Blind-Date Bride by Jillian Hart Read Free Book Online Page B

her hands up to the heater vent, as if grateful.
    Still that innocent storybook princess.
    Anything that appeared too good to be true, had tobe. That was his experience. That was the way the world worked. But so help him, when he looked at her he never wanted anything to be truer. He wanted Brianna to be everything she seemed to be and more.
    Sad, but there it was. He didn’t like that she had been out biking in the snow. “It isn’t as if you are the only biker out there tonight.” He tapped on the window for emphasis when they came across another one, although this biker was a man who looked hard core, as if he biked year-round regardless of the weather. “It’s the best you could do for transportation?”
    “Yes, for tonight, at least. My sisters are working, my friends are all occupied elsewhere for one reason or another, so the bike was the last resort.” She ran her fingers through her hair, combing out the melting diamonds. “I was supposed to be at the bookstore an hour ago, that’s where Colbie works—”
    “Colbie is the one who set you up with the nose-ring guy.”
    “Right. Anyway, I got stuck talking to a professor after class, there was a line ahead of me and I thought, this won’t take that long. I’ll be fine. Wrong. Then I saw someone I knew on campus. I figured it wouldn’t take long to stop and say hi. Wrong. When I finally got on my way, I got caught behind the bus. Five red lights and four bus stops. It all adds up to me riding home in the dark in the snow.”
    “Perfect timing for us, though.” Max rapped his knuckles against his brother’s shoulder and pointed left. “Use the turn signal.”
    “Yeah, yeah.” Marcus rolled his eyes, but the kid was grinning. He obviously enjoyed giving his older brother guff.
    “Here we are.” Max seemed relieved his brother had delivered them all safely. “You need to call that sister of yours?”
    “No, I texted her to say I was running late when I was stuck behind the bus for two of the five red lights.”
    “So, you’ve got two sisters?”
    “No. Besides, Brandi and Colbie, I also have a sister and two brothers from my dad’s first marriage.”
    “I have a family like that. Halves and wholes, scattered all over the place. My dad was a cop. Being a cop is tough on a marriage. Very tough.” That hurt, but it was only the truth. It wasn’t as if he had a chance with her. It wasn’t as if he wanted to, right? At least, that’s the way it had to be. “It’s why I haven’t shackled myself in holy bonds.”
    “Then why were you on a blind date?”
    “I guess some hopes spring eternal, however small.” That was only the truth. Good thing the truck rolled to a stop in a prime spot next to the curb, and Marcus killed the engine. Max didn’t want to think too hard on the coincidence of running into her again. He couldn’t say he hadn’t been tempted to drop by the bakery on the chance that she would be working there. Just like he couldn’t deny he hadn’t been thinking about the backdoor burglar case and what she’d been through, the valor she had shown under fire.
    He hopped out, got her door and took her gloved hand to help her down. Nice, being near her. Cozy. He couldn’t say he didn’t notice when she smiled at him, her big violet-blue eyes captivating.
    Good thing he was immune to captivating. Or a tough guy like him was supposed to be. He stayed at her side,protecting her from the wind and snow the best he could. He began to think stopping to pick her up had been a bad idea. Especially when she slipped through the door ahead of him, as dainty as royalty, yet as down to earth as could be in her winter jacket and worn jeans. Her suede boots padded on the tile floor ahead of him. Snow had caught in her hair again, dappling her as if with precious gems.
    “Look. It’s buffet night. My favorite.” She tossed a smile over her shoulder, a simple gesture, innocent, as if wholly unaware of her power at that moment.
    One glance,