Wild Men of Alaska Collection - By Helmer, Tiffinie Page 0,105

but he also looked like Lucky. Had she completely lost it?

“Right now, I sure as hell miss not being able to read your mind.”

She stared. Blue eyes to brown. That cocky grin instead of Cub’s bashful one.

Quickly he filled her in on the meeting in Limbo and Cub’s choice. And Lucky’s fortune. Hers too.

Silence followed his hasty explanation. Then Lucky caressed her face with the back of his fingers. “Are you okay with this?”

“I’m not dreaming, am I?”

He shook his head, his expression stoic as if bracing himself for her next words.

“And Cub is truly happy?”

“Grinning like an idiot.”

“And there are no give backs?”

“I double-checked.”

She launched herself at him, wrapping her arms and legs tight around him. He laughed rolling over the bed with her. Joy filled the room, followed by hard, quick kisses.

“Damn, but I love you.”

“Oh, Lucky, I love you. So, so much.”

“Now don’t do that. I’m not good with tears. It killed me when you cried over me.”

“You were there?”

“I couldn’t leave you. I hurt with you. Each tear that fell from your eyes, there was an equal one falling from mine.”

“Wait. Your eyes.” She pulled back. “How will we explain the changes? There are bound to be questions. You aren’t Cub, but you look like him. People will expect him.”

“Head injuries. They change people. Especially their personalities. Besides, I’m not worried about other people. Are you going to be okay with the new bod?” he asked, half jokingly. “Good thing the man had the same level of hotness I did. But I gotta grow out the hair. I look like a damn boy scout.”

Gemma smoothed her hands through his hair, over his face, tracing his brows. He looked more and more like Lucky as she gazed at him. Lucky’s expressions, his inflections came in how he looked and talked. “I see you, Lucky Leroy Morgan. It’s you who I love. Though I must admit, I did not find Cub’s body unattractive.”

“That’s a bit convoluted.”

“You didn’t want me to come out and say I thought Cub looked like a Norse god, did you?”

“I do, don’t I?” That cocky smile was back in place.

“What about the eye color? Cub’s eyes were blue. Not just blue, but a stunning blue.”

“That will be one for science to try and explain. Or I can wear contacts.”

“You know Tern is going to flip. There will be no keeping the truth from her.”

“Tern will take it in stride. It’s your mother who I’m worried about.”

“Oh, holy balls.”

THE END

BEARING ALL

CHAPTER ONE

She’d been sent to kill him, and this time she wasn’t going to fail.

Donned in head-to-toe white winter gear, blending seamlessly with her surroundings, Kate “No Mercy” Mercer lay on her stomach in the snow and viewed the terrain through white binoculars. She’d been casing the area for days, freezing her ass off.

The Edge of Reason Lodge came by its name naturally. Built on the edge of the Kenai Peninsula in Kachemak Bay, Alaska, the lodge perched on an imposing mountain with a jagged ice-encrusted beach at its feet. The deep, frigid waters of the finger fjord split off from the bay with no outlet, creating a natural defense for the lodge against invasion. There would be no surprise attacks as the only way in was by boat or float plane. He’d see her coming. Which is why Kate had chosen to drop in behind Sadie Mountain and trek in from there. A person would have to be crazy to attempt it. Luckily she was way past crazy.

She’d served in Afghanistan and had thought nothing of conquering the Kenai Mountains. She should have thought again. Hiking the glacier-pocked, steep terrain mid-winter had been a bitch. All of it added more motivation to take down Sergei Lavinsky, code name The Bear.

Kate had to give it to Sergei, the man was pretty damn smart for holing up here in the middle of nowhere.

But she’d still found him.

It appeared all of the lodge’s occupants were gone, presumably for the holiday. Probably somewhere warmer would be her vote.

Leaving Sergei alone.

All she needed to do now was wait for the perfect opening to move in. It was the day before Christmas Eve. By tomorrow night she planned to be somewhere more hospitable herself.

The temperature dropped fast as the winter solstice sun slid behind the snow-laden peaks. The view was breathtaking, that is if she could tear her eyes away from Sergei, who was currently chopping wood, wearing snug jeans, snow boots, and only a half-buttoned flannel shirt. His sable-black