Malachi Hawkins left his home to move west as soon as he was old enough. Running from a family secret that he can never escape, he takes a job on the ranch of an old family friend, Lee Rose.<br><br>The first night he's there, he meets Christian Rose, Lee's foster daughter, a young woman of mixed Comanche blood. They call her a savage and treat her like the family slave, but Mal doesn't see a savage at all. He sees a woman of unbelievable strength -- and a kindred spirit.<br><br>But his secret is bound to catch up with him, and when it does, it could destroy both of them forever ...

Maybe I'm Amazed

Lee nodded and turned back to the house. When Mal glanced over his shoulder, J.R. was gone. Mal promised himself he’d be more careful. He didn’t want the old bastard to get the drop on him again.3


Mal was careful not to stare, or at least careful enough nobody would notice him staring, but he couldn’t stop looking at Christian. She wore a clean dress long enough to cover her legs. She also wore a pair of shoes and the tips peeked out from beneath her long skirt, looking oddly out of place on Christian’s body. She was obviously allowed to bathe on Saturday nights because the soot and grease had been washed from her skin and her hair shone. She had it pulled back from her face in a severe braid, and Mal longed to run his fingers through it until her hair was free again.


Chapter 7