Alaskan Heat

by Pam Champagne

  Christ. They hadn’t used a condom. Wasn’t every woman today on the Pill? He was clean and would bet his last dollar that Sophie was too. Yet this was the first time in his life he’d taken a woman without taking precautions. He didn’t dare consider the implications.

  Sophie continued to breathe hard as she moved on his shrinking erection. He pulled out before she made him ready for round two. “Ah, we may have a problem.”

  “I know. I’m on the Pill, but we should have used a condom.”

  He kissed her hard. ”Sorry, I seem to be condomless.”

  Sophie unwrapped her legs from his waist and slid to the floor. In the faint glow cast by the small light over the bed, Hawk read confusion on her face. “What’s wrong?”

  Her gaze slid away. “Nothing. I’ve got condoms in the bathroom. I was irresponsible not to have remembered.” She climbed onto the bed and moved as close to the far side of the mattress as she could. “Let’s get some sleep. We’ve a lot of traveling to do.”

  Something akin to hurt grabbed Hawk’s heart. He’d given her what she wanted. Why was she pissed? Because she forgot she had condoms? No, she wasn’t angry. Uncomfortable, perhaps. That was it. At this moment, she probably wished he’d disappear. He’d known his kind of sex would be too much for an old-fashioned girl.

  She’d be over it by morning. Hoisting himself onto the bed, he pulled up the covers. She faced north and he south. No part of their bodies touched. His mind was troubled, but his exhausted body had the final say. He went out like the light he’d just flipped off.

  Chapter Four

  Sophie woke to a dull ache between her legs and a furnace-like heat hugging her back. A tanned hand clasped her right breast. Hawk! Oh, God. She and Hawk had made love last night. Without protection. She had no reason to suspect he wasn’t clean, but in this day and age, there was no excuse for sex without protection. A rush of disappointment made her dizzy. They hadn’t made love. They’d had sex. What had she been thinking? She’d taken her role in this charade too far. Sure she’d wanted him, but the things they’d done hadn’t been what she’d had in mind. With a groan, she pushed his hand away. He grunted and rolled over, but didn’t wake.Last night Hawk had introduced her to a world of pleasure she hadn’t known existed. Embarrassed heat spread over her skin. As hot as the sex had been, she wasn’t the type to indulge in sex for mere satisfaction. Was she? Yet wasn’t that what she’d told Hawk? Her ruse had backfired. Big time.

  Jesus, how could she face him? How could she face herself? Buck up, Sophie. You have a job to do. Forget your personal woes.

  Throwing back the covers and gingerly climbing over the naked, gorgeous body sprawled on the bed, she slid to the floor, careful to make no noise on her way to the bathroom. Huddled in the tiny cubicle, the hot water cascaded over her sore muscles, and she vigorously scrubbed her body, washing away any lingering smells of sex.

  She railed at her stupidity. How naïve to have thought for an instant that last Christmas Eve had meant anything to Hawk. He’d been drunk by his own admission. For eight months she’d clung to false hope. By giving in to her lust for a man who had no interest in falling in love, not to mention one who might be a criminal, she’d set herself up for heartbreak.

  She shut off the water. Damn it. She’d forget last night ever happened and concentrate on her assignment. Hopefully, she’d do a better job as an FBI agent than as a seductress.

  Sophie’s gaze feasted on Hawk while she dressed. In sleep, his smooth forehead was free of wrinkles. It looked as if the man didn’t have a care in the world. His peaceful expression pissed her off. Maybe Hawk had the right idea about sex after all.

  She’d hoped joining the FBI would bring new meaning to her existence. Give her ego the boost it needed. Her two brothers had run her life forever. They’d chased off more boyfriends than she could remember. They’d pampered her for every bump and bruise that comes with living. Bullied her into doing things their way. They’d chosen her cars, her college. Even tried to pick her career, which definitely hadn’t been law enforcement.

  Finally, after college graduation, she’d had enough. Against their advice and demands, she’d applied to attend the academy and been accepted. At twenty-five, she still had a long way to go to shake the insecurities instilled by her well-meaning brothers.

  She’d been content with her position 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 abo
ut 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 eyes along with her insides. “I’m right behind you. I’ve got to get one more thing.”

  The young store clerk had almost finished ringing up her items when Hawk arrived with his deodorant, the sandwiches, a bag of chips and a bag of limp carrots with roots growing out of their entire length.

  He handed the bag to the young kid. “For the bunny.”

  Sophie’s skull near exploded. How dare he?

  The clerk jumped right in. “You have rabbits? My family raises them…to eat. They taste like chicken, you know.”

  Hawk laughed. “We’ve just got one. Cute little thing. I might have to start looking at her as a meal.”

  Sophie dug her nails into his arm. “That’s what you think.”

  “Ouch,” Hawk said and moved out of her reach.

  The clerk chuckled, bagged their items and nodded at Hawk. “You’d better watch it. Sounds like the little bunny means a lot to your lady.”

  “Yeah, we’re both attached to Furry. She’s so warm and cuddly. Why just last night—”

  Sophie grabbed her bag. “I’ll be in the truck.”

  She turned on heel and took a step. His voice stopped her cold. “Sophie? I don’t have any money.”

  Breathing fire, Sophie stalked to the register haphazardly pulling money from her purse along the way. She slapped a handful of bills in Hawk’s hand. “Here.” The warm smile along with the twinkle in his eyes got her toes tingling, but she forced herself to turn back the way she’d come.

  She never made it to the door. It wasn’t the man dressed in the red and black plaid shirt and green wool pants peering at a bulletin board that raised the alarm. Neither was it the rancid body odor emanating from his person. Nor was it Hawk’s picture on a wanted poster that freaked her out. The smelly Neanderthal sneaking covert looks between Hawk and his picture made her skin crawl.

  How the hell had this happened? She refused to consider this was Stan’s doing. That left Reed and Blair. They must have printed an official-looking FBI wanted poster. She noticed the number to call was not an FBI hotline, or at least not one she was familiar with. Was Hawk’s image in every store between here and Alaska? A chill rattled down her spine. Had the poster been here when they’d come in. Surely, she’d have seen it. Were the two rogue agents lurking outside? Waiting for the opportunity to nab Hawk?

  Even though Hawk’s face was smooth and clean shaven in the photograph, he was easily recognizable. Those damn whiskey colored eyes.

  Before Sophie could react, an overweight woman wearing a sweatshirt sporting a colorful tied fishing fly with the slogan Check your Fly showed up behind the guy. “Move it, Everett. I wanna fish today, not tomorrow.”

  Everett glanced in Sophie’s direction. She pretended interest in the magazines precariously perched on an old, teetering steel rack. He dragged the woman to his side, his wide grin revealing toothless gums. Then he whispered loud enough for anyone within ten feet to hear, “Look at this, Mel!” His finger jabbed the poster. “FBI’s offering a $20,000 reward for this dude.” His voice rose with excitement. “And guess what? He’s standing right over there.” With all the finesse of an orangutan, he lifted an arm and pointed it at Hawk still chatting with the young kid behind the counter.

  Mel slapped the hand curled around her biceps. “For Christ’s sake. I’m so fuckin’ sick of your git rich quick schemes. Forgit it. Ya ain’t never gonna be rich. Get used to it. Try workin’ for your damned money, like everyone else.”

  Sophie breathed a bit easier when the woman backed away, crossing her arms over ample breasts. The glint in her eyes dared Everett to argue.

  Hawk chose that moment to arrive. “Hey, babe! You waited for me.”

  Sophie’s desire to knock the silly grin down his throat died a fast death when Everett feverishly pulled a cell out of his shirt pocket. She all but threw herself into Hawk’s arms. He staggered backward. “Sweetheart! What took you so long? I got lonely waiting.”

  He juggled the brown paper bag until he managed to get an arm around her shoulders. Whether it was her bottom lip jutted in a pout or his strong sense of survival, Hawk’s body tensed and his nostrils flared as if he smelled danger.

  Mel’s shrill voice rang out in the small area. “Idiot. Put the damn phone away before ya make a fool of yaself in fronta all these people. Give it to me.” With little effort, she wrestled it away.

  Everett grabbed for it. “I’m telling you, Mel, this guy—”

  “Shut up!’ Mel hissed. With a flirty look through her lashes, she sidled up to Hawk, pushing her triple D’s against his arm. “I apologize for my dolt of a husband. He don’t know his ass from his elbow. Why you don’t look at all like the man on that poster.”

  “Hey!” Everett protested. “Watch it. You’ll find yourself footing it to the lake.” He moved, bringing his stench closer.

  Sophie slid an arm around Hawk’s waist, pulled him away from Mel, putting his back to the couple. “Isn’t this exciting, honey? Someone thought you were a wanted man. It’s our honeymoon, you know.” She smiled at Mel. “Oh, the stories we’ll have to tell our children.”

  Accepting she’d batted out with Hawk, Mel muttered sour congratulations and latched onto Everett’s elbow. “Let’s go, pea brain, before these nice people press charges.”

  Sophie pasted a smile on her face and kept her gaze glued to Everett whose narrowed eyes bore holes through them as his wife maneuvered him out the door.

  Chapter Five

  Sophie dropped her arm and stepped away from Hawk. “Wow! Too close for my peace of mind.”Hawk ignored her and pulled back the chintzy, faded yellow curtain to peer out of the small window.

  “Let’s get out of here,” Sophie pressed. “I need fresh air.”

  Hawk seized her arm. “Wait. I don’t want them to know what we’re driving.”

  He scanned the rest of the store. No one paid them any attention. Feigning interest, he walked to bulletin board and read notices pinned to the cork. A teenager looking for babysitting jobs. Bear traps and live bait for sale. A ten-year-old snow machine, “as is”. He ripped off a telephone number on one of the tabs under the snowmobile ad. At the same time, he snatched the poster and shoved it in his pocket.

  His imagination ran amok, playing every possible scenario of the consequences if Blair and Reed got their hands on him and Sophie. Each one was more horrific than the last. Fear for Sophie got his heart beating overtime.

  Sophie jumped when he touched her back. “Ready?”

  “Ten minutes ago.” She shifted from foot to foot, making it clear she couldn’t get outside fast enough.

  Her hand reached for the doorknob.

  “Wait.”

  “Now what’s the matter?”

  “I’ll go out first,” he said. “For a final check to make sure Pa and Ma Kettle are gone,” he quickly added when she started to protest. Before she could argue, he slipped out the door.

  Satisfying himself no one suspicious hung around the lot, Hawk waved, giving Sophie the all clear signal.

  She came out on wobbly legs. “Are you okay?”

  She attempted a smile. “Do I look that bad? I’m fine. Just a bit unsettled.”

  “Give me the keys. I’ll drive.”

  “Yeah, right. No license, remember? We’re screwed if we get stopped. You can bet those two goons have put out APB’s with the state police.”

  They’d reached the truck, and Hawk smashed his fist into the back of the camper. Damn! That was stupid. “You’re right. The motherfuckers.”

  Rueger growled. “Sorry, Killer. Won’t happen again.”

  Sophie hustled into the driver’s seat. She seemed steadier. Her momentary lapse must have been a letdown from the adrenaline rush.

  Three hours later, Hawk was ready to rocket through the roof. The thick tension swirl
ing inside the truck drove him nuts. Twice he’d attempted to make conversation and received a grunt and a nod for his efforts. If this was her reaction to the first sign of danger, then he’d be better off on his own. “Find a safe spot and pull over. I’m bailing.”

  That got her full attention. The two passenger side tires went off the pavement into the soft gravel shoulder. Sophie fought to bring the truck back onto the road.

  Hawk clung to the dash. “Watch where you’re going, damn it.”

  Air whooshed from her lungs when she got the green monster under control.

  “Are you insane?” she asked, sneaking another look at him.

  “Keep your eyes on the road before you kill us both.”

  Her hands clenched the wheel, probably pretending it was his neck.

  “You’re not making sense.”

  Five hundred feet down the road, she steered into a turnout. “Spit it out.”

  He twisted to face her. “It’s not working. What’s bothering you? Did that poster freak you out? If so, you’re not cut out for this.”

  She shook her head hard enough to give herself whiplash. “No. That’s not what’s bothering me.”

  “Then it’s last night. Is that why you can’t even look me in the eye?”

  Her gaze drifted away. “See what I mean? We had sex. And for the record, it’s what you wanted.”

  She sat stiff and unyielding as a nun who’d slept in, missed morning Mass and now waited for penance. “I didn’t hear you complaining,” she mumbled.

  “What’s to complain about? You’re a beautiful woman. You were willing. We had great sex. Only an idiot would have said no. I’ve been called many things over the years, but a fool isn’t one of them.”

  Sophie swallowed hard. “I know I’ve been a bitch. It’s the bunny thing… Jesus, Hawk, you embarrassed me.”