Holidays on the Ranch (Burnt Boot, Texas #1)(74)

Good grief! Callie thought. Where is she hiding that much liquor anyway? She must have brought one hell of a big purse in here.

The band’s guitar player struck a chord. The lead singer stepped up to the microphone and, with only the guitar behind her, started singing “White Christmas.”

Finn waited for the first Brennans to take the floor before he picked up Callie’s hand and asked, “May I have this dance, Miz Callie?”

She stepped into his arms, and instant heat flowed through her veins as one hand possessively rested on her lower back and one loosely held her hand. The fabric of his black Western-cut jacket kept her from feeling the muscles in his shoulder, but his heart kept time with hers, and his eyes were glued to hers.

The candlelight flickered in his crystal-clear blue eyes rimmed by the blackest lashes she’d ever seen on a man. She was wallowing in them when suddenly he twirled her out and then brought her back in a move that sent her arms around his neck, and both of his hands came to rest a little lower than the small of her back.

“I’m wondering how this dress would hold up in a hayloft,” she said.

“I’m glad I’m wearing a jacket, or everyone in this place would know I’m about to bust out my zipper,” he whispered.

“We can’t leave yet, can we?” she asked.

“Playdate isn’t over until midnight,” he said.

“Then we’d best dance with other people so we don’t catch the place on fire.”

“I don’t want anyone else to dance with you.”

“Jealous?” she asked.

“Hell yes.”

Quaid Brennan tapped Finn on the shoulder and said, “May I cut in?”

The minute that Finn stepped back, Honey looped her arms around his neck, and just like that, they’d changed partners.

“You are beautiful tonight, Miz Callie. I’m going to cut to the chase without the flirting because this song is about to end. Can I take you to dinner tomorrow night?” Quaid was pretty with his blond hair, green eyes, and chiseled, ruggedly handsome face, but he wasn’t Finn O’Donnell.

“Thank you but no thank you.”

“Are you and Finn more than boss and hired hand?”

“You might say that.”

“My ranch is bigger than his,” Quaid teased.

“It’s not the size of the ranch, darlin’. It’s the heart that runs it,” she answered.

The song ended and Quaid was quickly replaced by another cowboy. “May I have this dance, ma’am? I’ve been watching you from across the room, and you float like an angel with your feet not even touching the floor.”

He pulled her in for a two-step as the male singer started a traditional tune from Alabama called “Christmas in Dixie.”

He was Quaid’s opposite with a crop of jet-black hair that looked like he’d just crawled out of bed, brown eyes rimmed with black lashes, and heavy brows. Put him in a three-piece suit and Hollywood could make him into a member of the Italian mob.

“I’m Cam Brennan, and I’d be honored if you’d come to dinner here at the ranch after church this Sunday,” he said.

“Thank you, Cam, but I’ve got four kids at home that I’m responsible for. I don’t think I’ve ever known a Cam before,” she said.

“Mama liked Cameron, but Daddy shortened it,” he said. “You sure I can’t change your mind about dinner? How would it be if I challenge Finn to a duel and whoever is left standing gets to have your company on Sunday?” he said.

“Finn O’Donnell was a sniper for the army. That’s classified, so don’t go tellin’ anyone. I only know because I was his spotter. We’re both pretty good with firearms, so my advice, Mr. Cam Brennan, is that you don’t mess with either of us.” She smiled sweetly.

“I like a feisty woman. If you ever decide to get out of a puddle and go swimmin’ in the ocean, come on over to River Bend. I’ll give you a job doin’ anything you want. Hell, you can just sit on the porch and look pretty, and I’ll pay you double whatever Finn is giving you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Callie said as the song ended.





Chapter 23


The clock on the pickup dashboard read twelve ten when Callie buckled her seat belt. She was irritable because she’d seen far too many women staring up into Finn’s pretty blue eyes all evening, and she had only gotten the first dance, the last one, and part of one in the middle of the evening with him.

“Tired?” He started the engine and drove down the long lane toward the road.

“To the bone. I’m glad the kids are home tomorrow. The boys can help you feed in the morning. And I’m damn glad that it’s Saturday, so we don’t have a workout. Are you aware that I haven’t had any target practice since I got here, though?”

“Then we’ll set up some targets in the barn tomorrow and do some shooting. You feelin’ like you might need to shoot something?” Finn asked.

“A whole bunch of somethings. If I took out one of the families, then there couldn’t be a feud, could there?”

“I was thinking that I’d stay in bed until about ten o’clock, you’d take care of chores, and then we could go play army until noon.”