Cathi Griego

“The door jerked open and he glowered at her. "What do you want?"

"Hey! Why are you mad at me? I just want to talk to you."

"I don't want to talk," he said, pushing the door closed.

With inexplicable courage, she put her booted food in it's path. "Then maybe you can listen."

"No!" he bellowed.

"You're not going to scare me!" she shouted at him.

Then he roared like a wild animal. He bared his teeth, his eyes lit like there were gold flames in them, and the sound that came out of him was otherworldly.

She jumped back, her eyes as wide as hubcaps. "Okay," she said, putting up her hands, palms toward him. "Maybe you do scare me. A little."

-Ian and Marcie”
― Robyn Carr, A Virgin River Christmas

“This cook, Preacher? He's unbelievable. I had some of his venison chili when I first got to town and it almost made me pass out, it was so good."

Hi slips curved in a smile. "You at venison, Marcie?"

"I didn't have a relationship with the deer," she explained.

"You don't have a relationship with my deer either," he pointed out.

"Yeah, but I have a relationship with you--you've seen me in my underwear. And you have a relationship with the deer. If you fed him to me, it would be like you shot and fed me your friend. Or something."

Ian just drained his beer and smiled at her enough to show his teeth. "I wouldn't shoot that particular buck," he admitted. "But if I had a freezer, I'd shoot his brother."

"There's something off about that," she said, just as Jack placed her wine in front of her. "Wouldn't it be more logical if hunters didn't get involved with their prey? Or their families? Oh, never mind--I can't think about this before eating my meat loaf. Who knows who's in it?"

-Ian and Marcie”
― Robyn Carr, A Virgin River Christmas

“Well, what am I supposed to do?"

"Well, you can take a nap, read a little of my book, or close your eyes. Or you could stare--get the thrill of your life."

"She put her hands on her hips. "You really wouldn't care, would you?"

"Not really. A bath is a serious business when it's that much trouble. And it's pretty quick in winter." He started to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" she asked, a little irritated.

"I was just thinking. It's cold enough in here, you might not see that much."

Her cheeks went hot, so she pretended not to understand. "But in summer, you can lay in the tub all afternoon?"

"In summer, I wash in the creek." He grinned at her. "Why don't you comb the snarls out of your hair? You look like a wild banshee."

She stared at him a minute, then said, "Don't flirt with me. It won't do you any good."

-Marcie and Ian”
― Robyn Carr, A Virgin River Christmas

“As he looked down at her, his eyes were both warm and curious. "You don't look as tough as that."

"I don't know how tough I am--look at me, sick as a pup. But I bet I can match you for stubborn."

A sound came out of him.

"Holy shit, Ian--was that a laugh?"

"A cough," he lied. "You probably got me sick.”
― Robyn Carr, A Virgin River Christmas