Annabeth Albert [Albert - Arctic Heat (Frozen Hearts)

A lasting connection needs more than simply surviving a winter togethertheyll have to outsmart danger, let down their defenses and open their hearts.

Owen Han has a fresh lease on lifehes kicked cancers ass and is roaring through his bucket list. The former investment banker hopes to find his next challenge in Alaska, volunteering alongside park rangers and fulfilling his childhood dreams of snowy winters and rustic life. Of course, those dreams did tend to feature big strapping mountain men in vivid detail...

Ranger Quilleran Ramsey would like to be anywhere other than dealing with newbie volunteers. And really, the only thing he needs less than a green volunteer partner is the flirty attentions of a buff city boy who doesnt look ready to last a week, let alone an Alaskan winter. Theyre all wrong for each other, even if Quills traitorous body enjoys the flirting more than it should.

As the weeks pass, the two snowbound men give in to temptation. But can their seasonal romance last until spring? For them to have a future together, each will have to trust the other...while hoping that the harsh elements and omnipresent dangers dont destroy what happiness theyve found in the moment.

One-click with confidence. This title is part of theCarina Press Romance Promise:all the romance youre looking for with an HEA/HFN. Its a promise!

This book is approximately 89,000 words

Also available from Annabeth Albert and Carina Press

Better Not Pout

Status Update

Beta Test

Connection Error

Off Base

At Attention

On Point

Wheels Up

Squared Away

Tight Quarters

Rough Terrain

Arctic Sun

Arctic Wild

Arctic Heat

And coming in 2020,
a brand-new series starring smoke jumpers!

Also available from Annabeth Albert

Trust with a Chaser

Tender with a Twist

Lumber Jacked

Treble Maker

Love Me Tenor

All Note Long

Served Hot

Baked Fresh

Delivered Fast

Knit Tight

Wrapped Together

Danced Close

Resilient Heart

Winning Bracket

Save the Date

Level Up

Arctic Heat

Annabeth Albert

To new friendships, including those Ive made over the course of this series. This one goes out especially to Crystal Lacy, beta reader, friend and all-around cheerleader. Im lucky to know you!

Contents

Chapter One

Come for the snow. Stay for the ranger porn. Owen couldnt help his smile as he surveyed the large Department of Natural Resources meeting room. He was really here in Alaska, doing this after it being little more than a daydream for so long. Happy shivers raced up his spine. His fellow volunteers were mainly fresh-faced college kids and retirees, but he lingered over the uniformed rangers near the front, trying not to stare but probably doing a miserable job of that. Because wow. These guys made drab green and khaki downright sexy with their broad shoulders and generous muscles and rugged jawlines.

The orientation was for new winter state park volunteers like Owen, who would spend the season living in remote locations to assist rangers and other paid employees. Experienced rangers would be educating them on everything from avalanche risk to generator operation and state land use regulations. Some returning volunteers and rangers were there for the CPR and first-aid certification refreshers, chummy people who obviously already knew each other and laughed and joked as they helped themselves to the coffee station set up at the side of the room.

He was scoping out the people he might be assigned to work with, and one particular man who stood by himself kept catching his attentiona uniformed ranger who had a few years on him, probably putting him at forty-something, just shy of silver fox and firmly in yes, please territory with his strapping build and iconic good looks. The DNR ads for the volunteer positions would undoubtedly get triple the response if they slapped this guys picture on the materials. Hell, if winter in Alaska wasnt already on Owens bucket list, one glimpse of those steely blue eyes might have done the trick.

He was hoping to be assigned to work with some cool people, since hed be in close contact with only a handful of people on a regular basis, and he knew from experience how important team chemistry could be. Hed take anyone easy to get along with, but man... Talk about chemistry. Ranger Blue Eyes took the frisson of anticipation thrumming in Owens gut and transformed it into something warmer and more intimate. And damn wasnt it nice to feel that sort of attraction again, after all the nagging worries that it might be gone for good.

Owen wasnt particularly vain, but he was damn observant, and hed caught those eyes looking his direction more than once. Sure, part of it was undoubtedly that Owen had misjudged and overdressed in a nice button-down and dress pants and stuck out in the room filled with khaki, flannel, and denim. And maybe some of it was that he was one of only a couple of Asian people in the room. Maybe the guy was simply curious, but Owen had transformed curious into interested more than a few times.

And because Owen was nothing if not a man of action, he took his tea, orientation packet, and notepad closer to the guy, trying to come up with a good opening on the fly. However, before he could speak, a broad-faced woman with dark hair clapped her hands at the front of the room.

All right, lets go ahead and find seats. Well be getting started in a few minutes, so get your coffee now!

His ranger prey immediately took a chair, and there it was, Owens chance to spend the next few hours basking in hot ranger vibes. He was in perfect position to slide into the chair next to his dream guy and offer him his best smile andfuckslosh hot tea. That part had not been planned at all, and judging by the mans glare, the intrusion was hardly welcome.

Oops. Sorry! Are you okay? Owen passed him a napkin, resisting the temptation to dab at the guys damp uniform pants himself.

Im fine. The ranger continued to frown as he soaked up the tea, which had splashed both his pants and the desk arm of the chair. Itll dry.

Im not usually so clumsy. Im Owen. Owen Han. Carefully arranging his stuff first, he stuck out a hand. Im new here.

I figured. He took Owens hand, which was as warm and firm as Owen had hoped. And the tiny smile that tugged at his mouth was almost intoxicating in its endearingness. And Im Quill Ramsey. Not new.

Figured. Owen tried another smile, this one hopefully not too flirty but still inviting more conversation. Nice name. Not sure Ive heard that one before.

Eccentric mother. The way Quill said eccentric suggested relations between him and his mother were strained. Apparently she circled all her favorites in the book, then picked at random.

Thats kind of cool, actually. Im named after the high school teacher who made my parents work together on a class project. Moms, right?

Yeah. Quills tone didnt exactly encourage more talking, but Owen was nothing if not friendly. And persistent. His sister the therapist called it aggressively extroverted, and she wasnt entirely wrong.

So, are you helping with the presentations or here to get recertified in the first-aid stuff?

Both. Quills mouth quirked in something close to a grimace. Owen dug his voicelow and deep, Western without the twang. The he way he spoke like there was a tax on each word made Owen feel like hed earned a gift when Quill continued. Didnt realize Id let my CPR lapsewe had support staff changeover in our field office, but still, I should have known. And yeah, since Im here, Hattie talked me into leading the discussion about avalanche risk awareness. He gestured in the direction of the woman at the front of the room before his eyes swept over Owen again. Not that all of you will need that lecture. You interning here in the home office? Heard they were getting a few folks in finance and business relations.