Free Carolyn Davidson by The Tender Stranger

and stirred them as they cooked, intent on fixing breakfast. He opened the oven, stabbing the toasted bread with her long fork and dropping it onto a plate. His expertise was not in the kitchen, she decided, her mouth curling in the barest trace of a smile.
    For this man she would do most anything right now, Erin thought, straightening in the rocking chair. Even if it meant gulping down eggs and gnawing on a piece of stale bread turned to dry toast. And from the looks of things, that was about all they were going to have for breakfast. She hadn’t baked in three days and she doubted Quinn Yarborough was handy with bread dough.
    “I’ve been thinking,” he said, casting a quick look at her. “Maybe I should go down to town and talk to the doctor, see if there’s something you should be doing to help with your.” His hand waved at her, as if he hesitated to name the cause of her problem.
    Again Erin came close to smiling, her eyes catching sight of the faint color that rode his cheekbones. Bless his heart, the man was embarrassed. After all he’d done for her.
    “What do you think, honey?” he asked, lifting the skillet to turn a mound of eggs out onto her plate.
    “Yes, all right,” she answered, agreeable to anything that would relieve the tight throbbing in her breasts.
    Quinn carried her plate to where she sat in the rocking chair. “Here, I’ll trade you,” he said, reaching for her wet towel. “Eat first, then we’ll try this some more.”
    She nodded, willing herself to eat every bit of the food he offered. She’d lost any appetite she’d ever had, butif Quinn was good enough to cook for her, eating was the least she could do.
    His gaze was hopeful as he crouched beside her chair. “If you eat every bite I’ll feel better about leaving you for the day,” he told her. “If I set out now, I stand a good chance of making it back by nightfall.”
    She placed the fork carefully on her plate. “I hate for you to put yourself in danger for my sake, Quinn. But I know I need to get back on my feet. Maybe if I feel better while you’re gone I can set a batch of bread to rise.”
    His hand covered hers and he squeezed, getting her attention. “Not on your life, girl. I don’t want to have visions of you falling against that stove while I’m riding down the mountain. You just rest until the fire gets low. You’ll have to put in a chunk of that firewood, but other than that, you park your little carcass on that bed and stay warm. You hear?”
    She nodded, a bit reluctantly, aware that he deserved her obedience in this, yet unwilling to give up her independence. “I’ll mind, this time,” she said with a smile.
    “Promise?”
    “Yes…promise.” Her gaze was held by the determination she read in his face, his eyes dark and piercing as he watched her. Then he nodded, as if to underscore her words.
    “I’ll be back as soon as I can, honey. I’ll build up the fire before I go and get you tucked into bed.”
    His head tilted and he leaned forward, his mouth finding hers in a quick kiss. His lips were warm against hers, his breath fresh, and she inhaled his scent as he drew back. A prayer of thanksgiving arose within her, that thisman should have come to her, that his greater strength had been hers to draw on. It would be so easy to.
    “Come on.” He held out his hand and she accepted it, rising, making her way to the bed. She took comfort in his touch, allowing him to tuck the quilt around her, grasping his hand in hers as he stood beside her. And then she faced the truth of the matter.
    Whether it was gratitude or passion, something about Quinn Yarborough made her heartbeat quicken, made her breath catch in her throat. Her fingers tightened on his and she lifted her head, pressing her lips against the back of his hand.
    “God go with you, Quinn Yarborough. God keep you safe.”

Chapter Five
    “ I f this ain’t a stroke of luck, I don’t know what is.” The jovial storekeeper slapped the