Praise for
Kate Hardy:
‘Kate Hardy brings this emotional and poignant story of past hurts, dealing with grief and new beginnings which will keep a reader turning pages and devouring it in one sitting!’
—Contemporary Romance Reviews on DR CINDERELLA’S MIDNIGHT FLING
‘When you pick up a romance novel by Kate Hardy you know that you’re going to be reading a spellbinding novel which you will want to devour in a single sitting, and A CHRISTMAS KNIGHT is certainly no exception.’
—CataRomance.com
‘NEUROSURGEON… AND MUM! is a spellbinding tearjerker readers will want to read again and again. Written with plenty of sensitivity, understanding and heart, NEUROSURGEON… AND MUM! is the latest winner by this outstanding storyteller!’
—CataRomance.com
‘SURRENDER TO THE PLAYBOY SHEIKH: I spent a lovely morning with this book, and I’d advise you to do likewise. Get it. You’ll love it. An unrestrained Grade A.’
—goodbadandunread.com
‘PLAYBOY BOSS, PREGNANCY OF PASSION: this story features a strong heroine who gains strength from her family, and a hero who realises the importance of love and family before it’s too late. Add in their captivating romance and it makes for one great read.’
—4 stars RT Book Reviews
This was Lewis Gallagher. In the white shirt and formal trousers he wore with a white coat at work he looked professional, and she could see him as just another colleague. In faded jeans and a black T-shirt he looked younger. Approachable. Touchable.
How had she ever thought she could handle this?
‘Come in,’ she mumbled awkwardly.
She put the flowers in water, then buried her nose in them and breathed in the scent again. ‘These are glorious.’
‘I’m glad you like them,’ he said.
‘I wasn’t expecting you to bring me flowers.’
‘I believe it’s official first date behaviour.’
First of three, according to the grapevine. ‘So today you’re on your best behaviour, next time you’re going to be a bad boy, and after the third date you dump me?’ She shook her head. ‘No, thanks. I’ll pass.’
‘That’s a bit unfair. You don’t know me.’
True, but she wasn’t going to let him guilt-trip her into agreeing to anything. ‘I know your reputation.’
‘Don’t believe everything you hear.’ He held her gaze. ‘Just as I don’t believe everything I hear about you, Princess.’
The Ice Princess. Touché. ‘So why did you place that bid?’
‘Because,’ he said, ‘you intrigue me.’
Dear Reader
I couldn’t resist going back to the emergency department at the London Victoria and catching up with everyone (you may well recognise some names!). I enjoy opposites-attract stories, and at first glance you’d think that daredevil party boy Lewis is the opposite of quiet ice princess Abigail. Except nothing’s quite as it seems for these two; they both have tricky pasts and secrets to overcome, and they have a lot to teach each other.
Lewis buys a date with Abby to teach her how to relax and have fun. Except it ends up with Abby teaching Lewis to learn to trust his heart and discover what he really wants from life. And it’s not what he thinks it is…
One of my favourite parts of writing is hands-on research. I didn’t research the really scary stuff myself (unless you count watching Felix Baumgartner’s record sky-dive on TV), but I did grill friends who’ve done zip-lining and ice-skating. Researching the dancing was great fun, though my husband and I are rather better at the Cha Cha Cha than we are at the Waltz (and the dance shoes Abby buys are, ahem, just like mine). The Beethoven is my favourite piece of music. And I went to the Globe with my best friend while I was writing the book (though it was a different play!). I do hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it.
I’m always delighted to hear from readers, so do come and visit me at www.katehardy.com
With love
Kate Hardy
About the Author
KATE HARDY lives in Norwich, in the east of England, with her husband, two young children, one bouncy spaniel, and too many books to count! When she’s not busy writing romance or researching local history she helps out at her children’s schools. She also loves cooking—spot the recipes sneaked into her books! (They’re also on her website, along with extracts and stories behind the books.) Writing for Mills & Boon® has been a dream come true for Kate—something she wanted to do ever since she was twelve. She’s been writing Medical Romances™ for over ten years now. She says it’s the best of both worlds, because she gets to learn lots of new things when she’s researching the background to a book: add a touch of passion, drama and danger, a new gorgeous hero every time, and it’s the perfect job!
Also by Kate Hardy:
In Mills & Boon® Medical Romance™
THE BROODING DOC’S REDEMPTION
ONCE A PLAYBOY… DR CINDERELLA’S MIDNIGHT FLING ITALIAN DOCTOR, NO STRINGS ATTACHED ST PIRAN’S: THE FIREMAN AND NURSE LOVEDAY
(St Piran’s Hospital)
In Mills & Boon® Modern™ Romance
THE HIDDEN HEART OF RICO ROSSI
THE EX WHO HIRED HER A MOMENT ON THE LIPS
In Mills & Boon® Romance
BALLROOM TO BRIDE & GROOM
These books are also available in eBook format from www.millsandboon.co.uk
A Date with the Ice Princess
Kate Hardy
CHAPTER ONE
‘ABIGAIL, AS YOU’VE only been with the team for a few weeks, I know it’s a bit of an ask,’ Max Fenton, the duty consultant, said, ‘but Marina’s put a lot into setting up the promise auction next weekend. So I was wondering if you might be able to donate something?’
Abigail knew that the quickest thing would be to ask her dad and his band to sign a photo and some CDs. Or offer tickets and a backstage pass to Brydon’s next tour. Except she’d learned the hard way not to mention that her father was the rock guitarist and singer Keith Brydon, founder of the group that bore his surname. Or that her flat had been bought with the royalties from ‘Cinnamon Baby’, the song he’d written for her the day of her birth. It might be a quick win, but it’d make her life way too complicated.
She could simply say no, but that would be mean. The promise auction was raising funds to buy equipment that the department badly needed. And she did want to help.
‘I, um… OK,’ she said. ‘What did you have in mind?’
‘Max, are you pestering our poor new special reg?’ Marina asked, coming to stand with them and sliding her arms round her husband’s waist.
‘On your