Free Carrying the Rancher's Heir by Charlene Sands

in, the rich scent of olive oil and garlic and freshly baked bread perked up his appetite. John had raved about the food and Tagg was grateful to get away from the crowd of tourists in hotel row.
    He found the Cosgroves sitting in a corner booth lit with candles and decorated with a flower arrangement. Tagg made the introductions and helped Callie to her seat before taking his. John Cosgrove and his wife, Sadie, were in their early sixties but could keep up with anyone half their age. Tagg had always considered John not only a friend, but also a mentor back in his rodeo days.
    They talked horses and rodeo and Penny’s Song. Callie and Sadie had both grown up on a cattle ranch, so they had a good deal in common.
    â€œNot only is John a horse rancher, but he owns his own rodeo,” Tagg said to Callie.
    â€œThat’s how I met Tagg here,” John said. “He busted a few of my prize stallions in his day. He knows horses. And what about you? How did you get involved with this guy over here?”
    Callie’s face colored. “Oh, uh…”
    Sadie sent her husband a warning look. “John.”
    â€œCallie is a neighbor. She’s Hawk Sullivan’s daughter,” Tagg announced.
    John grinned. “Is that so?” He darted a glance at both of them.
    Callie nodded. “Yes, that’s right,” she said, then turned to glare at Tagg.
    He returned her look with a simple smile. He liked honesty. He wasn’t into pussyfooting around an issue.
    Callie cleared her throat. “I’ve just returned home from going to school and working in Boston. I found out about Penny’s Song and knew I wanted to be a part of it. Tagg and I, we are…are working together on the project.”
    â€œI’ve had some dealings with your father,” John said, catching Tagg’s eye before focusing on Callie. “He’s a smart negotiator.”
    Callie blew out a breath. She was uncomfortable talking about her father. “Thank you for that. I know you’re being kind.”
    Sadie steered the conversation back to a more amiable subject. “Tagg, did you know that Blue Yonder sired a stallion? I hear he’s a beauty, too.”
    â€œIs that so? I bet he’s spoken for already.” Tagg inhaled deep. He’d wanted to buy that Arabian for the past three years, but the owner wasn’t selling. The stallion had pure bloodlines and ancestry that could be traced back to Spain. “The Kents refused to even talk to me. Can’t say as I blame them. If I had that horse, I wouldn’t let another horseman get within a hundred yards of him.”
    â€œThere’s a list a mile long and an acre wide bidding on the foal.”
    â€œWhat’d they name him?”
    â€œWild Blue,” John said.
    Tagg pursed his lips. “Great name. I guess that ship has sailed. I’d bet my last dollar they keep him themselves.”
    Sadie shook her head. “You never know.”
    Tagg shrugged it off. He didn’t think so, but he wouldn’t argue with her.
    The food was delivered to the table—pasta with scallops and shrimp and about a dozen other things in a lemon wine sauce. There was no shortage of garlic, either. Tagg couldn’t remember eating a better meal.
    He glanced at Callie. She’d ordered an antipasto salad that overflowed the plate. He was glad to see she’d eaten more than half of it already. She wasn’t shy when it came to eating, but she did tend to eat lighter fare. And she’d refused the red wine that flowed into everyone else’s glasses.
    He watched her sip a glass of water carefully, then say something to Sadie. Callie looked elegant tonight. Dressed in black, her creamy skin glistened under candlelight and the play of light skin against dark hair and eyes made him stir with desire. He remembered how she looked minus the dress. It was a memory never far from his mind—a memory he’d like to