Alaskan Hearts. Teri Wilson
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Warming his heart
Former Alaskan sled-dog musher Ben Grayson is still grieving the tragic loss of his dog team. So much that he put the reins—and his dreams—away. Now a photographer, Ben’s covering the Gold Rush Trail sled-dog race. He’s surprised his heart isn’t more guarded around lovely journalist Clementine Phillips—until he learns that Clementine plans to handle a sled-dog team herself. Ben can’t bear the thought of Clementine in danger. So he comes up with a compromise—one to keep her close...forever.
“I didn’t come all the way to Alaska to make foot lotion for the dogs, Ben. I want to work with the dogs.”
“Paw ointment.” He spat out the words. “And it’s a very important part of the race.”
“I’m sure it is.” Her blond curls whipped around her face in the cold wind. Even in her angry, disheveled state, she still looked like a princess. “But I’m here as a sled dog handler.”
“Clementine, it’s not an easy job. You could get hurt.” And what if I can’t save you?
“At least I’ll get hurt doing something amazing.”
Ben’s stomach tied itself in a familiar knot. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”
She crossed her arms and lifted one brow.
Ben knew better than to think she’d changed her mind. Everything within him told him to keep walking. He couldn’t protect Clementine. He couldn’t even protect her silly dog. Experience had taught him that much, in the cruelest way possible.
But he was helpless to resist the strange pull he felt toward her.
TERI WILSON
grew up as an only child and could often be found with her head in a book, lost in a world of heroes, heroines and exotic places. As an adult, her love of books has led her to her dream career—writing. Now an award-winning author of inspirational romance, Teri spends as much time as she can seeing exotic places for herself, then coming home and writing about them, of course. When she isn’t traveling or spending quality time with her laptop, she enjoys baking cupcakes, going to movies and hanging out with her family, friends and five dogs. Teri lives in San Antonio, Texas, and loves to hear from readers. She can be contacted via her website at www.teriwilson.net.
Alaskan Hearts
Teri Wilson
I have come that they may have life,
and have it to the full.
—John 10:10
For Cameron.
I’m so proud of the young man you’ve become.
And to my husband, David, for giving me the
time and encouragement to pursue my dreams.
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to my special writing friend
Beckie Ugolini, for all the hours spent reading, revising, cheering me on and having fun over coffee. Also, thanks to my wonderful agent Liz Winick for seeing the potential in my writing and making the phone call that changed my career. And thanks to Rachel Burkot, the most supportive editor in the world! I feel so blessed to be part of the Love Inspired family. And thank you to my critique partners Tamra, Beckie, Sydney and Lupe.
This book is also dedicated to the people and dogs of Alaska’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
I think I left a piece of my heart in Alaska the first year I volunteered at the race. I’ll see you again next year and the year after that!
Contents
Chapter One
Clementine Phillips stared at the dead fish on the wall, only inches from her face, and shuddered. She’d shuddered quite a bit since arriving in Aurora, Alaska, but this time it wasn’t a result of the subzero temperatures.
Her gaze shifted from the enormous fish to the brass nameplate hanging directly beneath it. Wild Alaskan Salmon, it read.
Clementine looked back at the salmon, scrunched her brow and tried to reconcile this monstrous creature with the contents of the frozen dinner she’d eaten while sitting in her cubicle at Nature World magazine not more than twelve hours ago. Lean Cuisine. Wild Alaskan salmon in basil sauce. An homage to finally embarking on the research assignment of a lifetime.
She and her officemate, Natalie, had eaten twin low-cal, instant meals and toasted Clementine’s newfound freedom with diet sodas. Clementine hated to think about the fact that she’d landed this same assignment a year ago but turned it down to appease her worrywart fiancé.
Those days were over, as her ringless finger could attest to.
She forced the unpleasant memory from her mind and focused once again on the fish gaping at her.
Wild Alaskan salmon…just the name brought a smile to her lips. Every time she’d heard of Alaskan salmon, it was always preceded by the word wild. Was there even such a thing as tame Alaskan salmon? Or domesticated Alaskan salmon? It was always either wild Alaskan salmon or plain, generic salmon from nowhere.
Wild or not, she was surprised to discover salmon had such big teeth.
“How many photographs have I seen of grizzly bears snatching salmon out of raging rivers?