Primal Calling (15 page)

M
AX LANDED
smoothly at the Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport and taxied down the runway. Next to him, Mickey whined. The malamute knew they were almost home.

Home. It seemed like a dream sometimes. To come home to someone. To fall into Serena's arms and bed and know how right it felt. No longer cursed, but blessed. No longer wandering, he'd found the place where his soul belonged.

The days were growing shorter. The nights longer. Soon they would have only darkness for four months.

“Max, you're early,” Chris greeted him as he brought the first cooler of meat into the kitchen of the North Slope Inn. “Did you get the turkey?”

“Yes, and yes,” Max continued as Chris opened his mouth. “It's a twenty-five-pounder. You're not feeding the entire town, you know. It's just Serena's parents and my grandmother.”

Chris shrugged. “Arna likes leftovers.”

“And I am eating for two now.” Arna entered the kitchen and moved beside her husband wearing her usual impassive expression.

But Chris was beaming.

“Wow, congratulations!” Max slapped Chris on the back.

“Besides, I like his dressing.” Arna glanced up at Chris and her face took on such a look of love. Max understood that feeling now.

“I like his undressing, too.”

“Ow.” Chris jumped and Max caught Arna's hand moving from behind Chris's backside. Max grinned.

“So.” Chris cleared his throat and hid his blush by opening the cooler and bending to unload it into the fridge. “Your first Thanksgiving with the in-laws, huh?”

Max nodded. “I met them in L.A., but it was pretty rushed. You have their room booked, right?”

“They'll have our best accommodations, Max,” Arna assured him.

By the time Max finished unloading their supplies, he was so anxious to get home he almost skidded his truck off the road.

Serena had to leave for Switzerland in two weeks and he intended to take advantage of every minute she was here. By which he meant to keep her naked and in bed as much as possible.

He pulled the truck up and jumped out, almost beating Mickey to the door.

As he walked in, he smelled something burning, but he couldn't have cared less. He wasn't hungry for food.

“Serena?” He wandered through their living room and kitchen, and then checked the bedroom and bathroom. No Serena. Worried, he finally noticed the back door ajar.

“Serena?” He stepped outside and spied her sitting in a deck chair with her knees drawn up to her chest. She was wearing her parka with the hood up, and had a huge down comforter wrapped around her. “What is it, sweetheart?” He hunkered down in front of her.

She sniffed. “If God had intended me to cook, he wouldn't have made me such a great judge of restaurants.”

Max fought to keep from grinning. “You know I don't care if you cook. Let's go out tonight.”

She sniffed again. “It's okay.
Aanaga
brought your favorite stew earlier today. Just in case, she said.” She gave a rueful smile and rolled her eyes. “She knows me too well.”

“She knows you're the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me. Now, come inside, it's freezing out here.” He took her arms and rose, pulling her up as he stood.

“But the stars are so beautiful.” She looked up.

She was right. For once it was a cloudless night in Barrow.

At that moment, the northern lights flashed green and purple in the sky. Serena gasped and watched until the lights faded away. “Max. I finally saw them. They're
so beautiful. It's like they were waiting until I was with you to show up.” She beamed up at him and wound her arms around his neck. “Every time I've seen something magical, I've been with you.” She kissed him, but he pulled away, worried she was too cold, and guided her back into the house.

And later, after he'd heated every part of her body, he whispered, “When I'm with you, my life is magical.”