"No," Perrie said. "I just hate all the clothes. And bundling up every time I need to go to the outhouse." She ran a playful finger down his bare chest. "And I like you much better without flannel and long underwear."

Joe smiled and kissed her on the tip of her nose. "So, when are you going to take your trip to Cooper?"

His question surprised Perrie. She'd forgotten all about her trip. And now that he brought it up, she wasn't sure what she was going to do with the prize. She had no intention of going back to Seattle before Milt called her. And Cooper was a long way from Muleshoe… and Joe. She couldn't imagine spending two hours, much less two days, away from him.

"I-I hadn't thought about it. Why do you ask?"

"I just thought you'd be anxious for a change of scenery. You've been stuck in Muleshoe for two weeks. And you worked so hard to win the trip."

Was he so eager for her to leave? She'd told him from the start that she'd use every option available to get back to Seattle. Did he still expect her to make a run for it? Was he hoping she would? "I suppose I should go soon. I'm not sure when Milt is going to call."

An odd look crossed his face, but it was gone before she had a chance to figure out what it meant "Why don't you go today?" he suggested.

Perrie blinked in confusion. "Today? But isn't that a little soon? I mean, I'm not even sure if I can. There are reservations and the pilot and-"

He snuggled up to her and sighed. "Don't worry about the pilot. I'm the pilot," Joe said. "As for reservations, the resort doesn't see too many visitors this time of year. We'll probably have the place all to ourselves. It will be very romantic."

Perrie sat up in bed, pulling the sheet up around her chin. "You're the one who's supposed to fly me to Cooper? Since when?"

He stared up at her, his arm thrown across his forehead. "I've always been the one. I donated my services to the organizers of the games as soon as I found out you were entering the brides' competition. I wasn't about to take any chances."

Reality came crashing down around her and her dreamy state evaporated in an instant. How could she have been so foolish? She'd forgotten what had brought them together in the first place. Joe had a job to do, a favor to return. Was all this just part of the job? Had she somehow mistaken obligation for true emotion?

Perrie closed her eyes and calmed her scattered thoughts. This wasn't real, this life she and Joe had been sharing. She'd been swept away by silly schoolgirl fantasies of happily-ever-afters. Real was Seattle and her job.

"You wanted to make sure I didn't go back," she said, her voice deceptively even.

"At first… maybe. But you're not going back to Seattle. So we can turn this into a nice romantic weekend."

"Then you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you. Perrie, I only want you to be safe. You understand that you're better off in Alaska with me, right?"

She didn't know what to say. She felt as if she were lost in the wilderness without a compass. All these feelings were so new and unfamiliar, she had no landmarks to keep her on course. Her whole life, she'd always been in control. But now she'd turned that control over to someone else, and it left her dazed and vulnerable.

Damn it, if she wanted to go home, she could. He had no right to stop her! After all, she was a grown woman, able to make all the choices in her life, including whether she wanted to risk that life to get a story or whether she wanted to take a chance with Joe Brennan. And he shouldn't have a thing to say about it.

Perrie calmly marshaled her composure. "All right," she said. "Let's go to Cooper. Today."

"We'll leave after lunch," Joe said, tugging her back down into the bed.

"No," Perrie replied. "I think we should leave now." She grabbed her T-shirt and yanked it over her tangled hair, then crawled out of bed. "I should pack. And you should go up to the lodge and get your things."

Joe grabbed her hand and pulled her down to sit on the edge of the bed. "What's the hurry? Come back to bed, sweetheart."

She stood up. "No, I think we should leave now."

With a groan, Joe rolled out of bed. Perrie tried to ignore the way his muscles bunched and rippled as he held his arms above his head and stretched. He raked his hands through his hair, then bent down and snatched up his shirt from the floor. "All right. I'll go throw some things in a bag and come back and get you in fifteen minutes."

He slipped his feet into his boots and shrugged into his jacket before he grabbed her again and kissed her. "We're going to have a wonderful time," he murmured.

She watched him leave the cabin, then sat back down on the edge of the bed. Perrie pressed the heels of her hands to her temples. What was she doing? She had been in Muleshoe for two weeks. Long enough to forget all about why she was here in the first place. A story that had seemed so important suddenly didn't make any difference at all-and all because of one man. A man she barely knew.

And what had happened to her journalistic instincts? Why couldn't she read Joe Brennan's motives and feelings the way she was able to read so many others'? He had to know that Cooper represented her only opportunity to escape, to get back to Seattle. He had to know she'd try. And when she did, would he stop her, or would he let her go?

Maybe this was just an easy way to end things between them. Over the past week they'd been nearly inseparable. Sooner or later, Perrie had expected some declaration of his feelings, but he hadn't said a word. Maybe he didn't have feelings for her. Or perhaps she was just another in a long line of women who blew in and out of his life like spindrift.

Perrie drew a deep breath. She would formulate a plan. They would go to Cooper and she would find a way to leave. And if he let her go, then she'd know he didn't care. And if he made her stay, then she would demand to know why. He would have to reveal his true feelings for her-or admit that he was only doing a job.

A shiver ran down her spine. It all came to this. All this love she felt for him was riding on the answer to an impossibly simple question: Would he stop her?

Suddenly, she didn't want to ask the question. If she stayed in Cooper, she'd never need to know the answer. Perhaps it was unwise to force the issue, especially so soon. But then, the choice was bound to come up, for Milt would be calling her back to Seattle any day.

Somehow, it seemed easier this way. If he didn't want her, at least she wouldn't have to see it on his face. She'd walk out of his life without looking back. She would give them both a graceful exit.

Perrie stood up and rubbed the goose bumps from her arms. This was the right thing to do. She'd never been one to delay the inevitable. The sooner she knew, the sooner she could get on with the rest of her life.

The only problem was, she wanted the rest of her life to start now. And she wanted it to include Joe Brennan.


"I think we should have separate rooms."

Joe stopped short and looked at Perrie, not sure that he heard her right. They'd just arrived at the resort after an hour-long flight and Perrie had picked the last possible moment to drop her little bombshell. He knew something was bothering her for she'd been distant and uneasy since they'd left Muleshoe.

He thought she'd be happy that he had come along. After all, they'd spent so much time together in the past few days; he'd never considered that she might want to spend some time away from him. And after last night… What better place for them to be alone together but a beautiful resort in the middle of winter?

Sleigh rides, good food, dancing and the hot springs… indoor plumbing. He couldn't think of a more romantic place within a day's flight of Muleshoe.

But the trip had been hers, Joe mused, and he had essentially invited himself along. Maybe he was pushing too fast. Last night had been a huge step for them and he wouldn't be surprised if she harbored a few regrets. "Sure," he said. "Separate rooms are fine."

Perrie forced a grateful smile. "I mean, it's just that… well, we haven't really… and if we decide we don't want to, then-"

He reached out to stroke her cheek but drew his hand back before he touched her. "Perrie, it's all right."

"People might talk," she murmured, hoisting her shoulder bag up and starting toward the door.

Joe stared after her, shaking his head. If she really believed he bought that explanation, then he had some Alaskan swampland to sell her. It was obvious that she didn't want him along. When she won the prize, she assumed that she'd be going to Cooper Hot Springs with another pilot, one who wouldn't be watching her every minute of the day and night.

As he walked through the front door of the resort, realization hit him square in the face and he stopped, frozen in his tracks. She was planning to leave. Damn it, after all they'd been through, all that had happened between them, she was still determined to get back to Seattle.

Joe closed his eyes and tipped his head back, fighting the anger that bubbled up inside of him. Fine, he thought to himself. The hell if he was going to make her stay. Milt Freeman said it was safe for her to come back, so why not let her go? If Perrie could so easily throw away what they'd shared, then maybe it wasn't as special as he thought. She was just biding her time with him, waiting for the chance to get back to her real life.

Joe stepped up beside Perrie and filled out a registration card, signing his name with a frustrated flourish. Then he grabbed both of their keys and headed down the hall.

She caught up with him and touched his arm. "You understand, don't you?"

"Sure," Joe said. "This is your trip, not mine. In fact, if you want, I can fly back to Muleshoe right now."