Sweet Dreams Boxed Set by Brenda Novak & Allison Brennan & Cynthia Eden & Jt Ellison & Heather Graham & Liliana Hart & Alex Kava & Cj Lyons & Carla Neggers & Theresa Ragan & Erica Spindler & Jo Robertson & Tiffany Snow & Lee Child

Author:Brenda Novak & Allison Brennan & Cynthia Eden & Jt Ellison & Heather Graham & Liliana Hart & Alex Kava & Cj Lyons & Carla Neggers & Theresa Ragan & Erica Spindler & Jo Robertson & Tiffany Snow & Lee Child [Novak, Brenda & Brennan, Allison & Eden, Cynthia & Ellison, Jt & Graham, Heather & Hart, Liliana & Kava, Alex & Lyons, Cj & Neggers, Carla & Ragan, Theresa & Spindler, Erica & Robertson, Jo & Snow, Tiffany & Child, Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Brenda Novak's Online Auction for Diabetes Research
Published: 2015-05-01T23:00:00+00:00

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Evelyn put her feet up on the dash of Amarok’s truck and stared at the stars beyond his windshield, which were so much more vivid in Alaska than anywhere else. She was fairly certain she’d never tasted anything as good as the bacon and cheddar quarter pounder he’d brought her from Shorty’s kitchen—or felt more secure or happy than kicking back with him in the parking lot of The Moosehead, where they could hear the music from inside drifting out onto the cool evening air.

“It’s beautiful here,” she said. Maybe Hilltop didn’t have a lot of other things to recommend it, but it certainly had stunning scenery.

“I like it,” he responded, following her gaze up into the sky.

“How long have you lived here?”

He was making quick work of his meal, much quicker work than she was. “All my life.”

She took another bite of her own burger. “What kind of a nickname is Amarok?”

“It’s Inuktitut.”

“The language of the Inuit people.” She’d read about some of the various Alaskan natives once she’d heard where Hanover House would be located.

“Yes.”

She selected one of the crisper French fries from the basket in the seat between them. “What does it mean?”

“Wolf.”

“Have you been called that all your life?”

He swallowed the bite he’d taken of his own burger. “For most of it. My friends gave me the nickname after some bully picked a fight with me in grade school.”

“You must’ve won that fight.”

“That kid never messed with me again,” he said with a cocky grin.

She stuffed another fry into her mouth. “So, let’s see...when that was happening to you, I was...what? In college?”

He slanted her a look that said he wasn’t happy with the topic of conversation. “We’re going there, are we?”

“Don’t you think we should?”

He scowled. “Definitely not.”

“Because?”

“What’s the point?” he said with a shrug. “As far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t matter.”

She sat up. “Of course it matters. Relationships are hard enough when both people are at a similar stage of life. And that’s when you’re dealing with ‘normal’ people. We both know I’m not ‘normal.’”

“Everyone has their challenges.”

She laughed without mirth. “Not many people have my challenges. We have too much stacked against us, Amarok.” As far as she was concerned, whatever spark they felt they’d be wise to smother right away. It would be far easier to end things now, before either one of them could be hurt—before they could get carried away with hope only to be disappointed by the limitations imposed by her dysfunction.

“That’s it, then?” he said.

She was fairly certain he’d never had a woman tell him no, and she could understand why. “Maybe I haven’t been clear enough, but”—she lowered her voice even though there wasn’t anyone else around to overhear her—“I can’t have sex.” She figured she might as well be blunt, get it out there. “I’m guessing that’ll be important to you.”

He wiped his mouth. “Important but not everything.”

Her appetite suddenly gone, she put her burger on the wax paper it’d been wrapped in. “You’re serious.”

“Is that all you think I want?”

She drew a deep breath.