Alaskan Heat Read Online Free PDF Page A

with the Bureau. So what if she didn’t see action? When Stan had asked her to take this assignment, her heart had nearly stopped beating. Training to operate in the field was one thing. Actually being there was another. She should have been honest with Stan. Told him that the thought of shooting at someone or getting shot at scared her half to death. Should have told him that she had doubts about her ability.
    Shit! Sophie yanked on her jeans and shoved her feet into her hiking boots. Grabbing her jacket, she let herself out of the camper. Rueger needed some freedom, and she had a day of driving ahead of her. No sense wallowing in pig slop over something she couldn’t fix.
    Once outside in the brisk morning air, she pulled the collar of her fleece jacket up over her ears and let Rueger out of the cab. Reaching across the seat, she slid the key in the ignition, started the engine and turned the heat on full blast.
    The designs in the crystal frost on the windshield might have been pretty if she didn’t have to scrape it. She rummaged behind the seat, sure her scraper from last winter hid somewhere beneath the clothes, shoes and first aid kit. Hopefully, this weather wasn’t the norm for Canada and Alaska in August.
    Rueger bounded to the ground and headed for the bushes, giving her more time to think. Something she didn’t need. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shrug off last night. She didn’t need the soreness between her legs or the ache in her nipples to keep the memories fresh. Never in her wildest fantasies had she come close to imagining the cravings and sensations that had taken control of her body. She’d been introduced to a world of erotica by Hawk, a man she’d hoped would fall head over heels in love with her. “Sophie? Where are you?” She shook her head, resigned to spending the day stuffed into a truck cab with him. Shoving her worries away, she returned to the camper.

    By the time Sophie turned into the dirt parking lot of a country general store claiming to have everything a person needed, from wedding gowns to worms, the temperature had risen to a mild seventy-five, or so read the old thermometer hanging on the loose clapboards. She peeled off her sweater and tossed it behind the seat.
    “This is it?”
    She controlled the urge to snap at Hawk. What reason did he have to sound so cranky? “What do you mean?”
    He waved his hand toward the store. “You call this a store? I believe you said the place had everything. I can’t believe this.”
    The accusation in his tone pissed her off. “What did you expect? A super Wal-Mart? We’re approaching the Yukon Territories. There are no big cities.” Disgusted, she climbed out, slammed the door and strode toward the store, not caring if he followed or not.
    Hawk made it to the door before her and held it open. Like the gentleman he wasn’t. Sophie breezed by without a glance and headed straight to the meat section. Having been in most of the stores on the highway, she wasn’t surprised at the lack of good quality food. Today the hamburger looked fresh, as did the steak. The chicken and the package labeled pork chops looked questionable. They’d be eating beef for awhile.
    Next she grabbed a bag of wilted spinach and a bunch of yellowed broccoli, shaking her head at what passed as fresh vegetables. Two loaves of bread added to her pile, and she was ready to check out.
    Where the hell was Hawk? The man had been a thorn in her side since he woke this morning. Sophie found him looking at deodorant. “It’s not as if you have a million choices. Pick one and let’s get on the road.”
    Hawk frowned. “What’s wrong with you?”
    Huh? He was the one who got up on the wrong side of the bed. Then again… “I’m short of patience this morning.”
    “Tell me about it,” he muttered. “I ordered a couple of Italians at the deli. They should be ready.”
    “Fine. Get them and let’s get back on the road.”
    Hawk’s smile warmed his