‘Beth,’ he whispered.
He was staring at her mouth, and she ached to feel his lips on hers. She swallowed to moisten her parched mouth as she swayed towards him. She mustered her last skerrick of sense. ‘We shouldn’t be doing this,’ she croaked. ‘Things are complicated enough.’
‘Yes, they are,’ Gabe whispered, his gaze not leaving her mouth. She was so close, her mouth so near he could almost taste her, and he wanted her so much his body throbbed.
‘Can you walk away?’ he asked softly. I sure as hell can’t.
Beth shook her head, not sure she could articulate a response. His intense gaze on her mouth was breathtakingly erotic.
‘Neither can I,’ he groaned as he dropped his head and claimed her lips.
Amy Andrews has always loved writing, and still can’t quite believe that she gets to do it for a living. Creating wonderful heroines and gorgeous heroes and telling their stories is an amazing way to pass the day. Sometimes they don’t always act as she’d like them to—but then neither do her kids, so she’s kind of used to it. Amy lives in the very beautiful Samford Valley, with her husband and aforementioned children, along with six brown chooks and two black dogs. She loves to hear from her readers. Drop her a line at www.amyandrews.com.au
Recent titles by the same author:
THE OUTBACK DOCTOR’S SURPRISE BRIDE
FOUND: A FATHER FOR HER CHILD
THE ITALIAN COUNT’S BABY
SINGLE DAD, OUTBACK WIFE
AN UNEXPECTED PROPOSAL
Dear Reader
Welcome to Brisbane General Hospital! Set in my home town of Brisbane, this trilogy explores the lives and loves of three nurses, the Winters sisters—Beth, Rilla and Hailey. And three very special doctors—Gabe, Luca and Callum.
I’ve always wanted to write a linked series, and was thrilled when my editor suggested it. I love catching up with previous characters and being familiar with a particular setting. And Brisbane General is a beauty. Being a nurse, I can tell you there’s no place quite like a hospital to bring out real emotions and make people realise what is truly important in life.
In TOP-NOTCH SURGEON, PREGNANT NURSE, Beth never thinks she’ll see the stranger she impulsively slept with again—until he turns up at work as the new hotshot surgeon. Now they have to work together in the operating theatres of Brisbane General—and despite the intense attraction she’s determined to pretend it never happened. But their secret will soon be out when Beth discovers she’s pregnant!
There’s never a dull moment at Brisbane General. So fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the ride!
Amy Andrews
Don’t miss Rilla’s story in November 2008!
TOP-NOTCH SURGEON, PREGNANT NURSE
BY
AMY ANDREWS
To my dearest friend, Leah. Who knows.
CHAPTER ONE
BETH ROGERS stared at her office wall, reliving Friday night over again in all its horrifying splendour. She blew on her tea as she absently tucked a stray strand of blonde hair back into her theatre cap.
A pair of vivid green eyes, the exact shade of the peridot in her favourite pair of earrings, had haunted her all weekend. Crinkly caramel hair styled into a trendy just-got-out-of-bed fashion had continually flashed on her inward eye. A well-modulated English accent had replayed relentlessly. The aroma of popcorn, coffee and shortbread lingered even now.
How could she have done that? She’d never had a one-night stand in her life. Never.
At thirty-eight, no doubt there were some out there that would think that terribly boring. But having had her life defined by an even worse error of judgement at fifteen, she’d always shunned the casual sex scene. At least this time round she’d made sure they’d used protection.
‘Here she is.’
‘Where else would she be at seven in the morning, even though as NUM she doesn’t start till eight?’
Beth looked away from the very fascinating wall to find her two sisters lounging in her doorway. She smiled at them, plastering an all-is-well-with-the-world look on her face and banishing those peridot eyes. ‘Good morning to you both, too.’
Rilla and Hailey entered and threw themselves down on the low lounge chairs that sat against the wall opposite the desk.
‘Well, I know why I’m here this early—’ Beth began.
‘Because you’re a workaholic,’ Rilla interjected.
Beth ignored her. ‘But why are you both here so early?’ Like she needed to ask. Rilla and Hailey had been hovering for days. ‘I thought you were on days off, Rilla. And, Hailey—you don’t start till one. Wet the bed?’
The sisters looked at each other. ‘Come on, Beth. We’re just worried about you,’ Hailey said, putting all her best counseling skills into the conversation. ‘We’re family. When you hurt, we hurt.’
‘Yes,’ Rilla agreed. ‘We’ve been fretting all weekend about you.’
Beth looked at her sisters and felt their love and concern. They were so different from her. She was lanky and blonde, like the few photos she’d seen of her mother. They were darker and curvier, like Penny, their mother. But she’d been part of the Winters family for over twenty years and, blood bond or not, she was as close to them as any sisters.
She shook her head and smiled at them. ‘I’m fine guys, really. This is a tough time of year for me. I know you know that better than anyone else and I appreciate your concern.’
The sisters exchanged looks again. Beth’s words were reassuring but they knew how bruised her heart was still, even twenty-three years down the track. Had lived through that tumultuous time all those years ago as well and even though they’d both been quite young, Beth had been unbearably sad and it had left a lasting impression.
‘So did you go and see that movie Friday night?’ Hailey asked.
Friday night. No, she was trying not to think about Friday night. ‘Yep,’ she said, hoping to sound nonchalant.
Rilla looked at, Beth waiting for more information. None was forthcoming. ‘Was it able to distract you like you hoped?’ she prodded.
The movie hadn’t but what had happened afterwards certainly had! It had kept her distracted all weekend. ‘Yep,’ she said again.
Rilla and Hailey exchanged yet another look. ‘I didn’t think an action movie would hold your attention for long, you’re more a foreign-film buff,’ Rilla persisted.
‘Oh, yes, all that blowing up stuff.’ Beth nodded convincingly, ‘very good distraction.’
‘What did you do afterwards? I hope you didn’t go back to your house and brood all night. You know we would have come over.’ Hailey frowned, her concern all too obvious.
Yes, she knew. But she hadn’t been able to bear the thought of it. Her sisters’ efforts to keep her mind off the baby she’d given birth to twenty-three years go would only have served to focus her mind on it more. They’d been there to witness the aftermath of that turbulent time and their presence alone would have been enough to stir the memories.
Beth decided to throw them a crumb to sidetrack them. ‘I actually walked ou t of the cinema into a medical emergency. A woman had collapsed into a diabetic coma and then she started to fit. This…’ Beth paused slightly while she searched for an adequate description. ‘Guy