Three months later

Alaska

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Ren gunned his ATV up the steep incline, amazed at how much ice and snow still covered the Alaskan landscape. He reached the curve with the arrow and followed it to the right where a large cabin sat surrounded by everything from a dogsled to snowboards and snowshoes.

For someone who hated dating someone she worked with, they had spent almost three straight months seeing each other. Even when she was out of town, they still facetimed over the phone. This week away from her had been torture.

He parked then shut it down, listening to the eerie calls of birds he’d never been around. The helmet came off and the sweat on his neck and head evaporated in the icy cold breeze. The door opened, and he inhaled her scent long before he could see her. She ran into his arms and hugged him close before he could get off the ATV.

“You really came.”

“Hey, you asked me out on a date. Refusing would have been stupid.”

She laughed and looked up at him. Her hair was starting to grow out. The next film would give her extensions and a new hair color, but right now, he loved the way the overgrown pixie cut framed her face. “I meant to Alaska. You could have said no.”

“Absolutely not.” He got off the quad, took his helmet off, and put his arm around her. “This is an adventure of a lifetime, and I’m not passing it up.”

After Michael had been taken down, they found out he’d been turned into a shifter against his will. The lions and wolves were looking for the rogue wolf who’d turned him, but so far, they hadn’t picked up any leads. Rogue Assassin was launching this weekend, and instead of going to the red carpet, where she’d been invited, she chose to come here. His curiosity tugged at him, but he just enjoyed the feel of her against him.

The moment he stepped inside, the eyes of about half a dozen shifters turned and looked at him. Some of them were hostile, but most were friendly. Their scents were all mixed up. Some wolves, a few were things he didn’t recognize. One old guy in the corner set his hackles up, and from the grin he shot Ren’s way, he knew it, too.

“Welcome to Rusty’s.” She gestured around. “This is where I grew up.”

“In a bar?” Men and women crowded around the bar while something that smelled incredible came from the kitchen beyond.

She laughed. “No. But not far from here.” The lady behind the counter set down a giant mug of coffee and DJ rushed over to pick it up. “This is the reason I dragged you all the way here.” She put it under his nose and the delicious scent of coffee left his mouth watering.

He took off his gloves and jacket and hung them on the hooks under the bar. They sat down, and he inhaled the scent of freshly ground coffee.

“That stuff’s strong enough to put hair on your chest. Drink enough of it, and you’ll like DJ.” The old guy cracked his joke from the back of the room and everyone laughed.

“Is that why you’re bald, Gale? Too much coffee scare all that manly hair away?” The lady behind the bar called and the laughter continued. “Let the man try it.”

Ren took his first sip and an explosion of flavor hit his tongue. Robust, strong, and full-bodied flavor. “This is great. Do you have any sugar?”

DJ laughed, and the sugar was slid down to him. He piled it in and stirred it.

“Still want coffee with your sugar, huh?”

He smacked his lips and took a solid gulp of the coffee. It was perfect.

“The coordinates you gave me really saved my ass out there.”

“It’s the only way you could find it.”

“Is it always this busy?” He felt like every gaze in the room was burning into his back.

“It’s the last night of the season. Rusty’s family closes the place for the spring, summer, and part of fall. It doesn’t open again until November.”

“Wow, that’s a shame. This coffee is amazing.” He lifted his cup toward the lady behind the bar and she grinned and waved.

He noticed the way DJ’s leg touched his and the smile on her lips was softer than before. Everything about her looked good enough to eat.

“I have to go to Portland in a week. Mack is back in action and we’re doing a new science fiction movie. How long is your time off?”

“A week.”

“Good.” She leaned close to him.

He set down his coffee and took her hand in his. “Does this mean we can officially date, Ms. Stuntwoman?”

“It does. But only for a week.”

“A week is a very short time.” He wanted to brag about her, take her out in public, kiss her whenever the hell he wanted to.

“Is a week too short?” Her gaze was locked onto his. He could almost taste the fear and worry in her voice.

“Nah. Gives me just enough time to convince you.” He tapped her cheek with his finger and stroked down to her throat.

“Convince me about what?”

“You know, I’ve had more fun with you this past few months than I have in my entire life with anyone else. I’m going to convince you to marry me, since Mack tells me you don’t have any rules against that.”

Her mouth opened in surprise and he took her lips in a kiss that had the room in an uproar and her pulse pounding desperately against his fingertips.

They broke the kiss and she nipped his bottom lip. “It’s gonna take a lot more than one kiss to convince me, fireman.”

He was already grabbing their coats. “I love a good challenge.”

“Bring it on, honey,” she said as she led the way into the frigid air. This week without her had been like drowning in the air. He inhaled her scent and let her smile ease away the tightness that had clenched his heart and throat since she moved away.

He pulled her into his arms and held her close. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, Ren.” She pulled back and zipped up his jacket. “Now get that helmet on. We’ve got a long ride ahead of us and we’ll see if you can keep up.”

The challenge was issued, and he knew the wolf was smiling through him as he repeated her words. “Bring it on, honey.”