Free The Mighty Quinns: Malcolm by Kate Hoffmann Page A

she did another little turn. She looked completely adorable. “Now, that is nice. You’re starting to look the part.”
    She bent her arms up in a muscular pose. “I’m ready for the mountain,” she said in a gruff voice.
    “Now we have to weigh your pack,” he said. “Come on, I have it outside.”
    Amy walked to the door. “Is it really going to be so cold that I’ll need all these layers?”
    “No, not all the time. But if we run into bad weather, it’s better to be prepared. It is winter and the days are a lot shorter.”
    They walked outside, where Mal had laid out the equipment on the porch. “All right, you’re going to have clothing, food and gear in your pack. A sleeping bag and pad. I’ll carry the tent and the stove. Do you know what this stuff is?” he asked, pointing to a collection of climbing tools.
    Amy nodded, walking along the row. “Climbing harness. Helmet. These are carabineers and these are Prusiks.” She named the other items and then turned to him, waiting for confirmation.
    “Good,” he said. “Now let’s get you into the harness and get that adjusted and then we’ll put all this in your pack.”
    They spent the next fifteen minutes getting in and out of the harness, made much more difficult by the layers of clothes. Amy ended up flat on the ground twice and Mal patiently pulled her up to her feet. He was usually all business when it came to trip prep, but this was fun. They laughed and kissed and rolled around on the grass until he questioned the wisdom of taking the trip at all.
    He could have fun with Amy anywhere. She made him laugh with just a silly expression or a goofy comment. And every time he looked at her or touched her, she seemed more beautiful.
    Seven days just wasn’t enough time. Not for everything he wanted to do. The thought of letting her walk out of his life, even now, was painful to consider.
    But they existed on separate continents. And in his life there was no place for a woman. Making it work was impossible.
    “All right, I’m ready for the pack,” Amy said.
    “This is fifteen kilos,” he said. “It’s probably going to be a bit too heavy.”
    “I can do it,” Amy said.
    “If it is, I’ll take some of the weight in my pack.”
    “No, I want to do it.”
    Mal added the climbing gear, then hefted the pack up and helped her slip the straps over her shoulders. He let go slowly, but the weight pulled her back and she began to fall. Mal grabbed for her hands, but she only brought him down on top of her.
    “I think it might be too heavy,” she said with a giggle.
    “Maybe we should just stay in bed. It’s a lot less work.”
    “What will I have to write about then?”
    “Oh, I’m sure we could suss out something exciting. You could sell it as an erotic novel.”
    * * *
    T HEY SPENT THE night before their departure cooking a lavish steak dinner and talking about the adventure ahead. Amy was confident she could handle the pack and Mal had assured her that the trip wasn’t going to be difficult for someone who was reasonably fit. Still, Amy was well aware of her track record on adventures. Was she only setting herself up for failure?
    “What is it?”
    She looked across the table to find him watching her.
    “Nothing,” she said. “I just have a lot to remember.”
    He held out his hand and wiggled his fingers. “Grab your wine. Let’s go for a walk.”
    The night was chilly and he wrapped her in a bulky sweater, then slipped into his own jacket. They walked down to the sand and stared out at the sea. The night sky was filled with stars, and a tiny sliver of moon hung over the horizon.
    She sat on a weathered beach chair, tucking her feet up under her, as Mal built a fire. When the flames licked at the wood, he sat back on his heels. Amy got up and knelt behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
    “My dad used to build these amazing campfires with us.”
    “He took you camping?”
    “Yeah. Just me and the twins. My mum stayed with