How To Resist A Heartbreaker

by Louisa George

  Who can resist a bad-boy surgeon?

  Nurse Gabby Radley knows exactly the type of man that supersexy Mr. Max Maitland is—hotshot surgeon with no strings attached. So, attempting to balance a fling, working together and Gabby’s runaway past? It all points toward a relationship with a seriously complicated health warning!

  The only problem is, giving in to their sizzling chemistry is one thing, but trusting him with her heart is a whole different story.…

  It was no good fighting it.

  What he hadn’t offered in words she could see from the spark, feel from his increased respiratory rate. Oh, she was still thinking like a goddamned nurse. How long had it been?

  Too long.

  She’d managed to keep that bridge between her and intimacy for so long fortified by Nonna’s rules and ugly experience.

  But what he was offering her—what she thought he was offering her, hot and quick—would take her off that bridge with a wide leap. She’d spent ten years clinging on by her fingertips, frightened of what might happen. Of how much she’d have to give and lose all over again.

  But this was different. He was different. Max wasn’t asking for anything but a good time—he wasn’t the type to make promises or offer her any more—she’d been warned about that already. Which was fine with her.

  So either she could go back to the people she didn’t know in her cold unfamiliar house and spend the night alone with her memories, as she’d done for a decade, or she could take him up on his offer. One night of heat, and fun and danger.

  She could scramble back onto the bridge tomorrow.

  The mojitos made her bolder. Instead of pushing away from him, as she knew she should, she held on to his arm and looked straight into his eyes. Made sure he got the message. What she wanted. Where they were headed.

  Never had she felt so brazen, so alive.

  Dear Reader,

  There are two reasons I particularly enjoyed writing this book. First, I had the opportunity to work with good friend and wonderful writer Sue MacKay on the overarching theme linking the stories of The Infamous Maitland Brothers duet. With suggestions from our editors and lots of brainstorming we took a germ of an idea about feuding twin brothers and developed two intensely emotional stories.

  The second reason I enjoyed writing this linked story is that it is set in a busy hospital, which is a new departure for me. The hospital is a fictional one based in the center of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. Writing about twin brother doctors who are equally successful and important members of this hospital community was fun and challenging. Mitchell and Max have reputations as heartbreakers, and neither of them is looking for commitment.

  Transplant surgeon Max has had enough of people walking out of his life, so he’s reluctant to lose his heart to new nurse in town Gabby. After a difficult past Gabby has moved to Auckland to reinvent herself, but she is not prepared for a life that involves falling in love…. These two are so perfect for each other, but neither wants to admit it, so of course I had lots of fun helping them along a little!

  I hope you enjoy Max and Gabby’s story.

  Warm regards,

  Louisa x

  Book 1 in The Infamous Maitland Brothers duet, The Gift of a Child by Sue MacKay, is also available this month.

  The Infamous Maitland Brothers duet is also available in ebook format from www.Harlequin.com.

  How to Resist a Heartbreaker

  Louisa George

  Recent titles by Louisa George

  THE LAST DOCTOR SHE SHOULD EVER DATE

  THE WAR HERO’S LOCKED-AWAY HEART

  WAKING UP WITH HIS RUNAWAY BRIDE

  ONE MONTH TO BECOME A MUM

  Available in ebook format from www.Harlequin.com.

  Praise for

  Louisa George

  “Author Louisa George fulfilled the promise she made with her emotionally satisfying debut offering, One Month to Become a Mum, and took us to unexpected depths of human relationship with Waking Up with His Runaway Bride. This story is a captivating blend of drama, passion, emotional tension and romance.”

  —Contemporary Romance Reviews

  “A most excellent debut from Louisa George.”

  —www.GoodReads.com on One Month to Become a Mum

  Contents

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  PROLOGUE

  ‘WE HAVE A DONOR.’ Max Maitland put his hand on his brother’s shoulder. A first step to making things right between them all. God knew, they needed it. That, plus a hefty dose of courage and his surgical skills.

  Little Jamie’s life depended on this being a success. Failure wasn’t an option. Not now. Not when so much was at stake.

  ‘Yes, we do have a donor.’ Mitchell’s eyes lit up with hope as they walked towards the nurses’ station. ‘Me.’

  ‘What? No. There was an accident—the kidney’s being flown in. We have to run some tests, but first thoughts are that everything’s compatible.’ Max couldn’t risk his brother on the operating table too. ‘I’ll be the principal transplant surgeon, obviously. We’re just waiting for the rest of the team.’

  ‘No. I want to do this. I want to donate my kidney to my son. I have to do this, goddamit.’ Mitch’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed. He gripped the edge of the desk, knuckles blanching.

  Max knew how hard coming to terms with being a father had been for his brother. Harder still to learn the child he’d only just met would die without urgent help.

  Dragging him away from the screaming telephones, the bleeping monitor and babies’ wails, Max looked Mitch squarely in the eye. The steel gaze he knew was mirrored in his own eyes bored into him. Eyes so eerily identical to his. Maitland eyes. The same ones Jamie had. His nephew. His brother’s son.

  Max’s chest tightened. How long had he wished for this kind of connection with his own flesh and blood? How many nights had passed in a fit of fantasy—about a family with people who cared, who believed in him?

  Now Max could do something to make a difference, bridge that gap between himself and his estranged twin—make a real family. ‘Are you sure? You know the risks? It’s major surgery.’

  ‘I know that I’m a positive match. I know that adult-to-child transplants work best. That living donors work better. I know I’d do anything. Anything. For my child.’

  Max nodded. In the Maitland gene pool determination beat anything else hands down. Stubbornness came a close second, which meant he hadn’t a hope of changing his brother’s mind. But he had to try. ‘Let’s see what the tests show on this donor kidney. Then we’ll take it from there.’

  ‘No. Give it to someone else.’

  ‘This is a good chance for Jamie. Donors are few and far between. At least wait and see…’

  Mitch shook his head, sucked in air. ‘Would you do that for your child? Would you wait to see if things panned out okay? To see if the higher chances of tissue rejection from an unrelated donor made him sick again? Watch him suffer when you could easily make things better for him? Or would you give him the best chance? Would you do it?’ For your nephew? For me?

  Mitch didn’t have to say the words. Years of frustration and jealousy, anger and grief hovered round them tainted with the thick disinfectant smell that coated everything in the hospital ward. Would you put yourself on the line for your family? Even if that
family was something you hadn’t spent a whole lot of time with.

  Without hesitation Max answered. ‘Of course I would. I’ll make it work.’

  CHAPTER ONE

  THE SHED PUMPED with the throb of techno beat. A deep bass rhythm resonated off Max’s ribcage, as if the music came from within him. Hard. Loud. Raw. Through a glass door leading out back he saw silhouetted people dancing, arms punching the air, the way he wanted to right now. The way he felt whenever surgery had been a success. But today—hell, nothing came close to that kind of buzz.

  Mission accomplished.

  Bill, the barman, nodded towards the bottles in the fridge. ‘Hey, Max. Usual?’

  ‘Sure. Line them up.’

  ‘Celebrating?’

  ‘I think so.’ It paid to be cautious. The first twenty-four hours were often the decider, although with transplants the decider could be years down the track. He’d laid it all out to Mitch and Jodi, plain and simple; Jamie’s operation had resulted in a functioning kidney, but a lot could still go wrong. Too much.

  He didn’t want to go there. Emotions had no place in a surgeon’s work and in his career he’d always managed that—but saving his nephew’s life? That was all kinds of different.

  Bill slid the beer bottle across the bar, his eyebrows raised in understanding. The great boutique beer, plus the fact the staff never asked questions or gave advice, was the reason The Shed was Max’s home away from home. After a heavy day of intense surgery he relished the chance to de-stress the best way he could in familiar surroundings, followed by some kind of hot physical workout—a bed was optional.

  Here in the public bar there was no one save a couple from the phlebotomy unit and a single woman a few seats down with her back to him. A mass of thick dark curls covered her shoulders.

  His gaze drifted down her straight back, stopping short at the taut line of the black long-sleeved blouse stretched across her spine. Her dress was more funereal than fun, so much so he wondered why she’d be in party central. Most girls here showed far more skin. Intrigued, his gaze travelled over the narrow dip of her waist. The flair of her skirt over a decent amount of hip. The right amount.

  He imagined running his palm over those curves.

  Running a cool hand over the back of his neck instead, he eased the tension in his shoulders. Man. After eight hours of surgery his hyped muscles needed a release. And he knew the perfect way.

  A quick drink first. Then hit the back bar. Then…maybe…who knew? The night was still young.

  ‘Barman? Excuse me? Hey.’ The curls shivered as the woman raised her hand. ‘Excuse me. Another mojito, please.’

  Bill’s pupils widened as he leaned across the bar to Max, his voice low. ‘Been here an hour. Had three already.’

  Following Bill’s line of vision, Max caught a view of her face. In an urgent and acute response something twisted in his gut, tightened with an awareness that was full and powerful. Hell. It had been a long time since he’d had that kind of immediate reaction to a woman.

  Her hair framed a soft face, kissable lips with a smattering of red lipstick. Almost perfect features—cute nose, a dusting of freckles. She was the kind of woman any man would give a second glance to. And most would chance a third. But the clip in her voice screamed that she was a woman not to be messed with.

  So of course his interest ratcheted up the scale. Fiery women always presented a challenge. And, boy, did Max love a challenge. He hadn’t become Auckland’s most successful transplant surgeon without pushing a few boundaries.

  Okay—a lot of boundaries.

  She caught him looking at her but he refused to look away.

  Her eyes. Wow. Large, dark, almond-shaped, glittering with something. Hurt? Anger?

  Which in itself was a warning sign. But, hell, a conversation didn’t mean a whole lot of anything. And if it went further—he’d lay out his intentions from the get-go. Starting with nothing deep and meaningful. Ending with don’t ask for forever.

  Max leaned across the bar to Bill. ‘Is she waiting for someone? Been stood up?’

  The barman shook his head. ‘Nah. Don’t think so. She hasn’t checked her phone or looked at her watch.’

  Good. Not stepping on anyone’s toes. He didn’t break that brotherhood code as easily as others. As easily as Mitchell had. Max raised his beer to her. ‘Tough day?’

  ‘And getting tougher by the minute.’ She took her refreshed drink and turned her back to him.

  ‘Okay, I get it. You don’t want to talk, right?’

  Swivelling round, she gave him a full-tilt death stare. Definitely anger in her eyes. Hurt was a distant cousin. ‘Gee, whatever gave you that idea? Very sorry, but my back’s not feeling very chatty tonight.’ She turned away again, but not quite as far as she’d gone before.

  ‘Watch you don’t get whiplash with all the swivelling around.’ He caught her profile. The uplift of her chin. Tight lips.

  And very possibly the hint of smile.

  He’d been on the verge of leaving, but the fading smile reeled him in.

  Never one to admit defeat, he slid into the seat next to her, determined to make that smile last a little longer. ‘It’s okay. We don’t have to talk.’

  ‘Get out of here. Really?’ Her ribcage rose and fell quickly as she turned to face him, slim fingers running a diamond locket along a thin silver chain at her throat.

  Her dark gaze slid from his face down his body and back again. ‘People actually say that? Is it from Cheesy Pick-ups for Dummies?’ She held up her hand. ‘Wait. No. It’s a phone app, right? Lame Lines for Getting Laid.’

  ‘Ouch. Cruel. I’m mortally wounded.’ He touched his heart for effect. ‘Actually, it’s from Just trying to be friendly dot com. But forget it. I’ll leave you in peace.’

  She blinked. ‘No. I’m sorry. Come on, hit me with another line.’

  ‘That was my best shot. I’m all out.’ He winked, took his phone out and whispered, ‘Quick. Help me out here. What was that app called again?’

  ‘Yeah, right. Like you’d need it.’ She laughed. The glitter in her eyes turned to one of humour. Her mouth kicked up at the corners—she was fighting it, but he’d made her laugh. And that gave him a sharp punch of pride to his gut. She clearly got a kick out of the sparring and, hell, judging by the effect of that smile on his libido, so did he.

  Her eyebrows lifted. ‘You must have some more lines? Surely? Tell you what—you try them on me and I’ll rate them out of ten. Then no other poor unsuspecting woman has to put up with the bad ones.’

  ‘Okay.’ He took a slug of beer and rose to the bait. If it meant a few more minutes laughing with her, then game on. Then he’d go out back. ‘My friend’s all-time favourite was “Hey, darling, do your legs hurt from running through my dreams all night?”’

  ‘No. No. No. Stop. Running away from a nightmare, more like.’ She grimaced and put her fingers in her ears. ‘That’s terrible. A very poor three. Please don’t tell me people actually use that?’ Her head tipped back a little as she laughed.

  He was mesmerised by the delicate curve of her throat. Imagined placing a kiss in the dip lined with the silver chain. When she leaned forward again he got a delicate scent of flowers. Made him want to inhale way more deeply than he should.

  Boy, he definitely needed to get out more.

  She shook her head. ‘Was that your best shot? You are so bad at this.’

  ‘Thank God, I’ve never needed them. Obviously.’

  ‘The worst one I ever heard was “Is your dad a baker? Because you’ve got a nice set of buns.”’ She snorted into her drink, then pointed to her face. ‘Hey. Eyes up here.’

  ‘Clearly he was a good judge of…character.’ Max reluctantly dragged his gaze from the swell of her blouse-covered breasts back to her smiling mouth. Whatever shadows had been haunting her when he’d arrived had gone. Her eyes shone clear and bright. Job done. ‘Seriously, you just looked like you could do with cheering up.’

  ‘And y
ou voted yourself cheerleader? How sweet.’ Her eyes narrowed and she pointed at him. ‘But I was managing just fine without the benefit of your help. Now you should go. Thank you.’

  Huh? This was new. He hadn’t been knocked back for a very long time.

  Adrenalin pumped round his veins. Instinct told him they could have fun together—and his instinct was rarely wrong. That and the fact he always liked to win meant he’d have to up his game. The chase usually lasted all of two seconds once they knew who he was, what he did. ‘And yet here you are, smiling…er?’ He held out his hand. ‘I’m Max.’

  ‘Max…’ She paused, clicked her fingers together. ‘Max…Max Maitland. You’re that guy. Thought I’d seen you before.’

  ‘Seen me where?’ Because he sure as hell hadn’t seen her. He’d have remembered.

  ‘I had my first-day orientation on the paediatric high dependency unit today. While you were doing your rounds I looked after little Jamie for a few hours. He’s gorgeous.’

  ‘Yes. Yes, he is.’ A weird tightness squeezed his chest. He breathed it out, chalked it up to the long day. He’d just left Jamie sleeping soundly in his mother’s arms, tubes and drains permitting. He’d looked so small, still a baby really. Renal failure sucked at any age—but at three? The world wasn’t fair. He quickly checked his phone. No messages. No news was good news. ‘He’s my nephew.’

  ‘I get that. Same name. Same eyes. Cute kid. That must have been hard, watching your nephew fighting for his life then having to operate on him. Takes guts.’

  The guardedness she’d had in her eyes relaxed a little as she watched him. She held his gaze as if weighing him up—no, more, as if she could see right through to his core. A hazy connection snapped between them—he sensed she understood some of what he’d been through.

  Weird. The women he usually met only wanted a good time, a turn on his boat, expensive dinners, the high life of a successful surgeon. None of them ever saw past the label and the cash. Certainly none of them had X-rayed his soul before.