Clear Intent

by Diane Benefiel

  “He asked you what?”

  “He asked me to marry you.”

  “He did not.” The horrified response made him smile.

  “He did. That night after you got home from the hospital, when I went to say good night to him. He said since I’d saved you from ‘the man,’ and since I loved both of you, I should marry you. He’s trusting me to protect you until he’s big enough to do the job for himself.”

  Dory leaned her head down until it rested on his chest. “Why do males seem to think women are weak and need protection?”

  “Never weak, Dory. You’re the strongest person I know. But protection? I think it’s embedded in the Y chromosome.”

  ***

  Dory settled against Jack, her head nestled under his chin, enjoying the long strokes of his hand up and down her back. A future she had never thought could be hers had opened before her with all its glorious possibilities, while the dark shadows that had been cast over her for far too long had faded under the strong and steady love of the man who held her so securely. “I love you, Jack,” she murmured.

  “I love you, Dory. Always and forever.”

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  Dear Readers,

  Thank you for spending time with the folks from Hangman’s Loss. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing this series set in the High Sierras, and have appreciated every one of you who wrote me to ask when Logan and Maddy’s or Jack and Dory’s story would be told. I hope the characters are as real to you as they are to me. Thank you to those of you who have left reviews. I invite you to stay in touch through my newsletter or Facebook page to get updates on my next projects.

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  National Readers’ Choice Award winner for her novel, Solitary Man, Diane Benefiel has been an avid reader all her life. She enjoys a wide range of genres, from westerns to fantasy to mysteries, but romance has always been a favorite. She writes what she loves best to read – emotional, heart-gripping romantic suspense novels. She likes writing romantic suspense because she can put the hero and heroine in all sorts of predicaments that they have to work together to overcome.

  A native Southern Californian, Diane enjoys nothing better than summer. For a high school history teacher, summer means a break from teenagers, and summer allows her to spend her early mornings immersed in her current writing project. With both kids living out of the house, in addition to writing, she enjoys camping and gardening with her husband.

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