The Blessed Blend by Allison Shaw Read Free Book Online Page A

it, and the little curvy body hidden under those loose-fitting clothes was as enticing as it had been four years back. The breeze carried her clean, sweet, earthy scent to his nostrils and he remembered the scent of her feminine musk as well. His heart thundered, his pulse quickened, and his loins tightened. She still turned him on like no other woman. He knew then for certain that he loved her.
    Always had.
    Always would.
    But he had hurt her, turned on her and away from her when she had done nothing to deserve it. He hadn’t been there for her as she had carried his bairns, gone through birthing them into this world, and cared for not one but two helpless infants through all the days and nights that had followed. He had been a bloody fool and a coward, and there was nothing he could do to make up for what he had done.
    If she hated him, he deserved it.
    If her family wanted to beat the hell out of him, he deserved that, too.
    So the two of them stood there, immobilized by their memories and feelings, by the years of anger and guilt and sorrow, and the shock of the present. Moments seemed to stretch out into eternity and yet neither could move nor speak. The rest of the world had fallen away.
    But the rest of the world was right there watching.
    Jim’s eyes flew from his grandchildren to this Scottish stranger and made the connection instantly. So did everyone else and the rest of the guests looked uncomfortable and nervous.
    Caleb swore.
    Mike gave a low whistle and slowly shook his head.
    Nancy Jo’s eyes widened and her mouth opened and closed without making a sound… and without hell freezing over as Jolena had so often warned would happen if anything ever shut the woman up.
    Even Brutus looked confused, as if unsure whether his mistress was in danger or meeting a mate, so he whined and growled while wagging his tail slowly and looking from one to the other.
    Four gray shadows came out of the woods and loped to within twenty yards of the group of humans, stopping with hackles raised and their ears and eyes focused intently upon their alpha.
    Five of the human strangers saw the wolves and nearly wet their pants.
    And just as the silence between Callie and Euan grew deafening and threatened to engulf all around them like a black hole, a small voice asked, “Mama, is this our daddy?”
    Callie felt something tugging on her hand. She looked down and saw Mountain Rose. The child was saying something but it sounded weird, as if Callie was standing by the sea with her head in a bucket.
    Mountain Rose spoke again. “Mama, I said is this my daddy? ”
    The child noticed the blank look on her mother’s face and felt confused and a bit frightened. She tugged again on Callie’s hand. “Mama, are you alright? Are you sick?” She turned to her grandfather and asked, “Grandpa, what’s wrong with Mama? She’s not hearing me!”
    Red Wolf stepped forward and looked up at Euan, his dark eyes searching the stranger’s face. Gifted with exceptional discernment, the boy read the man and saw his soul. Still looking at Euan, he stated matter-of-factly, “This is our daddy. He’s come for us.”
    That was all it took to get Callie moving. Pulling her hands free from her children’s she stepped towards Euan with her eyes narrowed and chin lifted defiantly. “Touch my children and I’ll kill you!” she snarled.
    Jim saw Callie’s eyes turn gun-metal gray and her face harden to stone. Knowing that she was armed and in a highly agitated state, he took her by the shoulders and placed himself between her and the Scotsman. Over his shoulder he ordered Caleb, “Go get your mother!”
    Caleb ran inside the lodge calling for Darlene and seconds later both of them came flying out the door.
    Darlene took Mountain Rose and Red Wolf by their hands and led them into the lodge. The children were beginning to become frightened and looked back at their mother, their anxiety visible in their widened eyes and knit brows.
    Jim barked at Euan