Read Rocky Mountain Valentine for Free Online

his mouth. “You’d like me to believe the whole family just happened to show up out of the blue on a Saturday morning?” Without thinking, he took a drink.
    “That’s hot. Be—” she winced “—careful.”
    He spit the coffee back into the mug before he realized what he was doing. “Phew.”
    He set the mug on the counter and opened the freezer. He dropped two ice cubes into the steaming brew. “I should have known. I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing, I guess.” From the feel of his burned tongue, it would be a long while before he’d make the same mistake.
    “Believe what you want about my sisters, Adam. I had nothing to do with it.” She shook her head. “I don’t know why they’re here, but I can’t think of a better way to prove my innocence to someone as...as...bullheaded as you.”
    He walked closer with quick, long, purposeful strides. Adam cocked his head questioningly. “Bullheaded? You sure you don’t want to add cad to that? If my memory serves me correctly, that was the word of choice at the church after Kat and
Alex’s wedding. You sure you don’t want to come up with a few more names for me?” The words slipped from his mouth before he thought about the implication, that he’d been thinking of that stupid bouquet.
    Lisa folded the newspaper and neatly put it back into the copper boiler next to the small Franklin stove heating the kitchen. “I think that will do fine for now. Given time, I’m sure I could come up with a few more that fit your sour disposition.”
    Thankful that she hadn’t seemed to catch his slip, Adam returned to the entry. He slid the heel of his cowboy boot into the wooden boot jack and tugged first one foot, then the other from the fitted leather.
    “It’s no wonder you’re still an eligible bachelor if you’re always this charming,” she muttered.
    “I heard that, and I couldn’t be happier.” Adam stood at the doorway to the great room and waited. “Must be all that running that makes you so miserable.”
    Car doors slammed on the opposite side of the lodge, and Adam returned to the coffeemaker, pausing long enough to add a spot of hot coffee to the overly cooled liquid. “Come on.” He nodded his head toward the front door.
    “Whatever makes you think I’m miserable?” Lisa’s feet were planted to the oak floor, her arms crossed.
    “Later. Right now, we have bigger fish to fry. And you’re not getting out of this one.” Adam caught her by the elbow and firmly escorted her to the front room to wait for their guests.
    Lisa pulled her arm from his grip. “What has you so worried, Adam? This story...?” Lisa sank into the leather sofa with her back to the door and stared defiantly at him. “Or did you tell someone that we caught that bouquet? I thought that was our secret.”
    He set his cup of coffee down on the marble coffee table with a crash, spilling hot liquid on his hand. He muttered under his breath. “I didn’t tell a soul. As for the story, Liz sent the paperwork, I didn’t. This is a bad time, is all.”
    Lisa crossed her arms over her chest.
    His voice faltered and he narrowed his eyes in warning. “Don’t look at me that way.” He pulled a couple of tissues from the box on the mantel and wiped up the spilled coffee, then tossed them into a wicker trash can as the doorbell rang.
    “Yoo-hoo! Adam? Anyone home?”
    Despite his chilling glare, Lisa kept her back to the door and remained silent.
    He was minimally surprised that she didn’t back down. Not that he should be. After all, he’d heard stories from his brothers of how stubborn her sisters were. Why should this Berthoff woman be any different?
    Adam glanced at the houseguest, then to her sisters, who didn’t seem to notice Lisa sitting on his sofa. He was surprised to see Susan and Elizabeth had also arrived while he and Lisa were arguing.
    “What’s the big emergency?” Alex asked as he helped the very pregnant Katarina take her coat