Free It's In His Heart (A Red River Valley Novel) by Shelly Alexander Page A

lanced down her spine.
    When it was over, Ella lay on the sofa wrapped in an afghan. Content. Life was perfect.
    Bradley’s phone went off, and he stepped out of the bathroom in search of it. “Hello.” He listened. “This is Dr. Dennings. What can I do for you?”
    Ella sat up and reached for her wine as Bradley listened to the caller. He was so good at it. Always listening, always caring about others. It wasn’t any wonder that his patients loved him.
    “Alright. Since Derek referred you and it’s an emergency, I’ll see you in a few hours. Until then, put ice on it.”
    Ella’s heart sank. Their romantic weekend was over before it really got started. She got up to pack, wrapping the blanket under her arms to cover her breasts.
    Bradley snapped the phone shut. “Hey,” he whispered. “Where you going?”
    “We’re going back to Albuquerque, aren’t we?”
    He enfolded her in his arms, pulling her flush against him. “I am. You’re not.” He pecked her nose with a kiss. “I’ll be back early in the morning, and we can pick up where we left off.”
    “You’re sure?” Ella asked, because she wasn’t in the least bit certain.
    “You won’t even know I’ve been gone. Promise.” He covered her mouth with a deep kiss.
    An hour later, Ella still lay on the sofa, enjoying the fire. She didn’t often relax so completely, but here in this place, how could she not? Especially after such tender lovemaking.
    She stared into the fire, the flames holding her captive, and dozed. When she woke a few hours later, the fire had died out and a wicked chill hung in the air. She bundled the blanket tighter around her nakedness and went to the basement to check the furnace.
    Well, frick. After finding the pilot lit and fully functioning, Ella stood staring at it with one hand on her hip and the other clutching the blanket to her chest. What now? Bradley wouldn’t be back until the morning, and she didn’t have a car to go find a warm motel. She’d just have to pull on some thermal underwear and tough it out.
    She took the first two steps, but the basement door opened above her and a figure in winter gear stood at the top of the stairs. He took one step down, saw her at the bottom, and lost his footing. A string of cursing echoed off the dank walls as Cooper Wells tumbled downward and landed at Ella’s feet.
    “Ah!” He grabbed at the back of his head.
    “Coop?” Ella bent to help him. “What happened? What are you doing here? Bradley said you weren’t coming this weekend. Have you been drinking?”
    “For God’s sake, Cind —” He hesitated. “One question at a time. And, no, my neck’s not broken. Thanks for your concern.”
    “I came down here to check the furnace,” Ella explained. “The heat isn’t working.”
    “Probably because the thermostat wasn’t turned on. I checked it as soon as I walked in.”
    “Oh.” Ella bit her lip, her cheeks burning even in the cold basement. Checking the thermostat hadn’t even occurred to her.
    Still grabbing at the back of his head, his eyes closed. “Jesus, that hurt.”
    “What happened?”
    He looked at her through one half-opened eye. It dipped to her chest. “Uh, you took me by surprise, that’s all.”
    She pulled the afghan up as much as possible. “Bradley said you wouldn’t be here this weekend.”
    “When I saw how much snow Red River was getting, I came to go snowboarding.”
    “You could’ve called.” She tried to adjust the afghan again.
    “I did. Bradley was on his way back to Albuquerque and thought it was a good idea I come up tonight so you wouldn’t be alone.”
    His furious stare raked over her, and a glint of something new dawned there. Something different, softer. Coop’s glower faded, his sensual hazel eyes anchored to her mouth, and the sexy De Niroesque mole under his eye twitched. Instead of recoiling, her tongue traced her bottom lip as she took in his tousled caramel hair that always looked as though a woman had run