Prologue

~Brad~

Three years ago…

“WOULD YOU LIKE ANOTHER glass of champagne?” I ask Hannah, the tall red headed doctor standing next to me. We’re at an exclusive party on Whitetail Mountain, with the owner of the ski resort and all of my closest friends.

“One is enough for me,” she says with a smile, showing off her dimples. I can’t help but wonder if she has dimples above her ass as well. I’ve seen her around town since she moved here, taking a position as a doctor, and each time I see her the lust is swift and hard.

She’s sexy as fuck.

And I want her.

But I’m also a gentleman. Seeing her here was an unexpected treat.

I pass her a bottle of water and then walk with her out onto the deck where a fire is going to keep us all warm. The torch light parade is over, and people are beginning to leave. But I stand here with Hannah, leaning on the railing and watching people bustle between the two bars in the ski village.

“It’s beautiful up here,” she murmurs.

I nod and sip my bottle of water. “Do you like Cunningham Falls?”

“It’s paradise,” she murmurs and then smiles up at me. “I know it sounds corny, but that’s what I think of it. The mountains, the small town, the people. I couldn’t love it more.”

I feel the same way.

But I’ve lived here all my life, so maybe I’m biased.

“How long have you been a cop?” she asks.

“Almost fifteen years. My dad is the police chief.” I shrug. “I never wanted to be anything else.”

“Do you think you’ll be the police chief after he leaves?”

I shrug again. My application is already in for it, but who knows if I’ll get hired?

“We’ll see.” I hook her red hair behind her ear. My sister Jenna walks over to us, her coat wrapped around her shoulders.

“I’m ready to head out, Hannah. How about you?”

Hannah glances up at me. “I rode with Jenna. Looks like we’re ready to go.”

“I can give you a ride,” I offer and Jenna’s eyes widen with surprise.

“Oh, you don’t have—” Hannah begins but Jenna cuts her off.

“That’s a great idea. I have some work to do this evening anyway, so if Brad can give you a lift, that’s perfect. I’ll talk to you later!” And with that, she waves and leaves Hannah with a stunned smile on her beautiful face.

“Looks like you’re stuck with me.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind?”

I shake my head and lead her inside to gather our coats and say our goodbyes to Jacob and Grace, the hosts of the party. Once in my truck, Hannah gets comfortable in the leather passenger seat and sighs.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m tired,” she confesses. “I was at the hospital all last night, but I didn’t want to miss this party. I’m glad I came.”

“I am too.”

I concentrate on the slippery road that winds down the mountain to town. Once we’re on the main, better travelled street, I feel more comfortable. It’s been snowing heavily, and the mountain road is always tricky. But about a mile later, we come upon an accident.

“Two cars,” I mutter and slow to a stop. I immediately reach for my phone to call it in, and Hannah has leapt from the truck, moving quickly toward the car with the most damage.

Thank God it’s no one from the party.

“Over here,” Hannah calls after I shove my phone in my pocket. She’s standing by the driver’s side of a small sedan, the door open, and the young woman driver is passed out against the steering wheel. “She’s unconscious, but she’s alive. I don’t want to move her until the paramedics get here. I don’t know what her injuries are. Will you stay with her while I check the other car?”

“No need,” someone says from behind us. “I’m fine. My God, I couldn’t stop the car when I went into a full spin.”

“It’s okay,” Hannah says, turning around and immediately taking her scarf off and pressing it to a bloody gash on the man’s forehead. “Hold this to your head. You have a small laceration there.”

“I do?”

“He’s in shock,” she says to me, just as we hear the sirens coming in the distance. “Paramedics are on the way,” she says to him and urges him to sit on the snow bank, holding the scarf to his head.

The young woman is coming to, and when she looks around, she starts to cry.

“It’s okay,” I say and rub my hand up and down her arm soothingly. “You’ve been in an accident, but help is on the way.”

The next ten minutes are a blur as the ambulance arrives. Hannah rattles off a quick report of what happened and the paramedics load both of the injured drivers inside, then heads to the hospital. I stay an extra five minutes to help the officers on scene, and when Hannah and I are back in my truck, she says, “Take me to the hospital.”

She doesn’t look tired now, and watching her on the scene was amazing.

“Are you sure?”

“I want to check on them before I go home,” she says. “I know I’m an OB/GYN, but they’re mine now.”

I nod and pull into the emergency bay behind the ambulance. Hannah jumps out and I see her give a quick report to a doctor that walks up – one she appears to know – and it’s amazing to see her in her own element.

I’ve never been more turned on in my life.

She’s stunning, her blue eyes bright and red hair around her face. She’s a force to be reckoned with.

After all of her reports are given to the doctors on staff, she blows out a breath and returns to me with a shy smile. “Sorry, I just needed to see this through.”

“No need to be sorry.” I can’t keep myself from dragging my finger down her cheek. “Are you okay?”

“Of course.”

“Hannah!”

Both of us turn at the sound of her name. A tall doctor, Drake I believe his name is, rushes to her and cups her face in his hands.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I wasn’t in the accident.”

“Thank God.” He pulls her in for a hug, and it’s clear that they’re close. Intimate.

Together.

So while they’re hugging and she’s telling him all about what happened, I slip out the door to my truck.

The sexy doctor isn’t available.

Fuck.