Romance on the Edge 01 - Hooked

key to her. When Sonya reached for it, she pulled it back. “You will fill me on how it went between you two.”
    Sonya hesitated. Maybe she could walk the distance. It was only six miles round trip to the abandoned cannery. The wind slapped against the metal side of the building with a hard gust. At least one direction would have a headwind. “You have a deal.”
    Davida smiled and handed over the key along with Sonya’s chips and candy bar. “Happy hunting.”

C HAPTER S EVEN
    He was certifiably insane.
    Sonya found Garrett right where Davida had said he’d be. Surfing the waves at the abandoned Diamond O Cannery. She parked the 4-wheeler next to a rusted out old Jeep, alongside the remains of the old cannery’s dock. Waves crashed at a height of six to seven feet. Glacial, callous water brutally ate at the rocky beach. Gloomy, heavy laden skies, carrying the promise of rain, gathered overhead.
    And the man was out there surfing.
    She did have to admire his form. The combination of power and grace she’d witnessed earlier was in high demand now as he rode—no, seemed to command—the wave. His short board sliced back and forth as he carved the water. The temperature had dipped to around forty-eight with the storm, and Sonya knew the water was colder. She’d dressed in jeans, t-shirt layered by a sweatshirt, and a rain jacket and yet she shivered watching him.
    Didn’t he know how deadly that ocean could be?
    Garrett wore what must be a dry suit, as he was a dark shadow against the gunmetal waves. His board, with its flaming yellows and blues, was a beacon of color on the otherwise colorless evening. At least the Coast Guard would know where he’d gone down. No way would they be able to miss that board.
    He rode a wave to shore while white water splashed around him with greedy fingers in an attempt to suck him back into its deadly embrace. Upon reaching the rocky sand, he flipped his board under his arm, and jogged up the beach toward her.
    “You’re crazy, you know that?” Sonya hollered at him. She’d heard rumors that a group of surfers had formed an Alaskan surfing club, but she really hadn’t believed that anyone would be insane enough to actually surf that freezing water. Until now.
    He smiled a grin that had his eyes alight with amusement, the corners crinkling with deep laugh lines. It was a good look on him and had her repressing the desire to reach out and run her hands over him.
    He anchored his board in the dark gray sand next to the Jeep, and tore the skin-tight cap off his head. He grabbed a towel from the seat and rubbed his hair, causing it to spike. Again she had to resist the urge to touch.
    “I assume you tracked me down for a reason.” His voice was fast and breezy, and if that wasn’t sexy enough, he started to strip out of his dry suit. Smooth, tanned, ripped muscle was revealed as he peeled the tight fabric from his upper body.
    Sonya swallowed as she took in every inch of power he uncovered. The need to touch him became a hunger. She’d been skipping this kind of treat for a while.
    He must have caught the look she couldn’t hide, for he slowed his striptease. The cold, blustery wind seemed to heat around them.
    “Sonya,” he said her name on a groan. Her eyes flicked to his. The amusement was gone, and in its place was fire. “Don’t look at me like that.”
    “Like what?”
    “Like you want to eat me up.”
    If he didn’t look so damn delicious, it would be an easier feat to accomplish. He stared at her like he hadn’t treated himself in a while, either. The air sizzled and snapped with suppressed appetite.
    She needed to be careful here, remind herself of what he was. It was a lot harder with him out of uniform.
    “I’d like nothing better than to do exactly that,” she heard herself say. “But I’m not an animal driven by my baser urges. I can control myself.”
    He stalked closer, the top of his dry suit lying loose at his waist. “We’re all animals, Sonya, when you strip us bare. Repressing your natural desires can interfere with your biology.”
    “I happen to fancy black raspberry chip ice cream, but I can stop eating it before I make myself sick.”
    He cocked a brow as though in a dare. “Afraid too much of me will make you sick?”
    “No, not afraid. I know what’s good for me and what isn’t. You definitely aren’t.”
    “I could be real good for you,” he said in a rough tone, taking another step toward her.
    She swallowed