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Back The Runaway Heiress
Chapters (75)
  1. Cover
  2. PRAISE FOR MEG TILLY AND HER NOVELS
  3. TITLES BY MEG TILLY
  4. Dedication
  5. PROLOGUE
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
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  30. 25
  31. 26
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  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
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  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
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  48. 43
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  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
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  54. 49
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  57. 52
  58. 53
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  60. 55
  61. 56
  62. 57
  63. 58
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  69. Excerpt from SOLACE ISLAND
  70. 1
  71. 2
  72. 3
  73. 4
  74. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  75. What’s next onyour reading list?

She snorted dismissively. “You said you could see orange glowing through the panels of your door, and there was smoke seeping around the creases, so the hall. Was. Full. Of. Fire,” she said briskly. “Keeping that in mind, how were you going to save them all? Was there access to the rooms other than through the hall?”

“No.”

“You yelled, ‘Fire, fire,’ correct?”

“Yes.”

“What more could you do? You were ten. Years. Old.” She crossed her arms and looked at him sternly. “You wouldn’t have had the body strength to physically haul anyone out of that house. You were too small. If you had tried, you would have died, too. Do you understand? Are you hearing me?”

“They could hear you down in Vegas, woman.”

“Good. And I for one am glad that you found a way to save yourself.” Then she nestled into his chest again. “So very, very grateful.” She hugged him for a moment longer and then stepped back. “Now, you know I’m not going to be able to leave this godforsaken place without a visit to your rock.”

*   *   *

When they got to his rock, Sarah insisted they needed to clamber up onto it.

So he did.

They lay down with the hard, smooth stone under their backs, their arms outstretched, hands clasped. They stayed that way, words having fallen by the wayside as they let the sounds and healing scent of the dry desert air wash over them, gently caressing their bodies. He shut his eyes but could still see the glowing outline of the afternoon sun shining so bright and fierce overhead, could still see it through his closed eyelids. He heard Sarah shift before he felt her, rolling onto her side to nestle into his body. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, tucked her in close. The beat of her heart, the warmth of her breath fanned against his chest, filling him with contentment and a bone-deep gratitude.

35

Kevin watched a middle-aged woman enter the room. Her hand rested on the doorknob as she glanced up from the clipboard in her hand. “Lieutenant Hawkins?”

He stood. “That’s correct.” This was the fifth employment agency he had visited thus far.

She waved a hand toward his chair. “Please have a seat.” She left the door ajar and strode to the chair behind the desk, sat, and folded her hands. “What can I do for you?”