Page 54 of Burning Secrets

He blew out a breath, met her eyes, his chest rising and falling, studying her. Then, “I think I need to leave now.”

Oh.

He leaned in, kissed her again, the lightest touch on her lips, then stood, let out a breath, and pushed her away. “You’re right. I just can’t stop kissing you.” Then he turned and said, “See you in the morning, Wolf Girl.” And winked.

And she had nothing left of her heart.

She felt partially restored when she met him the next morning at the coffee pot in the mess hall, but he’d changed into fresh jeans and a clean blue thermal shirt, maybe Rio’s doing, that perfectly highlighted his dark eyes, and he nudged her hip as he came up to her. So there went that.

He turned to her as she poured coffee. “Rio talked Dodge Kingston into giving us a ride to the homesteads.”

“Dodge Kingston?”

“He’s a chopper pilot in the area, runs a search and rescue branch up here. Rio didn’t want to utilize the smokejumpers, so we’re going in, just him and me?—”

She rounded on him. “And me.”

He gave her a grim look.

“I am going with you. It was my idea. And if the SOR shows up, you’ll need help.”

“What are you going to do? You’re not trained in law enforcement.”

“Neither are you!”

He winced, and—“Oh, Crew, I didn’t mean?—”

“You’re right.” He sipped his black coffee. “I’m not. But I do have a little experience with these guys.”

“And I have experience getting people to evacuate. Which is exactly what we’ll need to do if they’ve doused their fields and plan to set them on fire. I’ll know how to slow it down, and I can call in our crew.”

“Your crew is going with you.” This from Hammer, who’d joined them. “Jamie filled in Logan, who filled in me and the guys, and you’re wrong if you think you’re going to save this village by yourselves. Hogging all the heroism.” He shook his head but flashed a smile before he took a sip of his coffee.

A smile? She nearly choked on hers.

Hammer glanced at Crew. “Wheels up in ten minutes.” He walked away.

Crew turned back to her. “Does that guy have the hots for you?”

She lifted a shoulder. “Does it matter?”

Crew grinned. “Nope.” He looked like he might kiss her, so she pushed past him.

“To the chopper, Batman.”

Ten minutes later, she climbed into the big Bell 429 parked on the tarmac. She met the pilot—Dodge was a good-looking guy with dark hair and aviator sunglasses and a grim set to his mouth as he talked with Rio.

She had geared up, carried her helmet and gloves, a jacket, and now sat next to Logan in the chopper. Crew and Hammer climbed in behind them. Rio sat in front. She noticed a gear box too, so the guys had at least brought tools. And they all wore their canvas pants and yellow Nomex shirts, held helmets and jackets as well.

Hopefully this wouldn’t turn into a firefight.

They donned headphones and lifted off, and she felt a little like they might be going into combat, the way the chopper arched, headed west. Maybe Dodge had been a military pilot.

She stared out the window, spotted the Copper River meandering below them and then the tributaries cutting away through the woods.

They couldn’t poison a river, not with the fast-running currents. But a reservoir?

And a small food supply?

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