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

now.”
    * * *
    Sam felt as if he’d been hit by a truck. His mouth went dry as he took in each word Summer said. He felt an unbearable coldness spread through his entire body as he realized what everything she’d said actually meant. Someone wanted Summer dead.
    The helplessness and fear in Summer’s eyes made his body throb with restrained anger.
    “I’ll be okay,” she added. “But I’m better now.”
    Sam stared at Summer for a long moment, wanting to wipe away all that fear she felt. She was trying so hard not to be afraid. But how could she not be with a monster hunting her? And it terrified Sam just as much to know that monster was still out there.
    “I’m not going anywhere, Summer,” he said, pulling her close again. “No one is going to touch you.”
    “You can’t make that promise, Sam. You can’t be everywhere. You have a job to do. And you can’t be thinking about me while you’re out facing a wall of fire that’s out of control. I should just leave here. Go somewhere else where he won’t find me.”
    “You did that here. Look, we don’t know yet if that murder in Montgomery is from the same guy. I’m sure the police chief in Providence just wants to be cautious, which is good. Ethan will check it out. In the meantime, you’re safe right here in my arms. And I’m not letting you go.”
    It took about an hour for Summer to settle down. She’d gone from being quiet to jumping at every noise she heard outside her door. When she finally fell asleep in his arms, Sam called Ethan’s cell phone.
    “How is she?” Ethan asked.
    “Sleeping,” he said quietly, watching the rise and fall of Summer’s body against his to make sure he didn’t rouse her.
    “I talked it over with Mom and Dad. Logan and Hawk are coming over tomorrow to help clear out some of Wade’s things in the room over the garage. I’m sure you’d feel more comfortable knowing Summer is close-by while you’re out working a burn.”
    He closed his eyes. He didn’t want to leave her at all. But the reality of it was, he had to. He couldn’t be a man who would come home to her every night to sleep next to her and make sure she was safe. That was the reality of the job he loved and did well. It’s one of the reason he’d never settled down before now. It took a special woman to understand what it took to be a Hotshot and live that kind of life, never knowing where you were going or when you’d be home. Being gone for weeks on end, fighting a monster fire that threatened to destroy people’s homes and lives, was part of the normal course of his life. What woman wanted an empty bed every night?
    But he could be here for Summer tonight and God help him he’d make sure she was watched over when he couldn’t.
    “Sam?”
    “Yeah?”
    “I talked to Matt Jorgensen of the Providence PD. He’s going to keep me up to date on anything at all that happens with this case. Summer is going to be fine.”
    “How’d Mom take it?”
    Ethan hesitated. “She said Wade’s room has been dark long enough. It’s time to put some light back up there.”
    “Ethan?”
    “Yeah?”
    “Thanks.”
    He hung up and put his cell phone on the nightstand by the bed. Pulling the blanket up over Summer, he snuggled next to her. She felt so right next to him. She was sleeping soundly, most probably because of emotional exhaustion. But Sam knew the last thing he’d get was sleep tonight. Not when a killer had put a bullseye on Summer.
    # # #

Chapter 8

     
    Kate McKinnon was sitting the middle of the empty bedroom above her garage when Summer walked in carrying her suitcase. Summer had finally met the two remaining McKinnon brothers, Logan and Hawk, as they were leaving after helping their mother straighten the room of their eldest brother’s belongings.
    Kate glanced up at Summer and said, “Let me help you with that, dear.”
    “That’s okay. It’s just a few suitcases.” The sheen of moisture in Kate’s eyes showed how much emotion she