“Tell me about your family,” Logan said, watching her observe the vista, her eyes bright with interest.

Looking over, she said, “My grandparents were from Tanana descended from the original inhabitants of the Tanana River…Tanana Athabaskans. They grew up together and married as soon as they could. My mom was born there, but left for college in Fairbanks, where she met my dad. We’d visit when I was a kid and I thought it was a great place to spend my vacation. Long walks in the woods, boat rides on the river, fishing in the lakes. And, when I was really little, my grandfather would let me sit with him in the post office, talking to everyone in town who came in.” Laughing, she added, there are only about three hundred residents and they used the post office as a gathering place, so I got to know everyone.”

“You mentioned your grandfather to Farrah—”

“Oh, that,” she blushed. “You said it is best to stick to partial truths when making up a cover, so I figured they would believe that. Remember…I was chosen because of my heritage.”

He glanced to the side, seeing sadness replace her earlier joy. “I take it your grandparents are…”

Nodding, she said, “Yes. They passed away about five years ago. Within a month of each other.” Looking over, her eyes bright, she said, “I think that’s so sweet. To be so in love that you can’t live without the other.”

Thinking of his own parents and grandparents, he could imagine that kind of love, having seen it as he grew up.

Twisting to look at him, she continued, “Hollywood is making some kind of reality TV show about men in Alaska from that area, and most of it’s fake. The show made it sound like there was only a few days worth of food in the local store, but they failed to mention that the store is actually fully stocked and there is a café with great burgers just down the street.”

“Sounds really nice,” he said, his smile warm as her obviously happy recollections bubbled forth.

“The funny thing is, though, I really hate the little daylight part of the year. I’m someone who can handle cold and snow, but give me sunshine!”

At her words, a thought flashed through his mind—the idea of Viv at his place in Montana, where cold and snow certainly occurred, but the sun never ceased beaming down on the plains around his home. Blinking rapidly, he forced the thought from his mind. Instead, he said, “Well, how about a trip down memory lane?”

She grinned, while at the same time crinkling her brow. Realizing he was taking them northwest of Fairbanks, she clapped her hands in glee.

“Oh, my God, Logan! You’ll fly over Tanana?”

“Let’s follow the Tanana River and see where it takes us.”

It did not take long for them to circle over the tiny town, the brown dirt roads and old wooden buildings making a small, inhabited square in the middle of the deep green of the trees. Pointing out the post office and café, she grinned as they turned back toward Ester.

“It’s a little bigger than I remembered, but I bet the new TV show based out of there has brought in new businesses and visitors.”

Landing back at the airfield near Ester, she squeezed his fingers before twisting toward him. “Logan, thank you so much. This was such a fabulous day.”

Leaning forward, his face was a whisper away from hers and Vivian wondered if he were going to kiss her. Both wishing for him to and, afraid for him to, she held her breath. His hand moved toward her chest, unbuckling her harness, causing a gasp to slip out when her chest was no longer restrained. She fell forward from the release, her lips landing perilously close to his. Jerking back, blushing, she slid the harnesses off her shoulders as he smiled, opening his door.

“I’ll come around and help you,” he said. “We can unload the boxes and go grab some lunch at the bar.”

It took twice as long to unload the boxes as it did to load them, since Logan insisted on carrying them himself.

Refusing to stand idly by, she crawled into the helicopter and pushed the heavy boxes toward the door to make it easier for him to pick them up. Picking up the last box, he winked as he turned to take it to his truck and Vivian sat in the doorway, her feet hanging out, staring at him. Her mind roamed to the kiss from the evening before and she lifted her fingers to her lips, still able to feel his lips on hers.

“You ready to eat?”

Startled, she jerked her eyes up, seeing him stalking back toward her. Matching his grin with one of her own, she allowed him to assist her down before he secured the helicopter. Walking to his truck, he slung one arm casually over her shoulders. She loved the warm feel but wondered if it was forced, for their cover, or natural.

“So…uh…we’re going to the bar?”

“Yeah,” he said, looking down at her, his eyes bright. “I went yesterday and met the owners. And that’s where I got the hamburgers from the day before.”

Within a few minutes, they pulled into the gravel parking lot next to the large, wooden plank building. A sign hung over the front, with the name Goldmine Saloon painted in reds and yellows. Logan watched Vivian’s eyes light up as they walked up the front steps and entered the dark, cool interior.

“Preacher!” Iggie hollered in greeting. His eyes moved to Vivian and he grinned. “Hey, Sadie, come meet Preacher’s wife.”

He had entered the bar behind Vivian with his hands on her shoulders. At Iggie’s yell, she stiffened and backed up to his front just as Sadie came barreling from the back, skidding to a stop directly in front of her.

“Hi! Oh, aren’t you a beauty,” Sadie declared, grabbing Vivian’s hand, shaking it profusely. Standing back, she narrowed her eyes and said, “Damn, Preacher, you didn’t tell us your wife was Inuit!”

With Vivian’s back still plastered to his front, he wrapped his arm around her chest and rested his chin on her head, feeling the tension leave her body.

“This is Vivian. I thought we’d get something to eat. We missed lunch and know it’s kind of early for dinner. Can you set us up?”

Now smiling, Vivian’s hand naturally went to his arm, her fingers wrapping around his muscular forearm. Trying to remind himself they were only playacting for a cover, he knew the tingle from her touch was more than just pretend.

“Well, Vivian, I’m Sadie and that old coot back there is my husband, Iggie. We’ll get the best burger you’ve ever eaten out here in just a few minutes.”

He gave Vivian a little nudge and they moved forward as one toward the bar. Giving her a boost onto the bar stool, they ordered beers from Iggie.

Soon they were joined when Sadie brought out the burgers and fries. Vivian quickly learned there was no privacy at the Goldmine Saloon as Sadie plopped down next to her. Iggie stayed planted behind the bar right with them as well.

“So, tell me about your family,” Sadie asked.

After swallowing her bite, she explained about her grandparents, including how she had been raised in California.

“Oh, Alaska never leaves your blood,” Iggie claimed, a wide smile gleaming against his tanned skin.

“I don’t know about that,” she replied. “I like my sunshine and I can’t drive in the snow!”

“You’ll get the hang of it, if you two stay here. That’s what you’re planning, right Preacher?”

She slid a glance toward Logan and watched as he nodded slowly before replying, “We’ll see. Gotta go where the work is. Right now, the airfield here can pay me enough to make it worth our while, but if works comes from somewhere else, then I figure that’s where we’ll head.”

The foursome continued to chat for another hour as she and Logan finished eating. “Sadie, you’re right,” she said, “you do make the best burgers.”

As the crowd increased for dinner, Sadie and Iggie moved on to serve other customers. Someone put money in the jukebox and she stood, taking Logan’s hand, pulling him gently from the barstool. He looked up at her in confusion as she led him to the back, where a few tables were cleared away and another couple swayed to the music.

Halting, giving a tug on her hand, he glanced around before muttering, “Viv, I don’t dance.”

She grinned, moving in closer, wrapping her free hand around his waist. Standing on her tiptoes, she whispered, “All you gotta do is hold on to me and rock back and forth.”

Not wanting her to let go, Logan pulled her body tightly to his. Placing one hand on her back, he took their clasped hands and pressed them over his heart between their bodies. Moving as one with the music swirling about them, their gazes locked on each other, they began to sway to the music. He was sure she could hear his heartbeat, it thudded so loudly in his chest. Her hair hung gracefully down her back, the ends brushing against his arm, making him want to run his fingers through the thick, sleek tresses.

As he stared into her eyes, he felt as though he could drown in their depths…and be found again. His fingers flexed on her lower waist as the warmth traveled up his arm. This makes no sense…I’ve known her less than a week. But his heart warred with his mind. He wanted her. Maybe that’s it…this is just sex I need. Me…a pretty girl…yeah, maybe a fling is what we both need. But as those thoughts moved through his mind, he knew a fling was not what he wanted.

Bending down, he nuzzled her nose before sliding his lips over hers. Just a taste…just a touch. A soft gasp from her lips brushed warm breath across his lips and he took the kiss deeper.

“Viv…” he groaned into her mouth, no longer caring what his head said, as long as he listened to what his heart demanded.

Vivian gave in to the sensation of everything that was Logan. His arms wrapped around her as she slid her hands upward to encircle his neck. His thick chest as it pressed against her breasts, her nipples aching with need. His mouth, strong and soft, as it tormented hers, making her desire for the kiss to never end. Just as she thought she could not take any more, his tongue delved inside, stealing her breath as he plundered and teased. Her breasts felt heavy as the jolt from her lips to her core ignited.

As the music ended, their bodies continued to sway and he lifted his head slightly, his breath still warm against her mouth. She stared into his eyes, stormy with lust while they held her pinned in place.

Hating to ask, but feeling the needed to, she whispered, “Is that part of our cover?”

Logan hesitated but the truth won out. “No,” he replied softly. His heart pounded and his body stiffened in preparation for her response.

Her lips curved into a wide smile as she moved in closer so their lips were once more a whisper apart. “Good.”

His heart leaped as he pulled away, staring down into her beautiful face. Without a word, he led her toward the door, his arm around her shoulders, firmly pulling her next to him. The early evening darkness surrounded them and, with a wave toward Sadie and Iggie, they stepped through the door to head home.