“I’m assuming that was my pilot?” Booker asked, his voice deepening with each word.
When Aspen looked up and their eyes met, she felt the stirring of her wolf. It wanted to cower down and submit to him right then and there, but she held herself back…
Until it happened.
The little woman who ran the desk at the flight company smelled even better than the last time he had been there. Aspen Ward always carried a soft, floral scent, but today, it was different. Not a perfume. No, this was natural.
Booker hiked his pack over his shoulder as he leaned against the counter. “If you can’t get me out today, I can wait until tomorrow.”
“I’m sure we can get a flight out for you,” she offered, but he wasn’t in a hurry to leave. Especially, if it meant staying around Aspen Ward for a few more hours.
She blushed as his eyes roamed her body. The woman wasn’t like anything he’d seen in a long time. Why she decided to live out in the middle of nowhere and work for her brothers still boggled his mind. She should’ve been on the cover of magazines.
He wasn’t sure what nationality she was with those golden eyes, but he never asked. Usually, he preferred to live his life out in the bush and away from humans where he could have his peace and quiet.
It’d been twelve years since he had saved enough money to move from Texas to the harsh Alaskan forest. Once he found a large piece of land, he worked night and day to build his cabin and make a life trapping animals and selling their pelts for what little money he needed.
“I’ll set you up with a room anyway,” Aspen offered. “You can get a shower, and I’ll have dinner ready for everyone around six if we can’t get you out before dark.”
“Thank you,” he replied as she sat a key on the counter. “I’ll be around. Just let me know.”
“Sure thing,” she answered and turned away. He snatched the key up and walked away when his eyes landed on her shapely hips. No woman should be that beautiful.
He found the first room down a short hallway and unlocked the door. The air service had a few rooms for their hikers and residents like him who needed to wait for their flight. He hadn’t used that service before, but there was always a first for everything.
If they were able to get him in the air later, he could still get to his cabin in time to heat things up since the weather was starting to change. Summer was over and the days were getting shorter. His trip to Texas had only lasted a few days, because he didn’t want to be there any longer than necessary to close out his father’s estate.
Getting back to the cabin was imperative. There were a lot of chores to get done before the first snowfall. Which could come in as little as six weeks…some years, even sooner.
After a shower, he went in search of the crew to check on the status of his flight. When he entered the terminal area, Aspen was still behind the counter, ripping a piece of jerky with her teeth. He could’ve sworn she had fangs from the way her teeth flashed.
“Any word?”
“Hmm.” She chewed quickly and covered her mouth with her hand. “Mason and Charlie are working on her plane. Looks like she needed some oil. They shouldn’t be long.”
“Okay, I’ll gather my things,” he replied, jutting his chin out toward her snack. “Caribou?”
“No, moose,” she beamed. “Left over from last season. My cousin, Harper, makes it.”
“Do you hunt?” he asked. If she was beautiful and lived off the resources of the land, he was certain he would fall in love with her.
“Actually, yes,” she said, raising her chin. “I do.”
“Maybe you could come out to my place at the end of the month,” he shrugged. “I’ve seen a few bulls in my area.”
“I might take you up on that,” she replied, looking over her shoulder at the back door to the terminal. No one was there, but when she turned her head back, he saw worry in her eyes. “I might have to have Charlie fly me out early one morning.”
“Your brothers are protective, aren’t they?” he guessed. With a sister like Aspen, he would’ve been protective, too.
“Just a little,” she chuckled. “One more so than the other.”
Nash was the oldest, and Booker had flown with him before he hung it up to have a wife and family. The newest member of their family was dating the second brother, and he knew how women stuck together.
“Well, if you can sneak away, just call on the radio. I’ll be heading out on the first day to hunt. My cabin is always open to you, Ms. Ward.”
He wasn’t sure she would come, but he would wait and see. He wouldn’t mind spending more time with her.
“Thank you, Booker,” she replied, giving him a soft smile.
They’d talked before. He’d only used their flight services for the last year, and Aspen had always been his contact when he needed to get in and out of the area. He kept his old truck in their lot to use whenever he needed to travel.
“Mr. Dupree,” Mason Ward, the middle brother, called out when he entered through the back door. “Charlie is ready to take you now. Sorry about the delay.”
“No problem,” Booker replied, shaking the brother’s hand. When he did, Mason’s head jerked to the side and his eyes narrowed on his sister. Aspen was basically ignoring them, and Mason let go of his hand.
“Let us know when you are in
