His Valentine Triplets. Tina Leonard
Three Little Callahans!
You could knock Rafe Callahan over with a feather. He and the very prim, very proper judge Julie Jenkins are having triplets! Rafe doesn’t expect their precious news to end the bad blood between the Callahans and Jenkinses. And as for saving his family’s New Mexico ranch, with three brothers married off, Rafe’s in fourth place. But that doesn’t stop the die-hard bachelor from proposing—feud or no feud.
Julie always had a soft spot for the long, lean cowboy. But Rafe’s still a Callahan, and if she says “I do,” she’ll be dealing with an army of bad-tempered in-laws and out-laws. Rafe’s promised her it wouldn’t be forever—just until their baby girls are born. That doesn’t stop the mother-to-be from dreaming of a future at Rancho Diablo—with Rafe as the happy father!
Rafe took a deep breath. “Julie, marry me.”
That got her attention. “Are you crazy?”
“Yes. It doesn’t have to be a forever thing. It doesn’t have to be a romantic thing. But let’s get married so that the babies will have the best start we can give them.”
She raised her brows. “Marrying you is a best start?”
“Yes. I know you don’t have a whole lot of reasons to trust me right now, but we need to do this for the children.”
“Not really. And don’t start with the father’s-last-name machismo. Jenkins is a fine name, a better name in this town than Callahan.”
Dear Reader,
Valentine’s Day is such a romantic day—a bright spot in cold February! For Rafe Callahan, romance was always a no-go with the beautiful Judge Julie Jenkins, his next-door neighbor and the bane of his existence. He found himself in quite a fix, falling for the one woman he knew he could never have—Julie simply didn’t think much of footloose, handsome Rafe. In Julie’s opinion, the man totally deserved the fifty red hearts she drew on his face while he was asleep—a practical joke his brothers heartily endorsed! But it seems that waking up covered in red ink was just the beginning, and somehow, sweet Valentine triplets were the next big surprise Julie had for the sexy cowboy!
I hope you enjoy this fourth book in the Callahan Cowboys series. It’s my great wish that His Valentine Triplets will add happiness and romance to your reading during this special season!
All my best,
Tina Leonard
www.tinaleonard.com
www.facebook.com/tinaleonardbooks
www.twitter.com/tina_leonard
His Valentine Triplets
Tina Leonard
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tina Leonard is a bestselling author of more than forty projects, including a popular thirteen-book miniseries for Harlequin American Romance. Her books have made the Waldenbooks, Ingram and Nielsen BookScan bestseller lists. Tina feels she has been blessed with a fertile imagination and quick typing skills, excellent editors and a family who loves her career. Born on a military base, she lived in many states before eventually marrying the boy who did her crayon printing for her in the first grade. Tina believes happy endings are a wonderful part of a good life. You can visit her at www.tinaleonard.com.
There are so many people I can never thank enough for the success in my writing career, but at the top of the list are my patient editor, Kathleen Scheibling; the magical cast of dozens at Harlequin who unstintingly shape the final product; my family, who are simply my rock; and the readers who have my sincere thanks for supporting my work with such amazing generosity and enthusiasm. Thank you.
Contents
Chapter One
“Rafe is too smart for his own good.”
—Molly Callahan, recognizing the seeds of mayhem in her too-bright toddler
As Augusts in New Mexico went, it was a hot one. Rafe Callahan stared at Judge Julie Jenkins in her black robe in the Diablo courtroom and felt a bit of an itch. Was it the heat, or was he just thinking about what they’d done in July when his steer had gotten tangled in her fence?
“Counsel,” Julie snapped to his brother, Sam. “Why should I recuse myself from hearing State v. Callahan? Have you any substantive reason to assume that I could not hear proceedings in this matter fairly?”
“Judge Jenkins,” Sam said deferentially, “as you know, your father, Bode Jenkins, has brought suit against our ranch, invoking the law of eminent domain.”
“Not my father,” Julie said, her tone stiff. “The State handles matters of eminent domain.”
Yeah, Rafe thought, and everyone but Julie seems to understand that her father is in it up to his neck with every government official and thief in the local and state governments. Good ol’ Dad can never do anything wrong in his little girl’s eyes, and vice versa.
Julie’s gaze flashed to him, then away. Guilt. It was written all over her beautiful face. He knew what was under that prim black robe, and it was the stuff of dreams, a body made for the gods. He’d been lucky enough to find the chink in her sturdy armor—a testament to the fact that she couldn’t resist him, Rafe thought smugly.
He’d made her guilty. Julie knew very well that their night together meant