Dakota Heat (Book 3 - Dakota Hearts) Read online

  They all laughed and Summer found the tension that had plagued her since she’d left Providence was finally draining away. It was the first time she’d felt completely comfortable and safe since she’d arrived in Rudolph and gave her hope that she might just be able to get through this after all.

  An hour later, Summer was saying her good-byes and Sam was walking her to her car. The smell of cool spring night wrapped around her and the sound of frogs mating in a nearby pond filled the air.

  “You didn’t have to walk me out,” Summer said when she reached the car.

  Sam leaned in close and she could smell the familiar scent of musk and soap that had tickled her senses earlier at the dinner table.

  “I know. But how else was I going to kiss you if I didn’t?” he asked.

  Summer swallowed to help keep herself from responding impulsively. She couldn’t deny she’d thought about kissing Sam McKinnon. How could she not? The man was a teenage dream. But she refused to be his plaything.

  “You’re so damned sure of yourself, McKinnon. What makes you think I even want you to kiss me?”

  “Don’t worry. I’m not going to take from you what isn’t offered. I’m not like that.”

  “And I’m not the kind of woman who throws herself at a handsome man.”

  His eyebrows raised playfully as he bent his head, giving her ample access to reach up and kiss his mouth if she’d wanted to.

  “You think I’m handsome, huh?”

  She rolled her eyes and took a small step away from him, hating herself for doing so as much as admitting the obvious. Summer could see how the waitress at the diner had become so enamored with the man in high school.

  “Don’t tell me I’m the first to say that to you, Sam McKinnon, because you’d be lying.”

  “You’re the prettiest girl who ever said that to me.”

  “That was strike two.”

  His eyes narrowed. “How did I already get to two? Seems to me you’re the one who is playing.”

  “How do you figure that?”

  “You can’t tell me you don’t know how beautiful you are. And you are so very beautiful. Every male Hotshot in that briefing room can’t take their eyes off you, including me.”

  She’d noticed the attention of the other men. And yet, the only person Summer cared was paying any attention to her at all was Sam.

  Abruptly, he backed up and drew in a short breath. “Tomorrow is my day off. Yours too I think.”

  Confused by the sudden subject change, Summer blinked. “Uh, yes.”

  “I mentioned to my mother that you were looking for rentals in the area. She said she’d check around, but wasn’t sure since most of the available rentals are filled with people who are still displaced after the floods last winter. The fact that you got a motel room at all is a huge deal. Most of the guys from out of town are still bunking in the basecamp dormitory.”

  “Oh, well, then I guess I’m lucky to have the room I have.”

  “Yeah. The only other room, other than the ones here in my parents’ house, is the room over the garage.” Sam pointed to the dark windows above the two-car garage. “It used to be my brother Wade’s room. But since he’s been gone, well, my mother can’t bring herself to clear it out.”

  “Gone?”

  “He was presumed dead in a tsunami that hit an island off the coast of Asia where he was working as a Peace Corp worker.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  Sam sighed as he shrugged. “Even after nearly five years it still feels a little surreal. I keep expecting him to run up the driveway and put me in a headlock like he used to do when we were kids.”

  “Something tells me you deserved it.”

  Sam chuckled. “Yeah, I probably did. It’s one of the reasons why my mom is always so worried about Ethan and me.”

  “Of course. She already lost one son. Who could go through that heartache and survive twice?”

  “Exactly. Anyway, as I was saying, I have tomorrow off. I was thinking of riding out to the areas where we’ll be doing some prescribed burns next week, just to get a feel for the damage to the land. I know the area, but I also know it’s changed quite a bit since the winter. Would you like to go?”

  It was her day off and the thought of spending the day holed up in her motel room or doing laundry seemed depressing.

  Summer held Sam’s gaze, biting her lower lip unconsciously as she considered his proposal. “Sure,” she said before she could talk herself out of it.

  “Okay. I’ll pick you up at the motel early then?”

  She nodded.

  His dark eyes were warm as he smiled at her. “Goodnight, Summer,” he said softly.

  “Goodnight, Sam.”

  As she climbed into her car and turned the key to the ignition, Summer watched Sam walk back to the house. She couldn’t drag her gaze away from him. The way he moved with each step, the tone of his voice, and the way he made her feel just being near him enveloped her like a warm blanket.

  As she pulled out of the driveway, disappointment tugged at her gut, replacing the warmth she’d felt.

  Sam had forgotten about the kiss.

  # # #

  Chapter 6

  They’d spent the day driving through the most beautiful country Summer had ever seen. With everything Providence had to offer, Summer had never seen hills and space like she had seen here. She talked of her childhood in Providence and Sam entertained her with stories of the childhood antics of the McKinnon clan. Of that, there were many, making Summer laugh until she cried. They were a close bunch and the loss of their older brother, Wade, had devastated them all.

  “When we got word about Wade, Mom closed down the diner and I don’t think she got out of bed for a week after the memorial service,” Sam said as he parked the SUV in a parking lot near a scenic trail for hikers.

  “Where were you?”

  “I was based out of Colorado at the time. My father threw himself even deeper into work at the oil company. I’d never seen my parents so divided. They’ve always been devoted to the family, always there for us. But this happened and…I really didn’t think they were going to make it.”

  “How’d they get through it?”

  “Kelly found out she was pregnant. Kelly was Logan’s wife. She died just over a year ago. They have a little boy named Keith, named after my brother Hawk.”

  Summer chuckled wryly. “How did he get the name Hawk?”

  “It’s a long story,” he said, getting out of the SUV. She did the same and took in a deep breath of mountain air. The sun was high in the sky and warm against her face.

  “So having a grandchild changed everything for them?”

  “Pretty much. Having Keith come into the family gave my parents a reason to get up in the morning again. It’ll never take the sting out of losing Wade. But it did change them and they got through it.”

  They fell in step as they walked down the hiking trail.

  “I hope one day I can be as lucky in love as my parents.”

  “You?”

  Sam gave her a sidelong glance. “Why not me?”

  “From what I hear from Michelle, there is no chance of Sam McKinnon ever settling down.”

  “Michelle?”

  “Oh, you forgot her already? Waitress at your mother’s diner? She told me all about how you broke her heart in high school. And that’s not the only broken heart in town by her recollection.”

  “Ah, Michelle. She was a nice girl. Not my type though.”

  “Really?”

  “Besides I hear she’s gotten over me just fine.”

  “She told me she’s engaged. But she carried quite a torch for you.”

  “You jealous?”

  “Me? Why would I be jealous?”

  He chuckled, the sun making his eyes twinkle just a bit. “I wouldn’t mind if you were.”

  “I don’t have time for a broken heart, thank you very much.”

  “And yet you’re here with me now. With all that tal
k it seems to me you’d have run in the other direction when I asked you to come today.”

  Damn that Sam McKinnon. He always seemed to have a way of backing her up in a corner about her feelings.

  She thought a second before she replied. “You were the one who suggested I come see the area before fire season got into full swing.”

  “That’s only because I wanted to be alone with you.”

  She snapped her gaze at him as he laughed.

  They reached the top of the trail, which opened up to a magnificent view of the rock formations on the hills beyond the canyon.

  “Wow, a person can really get lost out here,” Summer said, taking in the breathtaking view.

  “Some do. Not me, mind you. But some people do.”

  She gave Sam a playful smack on the arm. “You’re so full of yourself.”

  “You love that about me.”

  “There you go again. So sure of yourself.”

  Sam took her hand in his and walked with her up a pass toward the top of the cliff to get a better view of the canyon below. She didn’t pull back, surprised at just how easy it was to feel connected to this man and how much she wanted more of him. It was easy to be with Sam, easy to feel comfortable and say what was on her mind. And it was easy for her to forget her reason for being in South Dakota in the first place. All her fears felt so far away when she was with Sam.

  “There is a blessing and a curse in those rock formations.”

  “How do you mean?”

  Sam pointed to the red rock formations on the opposite side of the canyon. “They’ll stop a fire from spreading past that point. But they’ll trap a man in that canyon just as easily if all access below is blocked. We’ll need two spotters when we work down there this week in case the wind shifts. And in the canyons, the wind shifts rapidly.”

  Being here with Sam was both an education and a comfort. He knew his job well and took all precautions to make sure his crew was safe. He wouldn’t risk their lives.

  “When do the prescribed burns start?” she asked.

  “Next week. We have a lot of work to do this season. The NOAA has warned that this area is a hot spot if the heat lightning we’ve been experiencing sets off a fire. Once we get under way, we’ll probably be holed up in our Crew Hauls for days until the work is done.”

  And she’d be back at the basecamp that will act as a satellite base for the Hotshots, Smokejumpers and fuel haulers. That was where her job was. That’s where safety was. Sam would be out here where all the danger would be.

  But for today, she was here with Sam and there was no danger for either of them. It was just the two of them on this gloriously perfect sunny day.

  “What?” he said, looking at her curiously.

  “I didn’t say anything.”

  “No, but you’re smiling.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “You don’t like my smile?”

  He dragged her into his arms and enveloped her in his arms. “On the contrary, Summer. There is a whole lot about you that I am crazy about. I don’t see it nearly often enough, but I love your smile. In fact, that first day when you were meeting the rest of the crew, I was out of my mind with envy at the way you smiled at each and every one of the men talking to you. You just scowled at me for dripping water on your paperwork.”

  She laughed. “That’s because I didn’t want you to know what I was really feeling.”

  “Oh? And what was that?”

  Heat crept up her cheeks as she turned away. But Sam moved so he could look at her face straight on.

  “Don’t do that. I love it when you blush. I love it when you smile. I love your amazing blue eyes. And I love hearing your voice when you talk to me over the radio.”

  “What?”

  “It’s sexy.”

  “It is not! For Pete’s sake, I’m talking to the other fire fighters, too. Not just you.”

  “I know but when you say my name it’s sexy.” Her cheeks flamed hotter as Sam bent his head brushed the tip of his nose against hers and whispered against her lips. “I love hearing you say my name.”

  Her head was swimming, making her dizzy with emotion and desire for this incredible man. Her heart hammered in her chest as Sam held her close. He’d opened up his heart and shared with her some of his deepest personal pain. The man she’d come to know this past week didn’t jive with the stories she’d heard from the crew or from the talk down at the diner.

  Sam was a gentle and loving family man. Not the womanizing loner destined to never settle down. Through his own admission, he wanted the kind of love and happiness his parents shared. It was hard to believe he was the same man people were talking about.

  Summer wanted so much to open up to him. Adam was the only one who knew about what happened in Providence. She felt so safe here in Sam’s arms that she didn’t want the feeling to end.

  “Sam?”

  “Ssh,” he said, taking her hand and placing it against his chest. She felt his heart beating just as wildly as her own.

  “This is what you do to me, Summer. I look at you and it takes my breath away. My heart starts beating right out of my chest. I know you don’t believe me, but your heart is safe with me.”

  He was impossibly close and before she could think of anything else, his lips brushed against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and weaved her hands together, not wanting to break this connection they’d made. As his tongue darted out, parting her lips, she melted in his arms as he drew her closer still. The heat of his body enveloped her.

  He pulled back just a little, just enough for them to catch their breath as he gazed directly into her eyes. The overhead sun cast a silhouette above him. Sam smiled down at her and then kissed her again, wrapping his arms tighter around her waist so her body was pressed firmly against the length of him.

  Summer’s whole body was on fire and alive. She melted in his arms, feeling every stroke of his tongue and intake of breath as he kissed her. And when they parted, breathing raggely and their bodies trembling, she saw their kiss had affected Sam as much as it had her.

  With a smile he whispered, “You were about to say something?”

  “Forget it and kiss me again.”

  And he did, leaving her as breathless and shaky as he had with the first kiss.

  * * *

  The next week was spent with most of the Hotshot crew out in the field while Summer stayed holed up at the basecamp office. The Smokejumpers and dedicated EMTs had arrived and she kept herself busy getting to know the new crew. She hadn’t received a call from Providence. That and having Sam gone for most of the week had put her on edge.

  Summer worked dispatch, relaying information as needed to the fire crew out doing prescribed burns to clear the felled trees that the flood had left behind. Adam marked the maps and Summer quickly came up to speed on where the crew were at all times.

  She got so she could tell the voices of the men apart when they talked over the radio. She followed it all and listened for Sam’s voice. And when she’d hear him, her heart smiled. She knew he was safe. It got so she hated going back to the motel alone, leaving her connection with Sam behind.

  After having lunch at the Quonset hut that housed the exercise room and the cafeteria, Summer headed back to her desk in the dispatch office and checked her phone to see if her parents or Bobbi had called. They hadn’t, but there was a new voice message. When she dialed her voicemail, she couldn’t hear the message the caller left. However, she did recognize the telephone number. It was Matt Jorgensen.

  Summer’s thoughts drifted back to Providence, to the time when she had been alone in her closet, listening to Elaine’s voice over the phone. And then to Matt’s office, looking at the picture taped to the newspaper and the red bullseye over her face. And all that fear that Sam McKinnon had managed to wash away came crashing down upon her.

  Summer wanted nothing more than for someone to be with her so that she didn’t have to handle this alone, so someone could talk her down from the ledge
she suddenly felt like she was dangling on again.

  But that wasn’t true. She didn’t want someone. She wanted Sam. No matter how far away from Providence she was, she’d only truly felt safe when she was with Sam McKinnon. And he had no idea what was going on.

  Summer grabbed her purse and hurried to Adam’s office, knocking on his door with a shaky hand.

  “It’s open,” Adam said.

  She pushed through the door and sat in the chair on the opposite side of the desk.

  “Matt called me,” she said quickly. “I’m sure it’s nothing but I couldn’t make out the voice message. Did he call you?”

  Adam shook his head. “I’ve been busy all day, but I haven’t received any messages.”

  “I should probably call him back.”

  “Say no more. If you want to take off for the day, go ahead. Things are pretty quiet here. The crew is scheduled to come back to base for a break and Derek has the radio covered for now.”

  “Thank you.” Summer quickly got up and headed to the door.

  “You will let me know if there’s been a change, won’t you?”

  Summer turned back to Adam. “You’ll be the first to know.”

  # # #

  Chapter 7

  Sam was filthy, still covered in sweat, soot, and dirt from his work in the field when he walked into the main office. It had been four days since he’d last seen Summer and the first thing he wanted to do was see her smiling face light up the room for him. He’d already cleaned and put his equipment away in the cargo hold of the utility trucks. All that was left was a shower and shave, and that could wait until he caught a glimpse of Summer.

  He walked into the dispatch room and found her office area empty. The other dispatcher in the room, Derek, lifted his head from his desk when he saw Sam approach.

  “Looking for Summer? She went home,” Derek said.

  “Was she sick?”

  Derek shrugged. “I saw her at lunch and when I came back Adam told me she’d taken the rest of the day off.”

  Sam thought about their last conversation. Money was tight for her staying at the motel. Maybe she’d found a rental somewhere in town and needed to move in.