Page 8 of Hot Winter Nights (Bear Mountain Rescue 1)

“Did you suck some down the wrong pipe or have you met her already?”

“Allie’s my pain-in-the-ass tenant.”

Hunter laughed. “Allie, huh? Small world.” Suddenly, he sobered. “You’re not interested, are you?”

Dex spluttered, “Hell, no! What gave you that idea?”

Throwing up his hand, Hunter said, “Whoa, I was just asking, man. Didn’t want to piss in your patch.”

“Believe me, my friend, the last thing I’m interested in is a difficult city girl who won’t last the month here. You’re welcome to her.”

Chapter 5

Two days later, Allie was sitting at her desk staring down at the mountain of paperwork and invoices in front of her. The hospital needed so many updates, it seemed as if all she’d done since getting to Bear Mountain was sign checks.

The only bright spot in all the mundane tasks were the few times Hunter Gracin would walk by her open door with a smile or a wave. Not that she was looking for a boyfriend, but she’d be pretty well off with a guy like Hunter. He was successful, grounded, handsome, and nice, and much better than any other candidates she’d met.

Like Dex Belmont.

No, Dex wasn’t even in the running. He was too cocky, he’d already proved he was a little shady, and he was totally the kind of guy who would love her and then leave her high and dry. She didn’t need another jerk to rock her world; she needed a partner with his shit together.

It was why she needed to really think about every move she made here. Her past was filled with regrettable career choices, and a string of bad relationships. Her mother liked to throw them in her face whenever she mentioned Allie’s two older, happily married sisters. Both had married men with impeccable New York pedigrees and were loaded to boot.

While Allie was happy her sisters had found love with men her parents approved of, Allie wanted more than what life had to offer in the city. She still wanted the right guy, which is why she started a checklist of all the qualities she was looking for in a man. Hunter matched it perfectly.

Dex, not so much.

Her desk phone rang, and she picked it up on the second ring. “Allison Fairchild.”

“Hello, Ms. Fairchild,” her assistant, Rebecca Kirkland, said. “If you still want to lend a hand, they’re short a surgical nurse and have a family coming in with multiple injuries. Car accident.”

Allie hesitated for a brief moment, taking in the mess she’d be leaving behind. But it would all be waiting when she got back in an hour or two.

“I’ll be right down.” Allie quickly shrugged out of her business casual attire and changed into the purple scrubs she kept in her desk drawer. With her stethoscope in hand, she ran for the stairs. When she finally burst into the emergency area, gurneys were being wheeled in, one after another. Hunter was directing people and Allie made her way toward him without even thinking about it. Maybe it was because he seemed to be the only one besides Rebecca who hadn’t hated her on sight, or perhaps it was watching him with that patient’s wife, but she liked him.

And it didn’t hurt to make friends.

“Hey, I heard you needed some help down here,” she said, coming up alongside him.

He glanced her way with a puzzled look. “I thought you were our administrator?”

“Well, I’m also a trauma nurse, and a pretty decent one, actually.”

Hunter gave her a wide grin, his blue eyes dancing with amusement. “Is that a fact?”

“It is a fact, so if you can use me…”

“I can use you. Dex should be coming with another critical case any minute.”

“Dex?”

Crap, please don’t let it be—

The automatic doors opened and in rolled a gurney manned by two paramedics.…

And her jerk of a landlord sitting astride the patient, administering chest compressions. Against her will, her gaze was drawn to those strong, corded arms as he pressed down hard with each compression, his face tight with concentration. Tiny beads of sweat gathered at his temples and she had the craziest u

rge to dab his forehead.

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