Free Millionaire's Christmas Miracle by Mary Anne Wilson Page A

really have to be going. I’ve got an appointment, business.”
    “Oh, not on Christmas Eve, surely,” Jenn said, as Taylor squirmed out of her arms to get to the presents on the floor.
    Amy crouched by Taylor, offering her one of the smaller gifts, but looked at Quint over her daughter’s head. “I’ll get back with you about your clothes,”she said, while Taylor ripped the silver paper off the package.
    It was obvious she wanted him out of there, and he should have wanted out of there, too. “Don’t worry about it,” he said as he crossed the room, picking his way past the laundry to get to the two women and the child.
    He looked at Jenn. “By the way, my name isn’t ‘he’s late.’ It’s Quint Gallagher. And it was nice to meet you.”
    He glanced at Amy, and found her face slightly flushed and her eyes narrowed. Oh, yes, she wanted him long gone. What galled him was, just looking at her made him think things he didn’t need to think. Feel things he didn’t need to feel. The safest of all the feelings was the urge to brush at a single strand of hair that had fallen loose from the ponytail and lay against her throat. That was foolish. And the thought of kissing her again was definitely insane.
    So he said, “Merry Christmas,” and turned away before he acted on impulse. He wasn’t an impulsive man, never had been, but this woman brought out the worst in him.
    He went out into the hall, swung the door shut behind him, and walked away, the way he had the night before. But this time it was even harder to keep going.
    A MY SANK DOWN on the floor with Taylor, sitting cross-legged while she watched her daughter stack the colored blocks that had been in the wrapped box. She braced herself for the questions that would be coming, but Jenn surprised her by kneeling by the two of themand reaching to stroke Taylor’s silky hair. “Such a relief to see her feeling better,” she said.
    “She’s a lot better, thank goodness.” Amy looked at her sister-in-law. “And I owe you an explanation.”
    “Me? No, no way. But, if you feel compelled to tell me why you had a drop-dead-gorgeous half-naked man in your apartment, I’m as open to an explanation as the next shocked-out-of-her-socks aunt.” Jenn grinned at her. “Okay, who is he?”
    Amy envied Jenn’s ability never to take life too seriously. Really envied her sometimes. “He works for LynTech, just came on board, and he left his wallet at the center last night.”
    “That’s all fascinating, but that doesn’t explain how he ended up here on Christmas Eve, half-naked.” Her smile faded a bit. “Listen, Amy, you don’t have to explain any of this. It’s been two years since Rob died, and that’s a long two years.”
    Her stomach twisted. “It isn’t like that. No. Never.”
    The smile was completely gone now. “Honey, don’t ever say never. You’re young and if—”
    “Jenn, please, don’t start.”
    “I’m not. I won’t. I just want you to know that if, and I’m saying ‘if’ you ever want to get on with your life—”
    “You make it sound as if I stopped my life, and have to restart it some way.”
    “Don’t you?” she asked softly. “Sweetie, do you think it’s normal to be still sleeping in that damn T-shirt after two years, just because Rob wore it so much?”
    She stood quickly, sick that Jenn had seen through her about the T-shirt. “He came here to get his wallet back, and Taylor spilled juice on his clothes. I offered to clean them for him. And in order for me to do that, he had to take them off.”
    She went back into the bathroom, picked up the jacket and returned to show the coat to Jenn. “See? He said it’s old and not worth much, but I need to clean it anyway.” She shook it out and something flipped into the air, landing with a faint plopping sound on top of one of the gold-wrapped presents. Her heart sank. His wallet.
    Jenn picked it up, then held it up to Amy. “Is this the wallet that’s given to