Page 73 of His Forgotten Colton Fiancee

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A promise he intended to keep.

Doubts had flickered on her face. West didn’t know what hurt more, her failure to trust him fully, or the memories she’d kicked up with her questions about his childhood.

And his burned palm.

He’d hoped being alone out here would ease her back into the relationship they once shared. Instead, no memories surfaced. It was starting all over again, with Quinn getting to know him, except for his faint, deep fear that she’d change her mind.

Decide she didn’t want to get married, decide she never wanted to see him again. West didn’t want her to know about hisfamily, the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Not now. Those wounds ran too deep and Quinn had wounds of her own to heal.

And once she discovered his true assignment in Red Ridge?

Would she kick him to the curb, or forgive him for hiding the truth from her?

West felt confident the old Quinn would lean toward forgiveness. This Quinn, who hardly knew him, might not be so merciful.

After dinner, she headed into the bedroom. West washed up, thinking of this area, these woods that could hide Demi Colton herself.

He finished washing the dishes and went into the bedroom. West ground to a halt, seeing Quinn stretched out on the bed in her fleece pajamas.

She looked defenseless, young and vulnerable in her sleep. For a moment he felt tempted to bend over, kiss her awake.Like Prince Charming to Sleeping Beauty.

This was no fairy tale, and he needed to remember Quinn had a long recuperation period ahead of her. She required rest, not long, loving kisses.

No matter how passionate those kisses were.

West covered her with a thick wool blanket. Sighing, he headed into the living room to resign himself to another night sleeping on the sofa.

First, hewent outside, taking Rex with him. The Lab bounded off toward a tree. Bracing his hands on the porch railing, West relaxed. The woods always comforted him, solitude never bothered him. He preferred to be alone. Until Quinn had come along.

Sounds of the night greeted him, insects humming in the nearby field, an owl hooting close by...

Gunfire.

He listened.

Far off in the distancecame another series of shots. Large caliber, perhaps a rifle. Gunfire in these mountains wasn’t unusual. Probably some drunk taking potshots at a tree trunk.

But the gunfire came from the direction of Pine Paradise Cabins.

West circled around the cabin, checked the property. Phone lines and electrical were underground and protected by ridges of razor wire, and couldn’t be easily cut byintruders. It was why he’d elected to stay here with Quinn. Security was tight.

Still, unease pricked his skin. West whistled for Rex, who came running, and then locked the dead bolt after they went inside. He shut and locked all the windows, checking the bolts.

Before getting ready for bed, he took his pistol, made sure it was loaded and set it on the end table by the sofa.

If someonefound out Quinn was here and came after her, that bastard would have to go through him first.