(Calahan Cowboys 08) The Cowboy Soldier's Sons Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Are you staying, Kendall?”
    She glanced at Tempest. “No.”
    “Don’t go because of me,” Tempest said.
    Kendall gave her a sour look. “I’m off to Rancho Diablo to check on my other brother, the one who isn’t in hiding out here in the middle of nowhere, and my darling niece.”
    Shaman grinned. “You know, Kendall, if you ever got out of those power suits and let your hair down—”
    “I’d find myself propositioning men for babies? I don’t think so.” His sister slid off the stool. “I’m only staying at Rancho Diablo for the night. I have to get back to Hell’s Colony. Mom’s not feeling well, and—”
    “You didn’t say anything about that,” Shaman said.
    “I shouldn’t have to,” Kendall retorted. “She’s old. She wants her son at home. No big shock, right?”
    He recognized guilt as one of Kendall’s weapons, and pulled her to him so that he could rub her hair and muss it up, the way he had when they were children. And later, when they were teens. She shrieked predictably, making him grin. “That felt great,” Shaman said.
    Kendall grabbed her purse. “I’m glad it was good for you. If Gage does come to pound your stuffings, I hope he succeeds. Goodbye, Tempest. Was that your name?” Kendall frowned. “It fits.”
    Tempest smiled at her and reached out to shake hands. “Tempest Thornbury. It’s nice to meet you, Kendall.”
    “Tempest...Thornbury?” She frowned again. “Not the Tempest Thornbury from New York, who used to sing and act on—”
    “One and the same,” Shaman said cheerfully, loving the shocked expression on his sister’s face.
    Kendall glanced at the picnic basket, then back at her. “No wonder you don’t want to come home, Shaman.”
    He laughed. “And you thought I just spent all my time on the roof.”
    “I think you’re crazy. But at least if she wants to have a baby, she won’t be after your money, too. I guess.” Kendall shook her head. “Be nice to my big brother, or I’ll send mean critics after you. Love you, Shaman. Please come home soon and give Xav a man-to-man chat. This well-planted daisy is on the level of Gage’s first wife, if you know what I mean. Bad all the way around.”
    Kendall left, a smooth slide of silk and high heels moving out the door. Shaman followed, walking her to the car, then making sure she was safely belted inside. “I love you,” he told her. “I’ll come home at some point. I just don’t know when. And no family chats with Xav. It’s his life.”
    “Make it soon.” She drove away, and Shaman went back inside.
    Tempest was pouring two glasses of wine.
    “I’m glad you’re here,” he told her, ignoring the wine and pulling her close.
    “Really?” She snuggled against his chest, and Shaman closed his eyes, loving the feel of her in his arms.
    “Yes. I miss you.” He kissed her hair, breathing the scent of her in. “You know, they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
    Tempest ground his foot under hers, which didn’t do any damage because of the steel-toed work boots he wore, but he got the message. “So back to this baby talk you and Cat had.”
    “It was Cat’s idea,” Tempest said, and he said, “Oh, come now, Cupertino, teenagers don’t think that kind of stuff up. Don’t blame my precocious niece.” He scooped her into his arms. “You carry the wine, and we’ll go talk some more about how babies are made. I want to see where you’re going with this.”
    “Soldier, I think you know just fine.” Tempest grabbed the glasses and let him carry her down the hall.

Chapter Three
    The funny thing was that once Tempest had mentioned “baby” to him, Shaman found himself actually thinking about it. A lot. Wasn’t a man supposed to run at the thought of a woman who wanted to get pregnant with his child?
    He didn’t.
    It had been a week since she’d been by with her picnic basket, and he was still mulling over her offhand comment. Maybe she’d been playing