Page 37 of Hot Winter Nights (Bear Mountain Rescue 1)

Allie cleared her throat. “Can I help?”

“Sure, just wash your hands and—”

“Yes. Jeez, I was a nurse. I wouldn’t touch the food with dog cooties all over me.”

Dex grinned. “My apologies, Nurse Fairchild.”

“Like I was saying, I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life married to a politician or CEO, organizing teas and charity auctions. It took me a while to find my calling, but when I did, nothing was going to stand in my way.”

Dex had to admit he was surprised by her admission. Allie might be a stubborn, infuriating woman, but she didn’t exactly scream rebel.

“I take it you didn’t go home because you didn’t want to deal with their judgment?” he asked.

“Exactly.” She smiled at him over the green bell pepper she was cutting, and he opened his mouth to warn her right before the knife came down. She cried out and cradled her hand, and he was at her side in a second.

“Let me see.” She allowed him to examine the side of her thumb, which had been neatly sliced on its side. He grabbed a clean hand towel from the cupboard and wrapped it tightly to stanch the blood. He noticed her wince and mumbled an apology.

“I have a first aid kit in the bathroom. Come on. You sit on the couch and wait while I grab it.”

He held the towel around her finger as he led her toward the couch, leaving her there to retrieve the first aid kit. When he got back, her face was sheet-white.

As he kneeled down, he teased lightly, “You’re not going to faint on me, are you? Might have to kiss you if you pass out on my couch. Maybe even cop a feel.”

“Pervert.” A ghost of a smile played across her lips, even as pain filled her eyes, wet with unshed tears.

He pulled back the towel and the cut started bleeding again. Dex was half tempted to put her on the snowmobile and take her up for some stitches, but it was nasty out there and hardly worth endangering their lives for a stitch or two when he could do them just as well.

“Think you can man up while I clean, stitch, and wrap this? It will hurt like a mother, but I think I have some Tylenol with codeine or might even have a couple of Valium.”

“Tylenol is fine. Narcotics make me sick.” Weakly, she slapped his shoulder. “That’s for stringing together one very sexist sentence.”

“What? Woman up, then. For a nurse, you’re pretty squeamish. It’s cute.”

“I can handle other people’s blood, but I get woozy when I see my own,” she said.

He handed her the pain pill and finished doctoring her thumb. He patted her knee comfortingly. “I’ll get you some water.”

She covered his hand with hers, and held it to her knee. His gaze rose to meet hers, and he was shocked when she leaned over and kissed him. It wasn’t anything more than a peck, but it left him wanting to bury his hands in her hair and bring her back for more.

Instead, he just smiled as he stood up. “You’re welcome.”

Chapter 22

“You’re a cheater!” Dex’s green eyes danced as he said it, so she didn’t take it personally. It was nearly seven in the evening, and since the snow was still going strong, they had spent the day watching movies and playing card games. Dex had been the one to suggest a game of slapjack, and she couldn’t help if she was better at it than he was.

“Am not! I’m just faster.”

“You totally pushed my hand out of the way,” he said.

“Wow, I didn’t know such a big man could be such a sore loser.”

“You know what? You’re gonna pay.”

Allie squealed and jumped up from the table, laughing as she ran. Bluebell and Kermit chased after her, yipping and howling, but she didn’t get very far. Dex’s arms wrapped around her from behind and he lifted her up, spinning them in a circle until she was dizzy.

“Uncle! Uncle!”

He stopped and turned her to face him, practically wheezing with laughter.

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