t think so.” Galen slung a saddle onto a dark chestnut Thoroughbred and grinned. “You wouldn’t fall for your assignment.”

He wouldn’t. Sloan grabbed a pitchfork and began tossing hay into stalls. “Gone where?”

“Falcon and Tighe are dropping him off somewhere.” Galen’s face gave nothing away. “It’ll be a while before he makes it back this way.”

Sloan nodded. “Good.” Wherever his brothers took the scout, they’d be careful about not leaving tracks. “Did we get any info about who hired him?”

“Not much. Just what we already knew, which is that there are three mercs out there in the canyons, confirming the chief’s count.”

Sloan didn’t feel comforted that there were only three. “Had he managed to communicate any of our information or positions?”

“No. He claimed he was supposed to check in last night.”

“Do we believe him?”

Galen shrugged. “It’s irrelevant. What he’ll let them know—when he gets out of the endless canyon he’s taken to—is that we know about them. It will move the game forward more quickly than they wished.”

Sloan turned. “What was his name?”

“Storm Cash. We found ID on him and Ashlyn was pretty good at getting information from him.”

Sloan grimaced. “Was he Kendall’s attacker?”

“Yeah. He meant to take her hostage. Figured she knew something about the family he could use. She fought harder than he expected, so things got a bit out of hand. I don’t think he really meant to hurt her, but she’s tough.”

Kendall
was
tough. Tough-minded, tough in spirit.

He admired that.

“You like her.”

Sloan didn’t glance at Galen. “I like everyone. Haven’t you heard? I’m a really friendly guy.”

His brother laughed. “That’s a new one.” He went off whistling. Sloan ignored Galen’s assertion—or he tried. The truth was that he’d known Kendall for all of three days and he’d been unable to resist her.

She was clouding the mission, his mind, his heart.

After he finished his chores, Sloan went to the house to check on Kendall. He felt fairly safe with her being in the house during the day, because Fiona and Burke were always around. There was safety in numbers. Wasn’t that what the chief had said?

Sloan hoped the nagging sensation would cease once he laid eyes on her.

Kendall wasn’t in her room. She wasn’t in the kitchen, nor her bath. Ignoring a flash of anxiety, he checked in the library.

“She went out,” Fiona said from behind him. “Not that we wanted her to. I told her that Burke would go get whatever she needed. She said she was going stir-crazy.”

“The roads are closed.” Sloan frowned. “Where could she go?”

“Oh.” Fiona waved a hand. “She’s on the ranch. She went to take some photos of the area where the new bunkhouse will be. Said this was the perfect weather and conditions to show her how the light falls at certain times. Kendall said it was important to see that.” Fiona nodded. “Light is very important to a home.”

Sloan swallowed hard. “How did she go?”

“In the military jeep, although she talked about riding. I told her perhaps her leg wasn’t healed enough for fighting through the snow on a horse, as stalwart as most of ours are.” Fiona placed a fresh blackberry cobbler on the table. “Don’t worry. Kendall’s one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. She won’t do anything to endanger herself. Mind you, I told her she should be resting, but Kendall’s never in her life been in a bed for more than two consecutive days. Still, the intruder’s been caught, so there’s no danger at the moment. Right?”

Sloan shrugged on his oilskin. He went out the door without another word.

In his opinion, Kendall had already endangered herself. Fear stewed inside him, warning him that trouble was closer than he wanted it to be.

* * *

S
LOAN
SAW
K
ENDALL
right where she’d told Fiona she’d be. Staying back, he watched her, keeping himself hidden. She wouldn’t take kindly to interference.

To her credit, Kendall stayed in the jeep as she took photos. She had a zoom lens on her camera. Every once in a while she checked the sky, factoring the light into her calculations.

He could almost hear her mind whirring with plans for the new bunkhouse. Jonas wouldn’t have hired her if she wasn’t the best. She would completely understand and execute his vision for Rancho Diablo and his other ranch, Dark Diablo.

She fascinated Sloan.

After ten more minutes of photographing the cold, snow-covered landscape, Kendall started the jeep and drove away. Sloan took a deep breath and turned his horse to follow the jeep tracks packing the snow.

He was going to give her hell for not noticing the hoofprints already in the jeep tracks as she returned to the ranch.

But he underestimated her. All of a sudden, the vehicle halted, then drove in a wide circle. She pulled up beside his horse, glaring at him.

“I don’t need a bodyguard.”

“Maybe you don’t.”

“You’re carrying this caution too far,” Kendall said. “The man who attacked me was caught.” When Sloan didn’t reply, she said, “Look, soldier. I’d rather have you as a lover than a bodyguard.”

He blinked, completely caught off guard. “I guess it can’t be both.”

She shook her head. Sloan’s heart sank a little. Her long hair was in a ponytail, covered by a blue ski cap. She had on a blue parka that matched her eyes. She wore some kind of black pants that looked warm and protected her injury.

“It can’t be both because I left the house for ten minutes and you followed me. I’m carrying—a small gun, but enough to slow someone down—and I drove a jeep with all-wheel traction. I have my cell phone. Fiona knew where I was, as did Ashlyn.” Kendall’s frown didn’t mar her beauty, but he felt it in his bones. “I’ve taken all the precautions. And yet here you are.”

“You’re my assignment,” Sloan said.

After a long moment she nodded. “I know.”

She started the jeep and drove off.

Sloan followed, wishing an assignment was all Kendall was to him. It would be so much easier that way.

* * *

K
ENDALL
WAS
IN
BED
when he went up to her room a few hours later. She was moving around photos she’d laid out on a board, but didn’t look up. “I don’t need a bodyguard.”

“I got that message.”

Her eyes met his. “So you don’t need to be in my room.”

That stopped him cold. “You want Ashlyn or one of my brothers to—”

“No. I don’t.” She put the photos on the nightstand, laid the board against the wall by the bed. “I’m not going to live in fear. I was scared because of what happened to me. I’m not going to be anymore.”

“Okay.” He didn’t like it, but her decision had to be her own. He’d known making love to her was a mistake. It made casual, professional interaction between them impossible. “I’m going.”

She nodded. “Thanks for understanding.”

“I do.” He looked at Kendall for a long moment, wishing that he’d met her under different circumstances. “See you around.”

He went out of her room, heading down the stairwell.

“Hi,” Ashlyn said. “Where’s Kendall?”

“Taking a nap.” He didn’t want to admit she’d given him his pink slip. “Where is everybody?”

Ashlyn smiled, went into the kitchen. She picked up a huge bowl of popcorn sitting on the counter. “Everybody’s at their posts. Why aren’t you at yours?”

She offered him the popcorn. He shook his head.

“I’m going to need a new post.”

“You can take mine. I’m getting fat. If Fiona has a spare minute, she sticks something in the oven.” His sister’s eyes sparkled. “I weighed myself. I’ve actually gained three pounds. That’s about a pound a day since we’ve been here.”

“You could use it.” He glanced at the ceiling, wondering what Kendall was doing. The problem with her running him off was that he wouldn’t know what she was doing all the time. She was right in that respect: he’d been relying on his job as bodyguard for an excuse to be around her, see her. “Why’d you let her go out by herself?”

Ashlyn stared at him. “This isn’t a prison, brother.”

“Okay.” He let out a breath. Maybe he was being paranoid. “Aren’t we here to keep an eye on things?”

Ash munched some popcorn. “The family is gone. We’re here in an overseer capacity now, more than anything.”

She was right. He couldn’t put Kendall in a bottle to keep her safe.

Xav came in, shaking snow from his shoulders as he entered. “If this is any indication of what Christmas will be like, I predict it’ll be white.”

Sloan noticed his sister sat up straighter when Xav appeared. She offered him the popcorn bowl and Xav took a handful. The whole thing happened silently, as if this was a normal routine. Expected.

Sloan frowned, realizing his little sister might have a thing for Kendall’s twin.

“Is this dinner?” Xav asked, his gaze on Ash.

“Maybe,” she said, her eyes sparkling.

Sloan’s radar went up. This wasn’t like his sister. He couldn’t remember her ever sparkling for a male before.

“How’s my sister?” Xav asked Sloan.

“Independent.”

He laughed. “I know. I’ll go talk to her.” He left the kitchen. Ash’s gaze followed him, then returned to Sloan.

“Not a good idea,” he said.

“Because it’s not like you have eyes for Kendall or anything,” Ash said sweetly.

Sloan drummed his fingers on the table for a second. Ash offered him the popcorn again. This time he shook his head. “It won’t amount to anything.”

Her brows rose. “That’s your decision. No one says you have to be a eunuch.”

He winced. That was one thing he wasn’t. In fact, if he could head up the stairs and jump in bed with Kendall right now, he’d do it in a heartbeat.

“I think you’re afraid of her,” Ash said, wandering off with the popcorn. “She’s really pretty nice, brother.”

He shook his head. He knew just how nice she was.

That was the problem.

* * *

“H
OW
’
S
THE
LEG
?
”

Kendall smiled at her brother as he settled into the chair next to the window. “So much better. I have a bone to pick with you, by the way.”

“Pick away.” Xav propped his fingers in a steeple, grinning at her. “Does this have anything to do with the annoyed soldier downstairs? I swear I haven’t made any big-brother noises about the two of you at all.”

Kendall wagged a finger at him. “No changing the subject. And there’s nothing to make noises about.”

“Which is why he sleeps in your room at night.” Xav nodded. “Makes perfect sense. He’s just a great guy, and you’re a nun.”

Kendall ignored her brother’s teasing. “I want to know what you thought you were doing early this morning. I saw you and some of the other Callahans drag that man into the bunkhouse. Tell me exactly what happened. You nearly gave me heart failure!”

Her brother looked pleased with himself. “There’s nothing to tell. But you’ve got to know that it’s a brother’s privilege to have a small chat with a thug who sent his sister to the hospital.”

“You’ve changed so much.” Kendall shook her head. “I thought it was only Gage and Shaman who got sucked into Rancho Diablo. But you’re all the way in now.”

“You’re not exactly staying away.” Xav smiled at her. “I noticed you didn’t ride out with the caravan to go back to the family compound.”

She looked at her twin. “My job is here.”

He clearly didn’t believe her. “We run a global company. Your phone never stops ringing, even when you’re lying in bed. Tell me why you can’t do this job from Hell’s Colony.”

“I actually thought about leaving,” Kendall admitted. “It would simplify things.”

“And yet?”

She didn’t want to. Not yet. “You win,” she said softly. “I may have a slight crush on an outlaw.”