Free Dakota Heat (Book 3 - Dakota Hearts) by Lisa Mondello Page A

away and rushed to the truck.
    Summer stood rooted to her spot, her eyes following the truck as it left until she could see nothing but a cloud of dust. Sam was gone and she had no idea if he would make it back to her safe and sound. And for the first time in her life, in spite of everything that was happening to her, she realized what true fear felt like.
    “Summer!” Derek called out. “Let’s get to it.”
    She followed Derek to the dispatch room. There were maps to mark and fuel orders to make so that the tankers could drop retardant where needed. They all had work to do. She had to stop thinking about Sam and do her job for the sake of all the fire fighters out there today.
    # # #

Chapter 10

    Summer got up from bed for the umpteenth time and paced the floor. Why had she made that ridiculous promise to Sam that she’d sleep at the house instead of basecamp?
    She’d spent the last hour revisiting every moment she’d shared with Sam. From the first time they’d kissed, Summer had known she wanted much more. She wanted the warmth and safety that Sam’s arms offered, she wanted his lips to caress her skin, she wanted his fingers to explore her body and she wanted to feel him joined to her as they made love.
    She couldn’t forget the feel of his lips on hers and the soft brush of his tongue against her lips. And it only made her want him more with each passing day.
    Every moment Sam was gone, memories of him haunted Summer. Her only lifeline was the radio and hearing Sam’s voice come through. And then relief would wash over her that he was safe.
    Summer walked to the window and pushed back the drapes, giving her a hazy view of the night sky. As she stared out window, Summer thought of Sam and the monster fire he and the rest of the crew were facing. She didn’t want to be back in her room, safe and sound in a warm bed without Sam. She wanted to be at the basecamp, listening to the radio and making sure the man she’d fallen helplessly in love with was safe and would come home to her.
    Home . This wasn’t her home. It was Sam’s. And only when he was in Rudolph. When all was said and done, she’d be going back to Providence. Alone. And Sam would go off somewhere else.
    A light in the kitchen turned on in the main house. Someone was awake. And Summer had a good idea who it was.
    * * *
    “Sometimes I think it’s worse when he’s home,” Kate said, sitting at the table with a cup of tea in front of her.
    She hadn’t taken a sip. Neither had Summer.
    “Donald can sleep through anything. Me? I’m a zombie. When Sam is in Colorado or California or wherever he goes, I worry when I listen to the news. But here…”
    “You can’t get away from it,” Summer said. “You know when he’s out there.”
    Kate nodded. “Ethan said there has been no word about the serial killer in Providence. No lead on where he is.”
    Summer drew in a deep breath, thankful for the change of subject and finding it odd that she’d rather talk about a serial killer hunting her than a monster fire Sam was in the middle of. “But there haven’t been any more killings, so that’s a good thing.”
    “What will you do if they don’t find him? Where will you go?”
    She hadn’t thought that far ahead. “I guess I always assumed they’d find him. But if they don’t…I guess I could always move to Florida with my parents.”
    “What about Sam?”
    “What about him?”
    “You two have become quite close.”
    Summer smiled. She couldn’t deny it, nor did she want to hide her feelings from Kate. She genuinely liked the woman and felt comfortable with her.
    “Sam hasn’t even told me he loves me.”
    “But you love him.”
    Feeling the weight of emotion deep in her chest, Summer nodded.
    “I don’t even know what I’m doing here when all I want to do is be on the other end of that radio so I can hear what’s going on. It’s killing me.”
    Kate smiled slowly, fatigue pulling at her tired eyes. “So what’s keeping