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Dear Cold Fury Fans, Once you get started on Max's book, you should quickly start to recognize that sos sound a little "familiar" That's because Max's book takes place parallel to Hawke So bonusyou get a little

Hope you enjoy!

Love, Sawyer PS: If you're brand new to the men of the Cold Fury and Max is your first book, you can check out the other men and how they fell prey to love here: sawyerbennettcom

I stick the nozzle in as tank, depress the handle and flip the catch down to hold it in place Letting the petrol flow on its own, I head across the nearly eht beacon out here on Possue is e to break down and buy some junk food for my dinner I just won't tell Vale about it as I don't feel like listening to her bitch at me

Vale Ca to hang out with her That's because she's one of the assistant athletic trainers for the Cold Fury and, th and conditioning She would most certainly say Snickers, Cheez-Its, and Mountain Dew are not onburpees, mountain climbers, and box jumps until I puked

So I won't tell her about this little cheat and I'll gladly take whatever she hands out tothis season as strong as I have ever been, and I'oalie position, which became available when Ryker Evans announced his retirement this summer The Cold Fury has been a cha season in the et me down

No, I'eance and a need to prove myself to my team and fans

Watch out hockey worldMax Fournier is back

Pulling the door to the convenience store open, I i out the stock of beer Both wearing wifebeaters stained with grease and faded ball caps I, myself, pull nized tonight It's late, I want to getpractice toet home

I turn right down the first aisle, which htly aware the other two custo to the counter to check out I keep my back to them just to be safe and peruse the options

Funyuns

Potato chips

Doritos

Corn nuts

Reaching for a bag of salt and vinegar potato chips, I hear one of the guys drawl in a typical North Carolina redneck accent, "Hey sweet thang How 'bout a pack of Marlboro Reds and how 'bout handing e size"

The redneck's cohtly to see theuy nudges the other to egg hiet the condoms, the redneck leans across the counter and stares blatantly at her ass The other guy says loud enough that I hear, "Mmmmmthat is a fine ass"

Turning my body full so I face the counter, I see the woman's back stiffen and she turns her head to the left to look at a closed doorway beside the cigarette rack I'er or another e for some help

But she doesn't wait and turns to face the two assholes, squaring her shoulders

And goddaold vest she wears with a na--clearly a uniforh cheekbones, a straight nose that tilts slightly at the end, and a sexy as hell mouth that I bet would be full and lush were her lips not flattened in a grimace Her hair is not blond, but not brown I'd describe it as caramel with honey streaks, and it's pulled back fro froht across her forehead

While she faces the two men resolutely, I can see wariness in her eyes as she sets the cigarettes and condoms on the counter in front of them "Will that be all?"

Her voice has a southern accent but it's subtle She looks back and forth between the two aze

Redneck number one nods to the twelve-pack of beer he had previously placed there and says, "That was the last of the Coors You got any in your storage room?"

"Nope, that's it," she says firmly, and I can tell it's a lie

"Are ya sure?" he asks, leaning his elbows on the counter and leering at her "Maybe you could checkI could help you if you want, and we could make use of them condoms there"

I'd roll irl who is, obviously, way out of his league, but I'm too tense over the prospect that this could beby two drunk rednecks

"What do you say, sweet thang?" he says in what he tries to pass as a suave voice but comes off as trailer trash

"I say there's noa look over her shoulder to the closed door, and then back to the men

And that was a worried look

A very worried look, so I decide that this isn't going any further Grabbing the closest bag of chips, I stalk up the aisle toward the counter as I pull my hat off with my empty hand I tuck it in my back pocket, and when I'm just a few feet from the aze I s

Julianne

Pretty nairl

The sound of hten to their full heights, which is still a few inches below mine, and turn my way My eyestheaze, I dare both of the else to the beauty behind the counter

Because I suspect the only sports these guys watch are bass fishing tournanizes oalie with the Carolina Cold Fury Clearly the lovely Julianne doesn't either, but that's also fine by me

The sound of fingers tapping on the cash register catches everyone's attention, and the two hty-six cents"

One of the guys pulls a wallet out of the back pocket of his saggy jeans and nabs a twenty, handing it to her wordlessly Now that they know there's an audience, neither one see At least I think it was a galad I was here in case their intent was more nefarious

Julianne hands the guy his change and they gather their purchases and leave without a word

As soon as the door closes, her shoulders drop and she lets out a sigh of relief Givingin my hand and says, "Is that all?"

"Uh, no actually," I say as I give her a sheepish grin "Got distracted by those assholes I need a few s"