Wild Women of Alaska Collection

by Tiffinie Helmer

  “That was a lot of fishing analogies.”

  “What can I say, it’s how I troll.” He smiled at her, and she had to fight not to smile back.

  This was supposed to be fun. Just a diversion, a few nights maybe. She’d counted on Treat not wanting more. She didn’t have room in her life for more. At least not right now. Maybe not ever.

  “Like I said,” he continued when she didn’t speak. “I’m always upfront about my intentions. I’m getting the impression that you aren’t caught up like I am.”

  She pushed at his chest needing some distance. It was getting hard to breathe with him still inside her, on top of her, his arms bracketed around her. There was just so much of him. Treat rolled to her side. Propping himself up on an elbow, he looked down at her. She still couldn’t breathe. He was too close, smelled too good, and was too much of a temptation. She needed to get the space of the room between them, if not the length of Dutch Harbor. Instead, she forced herself to stay put so he didn’t catch on how much he intimidated her.

  They’d just shared their bodies with each other, and now she was apprehensive?

  “To tell you the truth,” she started, “I counted on you being the love ‘em and leave ‘em type.”

  He nodded. “I see that my reputation has preceded me.” He picked up a strand of her hair and twirled it between his fingers.

  She couldn’t take it anymore. She couldn’t have this conversation with him so close and naked. While he didn’t seem to mind their nudity, it was messing with her head. “I need…the bathroom.”

  His eyes lowered to half-mast as if he knew she was hiding something from him. “The head’s through there.” He pointed behind him to a small door built-in to the wardrobe wall.

  She scooted down the mattress, since his big, gloriously chiseled body blocked the other way off the large captain’s bed. She wished she could grab her clothes, but they were strung all over the boat, and she needed his eyes off her as soon as possible. She felt stripped, and not just because she was naked. She shut herself inside the bathroom, and air whooshed out of her lungs with relief.

  She stared at her reflection in the small oval mirror above the miniature sink. Not good. She looked scared to death, and yet glowing. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes sparkling, like someone had flipped a switch inside her. Treat had done so much more to her than making love to her. He’d…made her care for him.

  Oh good God, that was bad. Real bad.

  Well, he’d botched that.

  Treat scrubbed his hands over his face. He was falling in love and he’d just scared the shit out of her. He’d been in lust enough times in his life that he recognized love as soon as it started weaving its seductive fingers around his heart and not his cock. Yeah, there was plenty of that, but he’d made love to Seana. They hadn’t fucked each other. And since he’d done plenty of the other, what just happened between them left his chest swelling with emotion while his mind had taken a trip.

  He’d opened up and said too much too fast, and now she was hiding in the head. How long would she stay in there?

  He straightened up the room and had his jeans on when she opened the door. He held out his shirt for her to wear, as he didn’t want her buttoned behind her uniform just yet.

  “Thanks.” She quickly covered herself with his shirt, and he mourned the loss of all that creamy skin under wraps. But she was still naked under his clothes, and that was a hell of a turn on.

  “We need to talk,” she started.

  He liked that about her. Any problem was handled head-on. Yeah, she needed some time to compose herself, but it didn’t take her long to gather herself and then take control.

  The tone of her no-nonsense voice did worry him a little.

  “How about some wine first?” he suggested, turning and walking back into the galley, giving her no choice but to follow him.

  “No wine. Coffee would be better.”

  He returned the bottle of wine to the small refrigerator, and added water to a kettle, setting the flame to heat. He’d have preferred the wine to keep her loose and open-minded, but he knew a few things about women. The more they felt in charge, the more he usually got what he wanted. He pulled the Kona blend of coffee out of the compact freezer.

  “Did you buy me groceries?” she asked, watching him.

  “A few things. Mostly for dinner.” He turned and arched a brow. “Problem?”

  “No.” Though she didn’t look as comfortable with the idea as he’d like.

  He pulled out the coffee grinder and added in the fresh beans.

  “Where did you get that?”

  “The grinder?”

  “Yes, but no. The coffee beans.”

  “I have my sources.” He cocked a smile. “You might have noticed the coffee selection in Unalaska is very limited. Supplies are expensive to bring in, so there are restricted choices on pretty much everything.” He ground the beans and transferred them into a French press.

  “You know coffee.” Her voice held a note of awe and reverence.

  So the way to her heart wasn’t through food or even sweets, but good coffee. He was golden then, as he made the best coffee this side of Anchorage. He poured the heated water over the coffee grounds and reached for two tin mugs, carrying everything to the table—a table still covered with the remains of their meal. Seana cleared a spot for him to set down the French press. She eyed the pot like an addict who hadn’t had a hit in days, maybe weeks. He left her to adore the coffee as it brewed. The dark, rich, nutty scent filled the cabin.

  He had the table cleared and wiped down, and Seana still hadn’t moved except to hook her finger through the handle on the cup.

  “Do you like anything in your coffee?” he asked as he slowly pushed down the filter in the French press. “Cream, sugar?”

  “No. I like it strong and black.” Her mouth fell opened as he poured the rich, dark liquid into her cup.

  He had to sit when her eyes shuttered closed, and she held the cup to her lips. She looked like she did earlier in his arms when he’d touched her with his rough hands. Then she took a sip and moaned. He went instantly hard, and his heart jumped with the realization that he’d just learned something very important about her that he should have picked up on earlier.

  Deputy Chief Seana Brogan didn’t like coffee, she loved coffee.

  The enjoyment and satisfaction she took from a cup of coffee brought him joy. He’d helped, in a small way, to bring her pleasure, and his heart swelled even more. Now he needed to figure out how to keep that look on her face for the rest of his days.

  Seana set her cup down after savoring almost half of it and looked at him. “Thank you. That has to be the best cup of coffee I’ve ever had.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Now where did you get the beans?” The sharpness and focus had returned to her eyes, gone was the lost and confused woman who’d run into the head a little earlier.

  “Hawaii. I usually spend the time between kings and opies with a buddy who has a coffee plantation on Kona. He supplies me in coffee, and I keep him in crabs.”

  “How do I get in on this?”

  It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her to continue sleeping with him. But he didn’t think she’d like prostituting herself for coffee. Though with what he’d just witnessed, maybe he was wrong.

  “I’m sure we can work something out.”

  She finished her cup and poured herself another.

  “Keep that up and you’re not going to sleep tonight,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m up for staying awake all night with you.” He hardened further thinking about having her to himself all buzzed on caffeine. All that energy, focused on him.

  “I’ll sleep. I haven’t slept a full night since I arrived in Unalaska.” Seana took another sip and then set her cup down. “About earlier.”

  There was no other segue. She jumped right into the subject like they hadn’t taken a coffee break. He admired her for it, though he hadn’t known anoth
er woman who did that besides his mother.

  “I very much enjoyed earlier.” He gave her a slow smile that widened as her cheeks heated.

  “We aren’t going to talk about that now. It’s the other thing.”

  “Me keeping you?”

  “Yes. No. Don’t say things like that.” She huffed out a breath that ruffled her dark hair, hair he now knew to be blond at the roots. He saw it now. Her brows were lighter, her lashes too. She must darken them with cosmetics.

  “Listen.” She attempted to wrangle the conversation back. “This won’t work.”

  “Why not?”

  “I’m a cop. I risk my life every day. I haven’t met a man who’s been okay with that.” She hit him with the big guns.

  Treat hesitated as images of her injured or worse flashed in his mind.

  “See.” She pointed at him. “This won’t work.”

  “Wait just a minute. It’s not fair of you to ask me a question like that and expect me not to visualize you hurt or worse.” He rasped his palm over the stubble on his jaw and then linked his fingers together on top of the table. He didn’t miss her following his actions. She really had a thing for his hands. That was new for him. Most women went for other parts of him.

  “Seana, answer me this. Are you willing to let me sail out of here with a squall on the horizon? I face an ocean that’s more contrary than most, and I know that if I get into trouble, help more than likely won’t arrive in time.”

  She squirmed in his t-shirt and her lips tightened.

  “You hesitated too. It’s not easy, the type of careers you and I have. We’re in the same boat, so to speak.”

  “Of course I hesitated. I don’t want you hurt.”

  “If anyone can survive a relationship between our chosen professions, it has to be us.”

  “Okay, don’t say that word.”

  “What word?”

  “Relationship. I don’t do relationships.”

  “You do now. That’s what’s happening here, Seana. You and I are in a relationship.”

  “I said stop using that word.”

  “Would another one work better for you?” Anger at her refusal to acknowledge there was something besides sex between them was starting to piss him off. “Dating. Courting. Exclusive. Because that is where I’m at.”

  “Good God, you’ve got to shut up.”

  “I’m not going to shut up. We’re more than just fuck buddies, Seana. I need you. Eureka moment, I want you to be my woman, and I want to be known as your man.”

  “Oh no. Don’t even think that. The last thing I need is a man like you in my life.”

  He sucked in a breath. It felt like she’d just knocked the air out of him.

  “Treat—” Her phone rang from the bedroom. She seemed torn between smoothing out her harsh words and being saved by the bell.

  “You’d better get that.” His voice was hoarse with emotion.

  The phone rang again, and she stood and left to retrieve it. The sight of her long legs hurrying away from him broke his heart.

  He hadn’t moved by the time she returned, buckling her belt with all its weapons over her fully tucked in and buttoned down uniform. Looking all restrained, like she hadn’t come apart in his arms a while ago.

  “I have to go. Work.”

  He stood. “I got the impression.”

  “Treat…I don’t like how we’re leaving things. But I really have to go.”

  “It’s okay. I’ll clean up dinner, and we’ll…talk later.”

  She paused at the door. “Do you want me to return to the hotel?”

  “What? No. The boat’s yours until you find another place you’d rather live. Living here doesn’t have anything to do with what’s happening between us.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Positive.” And the more they talked about it, the angrier it would make him. “You’d better go.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Seana sat down at her desk, after a long night followed by an even longer day. She’d been called to assist Officer Kelvin in seizing a large supply of meth and arresting the partygoers who were allegedly involved in dealing the drugs. Following that had been a rash of calls involving a stolen or misplaced car from too many inebriated fisherman celebrating being in port. Since they were too drunk to drive, she’d made sure they’d gotten back to their boats. There was also a fight over a dart game that escalated with one of the patrons needing EMTs.

  By morning a high wind advisory had been posted by the weather service, and the resulting wind damage had blown debris all over town. The worst was when metal remnants of a WWII-era building blew off near the airport, striking several vehicles parked in the adjacent lot. Luckily it had just been property damage and no physical injuries had been reported.

  Seana wanted to head home. She hadn’t even unpacked and officially moved into Reel Dreamin’ as it had been nonstop chaos the last twenty-four hours. One good thing, she’d been too busy to think about Treat. That was until Aaron busted into her office.

  “What did you do Treat? He’s on his boat listening to John Denver. John fucking Denver! He needs to cut that shit out.”

  She was getting tired of Aaron bursting into her office and yelling at her. Slowly she got to her aching feet. “What the hell are you doing here? I gave you the rest of the week off.”

  “I’m not here about work. I’m here about Treat.”

  “What’s happening, or not happening, between Treat and me is none of your business.”

  “It sure as hell is. He’s one of my oldest friends. He might as well be family.”

  “Just yesterday you wanted to beat the shit out of him.”

  “Well…that’s how it is sometimes with family. Besides, you butted into my personal life, and that gives me the right to butt into yours.”

  “The hell it does,” she ground out as her temper got the best of her. She hadn’t slept all night. She’d been on the job since she’d left Treat. No sleep in God knew how long, no shower, no food, and no goddamn decent cup of coffee since the one she’d drank with Treat last night. “You’d better be careful what you say to me, Morehouse.”

  “You know what, Deputy Chief, you were right where Courtney and I were concerned. But whatever you said or did to Treat, you’re wrong.”

  “You don’t know anything about it.”

  “I know Treat, and he’s never looked at a woman the way he does you.” Aaron stepped closer to her and lowered his voice to dangerous levels for his next threat. “You break his heart and I’ll personally make sure your ass is booted off the Aleutians.”

  “You’ve crossed the line, Sergeant. Get the hell out of my office.” She wanted to fire his sorry ass but couldn’t do it on grounds like this. Plus, part of her admired his balls.

  “You’re nothing like the women he usually goes for. I don’t know what Treat could see in you.”

  She didn’t know whether to feel insulted by that or not. Luckily she didn’t have to respond since Aaron slammed out of her office. Her lungs deflated. God, she was tired. She turned back to the paperwork on her desk.

  Yeah, not doing it.

  She grabbed her jacket, closed up her office, said goodbye to the curious officers who’d witnessed another of Aaron’s fits, and left. The drive to the docks didn’t take long, thank goodness. She was so tired that she shouldn’t be driving. She parked and walked the length of the dock to the Reel Dreamin’, and hoped that the boat lived up to her name.

  Treat watched Seana climb onto the sailboat from the neighboring slip where his drift boat Miss Julie II was moored. She looked beat. Her shoulders slumped as though they carried too much weight for her frame. He’d already heard about Aaron’s asshole move from Mina, and wondered if that had added to her tired tread.

  If only he could go to her. He wanted to hold her, massage the knots that were tightening the muscles in her neck and shoulders, which was all new to him. This need to offer comfort. But he knew he was better off staying away.
He’d pushed too much already. Somehow he needed to figure out a way to lure her to him.

  But first he needed a word with Aaron Morehouse.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Seana stretched awake. It took her a minute to recognize her surroundings and remember where she was. Hallelujah, Reel Dreamin’ had lived up to her name. Though most of her dreams had starred the boat’s owner. She hoped that didn’t continue.

  Then again…

  No, don’t go there.

  God, she felt good. Really good. Better than she’d felt in days. Glancing at the time on her phone, she swore. She was also going to be late if she didn’t get a move on. She’d slept right through her alarm. Actually she couldn’t remember if she’d set it last night when she’d stumbled into bed naked after taking a quick shower. She needed to make time to unpack. Flinging the covers aside, she ran through getting ready for work.

  Fifteen minutes later she was headed out, coming to a halt at the thermos sitting on the dock right outside the door. She glanced around and didn’t see anyone. The marina on this side of the harbor was for smaller boats and saw less activity than the dock handling the crab boats. She reached down and picked up the thermos. It was full and warm. She flipped open the top and breathed in the rich, nutty scent of Kona coffee.

  Treat.

  He’d left her coffee. She swiveled around hoping to catch sight of him, her heart fluttering in her chest.

  What would she say? What would she do?

  She took a sip.

  Good God, that tasted like heaven. Her eyes shuttered closed and she savored the bold drink as it traveled over her tongue, down her throat and into her stomach, where the caffeine shot into her bloodstream. Good thing there was no sign of him because she’d probably throw him down to the dock and have her way with him.

  Clutching the thermos in her hand, she hurried to work.

  Each morning for the following week there was a new thermos waiting for her as she left for work. She hadn’t caught a glimpse of Treat. The coffee was always hot. Didn’t matter what time she left the sailboat, the coffee was there. She couldn’t figure out how Treat was doing it, but she’d had the best week of work since she’d moved to Dutch Harbor/Unalaska.