The Mighty Quinns: Jamie

This wolf is seeing red...

At first, Regan Macintosh was certain that the hot—and shirtless—stranger in the woods was harmless. That is, until he sweet-talks his way into her grandmother’s lodge and gets her to sell him cherished family land. Yes, now Regan sees past Jamie Quinn’s roguish charm to the wicked wolf she knows he really is.

Jamie has no idea what he’s done to earn Regan’s suspicion, or her efforts to block his project. His motives are purely altruistic—well, aside from wanting to kiss her until she’s breathless with want. But Jamie never expected to experience the intensity of desire he feels for Regan. And if they’re not careful, their hungry passion could make them both lose control...

Praise for Kate Hoffmann’s The Mighty Quinns

“The Mighty Quinns: Thom does a great job of showing the characters’ flaws, and their redemptive journey makes the love story that much more potent.”

—RT Book Reviews

“[Kate] Hoffmann always brings a strong story to the table with The Mighty Quinns, and this is one of her best.”

—RT Book Reviews on The Mighty Quinns: Eli

“[Hoffmann’s] characters are well written and real. The Mighty Quinns: Eli is a recommended read for lovers of the Quinn family, lovers of the outdoors and lovers of a sensitive man.”

—Harlequin Junkie

“The [Aileen Quinn storyline] ends as it began: with strong storytelling and compelling, tender characters who make for a deeply satisfying read.”

—RT Book Reviews on The Mighty Quinns: Mac

“A winning combination of exciting adventure and romance... This is a sweet and sexy read that kept me entertained from start to finish.”

—Harlequin Junkie on The Mighty Quinns: Malcolm

“This is a fast read that is hard to tear the eyes from. Once I picked it up I couldn’t put it down.”

—Fresh Fiction on The Mighty Quinns: Dermot

Dear Reader,

It’s hard to believe, but this title, The Mighty Quinns: Jamie, is my 90th story for Harlequin. I’ve come such a long way from that first novel.

I’ve worked with many different editors on books for many Harlequin series, including Temptation, Love & Laughter and Blaze, as well as various miniseries and novellas. I’ve scoured the world for Quinns, creating a family saga that is currently thirty-seven books long.

Is this the last of the Quinns? It’s hard to say. But I will be working on some exciting new projects in the future, so be sure to stay tuned.

Happy reading,

The Mighty Quinns: Jamie

Kate Hoffmann

www.millsandboon.co.uk

KATE HOFFMANN’s first book was published by Harlequin in 1993 and in the twenty-some years since, she has written ninety stories for the publisher. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys genealogy, golfing and directing student theater productions. She lives in southeastern Wisconsin with her two cats, Winnie and Gracie.

To Malle Vallik,

who took a chance on me and gave me my first Harlequin contract.

Number 90 is for you!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Praise

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Prologue

“WHAT DOES IT MEAN?” Jamie Quinn asked, staring at the bright yellow card stapled to the front door of their house on Downey Street in Minneapolis.

“It’s an eviction notice,” Thom said. His older brother reached for the shiny new padlock that had been attached to the door, preventing them from entering. A shiver of dread rattled through Jamie’s body, but he clenched his teeth and ignored it. He’d learned to control his deepest fears. He could be as strong as his older brothers if he had to be.

“How can they evict us?” Tristan asked. “We paid the rent last month.”

“Yeah, but we were already five months behind,” Thom explained.

“All our stuff is inside. How are we going to get it?”

“We’ll break in,” Thom said. “But we’ll wait until it gets dark. There’s a broken window in the basement that Jamie can squeeze through. Until then, we’re going to have to find a place to sleep for the night.”

The trio walked off the crumbling porch and headed down the street.

It wasn’t fair, Jamie thought to himself. Grown-ups could find a job and pay for the rent. But how were kids supposed to have a home if they couldn’t have a job?

He’d tried to find a way to make money. He’d asked if he could deliver newspapers and they’d said he was too young. And when he’d tried to carry groceries for tips, the owner of the store had chased him away. And most of the neighbors were too poor to pay him to walk their dogs.

“If we’re not at the house, how is Ma going to find us when she gets out?” Tris asked.

Their mother had been caught shoplifting last month and was serving three months in the county jail. Somehow, Social Services had lost their address and the boys had been on their own since then. Now, with the eviction, their lives had been turned upside down all over again. They were on the street and they were vulnerable.

“We could sleep in my fort,” Jamie suggested.