A.J. Locke: Spotliight! Quinn's Honor by Shirleen Davies

Description

Quinn’s Honor, Book Three, MacLarens of Boundary Mountain Historical Western Romance Series

“Every book of Shirleen's never fails to draw me in and make it impossible to put down until I devour it!”

Quinn MacLaren has one true love…Circle M, the family ranch. He makes it a habit of working hard and playing harder, spending time with experienced women who know he wants nothing more than their company. He buries the love he feels for one woman deep inside, knowing he’ll never be the man she needs.

Emma Pearce is a true ranch woman, working long hours to help keep the family ranch thriving. Feisty, funny, and reliable, she’s the girl all the single young men want—after they’ve sewn their wild oats. Few know Emma has her heart set on one man. A man who may never grow up enough to walk away from his wild ways and settle down.

When tragedy strikes, Quinn’s right where he doesn’t want to be—as temporary foreman of the Pearce ranch. Stepping in to fill Big Jim Pearce’s shoes isn’t easy. Neither is keeping his feelings for Emma hidden and his hands to himself. Honor-bound to do what is right, Quinn meets the challenge, losing Emma’s friendship in the process.

Adding to Quinn’s worries, something sinister is working its way through the thriving town of Conviction. Unforeseen forces are at work. Debt builds, families lose their ranches, and newcomers threaten to divide not only the land, but the people—including the Pearce family.

As events unfold, Quinn faces the difficult challenge of keeping his feelings for Emma hidden and his honor intact. Doing what he believes is right couldn’t feel more wrong.

After all, what’s a man without honor?

Quinn’s Honor, book three in the MacLarens of Boundary Mountain historical western romance series, is a full-length novel with an HEA and no cliffhanger.

Excerpt:

“I wondered if you’d decided to quit.”

Quinn spun around. Emma stood not six feet away, wrapped in a thin coat, her arms crossed. He took a couple steps toward her, surprised she’d gotten so close without him knowing.

“I didn’t hear you come in.”

She walked closer, closing the distance until they were a foot apart. She hadn’t seen the complete exhaustion on his face or the slump of his shoulders until now. He’d been working from dawn until late each night, doing what her pa hadn’t been able to do since Jimmy’s death. The ranch was in better shape than ever, the ranch hands having a competence they lacked before Quinn arrived. Even though she still felt some justification for her actions, all she’d done was make his life harder.

Reaching up, she swiped an errant strand of hair from his forehead. The rush of feelings when her fingers touched his skin, caused her face to heat. She licked her lips as a pulsing sensation rushed through her. Dropping her gaze to his eyes, her heart tripped at the intensity of his stare. His gray-blue eyes turned stormy, the color of the night sky when lightning ignited the heavens.

Her stomach fluttered and heart raced when he said nothing, continuing to study her. Before she could step away, Quinn’s hand came up, his fingers wrapping around her wrist, pulling her close.

She didn’t flinch. Didn’t try to pull away or break her gaze. Instead, she leaned forward, almost touching his chest.

“Emma…” He breathed her name out, almost as a prayer.

She could see the vein in his neck pulse, hear the almost desperate agony in his voice. Still, she didn’t move away.

“What is it, Quinn?”

Searching her face, he sucked in a shaky breath, seeing trust and so much more. Lowering his head, he stopped an inch from her mouth, wanting her to pull back, needing her to meet him.

Lifting her chin, she placed her other hand on his chest, splaying her fingers wide. Her lips parted an instant before Quinn’s touched them.

His actions were gentle, a mere caress before becoming more urgent. Letting go of her wrist, he wrapped his arms around her, aligning her body with his. Melting into him, she lifted her arms around his neck, drawing him down on a deep sigh.

Bio:

Bio

Shirleen Davies writes romance—historical, contemporary, and romantic suspense. She grew up in Southern California, attended Oregon State University, and has degrees from San Diego State University and the University of Maryland. During the day she provides consulting services to small and mid-sized businesses. But her real passion is writing emotionally charged stories of flawed people who find redemption through love and acceptance. She now lives with her husband in a beautiful town in northern Arizona.

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