Quinn's Woman. Susan Mallery
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“Just spit it out.”
“Fair enough.” Gage stared at him. “Ralph Reynolds isn’t our biological father. He and Mom couldn’t have kids together. They both wanted them so she got pregnant by another guy. Someone she met in Dallas. His name is Earl Haynes. Travis here is one of his sons. Which makes him our half brother.” Gage grinned. “Actually, we have several. It seems there are a lot of Earl Haynes’s sons running around the world.”
Quinn heard the words, but at first they didn’t have any meaning. Ralph Reynolds not their biological father?
A half-dozen memories flashed through his mind—none of them pleasant. Of his father walking away, of his father telling him he would never be good enough, of his father making it clear over and over that Quinn could never measure up to Gage. Of his father…Not his father? Was it possible?
“I had a hard time with it, too,” Gage said quietly.
Quinn didn’t doubt that. Gage and the old man had been tight. Always. While Quinn couldn’t wait to get out of Possum Landing, Gage had stayed and made his life there. He’d been proud to be the fifth generation of Reynoldses in town. He’d become the damn sheriff.
“You’re sure?” he asked.
Gage nodded. “Mom told me. Back thirty-plus years ago, it was more difficult for infertile couples to get help. Plus our folks didn’t have money for expensive treatments. Dad was the one with the problem, not her. Dad—Ralph—came up with a plan for Mom to find someone who looked like him and get pregnant.”
Quinn stiffened. “That sounds barbaric, even for the old man.”
“She wasn’t happy,” Gage admitted. “Finally she agreed and headed up to Dallas. She met Earl Haynes. He was in town attending a convention.”
“And nine months later you came along?”
“Yeah.” Gage shook his head. “Ralph was happy with his new son, everyone assumed he was the father and things were fine.”
Until he’d come along, Quinn thought impassively. He’d long since become immune to dealing with the realities of not being wanted by the man he’d always thought of as his father.
“The following year she went back,” Gage continued. “She got pregnant with you. So we’re still brothers.”
None of this was sinking in, Quinn thought. Nor did it have to. He would deal with it all later. For now, he relaxed in his seat and grinned at Gage.
“Damn, and here I thought I was finally getting rid of you.”
His brother punched him in the arm. “No way. I’m still older, better looking and capable of kicking your butt anytime I want.”
The latter made Quinn laugh. “Yeah, right.” He turned his attention to Travis Haynes. “So you’re a sheriff, too?”
“Law enforcement runs in the family. I’m a sheriff. My brother Kyle is a deputy. Craig, the oldest of us four, works for the Fern Hill Police Department, and my half sister, Hannah, is a dispatcher. Jordan is the black sheep—he’s a firefighter.”
Gage looked at Quinn. “I’m a sheriff and you do your own personal version of keeping the world in line. How much of that was because of the gene pool?”
Quinn had his doubts. “I’m not a fan of destiny.”
“That’s because there are a few things you still don’t know.” Gage pushed Quinn’s coffee toward him. “Drink up. You’re going to need it.”
“Why?”
“It seems that Earl didn’t just stop at sleeping with our mother. He also—”
Gage was interrupted by a commotion at the door. Quinn turned around and saw D.J. burst into the tent. She glanced around until she saw him. When she did, her brown eyes narrowed and she stalked toward the table.
She was walking, breathing outrage. With her olive-and-khaki clothes, her long dark hair, and a rifle in one hand, she was a female warrior at her most appealing.
A young officer started to cross her path, took one look at her set expression and carefully backed out of the way. Quinn doubted that D.J. even noticed. When she reached the table, she tossed the cut ropes in front of him.
“How the hell did you do it?” she demanded.
Fury spilled from her. Quinn didn’t doubt that if she thought she could take him, she would be on him in a heartbeat.
Instead of reacting to her question or her temper, he casually sipped his coffee before pushing out a chair with his foot.
“Have a seat,” he said calmly.
She ignored the offer. “I asked you a question.”
“I know.”
He met her gaze, prepared to wait her out. He wanted to smile but didn’t let himself. He wanted to grab her by her hair, haul her close and kiss her until they were both panting. He didn’t do that, either. Instead he waited.
He wasn’t sure how long they would have played “you blink first.” Travis stood and moved between them, ending the contest. He put his hands on D.J.’s shoulders and not too gently pushed her into the chair.
“Take a load off,” he said. “I’ll get you coffee.”
She opened her mouth, then closed it. “Thanks,” she said, not sounding all that gracious.
When Travis returned, he set the mug in front of her and sat back into his seat. “I see you’ve met Quinn, here. This is his brother, Gage.”
D.J. glanced at Gage, nodded and returned her attention to Quinn. “I want answers.”
He made a show of checking his watch. “I thought you’d be back sooner. You must have slept in. But after the night we had, I’m not surprised you were tired.”
She half rose from her seat. Quinn expected the rifle to swing in his direction. But before she could get physical, Travis started to laugh.
“I don’t think so,” he said easily. “D.J. would have chewed you up and spit you out.”
Quinn met her gaze and raised his eyebrows. “I’m not so sure.”
If he smirked, she was going to kill him, D.J. decided. Right there in front of witnesses. Although she wasn’t usually one for reckless behavior, Quinn had really pissed her off.
She watched him drink his coffee, as if he had all the time in the world. Which he probably did. He looked rested, showered and utterly relaxed. She was tired, dirty and had leaves in her hair. Worse—he’d escaped. She wanted to know how and she wanted payback.
She refused to acknowledge that some of her temper came from the memory of the brief kiss they’d shared. She still couldn’t believe she’d given in and actually kissed him…and liked it. Not that she would ever let him know.
“How did you two meet?” Gage asked.
“D.J. got the drop on me during the war games,” Quinn told his brother.
Gage, about the same age as Quinn, with the same dark coloring and strong, good-looking features, straightened in surprise. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope.”
Gage’s expression turned doubtful, and D.J. didn’t blame him. As much as she’d wanted to be the one in charge, Quinn had been in control the entire evening. He’d only let her hold him prisoner for as long as it suited him. She wanted to know why. Even more, she wanted to find out all the things he knew that she didn’t.
But how to ask?
As she considered the question, she picked up her coffee and turned to thank Travis for bringing her the mug. It was only then she noticed how much her friend looked like Quinn