f to Maggie. The crowd whooped as the music shifted to so

fingers curling around his,

r voice breathless with

stumbling slightly as she pu

dn't a

the cold air of the Montana night kissed thei

ed into his with a hunger that left him breathless. Her hands tangled in the front of his

y the sheer force of her need, but then he mel

ed laugh against his mouth, her legs instinctively wrapping around him. He turned and pressed her gently

up into his hair, tugging just enough to make him groan. His hands stayed respectful

music inside the bar, the sting of cold air on flushed cheeks, the heat bet

of them wa

rehead rested against his, both of them panting, eyes closed, grins lazy and crooked

hat might carve out a good memory in the heap of hard ones Claire carried. With Christmas coming fast, he

ng out a travel mug of coffee and flashing a crooked grin. "

hed from the morning chill, but she smiled, and

n the morning, Cowboy?" sh

ny worth impressin'," he

uldn't quite hide the blus

er knee, glancing his way when she thought he wasn't looking. He noticed. Of course he did. Everythi

idn't need the details to see the scars. In the sil

he laugh

trees at the lot, and again when he picked out o

said, tugging her ha

e like

" he said, nudgi

?" she arc

ly. "You've got character, city

something in hi

nd the wind. He caught himself staring more than once, watching her laugh, w

rything

to point it out when she froze. Her breath

ar

he street. Tall.

her mind could catch up. Her limbs turned to stone,

through the panic. His hand wa

t look away

took to make his

. Just those two word

eyes searching for any man who looked

embling. "He was... the

ssed by with gift bags and steaming cu

slightly, but he caug

ing her close. "Okay, sweeth

ck was sile

und herself. Beau drove one-handed, the oth

uld still make her feel hunted, even from thousands of mil

him, grabbed his hand with a kind of urgency that nearly knocked the wind out of her. His name

t even for passion, but to drown ou

her wrists gentl

brushing hair from her

m sorry... I thought

her. "Don't be sorry. Just tell

e isolation. How he'd made her feel like she was less than human. How she'd doubted he

terrupt. His jaw clenched. His hands were

wn, didn't he?"

hame flickering

we build you back up. Brick by brick.

like he was offe

spered. "Why w

brushed he

aire. All of you. And

, shaky. Bu

in a long, long time,

eliev

hands on a mug of hot chocolate in the kitchen. She smiled as he grunted over th

Cowboy?" she called, wal

behaving ones

ghts and some ornaments from the attic box. Together they decorated in c

," he said, pointing at the crack

ll?" she repl

ush a stray curl behind her ear. "

asked, bre

ea

sting golden halos around them. Claire's eyes flicked to

d her waist, hers tangled in his flannel. It wasn't rushed or desper

d finally

d brought him here. A nothing town in a nowhere corner of the world. An

tmas tree like she hadn't left a world behind in flames. Like

hen he turned and vanished down the alley, back to the rust-stained motel at the edge of town. He slammed the door so hard the walls

ol of him. And he didn't to

clothes and papers, was the cold black metal of his pistol. He sat on the edge of the bed, gu

ght she

ht she co

ad to burn that pathetic little town

ng with a quiet click. Cheap l

re. The scent of lavender and old books still clung to the air. An attempt,

n bed, blankets tangled around her legs.

ly move

ade his blood boil. She'd run. She'd dared to run. Across an ocean. Away

slowly lifting the corner of the quil

ps slightly parted. The shape of her body, clothed in cotton, defenceless. The things he co

the anticipation could

the shell of her ear, his voic

ou," he whispered. "But you forgot wha

g her lips before her eyelashes fl

and her body froze.

once charmed her and now sent

lo,

uldn't. They both knew wh

just a little pressure, a warning, not tenderness. A grip

us. Then, with casual cruelty, he pressed his lips to hers, cha

ed like smoke, the door

ldn't b

t took a full minute before she could force herself u

been

r. She thought she'd imagi

l. And worse,

lock so fast she nearly tore it from the frame. She checked the

'd bee

her chest. Her breathing came in short, panicked gasps. Tears streamed s

e. Even here.

rms and let herself break -