Dr. Zinetti's Snowkissed Bride Read Free Page A

gathered up the guide rope and was now back in the tent with her. ‘I’ve known Harry since he was born. My mum knows his mum. I used to go round and help bath him when I was a kid.’
    â€˜Lucky Harry.’ Dino stowed the guide rope in his backpack and then gently removed her hands from her face. ‘You did well, wolf-girl. You probably saved his life.’
    â€˜Well, I don’t paint my nails or bake cookies, but I have some skills.’ But maybe her skills weren’t enough in this case. What if he had a depressed skull fracture? What if they didn’t get him to hospital fast enough? Now that the immediate crisis was over, the fear that had been pressing against her threatened to overwhelm her. Suddenly she wanted to lean against that broad chest and just sob. She didn’t care that he was a notorious heart-breaker and that she’d been resisting his advances for months. She just wanted to feel those strong arms close around her. ‘Dino—’
    â€˜It’s a good job I am here, no? A weak, feeble girl like you is going to need a big strong guy like me to help you out of this mess.’
    Her traitorous desire to lean on him vanished instantly.‘Do you honestly think I need your help?’ Anger stoked the fire inside her that had burned down to no more than a few glowing embers. ‘I don’t need any help from you.’
    â€˜ Sì , of course you need my help.’ He started piling the equipment back inside his bag. ‘You are too small and delicate to walk down this mountain without assistance. The wind has dropped, but not for long. You wouldn’t be fit enough to walk as fast as you’d need to. We will stay the night here, and I will protect you.’ His mouth curved into a slow, sexy smile. ‘It’s just you, me and this little private room. This isn’t quite how I pictured our first night together, but I can be flexible. Do you have any mistletoe?’
    Anger flushed away the worry about Harry. ‘If I had any mistletoe all I’d do with it is force-feed you the berries. I’m not in the mood, Dino—’
    Without warning, he leaned towards her and for one breathless, heart-stopping moment she thought he was going to kiss her. His eyes glittered dark with sexual promise and Meg felt something she never let herself feel. She felt strangely disconnected, as if she were being controlled by some invisible force outside herself. Then she came to her senses and gave him a hard shove.
    â€˜What the hell do you think you’re doing?’
    â€˜You said you weren’t in the mood,’ he purred. ‘I was going to put you in the mood.’
    â€˜I meant that I wasn’t in the mood for your flirting,’ she croaked, ‘not—anything else.’ It was disconcerting to realise that her hands were shaking. She knew that if she’d been standing up, her knees would have been shaking, too.
    â€˜That’s what you meant?’ Those sexy eyes teased her. ‘Then you need to be more specific when you communicate.’
    Her lips were tingling and the blood was rushing around her body. ‘Don’t ever do that again, Zinetti!’
    â€˜Do what?’ Dino smiled and trailed a finger over her cheek.‘I haven’t done anything yet. Maybe this is a good moment to teach you all the practical applications of the use of body warmth in the prevention of hypothermia.’
    Meg skidded to the furthest point of the tent, too aggravated by her own response to notice his brief, satisfied smile. ‘I wouldn’t spend a night cosied up with you if we were the only two people left on the planet. I’d rather die of hypothermia.’
    â€˜Beautiful Megan.’ His voice was soft. ‘A woman like you should have a man in her life, but you do everything alone.’
    â€˜That’s the way I like it.’
    â€˜Because you are afraid?’
    It was like dropping a lighted match