Reburn Read Online Free Page B

agreement that you and I need to get going. Right now.”
    He reached down and stuck out a hand, waiting for her to take it.
    That was Sam. He’d always been so sure. Confident, in bed and out of it. He’d always known the best way to do things.
    “Who died and put you in charge?”
    “The U.S. Forest Service.” He shot her a look and pulled her to her feet, brushing the leaves and twigs off her with brisk efficiency. Except for that last moment, when his big hand lingered on her ass. Maybe. God, the lick of fire that went through her had nothing to do with the wildlands and everything to do with the man.
    His touch was almost impersonal, but she hadn’t missed that flash of heat.
    Had she?

Chapter Three
    L ivy Albert pulled her hand free and turned away from him. Clearly, reunions and hi-how-are-yas weren’t her priority right now. Sam had wondered, over the years, what had happened to her, but he’d told himself he was better off without her. He hadn’t chased her down when she’d failed to write to him and he’d managed not to stalk her on the Internet. So he was surprised at the hot curiosity spiking through him now.
    He wasn’t wondering where she’d been these last ten years.
    Or who she’d been kissing.
    She was even prettier now, wrapped up in fresh-off-the-rack L. L. Bean like a Christmas present tailor-made for him. Her brown hair was pulled back in a no-nonsense ponytail, giving him a clear look at her face, and those hazel eyes—yeah, he had some mighty fine memories of those eyes looking up at him as he sank deep, deep inside her hot, sweet body.
    She didn’t look welcoming right now.
    No, she dropped his hand like a hot potato and started marching away from him. “I’m out of here,” she added, the words unnecessary. Her intentions were plenty clear to him. “I don’t take orders from you.”
    Too bad for her he was even more stubborn than he’d been ten years ago.
    Instead of letting her go, Sam fell into step beside her. “That’s a three-hundred-acre fire out there.”
    “It’s not here yet,” she said grimly, checking some kind of handheld gizmo. The military had clearly shared toys with her and, under other circumstances, he’d have enjoyed taking a look himself. “The road is a few clicks from here,” she continued. “If I hike fast, I’ll get there in twenty. Plenty of time.”
     
    Yeah, right . She read that message loud and clear in the look he gave her. Sam wasn’t on board with that plan.
    She fought the urge to slap a hand against his chest. Professional . She’d stay professional if it killed her. “I know what I’m doing. I don’t need your help.”
    “Uh-huh.” He took a step forward that put him toe to toe with her. He was big and no way she didn’t notice the sheer size of him. His proximity forced her to tip her head back and that was a strategic disadvantage, but she wasn’t about to back up or give him an inch. “Honey,” he continued, “maybe you haven’t realized you’re standing in the middle of a goddamn forest fire. What the hell were you thinking, coming in here on foot?”
    She’d noticed, but she’d had other priorities. “Holm Arthurs disappeared inside these woods—after carrying out a successful practice run. He drove up to a military base and opened fire on the soldiers in the guardhouse.”
    Sam frowned. “I didn’t hear about that on the news.”
    “We kept it quiet. He thrives on attention and fear. Reporting that the U.S. military had men down on a site storing nuclear weapons would give Holm precisely what he wanted.”
    Sam gave her a measured look. “Last time I checked, Sequoia National Park housed bears and gray fox. Not nukes.”
    “He went to ground here. We believe he has a bunker.” Or three.
    Sam shook his head, his grin disappearing double-time. “Right now, he’s got himself a barbecue.”
    “My job is to neutralize him—or bring back irrefutable evidence that he’s dead.”
    “And how exactly did you