Putting the wild into wilderness
New Zealand adventure guide Rogan Quinn doesnt deny hes a commitment-phobe. He learned long ago that there is nothing more dangerous than love. But that doesnt mean he wont indulge in pleasure where he finds it, and his newest client looks like shes badly in need of a lot of pleasure.
Psychologist Claudia Mathison has brought five of her phobia-suffering patients into the wilderness hoping for a breakthrough, not to mention a break in her career. Instead, Rogan invites her on an adventureand she has no doubt that the sexy Kiwi can take her higher and further than shes ever been. But Claudia has a fear of her ownthat if she takes that adventure with him, she wont be able to find her way back. Or worse, she wont want to.
Either you want me...or you dont.
But I think its always best to sort through these things Claudia started to argue.
Im really not interested in a conversation right now. Not when all I really want to do is tear off all our clothes.
Her gaze flitted down to his mouth, then back up to meet his eyes again. She drew a ragged breath and her lips parted. It was enough for him, enough to take the chance that she wanted exactly what he did. Slipping his hand behind her neck, he pulled her closer and kissed her.
Her surrender was almost immediate, and Claudia wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down beside her until her body was stretched out beneath his.
His desire quickly burned out of control. He needed to touch Claudia, to feel her body beneath his hands.
To kiss her until neither one of them could stop themselves...
Dear Reader,
When it came time to find a setting for my newest Quinn trilogy, I was looking for somewhere just a little exotic. And Ive always been fascinated by New Zealand. All those incredible landscapes in the Lord of the Rings movies. It was the perfect place for my Quinns to live. Of course, now that Ive been traveling to New Zealand in my literary life, I would love to visit in my real life.
Thats one of the things I love most about writing the Quinn saga. There are Quinns all over the world. Where will I find them next? I hope you enjoy this new trilogy and continue to follow the Quinns.
Happy reading,
Kate Hoffmann
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kate Hoffmann began writing for Mills & Boon in 1993. Since then, shes published nearly eighty books, primarily in the Mills & Boon Temptation and Mills & Boon Blaze lines. When she isnt writing, she enjoys music, theater and musical theater. She is active working with high school students in the performing arts. She lives in southeastern Wisconsin with her cat, Chloe.
The Mighty Quinns: Rogan
Kate Hoffmann
www.millsandboon.co.uk
Contents
Cover
Back Cover Text
Introduction
Dear Reader
About the Author
Title Page
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Epilogue
Extract
Copyright
Prologue
ROGAN QUINN PEERED out the front window of his grandparents house, observing the small crowd gathered just outside the garden fence.
What do you think they want? he asked.
His twin brother, Ryan, shrugged. Maybe they want a picture of us crying over Dad, so they can show everyone that were sad.
Im not going to do that for them, Rogan said stubbornly. I wish theyd just go away and leave us be. He wandered away from the window, his gaze coming to rest on the closed bedroom door. His mother hadnt come out all morning.
Shed had good days and bad in the month since their fathers death. On the good days, she managed to appear at the dinner table, usually wrapped in her dressing gown. Food didnt interest her, nor did conversation. Shed just sit, ignoring her four children, before shuffling back to the bedroom.
Shed become a ghost of herself, frail and silent, her vacant eyes fixed on some imaginary figure in the room.
Rogan had experienced the loss of his father and it had been devastating, but hed survived the pain. Why had his mother become a victim? Rogan had realized then what love and loss had done to his mother, how it had turned into a poison that sapped her strength and stole her happiness.
Rogan had thought about this so many times over the past few weeks. What was it about the love that existed between his father and mother that was so special? Perhaps it was something only adults understood. Maybe it had to do with sex.
At eight years old, he wasnt sure of all the details of what went on between a man and a woman, but hed heard stories. The whispered speculation of his friends sprinkled with a bit of firsthand knowledge. Hed even glimpsed a few photos on the internet, though theyd only created more questions than answers.
But Rogan sensed that when he got older, hed understand his mothers grief. He just never wanted it to happen to him.
Rogan rapped on the bedroom door. Mum? Can I bring you some tea?
He waited, hoping that this time shed reply, but there was only silence. He spun around and strode to the window again, cursing beneath his breath at the media vultures that seemed to hover over them. If theyd just go away, maybe shed come back, maybe shed be the mother theyd always knownthe mother who laughed with them and loved them.
Im going out there, Rogan muttered.
No, dont, Ryan said, grabbing his arm. Grandmum said we just have to pretend that theyre not there. Shell be home soon. Shell run them off.
Im not going to wait for her, Rogan said. We can do this. Are you coming?
There was very little that the twins didnt do together, Rogan usually leading and Ryan backing him up. This time, Ryan thought about the request for a long moment, then nodded solemnly. All right.
Rogan reached for the door and pulled it open. The instant the reporters saw them, they rushed the fence, shouting out questions. Cameras flashed and Rogan held up his hand to ward off the assault. But as he watched them warily, his anger began to build.
With a silent curse, Rogan ran down the front steps and grabbed a clod of dirt from his grandmothers flower bed. With all his strength, he heaved it at the group. Leave us alone, he cried. Just go away. We dont want to talk to you.
The shower of dirt was enough to send them all running. Ryan joined him, heaving clumps of soil over the fence until everyone had retreated to their cars. Rogan found a small rock and hit the windscreen of the closest car. As it drove off, he picked up another and heaved it.
One by one, the reporters and photographers scurried away, and when the street in front of their grandparents home was finally empty, Rogan looked at his brother and smiled. Cowards, he muttered.
Ryan chuckled. We really showed them, didnt we.
You aint wrong, Rogan replied.
When they returned to the house, Rogan was surprised to find their mother standing at the window, her fingers clutching at the curtains. She gazed at him and Ryan and gave them a weak smile. Good work, she murmured before moving away.
Mum? Can I make you a cup of tea? Rogan asked again.
She stopped and drew a deep breath, and Rogan watched her narrow shoulders rise and fall. That would be lovely, she said, nodding her head. I could use a cup of tea.
Rogan and Ryan hurried over to her, each of them taking a hand and leading her to the sofa. They sat down on either side of her and she wrapped her arms around their shoulders and pulled them close, kissing the tops of their heads.
Youre my brave, strong boys, she whispered. Promise youll never leave me.
I promise, Mum, Rogan said.
Me, too.
Rogan silently made another promise to himself. If this was what love did to his mother, then he wanted no part of it. It only brought despair and loneliness. No girl would ever be worth all that.
1
THE SOUND OF his mobile woke Rogan out of a deep sleep. He moaned as he rolled over and searched for the phone on the bedside table.
Delicate feminine fingers smoothed over his belly and he smiled as her warm naked body curled closer.
Are you going to answer that? Kaylee murmured.
He squinted his eyes to read the display. If it wasnt his mum or one of his siblings, he could let the call go to voice mail. But when he saw the name of his next expedition client, Dr. Claudia Mathison, Rogan changed his mind. This will just take a second, he said.
Kaylee sighed. Make it quick. I have to leave soon.
He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, then held the phone up to his ear. Dr. Mathison, he said in a sleep-tinged voice.
Good morning, Mr. Quinn. I hope Ive caught you at a convenient time? She didnt wait for an answer. I just have a few more things that Id like to discuss. Details that are important to make this trip go as smoothly as possible.
Psychologist Claudia Mathison had been calling him at least twice a day over the past few weeks with her little details, and frankly she was beginning to drive him mad with all her requests. Yes, he understood that this trip would be a big challenge for her five phobic clients. But these were people who lived in the real world, not some invalids who could barely care for themselves.
When Rogan had booked the expedition, hed bragged to his brothers, Malcolm and Ryan, how this could provide a whole new market for Max Adrenaline, the familys adventure-guiding business. Over the past couple of years, theyd been hit hard by a rival Kiwitheir fathers former business partner, in factwho ran his own outfit off South Island. But Rogan argued that by opening themselves up to new and different clientele, they may just be able to expand on their core business of climbing and trekking expeditions and gain an edge on their competition.
But Rogan also had an ulterior motive for bringing in new business. Though at first, hed been happy to work with his brothers and carry on the memory of his father, hed never intended it to be his lifelong profession. Once the business was squarely on its feet, hed always planned to go his own way. But the business never seemed to operate in the black, and lately hed begun to wonder if there wasnt more to life than climbing mountains and crossing glaciers.
He wasnt sure what he was looking for, but whatever it was, he was sure it would make him happy again. Hed grown weary of the constant stress and his current rootless existence. He wanted to see new places, discover new adventures, but hed been stuck guiding the same itineraries for the past four years.
Adding new routes was always a risk for the company and a huge investment in time and equipment. But if he and his brothers could find an easy source of income, one that didnt involve gambling their capital, then maybe he could finally walk away from Max Adrenaline and live his own life. Which meant he had to keep Claudia Mathison happy.
What can I do for you this morning, Dr. Mathison?
Ive been going over the tent pairings and I think were going to need two extra tents, she said. In fact, it might just be better if they all had their own tents, if that wouldnt be too much trouble. Im dealing with very mercurial personalities here, and I want everything to go as smoothly as possible.
No, it wouldnt be too much trouble to double the number of tents from three to six, he said. As long as your patients dont mind carrying their own. Just keep in mind our two-person tents for this type of expedition are eight pounds. So everyone will have to carry that extra weight on their packs.
Eight pounds? Thats not much, she said.
It is when youre climbing a steep trail, he countered. Which we will be doing on this trip.
Perhaps you could send someone ahead with the tents? she suggested.
Dr. Mathison, I thought you wanted to challenge your clients. Take them out of their comfort zone. Ive planned a week of survival training and wilderness camping. If you want Max Adrenaline to do all the work, then we should just make reservations at the nearest spa and settle in with massages and mineral baths.
A long silence fell between them and Rogan bit his lower lip. He knew better than to sound off like that, especially with a new client. But if this was how she meant to go on, the trip was going to be a rough ride for them both. In addition to her ever-growing list of necessities to calm her phobic patients fears, now she was taking away the basic challenge of the trek. This woman seriously needed to loosen up.
Still, they were desperate for her business. Im sorry, he said. Maybe I should ring you back after Ive had my coffee.