Dr. Zinetti's Snowkissed Bride Read Online Free Page A

explosive passion. Shall we find out which it is?’
    Just for a moment her concentration lapsed and she felt the wheels of her four-by-four lose traction as she hit ice. She resisted the impulse to hit the brakes and steered into the skid, regaining control of the car within seconds. ‘That was fun.’ Her heart was pounding and her mouth was dry. ‘At least it shut you up. Are you all right?’
    â€˜You mean apart from my heart attack?’ His sardonic drawl made her smile and she slowed her speed.
    â€˜Why did you leave your car outside my house?’
    â€˜When Harry’s mother realised he was missing, she called the team. Then she called your mother because she remembered that the gully is a favourite walk of yours and Harryoften watches you and Rambo training up there. She hoped you might already be out, which you were. I dropped by to get your route from your mother.’
    Meg tightened her grip on the wheel. ‘So this is all my fault because he followed me?’
    â€˜No. It’s Harry’s fault. He went for a walk in the winter without the right equipment.’
    â€˜He was unlucky.’
    â€˜No, he was lucky.’ Dino pulled off a glove and flexed his fingers. ‘You found him. Could have been worse.’
    She was concentrating on the road but she could feel him looking at her. ‘It was Rambo who picked up the scent. I didn’t even know he was missing.’
    â€˜We were about to call you when you called us.’
    â€˜So how come you got to us so quickly and the others didn’t?’
    â€˜I was about to head into the mountains myself. I guess we spend our free time the same way.’
    â€˜So your date didn’t end the way you wanted it to.’
    He smiled. ‘It ended exactly the way I wanted it to.’
    Which meant what, exactly? He’d already said the brunette wasn’t waiting for him at home. Trying not to think about it, Meg pulled up outside her cottage. ‘Home, sweet home. And you’re still in one piece.’
    â€˜Miracles do happen. Thanks for the lift. Are you working tomorrow?’
    â€˜Yes. Look, Dino…’ She hesitated, torn between getting away from him as fast as possible and doing the right thing for Harry. ‘Don’t take the Lamborghini. We’ve had so much snow in the past few hours and your car isn’t good in bad weather. I’ll drive you to the hospital. If they’re as busy as you say, they could probably use my help as well as yours. Just give me time to explain to Mum and see Jamie.’
    Meg slid out of the car and crunched her way throughlayers of snow to the front door of her cottage. She stood for a moment, looking at the lights burning in the windows and the rose bush groaning under the weight of snow by the front door. In a few more months it would be frothy with white blooms, turning her home into something from a picture postcard. The summer tourists who overran the Lake District like a million invading ants had been known to stop and take photographs of her house because it was so quintessentially English. To her it was home and she loved it. Now, with Christmas only two weeks away, there was a wreath on the door and scarlet berries on the holly bush. And mistletoe.
    Meg frowned.
    Who had added the mistletoe?
    The door opened before she even started to delve for her key and her mother stood there, an apron tied round her slim waist, a mug in her hand. ‘I’ve made you hot soup, Dr Zinetti. You need something to warm you before you go back to the hospital.’
    â€˜ Molto grazie. You are truly a life saver, Mrs Miller.’ Dino emerged from behind her and took the mug in his gloved hand, the steam from the soup forming clouds in the freezing air. ‘I’m grateful.’
    â€˜I’m the one who is grateful. You brought my girl safely home.’
    â€˜I brought myself home, Mum. Do I get soup, too?’ Irritated, Meg dragged the hat