Lisa Plumley - Morrow Creek Runaway

“Don’t get too smug, Mrs. Dancy. Our bargain still stands.”

“I know.” Determinedly, Rosamond lifted her chin. “I fully intend to hold up my end of our deal, too.” She swallowed hard, then gave him a deliberately steely look. “I can’t wait to leave here and help you kit out your new lodgings at the stable!”

For a long moment Miles could only gaze at her with admiration. “I’m impressed. That almost sounded convincing.”

“So did your dedication to fixing that window,” Rosamond pointed out. “Yet here we are, chatting away instead.”

Miles laughed, knowing he should skedaddle inside but wanting this easy closeness to last between them … the way it once had every day. “You’re a hard taskmaster.”

“I like to get things done, that’s all. Now that I’ve decided what to do, there’s no benefit to wasting time.”

Miles disagreed. He crossed his arms, still studying her. “I think you’ll find that some things are best done slowly.”

Her brow arched. “Like window-fixing?”

“Like kissing.”

AUTHOR NOTE Contents Cover Excerpt AUTHOR NOTE Title Page About the Author Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Epilogue Extract Copyright

Thank you for reading Morrow Creek Runaway ! I’m happy to share Rosamond and Miles’s story with you, and I’m delighted to introduce you to the Morrow Creek Mutual Society, too. I hope you enjoy reading about all the intrigues and escapades going on there. If you do, please tell your friends!

Please join me for the other books in my Morrow Creek mini-series, too—it includes The Honour-Bound Gambler, The Bride Raffle, Mail-Order Groom and several others—including some short stories and an e-Book exclusive—all set in and around my favourite corner of the Old West.

If you’d like to try a sample you can find complete first chapters from all my bestselling books on my website, www.lisaplumley.comWhile you’re there you can also sign up for personal new book alerts, download an up-to-date book list, get the scoop on upcoming books, request reader freebies and more. I hope you’ll stop by today!

As always, I’d love to hear from you! You can follow me on Twitter @LisaPlumley, ‘friend’ me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lisaplumleybooks, send e-mail to lisa@lisaplumley.com, or visit me online at www.community.harlequin.com

Morrow Creek Runaway

Lisa Plumley

www.millsandboon.co.uk

USA TODAY bestselling author LISA PLUMLEYhas delighted readers worldwide with more than three dozen popular novels. Her work has been translated into multiple languages and editions, and includes Western historical romances, contemporary romances, paranormal romances, and a variety of stories in romance anthologies. She loves to hear from readers! Visit Lisa on the web, ‘friend’ her on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter @LisaPlumley.

To John, with all my love.

Happy 25th anniversary!

Contents

Cover

Excerpt “Don’t get too smug, Mrs. Dancy. Our bargain still stands.” “I know.” Determinedly, Rosamond lifted her chin. “I fully intend to hold up my end of our deal, too.” She swallowed hard, then gave him a deliberately steely look. “I can’t wait to leave here and help you kit out your new lodgings at the stable!” For a long moment Miles could only gaze at her with admiration. “I’m impressed. That almost sounded convincing.” “So did your dedication to fixing that window,” Rosamond pointed out. “Yet here we are, chatting away instead.” Miles laughed, knowing he should skedaddle inside but wanting this easy closeness to last between them … the way it once had every day. “You’re a hard taskmaster.” “I like to get things done, that’s all. Now that I’ve decided what to do, there’s no benefit to wasting time.” Miles disagreed. He crossed his arms, still studying her. “I think you’ll find that some things are best done slowly.” Her brow arched. “Like window-fixing?” “Like kissing.”

AUTHOR NOTE

Title Page Morrow Creek Runaway Lisa Plumley www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author USA TODAY bestselling author LISA PLUMLEY has delighted readers worldwide with more than three dozen popular novels. Her work has been translated into multiple languages and editions, and includes Western historical romances, contemporary romances, paranormal romances, and a variety of stories in romance anthologies. She loves to hear from readers! Visit Lisa on the web, ‘friend’ her on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter @LisaPlumley .

Dedication To John, with all my love. Happy 25th anniversary!

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

March 1885, Morrow Creek, northern Arizona Territory

Miles Callaway was a man who didn’t believe in second chances. He’d never needed to before. But on the day he arrived in the tiny territorial town of Morrow Creek, perched at the edge of a pine-dotted mountainside and bordered by its namesake sparkling creek, he decided to try for a second chance anyway.

After all, he’d traveled two thousand miles to find this one—to find the woman who’d slipped away from him back in Boston. Any woman who could inspire that kind of devotion was special.

On the other hand, so were the five hundred dollars he’d accepted for finding her.

That was more money than Miles had ever seen in one place in his whole lifetime. Even now, with most of those greenbacks stashed safely away in his battered valise, he felt conspicuous—like a miner who’d just pickaxed himself a gold nugget or twelve and was carrying around all that plunder stuffed in his britches pockets.

Around him on the town’s main street, horse traffic kicked up dust. Passersby lingered on the raised-plank boardwalk to talk. Several calico-clad women meandered in and out of the businesses surrounding him, carrying parcels of goods. Miles spied a mercantile and a millinery as he walked past—also, a newspaper office, a book depot and a telegraph station. Like most other small towns he’d passed through while headed west, Morrow Creek seemed both bustling and peaceable. Its church was as prominent as its saloon. Both appeared equally revered.

Stiff and vaguely achy from his long train journey, Miles shouldered his valise and then stretched his legs with brisker walking. Moving felt good. So did the cool springtime air on his face. Inhaling a lungful, he almost grinned. In Boston, the air felt as thick as scorched pea soup. It looked black with soot, and it burned all the way going down. Compared with that, the territorial air he drew in felt like a kiss from Mother Nature herself.

He could learn to like it here.

Especially if he found Rosamond McGrath.

Squinting ahead, Miles focused his attention on Jack Murphy’s saloon. Even though it was scarcely past noontime, the place looked busy. That suited Miles just fine. He was secure in the information that had brought him to Morrow Creek, but some of the facts he’d garnered were months old now.