I knelt, pulling Wilbur into my arms. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re okay,” I murmured. He was more than okay, wiggling like crazy and clearly of the mind that he had vanquished the giant moose all on his own.
“I’m glad you’re both okay,” the man said as I straightened and he reappeared between the vehicles.
I finally got my first good look at him. Holy smokes. Every cell in my body clambered up and shook itself off as if coming out of hibernation.
Alaska seemed to do everything in spades, and this man was an outsized, overblown version of masculinity. His rumpled brown curls were paired with starlight blue eyes, almost too bright for words. He had bold features with cheekbones sculpted sharply and a blade of a nose on the large size. All of him was on the large size, so it didn’t even stand out. There was a little crook in it, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever broken it. My eyes continued their exploration, noting the strong line of his jaw with a dimple at the chin and full sensual lips.
Because my eyes were greedy, they just kept on going, taking in the way his broad shoulders filled out his navy-blue Henley shirt. Although it was late summer and downright chilly this afternoon, his skin was bronzed in the vee where the shirt fell open at the top. I didn’t doubt he was muscled all over with the way he filled out his clothes. His faded denim jeans were buttery soft and hugged his muscled thighs. My eyes landed on a pair of well-worn leather boots before he cleared his throat.
My eyes whipped up, colliding with his stunning blues. My breath caught in my throat, and I could hear the thundering beat of my pulse racing through my body.
“Hi, I’m Madison Glen.” I thrust my hand out abruptly.
The man blinked, and I noticed he had thick curly eyelashes. Good grief. This was almost too much. His lips twitched at the corners before one side lifted in a bemused grin, which sent my belly into several spinning flips. He reached out, almost lazily, and his big hand gripped mine and gave it a strong shake. His touch was warm and firm, and I could feel the calloused surface of his fingertips as he drew his touch away.
A handshake. A mere handshake, and I was seriously hot and bothered. Just now, I suddenly realized I’d never experienced feeling hot and bothered. Not that I had any doubts about the broken engagement I’d left back in Texas, but wow, what a relief that was over. I hadn’t even known what I was missing. All I’d done was shake this man’s hand, and heat had pervaded every corner of my body.
“Graham, Graham Holden. I take it you’re not from around here.”
I was not the kind of girl who got flustered. I swear, I was not. Aside from this being my first experience with hot and bothered, I was now officially flustered. I took a breath, albeit a shallow, fairly useless one that did absolutely nothing to slow the gallop of my pulse. “No, I’m not from here. I’m from Texas. This is Wilbur,” I offered, gesturing down to my dog, who cheerfully smiled up at both of us.
If I thought things were bad already, then Graham knelt to give Wilbur a proper greeting. “Hey there, Wilbur.”
Graham stroked over his head, and Wilbur was overjoyed, wagging his little tail and rubbing his head on Graham’s knees. Meanwhile, my own knees were wobbly, and I thought I might legit swoon.
Chapter Two
Graham
I was honestly relieved to pet Wilbur. I needed some kind of distraction. Madison, this woman who seemed to have been dropped from the sky into Alaska, had a straight line to my libido. And, frankly, my libido was like a car left in the garage for over a decade. This engine hadn’t turned over in a while, and now it was revving like mad.
I had some manners, though, so after greeting her ecstatically friendly dog, I straightened. “Nice to meet you and Wilbur. Moose can be cranky, especially this time of year. Might wanna be careful.”
Madison blinked at me. That was a relief too, if only for a second. Her eyes were startlingly beautiful—a rich, clear green. A second passed when her lashes lifted again. She was so out of place here, I wasn’t sure what to think. I knew the best thing for me was to let this be nothing more than this—a passing interaction at a gas station.
“Okay,” she finally said.
Being near her had derailed my thoughts, and I’d actually forgotten what I said. The look on my face must’ve given it away because she added, “I’ll be careful about moose if I see any again.”
The next thing I knew, I was asking a question. I didn’t need to be asking this woman questions. “Are you taking a trip by yourself?”
She blinked at me again, her eyes guarded. “Yeah,” she said.
I knew her nonchalance was feigned, but this really was none of my business. She had glossy dark brown hair, twisted into something resembling a bun with a pen stuck through it on top of her head. She was about medium height with plenty of curves. I didn’t want to admit it, but my eyes lingered on the way her T-shirt stretched across her breasts and the way her hips filled out her jeans.
Madison shivered and tugged her jacket closed in front as she stuffed her hands in her pockets. “Well, thanks for helping me. I’ll just be on my way.”
“Sure thing. Wilbur was probably more help than me. Take care and safe travels,” I managed as I stepped back.
She let Wilbur into the passenger seat and climbed into her car. I watched as they drove away. I’d already filled my truck with gas, but I crossed the parking area and went to the back of the building to use the restroom. I could be a man and just take a piss in the field, but it was completely visible from the road, and I didn’t want to be that kind of an asshole.
Only minutes later, I was back on the highway, heading to Willow Brook. Much as I wanted not to think about Madison Glen, my brain was mulling over that encounter. She didn’t fit the profile for someone traveling alone in Alaska. I didn’t know what she was doing, but I was more curious than I should be about her.
The sunset was showy tonight, leaving a last burst of orange and red and gold behind the mountains as the sun slipped out of view. I wondered if my daughter, Allie, was driving my parents crazy tonight. Probably not. Most of the time, she was a good kid, and she usually only got cranky with me.
A chuckle rustled in my throat. My daughter was a spitfire. She was two years into being a teenager, and I knew the next four years weren’t going to be particularly easy. I loved her to pieces, though, and I’d do anything for her. She was staying with my parents for the weekend. If I pushed it on the drive, I could get home tonight, but by that point, she’d be sound asleep. I decided I might as well stop at a hotel.
My options were limited. When I saw the lights of a lodge glittering in the distance, I made the call to see if they had any rooms left. If this was at the height of summer, during the crush of tourist season, I wouldn’t have any luck. But I could probably snag a room tonight.
I’d taken a trip up north to do some training. I’d just taken a job as the superintendent for an expansion hotshot firefighter crew in the Willow Brook area. I had some equipment to pick up in Fairbanks, and it was more affordable for me to make the drive than to fly and sort out shipping.
Not much later, after a friendly elderly couple assured me they had several rooms available, I was walking down the hallway to my room when I felt a prickle on the back of my neck. Reflexively, I glanced over my shoulder to see none other than Madison Glen walking down the hall.