Read Quinn's Woman for Free Online Page B

to grab her by her hair, haul her close and kiss her until they were both panting. He didn’t do that, either. Instead he waited.

    He wasn’t sure how long they would have played “you blink first.” Travis stood and moved between them, ending the contest. He put his hands on D.J.’s shoulders and not too gently pushed her into the chair.

    “Take a load off,” he said. “I’ll get you coffee.”

    She opened her mouth, then closed it. “Thanks,” she said, not sounding all that gracious.

    When Travis returned, he set the mug in front of her and sat back into his seat. “I see you’ve met Quinn, here. This is his brother, Gage.”

    D.J. glanced at Gage, nodded and returned her attention to Quinn. “I want answers.”

    He made a show of checking his watch. “I thought you’d be back sooner. You must have slept in. But after the night we had, I’m not surprised you were tired.”

    She half rose from her seat. Quinn expected the rifle to swing in his direction. But before she could get physical, Travis started to laugh.

    “I don’t think so,” he said easily. “D.J. would have chewed you up and spit you out.”

    Quinn met her gaze and raised his eyebrows. “I’m not so sure.”

    If he smirked, she was going to kill him, D.J. decided. Right there in front of witnesses. Although she wasn’t usually one for reckless behavior, Quinn had really pissed her off.

    She watched him drink his coffee, as if he had all the time in the world. Which he probably did. He looked rested, showered and utterly relaxed. She was tired, dirty and had leaves in her hair. Worse – he’d escaped. She wanted to know how and she wanted payback.

    She refused to acknowledge that some of her temper came from the memory of the brief kiss they’d shared. She still couldn’t believe she’d given in and actually kissed him...and liked it. Not that she would ever let him know.

    “How did you two meet?” Gage asked.

    “D.J. got the drop on me during the war games,” Quinn told his brother.

    Gage, about the same age as Quinn, with the same dark coloring and strong, good-looking features, straightened in surprise. “You’re kidding.”

    “Nope.”

    Gage’s expression turned doubtful, and D.J. didn’t blame him. As much as she’d wanted to be the one in charge, Quinn had been in control the entire evening. He’d only let her hold him prisoner for as long as it suited him. She wanted to know why. Even more, she wanted to find out all the things he knew that she didn’t.

    But how to ask?

    As she considered the question, she picked up her coffee and turned to thank Travis for bringing her the mug. It was only then she noticed how much her friend looked like Quinn and Gage. The same general build, the same coloring. Even the shapes of their dark eyes were similar.

    “What’s going on?” she asked. “Is there some kind of Haynes family look-alike contest going on?”

    Travis turned to her and smiled. “Funny you should say that.”

    Over breakfast in the mess tent, D.J. listened as Travis and Gage explained their surprising family connection. D.J. was more interested in Quinn’s early years than in his being a half brother to the Haynes family. Somehow she couldn’t picture a kid from Possum Landing, Texas, growing up to be a dangerous operative, but it had obviously happened.

    She picked up a piece of bacon and took a bite just as a tall, thin, very damp young man with flaming red hair walked over to the table.

    D.J. looked Ronnie over and sighed. “Did you get lost or captured?” she asked.

    He flushed. “Um, both, ma’am.”

    “I’m assuming you got lost first.”

    He hung his head. “Yes, ma’am. I apologize for not finding you again.”

    The men at the table had stopped talking to listen to her conversation. She eyed the eighteen-year-old. He already felt bad about what had happened. There was no point in chewing him out publicly. She’d never been into that sort of thing for