Quinn's Christmas Wish Read Free Page A

my affair.”
    Samuel laughed loudly. “I certainly appreciate your hospitality and your company. Furthermore, there is nothing much about my personal affairs you would find interesting.” He took another sip of the coffee and continued. “I boarded a ship from Alaska over a year ago and made my way to Seattle. Got tired of the cold, but still wanted the gold. I heard Bandit Creek was the hot spot…so here I am. That was all before the flood.”
    “Alaska! That is quite a distance.”
    “I’ve almost finished the construction of my cabin. It’s to the far west of Crow Mountain.”
    “You must like seclusion.”
    “I do like my privacy, but it is also close to my claim and the trap line.”
    “I see,” Amanda responded.
    A fellow could get lost in her baby blue eyes. He stood.
    “Miss Amanda I thank you for your company and the coffee, but I should be on my way.”
    “Oh.” She paused, but continued in a rush. “Perhaps I’ll see you in town sometime.”
    His mind was jumping to conclusions. Did she want to see him in town sometime?
    “Mr. Murphy did offer you a free meal and I am a very good cook, if I might say so.” She smiled with encouragement.
    “Yes, he did, didn’t he?”
    He walked to the door. Amanda spun to grab his jacket and as she did so managed to run into him. Her hands splayed across his chest while she tried to regain her balance. He found his arm wound around her slim waist. Her cornflower blue eyes locked with his. He could feel her heart beating almost as fast as his own. He stared at her ruby red lips, fighting the temptation he’d buried since the first moment he spotted her on the steps of the boarding house. No longer aware of what he was doing, he bent his head and sought the heaven he knew he’d find. His lips touched hers, sending shockwaves of passion through his body. He felt her body lean into his as she kissed him back.
    With all the strength he could muster, he ended the kiss and stepped back. Slowly, her eyes opened and her cheeks turned crimson.
    She spun away from him. “Oh, God forgive me! I don’t know what came over me.”
    Samuel gently turned her toward him once again. “This was my doing, not yours.” She stood speechless staring at him and he knew he had to get out or risk taking things further. Somehow, he could think of no words to say.
    She handed him his jacket and he opened the door. A gust of wind and swirling snow rushed in. Samuel motioned to the small stack of firewood. “You need more wood, Amanda.”
    “Yes, I suppose I do.” She nodded, pulling the door closed behind her while she stood on the porch. “Mr. Murphy is usually very good a stocking my supply, but I just haven’t wanted to bother him.”
    Samuel reached behind her and pushed the door back open. “You’ll catch your death of a cold. In you go. I’ll be back with wood for you tomorrow. No need to ask Mr. Murphy.”
    “Samuel, I really couldn’t impose on you in that way,” she protested.
    “I wasn’t asking. Get in the house now.”
    Before she could argue further, he marched down the steps and into the storm, heading down the street.
    He stopped and turned to look back at her house. She stood in the window, staring back at him. He knew one thing for certain. He wanted her.
    He’d stay at the boarding house tonight, he thought with a smile, already anticipating seeing her tomorrow. He tipped his head down and continued on his way when he heard the howl. Stopping dead in his tracks, he lifted his head. He’d heard that howl before. Straining to see in the blowing snow, a pair of red and gold eyes became visible. The wolf quickly disappeared out of sight.
    “I’ll be damned,” he said out loud. Why the hell was the wolf creature still following him? Instead of continuing to the Murphy’s Boarding house, Samuel turned in the direction of the saloon. He’d have time to grab a drink then head off to bed. It had been quite a day.
    He rounded the corner and found himself