The Renegade And The Heiress. Judith Duncan

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СКАЧАТЬ his vest and set about fixing the meager meal, which consisted of opening the heated vacuum packs and dumping the contents back in the pot. Recalling that she had said she was thirsty when they were still on the trail, he stuck a spoon in his shirt pocket, then scooped a tin cup into the ice-cold water in the pail. With the pot in his other hand, he crossed to the bunk. Soundlessly he set the cup on the wooden slats and crouched down, studying the woman on the bunk.

      The flickering flames in the stove cast her face in a soft light, banishing most of the shadows. She was sitting in the same position, with her head turned against the wall and her mouth slightly opened, presenting him with her unobstructed profile. Delicate features, full mouth, an aristocratic nose and long, long lashes. His expression sober, Finn assessed what he saw. All the evidence added up to money. The sweater she was wearing was cashmere, the studs in her ears were unquestionably diamonds, and just visible below the cuff of his sheepskin coat was the platinum wristwatch. And even if it weren’t for all those obvious and visible markers, he would have suspected it anyway. He had dealt with enough high rollers in his business to recognize the signs. There was just that air about her, a nuance that reeked of priceless things. And even he could tell that her thick curly hair hadn’t been styled in some discount cut-and-hack shop.

      A flicker of light caught in her magnificent hair, and a funny, full feeling climbed up Finn’s chest. Suddenly he felt very alone and solitary. Dragging his gaze away from her face, he wearily rolled his shoulders, his attention snagging on her left hand, which was lying motionless in her lap. No rings—no huge diamond solitaire, no wide platinum band, not even a telltale mark.

      Realizing his thoughts were heading down a trail that didn’t go anywhere, Finn gave his head a disgusted shake. He had no time for mental slips like that. Right now he had a job to do, and that was getting some hot food into her.

      Schooling his expression, he grasped her shoulder and gave her a gentle shake, then spoke, his tone gruff. “You’re going to have to open those eyes, Red. Supper is ready.”

      As if taking a massive effort on her part, she opened her eyes and turned her head, her gaze still slightly unfocused. She licked her lips, then spoke, her voice sounding rusty and a tiny bit belligerent. “Don’t call me Red, either.”

      One corner of Finn’s mouth lifted as he met her gaze, his amusement surfacing. This one had a bit of scrap in her; that was for sure. He handed her the tin mug, and she closed her eyes and drank the water as if parched with thirst; then she looked at him, her expression softening as she handed him the cup. “Thank you,” she whispered, a husky quality in her voice.

      Finn set the mug on the floor, then raised the pot he was holding. “This restaurant isn’t exactly in the best part of town, and it’s damned short of amenities, so I’m afraid you’re going to have to eat out of the pot.”

      She stared at him a moment; then she smiled, her eyes lighting up. She grasped the pot and took the spoon he offered. She met his gaze, her voice soft and husky when she responded. “With all those candles, it looks pretty darned first class to me.” The firelight glimmered in her eyes and she smiled at him again. “But right now I couldn’t care less about ambiance. I’m so hungry I could eat this bunk.”

      Finn gave her a lopsided grin and tapped the pot. “Well, have at it. It’s not prime rib, but it goes down okay.”

      She took a mouthful and closed her eyes, reveling in the taste. “God, nothing has ever tasted this good.” She savored it a split second longer; then she practically attacked the stew, her hunger obvious, her hair like fire around her face. Crouched on the floor, Finn watched her, amusement altering his expression. He’d bet his bottom dollar that right now, she’d give a starving wolf a run for his money.

      Picking up the tin mug, he got to his feet and crossed to the stove. Fishing two tea bags out of another can, he tossed them into the boiling water, then set the pot aside, giving it a chance to steep. A burst of fragrance was released from the perforated bags, the smell kicking off his own appetite. Right now, he could give a starving wolf some competition.

      Using a glove as a pot holder, he filled her mug and a second one, then carried both over to the bunk, setting hers on the bare slats. Lifting his mug, he took a sip, watching her eat, wondering how long she’d gone without food. The way she was going after that stew, it had to be quite a while.

      As if feeling his gaze on her, she looked up, her expression going very still when she saw he had only a mug in his hand. Then she abruptly clapped her hand over her face, obviously realizing the pot held shared portions. “Lord, I’m such a dummy.” Dropping her hand, she looked up at him, and even in the inadequate light, he could tell that she was blushing. “I’m not normally such a pig,” she said, extending the pot to him and looking sheepish. Then she gave him a warped smile. “I get a little territorial about food.”

      Folding his arms, Finn leaned back against the corner of the roughed-in closet. Watching her over the rim, he took another sip, then offered a warped smile of his own. He indicated the nearly empty pot with his mug. “Go ahead and finish it off. There’s more where that came from.”

      As if assessing him, she stared at him a moment, then gave him another sheepish grin. “If you were a gentleman, you’d turn your back on my gluttony. I tend to shovel when I’m this hungry.”

      Amusement pulling at his mouth, Finn watched her a second longer, then went over to the stove, picked up the poker and stoked the fire. “By all means, shovel away.” Aware of the scrape of the spoon in the pot, he took the package of trail mix out of his saddlebag. Hooking the leg of a battered chair with his foot, he dragged it over to the stove, then sat down. He stretched out and propped his feet on the fender, watching the flames dance as he ate a handful of the trail mix. It was a miracle he’d found her. In all those thousands and thousands of acres of pure wilderness, it was a damned miracle. If he believed in it, he would have said it was fate.

      “The china aside, dinner was excellent. Do I get to tip the waiter?”

      His feet still propped on the fender, his cup of tea clasped in his hand, Finn turned his head and looked at her. The food and hot tea had had the desired effect. The sluggishness had disappeared and her eyes were absolutely clear. Sprawling in the old willow chair, he crossed his arms and considered her. With the effects of whatever was in her system obviously worn off, it was time to do a little tracking.

      His gaze fixed on her, he took another sip of tea. Then he lowered the tin mug and cradled it in his hands, his eyes still riveted on her. Finally he spoke, his tone even. “I think it’s about time you gave me some answers, Red. Like who you are and what in hell you’re doing here.”

      As if someone had just pulled the plug on her newly restored vitality, she carefully set her mug down on the wooden bunk and as if suddenly cold, she pulled the blanket up around her shoulders. Avoiding his gaze, she took off the extra socks he had put on her, her expression drawn, the flickering light from the candles casting her face in a patina of soft light.

      There was a brief silence; then she finally spoke, her tone almost too quiet. “My name is Mallory O’Brien.” She hesitated a moment, then let out a sigh and tipped her head back against the wall and stared at the ceiling, her expression stark. “And to be absolutely honest, I don’t have a clue what’s going on.”

      Finn didn’t say anything as he continued to watch her. He sensed she was gearing up to go on with her story, and he simply waited her out. Finally she dropped her head and met his gaze. She stared at him a moment, then began toying with the corner of the blanket. Her voice was devoid of emotion when she spoke. “None of it makes any sense. I live in Chicago. I was driving back to my apartment early last night, and I stopped for a red light. Two men wearing black ski masks yanked СКАЧАТЬ