ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 4

         
          Olivia walked around his living room looking at some of his Alaskan trinkets. They were so rustic, so charming. There was that word again, charming, she decided she liked it.
          On display, front and center, on the shelf above his television was the large crystal bear she'd given him on the anniversary of their first date. She knew he had hated it, because it was too material, too expensive for his taste. He never said anything though, he'd just accepted it and put it in the closet, probably because he was afraid that it would break.
          It hadn’t exactly gone with the décor in his apartment and it really didn’t go here in this little house either, so why was it displayed? Her heart pounded and her hands were shaking. Did this mean he missed her, did he still think about her? Could Pearl have been right?
          She picked it up off the shelf and walked into the kitchen. “Alex, why did you keep this, and why do you have it on your shelf?”
          He put down the knife he held, and turned toward her.
          She smiled tentatively at him, waiting for his answer.
          After a moment, he walked over to her and took the statue out of her hands, setting it gently on the counter. “Because I missed you,” he whispered right before he pulled her close and finally kissed her.

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STORMY SEAS - EXCERPT CHAPTER FOUR

         "Whoa! Wait just a minute Abby,” he yelled, grabbing her arm and pulling her back. “What the hell is wrong with you tonight!”
         She slammed into his chest and he saw fear in her eyes. At that moment he didn’t care, it was past time she faced her fears. His lips crushed hers in a kiss and his tongue battled to get inside to explore.
         Over the next couple of minutes Sam felt like the world was moving in slow motion. Abigail’s body froze and she started shaking. She brought her arms up between them and pushed as hard as she could. He went flying backward and when he recovered his balance, Abby was backed up into the far corner of her bed.
         “Leave me alone!” she screamed over and over as Sam rushed to sit at her side.

         “Bibi, it’s me, it’s Sam.”
         “Go away, don’t hurt me,” she whispered desperately. 

         “I would never hurt you. You're my best friend Abby.”
         “Sam?” she murmured, her eyes finally focusing on him.
         “Yeah Bibi, it’s me. Are you okay?”
         “Yeah, it’s just…” She looked away, covering her eyes with her shaking hands.
         “What the hell happened to make you like this?”
         “Nothing!” she yelled.
         “I know something happened to you shortly before my internship started Abby. Please talk to me.”

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1080946

         Her breath came in large heaving gasps. “I can’t. Not you Sam,” she whispered between sobs.
         “Why not me Abby. We're so close and you know you can trust me,” he assured her.
         “But I've fallen in love with you Sam, so there is no way I can.”
         “I'm in love with you too Abby, and that’s the best reason to talk to me.”
         “No!” she cried.
         “Damn it Abigail Christine Mannon." he growled through gritted teeth. "You need to tell me what’s going on. I don’t like being in the dark. I don’t like seeing you hurting and I don’t like being so scared all the damn time.”
         “You won’t love me anymore if I tell you,” she muttered, looking him in the eyes.
         “I will love you Bibi. Nothing could change the feelings that have been building over the last four and a half years.”

         “Just drop it Sam. I can’t and I won’t!” she cried, looking away from him.
         “You can and you will. We'll sit here all night until you talk to me.” He finally knew that this was exactly what Thomas had been talking about earlier and he wasn't backing down. She needed to talk and he needed to listen if they were to have a future together.
         Abigail was quiet for a long time and Sam was looking away from her when she broke the silence.

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ALASKAN AMBUSH FREE

Alaskan Ambush is free for a limited time until Midnight June 25 to celebrate my 19th wedding anniversary!  Starting June 26 I am reducing Virgin Voyage  to .99 for a limited time so you can get them both for a great price!  Don't forget to leave a review!

Thanks

JJ Ellis

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ELEMENTS OF ALASKAN AMBUSH

It's collage time so I can share some elements you will find in the story of Alaska  Ambush.  Hope you enjoy them and have fun picking them out of the story. :)

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ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 11

          Unlike the others on the cruise with her, Olivia couldn’t wait to get off the ship. Not that she hadn’t had a great time, because she had, but the best part of her vacation had taken place on land.
          The sun was shining bright when she walked across the gangplank. It was a beautiful day in Seward, but it wasn’t hot like home would have been. Her old home that is, her new one was probably rainy and cool and she couldn’t wait to fly there that afternoon. 

          Daydreams of the future found her following her family blindly off the ship and she bumped into Jackson when he stopped abruptly in front of her. Peeking around him, she noticed there were two limousines waiting for the Mannon and Blake parties. Whatever her brother in law had planned better be damn good because it was postponing her seeing Alex again. The luxury transportation was a good start though, and in the end Olivia wasn’t disappointed.
          The surprise Graham had for Mari was well worth waiting an extra few hours to see Alex for. Her brother-in-law surprised his wife with a real wedding and reception, with everything including dresses and flowers. Mari finally had her dream wedding and a fun family celebration too. When the happy couple left for their honeymoon, Olivia pulled her cellphone out to call Alex.
          “Hello Doll.”
          “Hi Alex, when do I get to see you? She asked anxiously.
          “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes, if you’re ready to leave.”
          “I am. You should have come to the wedding, everyone asked about you.” 

          “I had some business to take care of,” he told her. “I wish I could have been there with you though.’
          “Me too, now just come and get me damn it. I miss you!”
          “On my way!”

COVER REVEAL

“…I still love you.”

A two year relationship that ended because of a difference in lifestyle left Olivia Mannon and Alex Paige missing each other. Though they still loved each other, they lost all contact.

A sprinkling of matchmaking dust, a cruise to Alaska, and a float plane tour of Misty Fjord National Monument brings them back into each other’s lives; for better or for worse.

Can Olivia change her ‘suite at a five star resort’ lifestyle to agree with Alex’s ‘camping outdoors’ way of life, or will they lose each other again? This time forever…

ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 10

          Olivia figured it was finally time to tell her siblings because they would be heading back to Nevada the next day and she wouldn’t. She wanted to start with Abigail. Her sister had finally started to relax a bit and have some fun and Olivia wanted to spend a bit more time with her.

           She knocked on Abby’s door hoping she wouldn't be interrupting a love session between her sister and Sam. Charlotte’s plan seemed to be well on its way to working for the pair too. But when her sister opened the door to let her in, Olivia’s heart fell. Abby had her hair back in the tight bun she always used to wear, and her face was blotchy and red. She'd been crying. 

          “Oh sweetie,” Olivia cried out. “What’s wrong? Trouble with Sam?”
           Abigail nodded and ushered Olivia inside. “I broke it off with him.”
           “Oh Abby. Why?” Olivia asked. “You guys seemed so good together.”
           “We are, or were, but I’m just too messed up inside to make him happy. So I set him free.”
           Olivia grabbed Abigail’s arms and forced her to look in her eyes. “ Shouldn't he be the one to decide if you are too messed up for him?”
           “ I'm just saving him time and trouble Livia,” she cried.
           “Again Abby, that should be Sam’s choice.” Olivia took her sister’s hand and led her to the loveseat. “I guess I'm just seeing things differently these days. Alex and I are back together and I’m moving to Ketchikan. We are proof that love is powerful and can overcome so much. Please give it a chance.”
           Abigail looked thoughtfully at her baby sister. “ I've had feelings for him pretty much since we started working together and it was the same for him. But there is so much in my past that makes this so hard, so much that no one but Sam knows about.”
           Olivia couldn't imagine what her sister was talking about. She couldn't remember anything bad ever happening to Abigail. Although her personality did change drastically a few years back.
           “Fight hard sis, fight hard  together through the bad and only good will come from it.” 

           “ I've been fighting for years Livia. I’m tired. I don’t know how much more I can take,” Abigail whispered.
           “My God, Abby, what happened to you?” Olivia wondered.
           “I still can't talk about it Liv. Someday I will, but I’m not ready yet. Please don’t push it.”
           “Of course I won’t. But please let Sam help you fight whatever battle you are dealing with. Two are so much stronger than one.”
           “Maybe,” Abigail mouthed in response.

ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 9

          The center director, a woman named Jenny, met them and took them on a tour of the facilities. The work they did to rehab animals was so heartwarming and even heartbreaking at times. The group not only saw the public areas, but they were allowed exclusive access to the private areas and were allowed supervised interactions with some of the animals. Olivia’s favorite was the injured owl that would soon be transitioned from inside care, to outdoor rehabilitation. Those big owl eyes somehow spoke to her.
          “Would you like to name her?” Jenny asked when she saw how attached Olivia had become in such a short time.
          “Can I?” Olivia asked excitedly.
          “Absolutely!” Jenny answered. “Do you have any ideas?”
          Olivia thought for a moment, then whispered something to Alex. When he nodded in the affirmative, she turned to the director. “How about Lily?”
          “Perfect!” she enthused before turning away to answer questions from Graham’s daughter Sarah.
          Alex hugged Olivia. “That was nice of you to name her after my Grandmother sweetheart.”
          “They are both wise and pulled me into their hearts with their lovely eyes. How could I not?”
          Alex kissed her and told her how much  it meant to him. This was the Olivia he’d fallen in love with, not the bitter, scared woman she’d become. She was finally back, one-hundred percent. He just wondered how long it would be before she realized it.

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ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 8

          “Hi beautiful,” she heard coming from behind her. She turned and Alex was leaning against the

railing, looking completely sexy in faded jeans, a black t-shirt, and his hiking boots. She almost forgot to breathe, and then when that one lock of his perfectly groomed hair fell over his eye, she thought for sure her heart would stop beating. She was so happy to see him again.

           He picked up the black hoodie, laying on the rail next to him, and walked over to her. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, and when they pulled apart, she noticed that only one of his arms was holding her, the other was tucked behind his back.
          “What are you hiding,” she asked
          “Just this.” He smiled and brought his hand around to present her with a single pink rose.
          “Oh my God! You didn’t forget?”
          “Of course I didn’t, I’ll never forget anything about you, Olivia Rachelle Mannon.”
          “Oh Alex, I just don’t know what to say.”
          “Don’t say anything love.” He kissed her gently and pulled away to look into her eyes. “You said you were sad last night so I brought you a pink rose. It’s what I promised to do right?”
          She chuckled. “Yeah, it's just that you made that promise so long ago...”

          “A promise is a promise, Olivia.” He kissed her again...

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ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 7

          Vanessa and Thomas had about three hours alone and Olivia was getting tired so Jackson decided to go back to his own cabin, or maybe out to the bar. He couldn’t help but say one final thing on the subject of Alex before he left though. “It breaks my heart that I didn’t get the chance to fight for my one true love, sis. It also breaks my heart that you refuse to fight for yours because you’re scared and have a warped sense of what life needs to be like. Wake up Liv, and fight for him before it’s too late.” He kissed her on the forehead and was gone.
          What Jackson said was meant to be a big revelation for her, but their previous conversation about her townhouse and about wanting to see him as a dad had brought back some of her resolve to keep with her current lifestyle. She had a life she was proud of! Didn’t she?

           Her twin's advice did have merit though. What if she really did hate her life and she lost Alex again? Could she ever find true happiness? Would she want to? Her resolve started to wane again.
           Great! She suddenly felt like crying. It seemed she was getting more and more confused with each hour that passed. Another shower was out of the question, so crawling under the covers would have to do.
           Just as she was dozing off her phone rang. She saw Alex’s name come across the caller ID.“Hello Alex.”
          “Hello Olivia, how are you? You don't sound so good.”
          “I’m not sure,” she answered. “I’m still so confused and sad, and it seems like my family and my overworked mind are just making it worse.”
          “I’m sorry sweetheart, I wish I could help, but I won’t push you in either direction. Just know that I’m here for you, always.”
           “Thank you, Alex.”
           “I’m going to let you get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Okay?”
           “Okay Alex. I miss you.”

           “I miss you too.”
            Olivia hung up the phone and sat up in bed waiting for the text she knew would come. Five minutes later it did. It said, “I still love you,” and she was able to lie back down and cry herself to sleep.

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ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 6

         Olivia sat on the toilet seat to get her bearings and her phone rang. “Hello,” she answered breathlessly. 

           “Hey Doll.”
           “How are you today?” Olivia asked
           “I’m good, you?” Alex returned.
           “Good, sitting in the bathroom to have some alone time. The joys of a small cabin, you know.””
           Alex laughed. “I can imagine. Did you get my text?” he asked.
           “I did!” Olivia answered with a bit too much enthusiasm.
           Alex chuckled. “That’s good, I hope you slept well.”
           “I did, we had a busy day yesterday.”
           “That we did,” Alex agreed. “What do you have planned for today?”
           “The whole family is going on some sort of a train trip. It’s supposed to be a great excursion.”
           “It is!” Alex enthused. “I’ve been on it before. If you loved the flight tour yesterday you will love the train.”
           “Oh good, I’m sure I’ll enjoy it if it’s half as beautiful as yesterday’s tour.”
           “Call me when you’re done and tell me what you thought of it.” He paused for a minute. “Can I ask you a question Livia?”
            “Of course.” She really hoped she wouldn’t regret it.

            “Do you still miss me?” 

            She laughed in relief. “Absolutely.”
            “I miss you too.” They were both silent for a while.
            “I should go Alex, it’s almost time for breakfast.”
            “Okay, I’ll talk to you after your trip.”
            “Bye Alex.”
            “Bye love.”
            Olivia left the bathroom and climbed up onto her bunk. She loved that she could now talk to Alex whenever she wanted to. Her phone buzzed in her hand and she knew it was a text from him. And she knew what it would say. “I still love you.”

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ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 5

       Olivia made the shower as hot as she could stand it. Stepping under the spray felt so good and so bad at the same time. Her stress started to seep away just a bit, but as she washed herself, the last vestiges of Alex swirled down the drain. Every touch, every kiss, every pleasure he’d plied her body with disappeared and all she had left were the memories of their time together. It seemed memories were all she was ever meant to have of him.

**********

          Watching Olivia walk away again was killing Alex. He wanted to block the ship and not let it leave until she agreed to stay with him, but of course that wasn’t possible. He had no idea what to do or where to go now. He felt lost. Again.
          Getting into his truck, he just started driving with no real destination in mind. His heart broke more with every second. Via a roundabout route, he found himself at his office. Pearl’s car was parked out front and he was actually relieved that she was still there. He knew he could always talk to her, her advice might be a bit eccentric at times, but it was usually good.
          The bell above the door rang as he wandered in and Pearl looked up from her desk. She immediately knew that something was wrong.
          “What happened?”
          “Everything, and then nothing, she went back to the ship, never to see the likes of me again.
          “I’m sorry,” Pearl sympathized.
          “Thanks,” he said sighing. “You know Pearl, I thought I saw signs of change in her. She isn’t as materialistic and she actually seemed to enjoy being outside, experiencing nature. I thought for sure we would have a shot again, that maybe we could compromise a life together.” He sat down on the edge of her desk and sighed again. “I guess I was wrong, I never should have even hoped…”
          “If you saw signs of change, I’m sure they were really there,” Pearl advised.
          Alex thought about that for a few minutes. “You know, you’re right! The signs were there. Hell, she actually liked my little old house. But at the last minute, she just closed up saying our lives are fine the way they are.”
          “At the last minute are the key words Alex. I think she’s still in the process of changing her life, but she doesn’t want to admit it yet. Maybe she doesn’t even know that it’s happening.” Pearl made him look her in the eyes. “She’s afraid Alex, you need to show her that there isn’t anything to be afraid of.”
          “Yeah, and how in the hell do I do that when she lives in the lower forty-eight and I live up here. I won’t go back there Pearl, ever!” He had to calm himself, it wouldn’t’ do any good to yell at his aunt.

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ALASKAN AMBUSH - EXCERPT CHAPTER 3

      It was seven a.m. on his first day of vacation when the phone rang, waking Alex from a deep sleep. Dreams had troubled him until about four o'clock. After that, he had finally slept well.
      "Hello," he answered sleepily
      "Alex, its Pearl"   
      "Why are you calling so early, is everything okay?"
      "Everything is fine Alex, I'm calling to let you know that Jason can't take the eleven o'clock today. His wife's flight from Orlando was cancelled because of severe thunderstorms and his babysitter is sick so he has to stay with the kiddos until the missus gets home."
      "Okay Pearl, Thanks for letting me know."
       Alex hung up the phone and got out of bed. If he was going to work after all, he really should shower and shave. Yes, he had showered the previous night, but he woke up covered in sweat more than once because of dreams of Olivia. And then suddenly he remembered, the eleven o'clock flight that he was going to do for Jason was the Olivia Mannon flight. Where the hell was his brain? He didn’t want to admit that it had been in his pants for the last forty-eight hours, along with thoughts of loving her. He absolutely had to find someone to cover for him - after the shower.

______________________________________________________________

      Turning the water off, Alex stepped out of the shower, not even bothering to dry off. He just wrapped the towel around his lean waist and walked, dripping, to the phone in his bedroom to dial Pearls number. He waited impatiently for her to answer.
      Damn he was cold. Taking the towel from his waist, he started to dry himself off. As he was running the towel through his hair, Pearl finally answered.
      “Howdy”
      “Hey Pearl. I need you to call Mark and have him take that eleven o'clock for me,” Alex said desperately.
      “I wondered when you would remember it was Olivia’s flight,” she laughed. I already called Mark. His son’s birthday is today and he can’t be there until the afternoon shift.”
      “Damn Pearl, you’ve got to help me out here. Can’t you baby-sit Jason’s kids for him or something?” he asked
      “No can do kiddo. I have commitments! I guess you will just have to take a deep breath and take it yourself. What’s the worst that could happen? She doesn’t bite does she?
      “She does more than bite, Pearl. That’s what I’m afraid of.” He sighed loudly as he threw the towel across the room. What in the hell would he do now?
      “Hey Alex,” Pearl said tentatively
      “What?” he asked grumpily.
      “I hope this is the Olivia.”
      “Why?” he asked surprised. His groin reacted to the image of Olivia walking along the docks, his docks, in his town.
      “You’ve been pining for her all this time. You need to set things straight and get on with your life...with or without her.”
      Alex didn’t want to hear that, especially now when she might be arriving in town any minute. “Pearl, if it is her, I’m doomed.”
      He quickly hung up the phone and went to shave. He had a lot of mental preparation to do for the flight. He was going to be a nervous wreck and he couldn’t let it affect his flying. Why him? Why now?
      By the time Alex was dressed and on his way to the office, he had convinced himself that this passenger was not going to be Olivia Mannon from Nevada. He put pictures of a sweet old grandma named Olivia into his mind and urged them to stay there all morning.

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ALASKAN AMBUSH EXCERPT- CHAPTER 2

          The third box was a jumble of many different things, of more recent memories. On second glance, they were all memories involving Olivia; ticket stubs from their first movie, a program from a symphony at the University, a stuffed animal she had given him, restaurant receipts, a t-shirt with an obscene slogan that she got him for his birthday, a picture of them together at his college graduation, a crystal bear she’d given him for an anniversary, the packet of information he’d requested on how to become a park ranger because he thought he’d finally found a job he could love and succeed at, and the ring he’d been planning to give to her.

          Before he could propose, she'd called the relationship off, and his parents' vacation home in Oregon had become his escape for a year before he moved to Alaska to help Pearl in her time of need, and to accept his inheritance.
          He quickly closed the box and taped it shut so it could be moved to the garage as soon as possible. He left out only the crystal bear, the picture and the ring.
          The delicate crystal was carried over to the entertainment center and put front and center on an empty shelf. “I miss you Olivia,” he whispered before walking back to the couch. He still missed her so much, but he could not chance seeing her again, he couldn’t risk the pain. Could he?
          He sat for a while staring at the picture of them together. The desert sun glinted off of her dark hair. She looked like an angel. Her green eyes were sparkling with happiness and her smile was big and bright. She was absolutely stunning. Alex remembered what had happened next like it was only moments ago. She'd turned to him with love shining in her eyes. “I’m so proud of you!” she’d said. Too bad she hadn’t always been. Toward the end of their relationship there had been more disappointment than anything.
          Alex set the picture aside, opened the ring box and smiled. It was a beautiful old ring. His grandmother had given it to him when he told her he wanted to marry Olivia. Grandma Lily had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer and knew she didn’t have long to live, so she took both rings off of her finger then and there and put them in his palm, wrapping his fingers tightly around them. "I love Olivia and I want her to have these," she'd said. "Your grandfather and I both do. You two remind me of him and I when we were young."
          When Olivia broke things off, he vowed to never use the rings, he would pass them down to his kids instead, if he ever had any.
He took the picture and rings and put them in his night stand drawer before fixing a quick lunch and heading to the Living Doll. He needed to fly. 

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