Free The Mighty Quinns: Kieran by Kate Hoffmann Page A

when he began to move, Kieran knew there would never be another woman like her.
    She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, drawing him into a passionate kiss. With every stroke, he felt the connection between them growing stronger.
    Kieran grabbed her thighs, then gently pulled her on top of him, the weight of her body driving him more deeply inside her. He watched as she moved, her lithe body open to his touch.
    At first, her pace was slow and languid. But when he reached between them, to tease at her need, her expression grew focused. She stared down at him, a tiny smile curving the corners of her mouth. The closer she came to her release, the more he found his own pleasure increase.
    Kieran wanted to feel that moment when she lost control, but it was more and more difficult to deny his own body. Every cell seemed to be alive, vibrating together until there was no other choice but to surrender.
    But then, as if she knew what he was waiting for, Maddie gasped, pressing her hands into his chest, her body tensing. A moment later, she gave him what he’d wanted all along, dissolving into breathless shudders. Kieran followed her, his orgasm deep and powerful, wringing the last bit of desire from his body.
    Maddie collapsed on his chest, her hair tickling his face. Kieran closed his eyes and drew in the scent of her shampoo, smiling to himself. “We are never going to get out of this hotel room,” he murmured.
    “Would that be so bad?”
    “I guess not. But we’re going to run out of money sooner or later.”
    “No, we won’t. We have plenty. I’ve still got a lot of cash left as well as my debit card. There’s lots of money in my account.”
    “Aren’t you worried that your mother could trace the card?”
    Maddie sat up, her hair tumbling around her face. “She doesn’t know about it. It’s my runaway money. I’ve been saving it for the past two or three years.”
    “You’ve been planning to run away for that long?”
    Maddie nodded. “I had to open a bank account. I couldn’t hide any more cash under the lining in my guitar case. I get a per diem when I’m on tour and I just saved it all. My mother never noticed that I wasn’t spending anything. I also get my royalty checks, but I send that money to my grandparents.”
    “You said they lived near Bitney.”
    Maddie nodded. “I haven’t seen them in such a long time. I’m glad we’re going there. They have a horse farm. You’ll like it. I used to spend summers there when I was a kid.”
    “When I was young, I was fascinated with horses. My ma used to buy me little figurines and we’d play with them. I had palominos and pintos and dappled grays. And I had books and movies. My Friend Flicka was my favorite.”
    “And you never learned to ride?”
    “I had big dreams of being a cowboy. But after my mom died, I just kind of lost interest.”
    “She died when you were young?” Maddie asked.
    “You don’t want to hear my sad story,” he said.
    “I do. You know all of mine. Well, maybe not all of them. But you know a few. How did your mom die?”
    “She and my dad were sailing a boat to the South Pacific and they just disappeared. We never heard from them again.”
    A gasp slipped from her lips and her eyes went wide. “Just like that? They were gone?”
    Kieran nodded. “I was nine. We moved out of our house and went to live with my grandfather.”
    “You were an orphan? Why haven’t you told me this?”
    “I guess it just didn’t come up.”
    “It should have,” Maddie said. She shook her head. “I feel awful.”
    “It happened a long time ago,” Kieran said.
    “No—I mean, I do feel awful for you. But this whole time, I’ve been going on and on about how horrible my mother is and how I could hardly wait to get away from her and—and—”
    Her eyes filled with tears and she brushed them aside. Kieran sat up, alarmed by the sudden turn in her emotions. “Oh, don’t cry. It’s all right. It was a long time ago. And