Four Babiesâand Her Whole Familyâto Protect
Ashlyn Callahan has always known that her fate can only bring danger to those she loves. Thatâs why she flees Rancho Diabloâand the ornery cowboy she lovesâto hide out in Texas Hill Country. But all hell breaks loose when Xavier Phillips finds herâ¦and her four newborn babies.
Xav finally tracks down his warrior womanâonly to discover sheâs the mother of two perfect little boys and two perfect little girls. And heâs the father! Now Ash has to marry him. With the future of Ashâs entire clan at stake, Xav is ready to lay his life on the line to safeguard the family legacy. Not to mention create a homecomingâand a wedding!âworthy of his Chacon Callahan bride!
He needed this family. He needed her.
Xav pulled Ash toward him, wrapped her in his arms. âYou still smell like peaches, youâre still soft as rain water and you still fit right under my heart.â
âI am the hunted one,â Ash said quietly. âYouâre trying to protect me.â
âGage, Shaman, Kendall and Ashlyn,â he said against her hair, drinking in the scent of her and the feel of her in his arms.
âWhat?â
âThose are the middle names I choose. And you should be impressed with my ability to select baby names when I didnât even know I was a father four hours ago. Briar Kendall, Skye Ashlyn, Valor Shaman and Thorn Gage. Phillips. Named after my brothers and sister. Have to have the other side of the family represented.â
She moved out of his arms. âCallahan, not Phillips.â
He hauled her into his lap as he sat down on the poufy old-fashioned sofa. âHereâs the deal. You marry me, and you can pick all the names.â
Dear Reader,
We always knew that Ashlyn and Xav were destined to be togetherâbut who knows if the Callahan family can survive the evil from the past that has long haunted them?
Ash Callahan is a free spirit, and in her soul rests the future of Rancho Diablo. Thereâs only one man who can help her find her familyâs happy endingâbut her four darling babies are a secret Ash must keep for now!
Xav Phillips knows only one thing: he must find Ash and bring her home to the ranch where she belongs in time for Christmas. Itâs never easy to convince the silver-haired wild woman he has loved for so long about anything, but he knows his newârather largeâfamily is meant to live at Rancho Diablo. Convincing Ash to marry him and wear the magic wedding dress will be another challenge, yet as the past colors the future, Xav knows he must fight for a Callahan homecoming, the sweetest homecoming of all.
I hope you enjoy the final story in the Callahan legend. These were stories from my heart! The letters Iâve received about the Callahans let me know that this family touched your heart, tooâthank you ever so much for your heartfelt support on this amazing journey!
Best wishes always,
Tina
www.TinaLeonard.comwww.Facebook.com/AuthorTinaLeonardwww.Facebook.com/TinaLeonardBookswww.Twitter.com/Tina_Leonard
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.
Grateful thanks to the many wonderful readers who walked with me on the journey to find the Callahan familyâs happy endingâI have been so blessed.
âThe spirits guide us, and we heed the call.â
âChief Running Bear to his seven Callahan warriors
Prologue
Ashlyn Callahanâs six brothers stared at the man on the ground, then at their petite, silver-haired sister.
âDid you kill him, Ash?â Galen asked.
âSomeone had to do it,â Ash said, glaring at the semicircle of men whom sheâd summoned to the stone-and-fire ring where evil Uncle Wolf had surprised her. As if sheâd known that this was the moment she was born for, Ash had swiftly raised her weapon and fired. âYouâre the doctor, Galen. Check him out and see if it was a good hit.â
Dante knelt near Wolf as Galen looked him over. Tighe stood close by her side, and Jace watched the canyons, keeping a wary eye out for Wolfâs mercenaries. Falcon went to get Galenâs medical bag from the military jeep, and Sloan headed up onto a nearby rock ledge to act as lookout. Her brothers supported her, and that support made her strong.
âIf heâs dead, know that Iâm not sorry,â Ash said flatly. Sheâd aimed to kill, and she was willing to admit it to anyone who asked, even though all the Callahans had been warned not to hurt their treacherous uncle. Their grandfather, Chief Running Bear, had always said that no harm was to befall his son Wolfâat least not from the family.