Saving the Sheriff: A Three River Ranch Novella (Entangled Bliss) by Roxanne Snopek Read Free Book Online Page A

away. She saw the collection of fancy collars and leashes hanging beside the door.
    “Wait. We’re surrounded by a gazillion acres of wilderness and you make her poop on-lead?” She put her hands on her hips. “No wonder she hates you.”
    “She doesn’t hate me. I don’t want her to get lost or hurt, that’s all.”
    “You really don’t know dogs, do you?” Frankie pushed past him and pulled the door open, ushering the dog out before he could grab her. “There you go, Mistral. Let’s leave this mean, mean man behind and go make snow angels.”
    She slipped on her boots and stomped through the path the dog had made.
    “If she disappears, it’s your head on that platter, not mine,” Red yelled after her. “And she’s not coming in my truck.”
    Frankie reached the truck and wrenched open the door. “Oh yes she is.”
    He’d left the keys in the ignition. This really was remote country, if you could do that without courting theft or vandalism. She turned it. The engine stammered and sputtered, and refused to catch. Dang! She couldn’t wait until it warmed up.
    Red stumbled through the drifts, yelling at her.
    “Oh, we got him good, didn’t we, sweetheart?” The dog wriggled and lapped at her cheek.
    She wasn’t going to actually drive the truck—there was no hope she could maneuver through the snow—but Red clearly didn’t know that.
    “Don’t worry,” she whispered to Mistral. “He’s mad at me, not you.”
    But just in case, she made the dog sit next to the window.

Chapter Five
    “Are you out of your mind?”
    “Probably,” she said with a grin. “But until you lock me up or send me packing, we’re a unit, me and Mopsy-face. Deal with it.”
    She scrubbed her nose against the dog’s scruffy muzzle. The dog wiggled and slurped her face. They were a cozy pair, he had to admit.
    With him the third wheel.
    “What if she’s freaked out by the wind and we have to waste time chasing her?”
    “She won’t.” Her smile faded at his tone.
    “What if our timing’s off and the next wave of the storm hits before we’re done? What if we all end up stranded? In the dark?”
    Frankie put her arms around the dog, her shoulders hunched.
    He turned the key in the ignition, hoping the block heater had done its job, hoping she hadn’t flooded it.
    ”This is a serious situation, Frankie. I’m just being cautious.” The starter clicked and sputtered. “Looking on the bright side doesn’t solve everything, you know.”
    After a couple of ominous rattles, the engine roared to life. Red breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t worried about getting stuck between here and the barn—the yard was sheltered enough to keep the drifts manageable. But he felt better having access to a working vehicle while they checked the livestock since they’d need a place to warm up between tasks.
    Carson had warned him that if a blizzard hit, it would take days for the main roads to be cleared. And as they bumped and plowed through the hard ridges of polished snow, Red could only imagine how dangerous those roads would be.
    He glanced at Frankie, sitting silently, the big dog sprawled on her lap. He wished he hadn’t mentioned the dark. Sure, a cold snap like this was serious. But Carson and Rory left them well prepared. It would be a lot of work looking after the stock, and they had some long nights ahead of them, but they’d be fine. Frankie would get away with nothing worse than a case of chapped lips.
    He stole another look. Maybe not. Her lips were fine, smooth and plump. She kept her gaze on the window. A muscle in her jaw twitched.
    “What now? Am I thinking my positive thoughts too loud?” She turned on him then, but not in fear. “You find what you’re looking for in life, Red. You want to see disaster all around? Go ahead. But don’t drag me into your pit of despair.”
    She waved her hand toward the field. “Look around you! Have you ever seen anything so beautiful? The whole world is a sculpture!