Wild Men of Alaska 02 - Moosed-Up

him, the man would still be restrained.
    Big Bart gave a deep sigh and put his hands together over his stomach. “I could really make this worth your time if you would forget I was here.”
    “I can’t be bribed, but I’m happy to add that to the list of charges.” Lynx zip-tied Bart’s hands together while he read him his rights. All the while Bart bitched like a PMSing woman.
    “Yo, Big Bart, what the hell’s taking you so long?” Pete hollered.
    “Run, Pete! I’ve been snagged by a trooper,” Bart bellowed.
    Shit.
    The problem was Pete didn’t run.
    Before Lynx could blink a fist slammed into his face, followed up by another to his gut. Air whooshed out of him, and he fought to stay on his feet with stars blinking overhead. He blocked another hit, but not the one to the back of his head.
    Damn, Chad, the weasel, had snuck up behind him.
    The midnight sun set behind his eyelids.

Chapter Sixteen

    Eva sat in wait for BW.
    She’d get her bra back from that reputation-ruining moose if it was the last thing she did. She’d bought apples at the lodge’s market and laid a trail back to her place. With her kitchen shears in hand, she watched BW munch away and wondered how stupid she really was to sneak up on him and cut her bra free of his antlers.
    Where the hell was Lynx? The man had tranquilizers that would come in real handy right about now.
    There had been no return calls from her messages. Yes, she was upset with herself that she’d actually left more than one. All right three. Lynx hadn’t seemed the type of man to sleep with a woman and then forget her the next day. She hadn’t figured him for a player. But then, she didn’t have the best track record with men either. So what the hell did she know?
    Case in point, she was stalking a moose with a pair of scissors.
    She crept up on BW. His ears twitched, one facing toward her, the other facing back. This damn moose was determined to make a headline out of her. Instead of her being held hostage in her house, she was now going to be known as the Cheechako in a tug-a-war for her bra, which would bring up questions of how she lost it in the first place.
    This was so messed-up. Or fucking moosed-up. Yeah, she completely understood the terminology now.
    She inched a couple of feet closer to BW. His head stayed down as he munched the pieces of apples she’d sliced with her newly purchased pocket knife—also from the lodge—while on the trek back to the clinic.
    She bit her lips to keep from uttering, “Nice moosey” again. Last time that had gotten her chased up a tree. A few more inches closer, and suddenly BW raised his massive rack and pierced her with his deep, knowing brown eyes. There was intelligence there, probably more than she possessed. Her very expensive, lavender, Victoria Secret bra—the Sourdoughs knew their lingerie—swung from his ant lers.
    They stared at each other. Eva didn’t breathe as she slowly raised her hand with the scissors.
    “What are you doing?”
    Eva yelped, jumping back and dropping the scissors while BW took off into the woods, spraying her with clumps of dirt, her lavender bra waving like a flag as he navigated the trees.
    Damn it.
    Eva swung around to find Raven behind her.
    “Are you nuts?” Raven asked. “What did you think you were doing?”
    “Trying to cut my bra off his antlers.” Wasn’t it obvious?
    Raven paused and then started to laugh, holding her stomach as she bent at the waist and gave into the belly roll.
    In disgust, Eva gave a longing look in BW’s direction. No sign of him. Who knew how long it would take to coax him back, and how many apples? She’d have to drive into Fairbanks since she’d bought out the lodge.
    She picked up the scissors and took a seat on the stairs while Raven laughed. Raven eventually sobered, wiping her eyes of tears, and joined Eva.
    “You should have seen yourself. I thought you were going to stab him or something.”
    “I’m not that much of an idiot. Besides, if I want to stab someone, I have much sharper instruments in the clinic.”
    “So, it is true. Want to tell me how BW came about wearing your undergarments?”
    “One undergarment. And would you buy that I’d hung clothes to dry, and he got tangled in the clothes line?”
    “No, not when I see how Lynx looks at you.”
    “Does everyone know?” This small town stuff was going to take a lot of getting used to. She never thought she’d miss the anonymity of the big city.
    “Yes. They’re