Love In Alaska (The Love In 50 States Series Book 2) Read Online Free

“Like a tour guide?”
    He shook his head. “Like a bush pilot.”
    “What's that?”
    “It's basically a fancy term for a guy who flies a small plane into really remote, kind of crappy areas,” he said, grinning. “Pretty areas, but crappy because the terrain isn't terribly friendly to planes. I'm really just a delivery guy in a plane. A sort of independent UPS guy. With a personal plane, not a truck
    “Wow,” I said. “That sounds...interesting. And kind of cool.”
    “It is,” he said, nodding. “So I could give you lots of recommendations.”
    “Okay.”
    “But I'm just going to give you one.”
    “Only one? That seems kind of unfair.”
    “More selfish than unfair.” He smiled. “My one recommendation is that you let me take you up to see some of the backcountry.”
    I laid the card down on the table. “Really?”
    “Yeah,” he said. He drummed his fingers on the table. “My sister's been with me for the last two weeks and I've gotten used to the company. I'm dropping her off tonight and I have to fly out in the morning. I can offer you a heavily duct-taped co-pilot seat, a nifty pair of headphones and free passage to just about anywhere in the state.” He hesitated for a minute. “Though I guess it's not totally free. You'll have to help me load and unload the plane.”
    “That's a nice offer,” I said. But Paige's words came rushing back to me.
    “My sister will vouch for me,” he said, holding a hand up like a Boy Scout. “I'm a decent guy. I shower regularly, I hold doors open for people I don't know and I always laugh at bad jokes.”
    “I don't know...”
    “I get it,” he said, nodding. “There are a lot of half-cracked people these days. We just met a few minutes ago and you've spent the better part of this cruise thinking I was some asshole boyfriend checking out other women while on a date.”
    I hesitated. A pretty good offer was staring me in the face. A good-looking pilot offering to fly me all around the state for free in his personal plane? I wasn't going to beat that. But those nagging seeds of doubt had crept in. Like he'd pointed out, I'd only known him for all of fifteen minutes. He seemed like a good guy – very nice, charming in a self-deprecating sort of way. And he was definitely attractive. But I didn't know him.
    You didn't know Adam, either , I reminded myself. And you're only getting one week in each state.
    I needed to focus on why I was on this trip to begin with. To experience sex, yes, but also to see the country. Sleeping with him wasn't a guarantee – nor did I know if I wanted it to be – but seeing Alaska if I went out with him? That was a sure thing.
    “Tell me again what I'd have to do,” I said. “If I go.”
    “Just help load and unload stuff,” he said, his blue eyes twinkling. “I won't hand you the controls. Promise.”
    I pressed my lips together and made my decision. “I could probably manage that,” I told him. “That seems like a tough deal to pass up.”
    “I'd like to think so,” he said, smiling at me. “It's not every day you get to pretend to be a delivery man. Just ask my sister.”
    “Speaking of your sister, you better get her soda to her.”
    He stared at me for a moment with those amazing blue eyes of his. “So is that a yes? You'll go?
    “One question,” I said. My hand was in the bag of trail mix and I picked up a handful, sifting the pieces between my fingers. “How many times have you done this?”
    He slid out of the booth and stood, picking the cans of soda up. “Done what?”
    “Picked up a tourist and taken her out on your plane to see the state?”
    He set the sodas down and his face took on a sobering look. “You want me to be honest, right?”
    A twinge of disappointment stung me. “Yeah.”
    He thought hard for a moment, his lips pursed together as he stared out the window of the boat. He looked down at his hands, counting off his fingers silently. His eyes came back to mine.
    Then he smiled.