Read Dakota Heat (Book 3 - Dakota Hearts) for Free Online

felt like an eternity.”
    “You must have been so terrified,” Donald said.
    “I was. I heard their voices in the upstairs hall and then the dispatcher—her name was Elaine—told me the officers had arrived at the house. One of the burglars ran out the kitchen door when he saw the cruiser outside. The other guy hid in my room and closed the door. For the longest time all I could hear was my heart pounding and the sound of Elaine’s voice reassuring me on the phone. The guy in my room eventually gave up and was arrested.
    “I was so shocked when I met Elaine the next day when I went to the police station. She was this little woman who was barely five feet tall and about ninety-five pounds. But while I was on the phone with her she was a giant, larger than life. I knew then how powerful that lifeline was for someone in need. So I trained to be a dispatcher and my best friend, Bobbi Collins, went to Johnson and Wales and eventually became a police officer.”
    “Wow, that’s quite an experience,” Sam said.
    “I told my story. Why did you want to become a fire fighter?” Summer asked.
    “Sam had a fondness for blowing things up when he was a kid,” Kate said dryly.
    Ethan laughed. “Yeah, he figured he’d better learn how to put fires out since he was so good at starting them.”
    They all laughed and Summer found the tension that had plagued her since she’d left Providence was finally draining away. It was the first time she’d felt completely comfortable and safe since she’d arrived in Rudolph and gave her hope that she might just be able to get through this after all.
    An hour later, Summer was saying her good-byes and Sam was walking her to her car. The smell of cool spring night wrapped around her and the sound of frogs mating in a nearby pond filled the air.
    “You didn’t have to walk me out,” Summer said when she reached the car.
    Sam leaned in close and she could smell the familiar scent of musk and soap that had tickled her senses earlier at the dinner table.
    “I know. But how else was I going to kiss you if I didn’t?” he asked.
    Summer swallowed to help keep herself from responding impulsively. She couldn’t deny she’d thought about kissing Sam McKinnon. How could she not? The man was a teenage dream. But she refused to be his plaything.
    “You’re so damned sure of yourself, McKinnon. What makes you think I even want you to kiss me?”
    “Don’t worry. I’m not going to take from you what isn’t offered. I’m not like that.”
    “And I’m not the kind of woman who throws herself at a handsome man.”
    His eyebrows raised playfully as he bent his head, giving her ample access to reach up and kiss his mouth if she’d wanted to.
    “You think I’m handsome, huh?”
    She rolled her eyes and took a small step away from him, hating herself for doing so as much as admitting the obvious. Summer could see how the waitress at the diner had become so enamored with the man in high school.
    “Don’t tell me I’m the first to say that to you, Sam McKinnon, because you’d be lying.”
    “You’re the prettiest girl who ever said that to me.”
    “That was strike two.”
    His eyes narrowed. “How did I already get to two? Seems to me you’re the one who is playing.”
    “How do you figure that?”
    “You can’t tell me you don’t know how beautiful you are. And you are so very beautiful. Every male Hotshot in that briefing room can’t take their eyes off you, including me.”
    She’d noticed the attention of the other men. And yet, the only person Summer cared was paying any attention to her at all was Sam.
    Abruptly, he backed up and drew in a short breath. “Tomorrow is my day off. Yours too I think.”
    Confused by the sudden subject change, Summer blinked. “Uh, yes.”
    “I mentioned to my mother that you were looking for rentals in the area. She said she’d check around, but wasn’t sure since most of the available rentals are filled with people who are still