Ten Brides for Ten Hot Guys

by Donna Fasano

  He headed along the corridor towards the operating room. He scrubbed up and a nurse helped him into his gown and gloves, then held the door open for him.

  Kieran lay on the operating table with machinery beeping around him. His nervous gaze found Daniel.

  "Hello, Kieran. This won't take long. I'll have you back with your mum very soon. Are you feeling okay?"

  The boy nodded and Daniel smiled in return.

  "Ready, sir," the young anesthetist said. Naomi Gray was a captain recently graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. In the past, Daniel would have been charmed by her blonde hair and green eyes, but he didn't feel even a fleeting moment of attraction. Megan swamped every one of his brain cells, leaving no room for other women.

  Daniel held Kieran's gaze with a reassuring smile as Naomi injected anesthetic into the cannula in the back of the boy's hand. "Count backward from ten for me, Kieran," she said.

  The boy's voice came out as little more than a whisper, fading away at four. Daniel waited while the captain checked some readings.

  "Okay," he said. "Let's get started."

  Duncan came in masked, but not gloved. "Just going to watch, if that's all right."

  "Be my guest." Daniel liked an audience. He actually performed better when he was under scrutiny.

  A nurse fitted on his eye loupes. He held out a hand for a scalpel, then carefully pared away the damaged tips of the two fingers, debriding the necrotized tissue to prevent gangrene. The nail had come off the smallest finger as he predicted. He doubted it would grow back. But the nail on the ring finger was intact. When he reached healthy tissue, he stitched the wounds, keeping the stitches small so the scar would be smooth and neat.

  He turned to the thumb and cut away the blackened dead flesh and bone.

  "Poor, lad," Duncan said.

  "He'll be fine." Daniel glanced over his shoulder. "I won't leave him without a thumb."

  He picked up the surgical stainless steel bone screw from the dish a nurse offered him. He drilled a hole in the metacarpal bone and cemented the post in, taking care to ensure it was the right length.

  He had marked out a rectangle of tissue on the boy's forearm before he started. Now he cut it away with the ease of experience, folded it over the metal post and stitched it in place, working to form it into a thumb shape that would match the other hand.

  When he'd finished, he lifted the hand by the wrist and turned it, checking his work from all angles. "I think that's acceptable." He glanced over his shoulder at Duncan. "All right with you?"

  Duncan's eyebrows rose. "Excellent result. Well done."

  "Dress the wounds, please." With a nod to the team, Daniel headed back to the scrub room, Duncan at his side. As soon as they were alone, Duncan tossed his mask in the bin and shook his head. "You're killing me here, Fabian. I've been doing this for five years. You started a few weeks ago, and your work is so fast and neat you make me feel like an amateur. I'd have taken twice as long and not produced such a good outcome."

  Daniel stripped off his gloves and dumped his gown in the laundry bin. "I've heard it said that if you do anything for ten thousand hours you become an expert. I'm not sure I've spent that long performing surgery, but working in my father's clinic gave me the opportunity to operate more often than you will have done here, and the procedures were far more complex and challenging than Kieran's hand."

  Daniel pushed open the door and led the way into the corridor. Even as he talked to Duncan, in the back of his mind he was counting down the minutes until he could leave to see Megan. "I've just had more practice than you."

  "You're also very diplomatic." Duncan laughed wryly. "Me and my big clumsy fingers aren't really cut out for surgery. I'd better get some paperwork done. See you later."

  Daniel headed for his office, stepped inside, and rested his back against the door. He liked Duncan a lot. He got on well with the guy, but he really wanted some time alone with Megan. He had taken things slowly, but he badly wanted to make love with her before he left for Norway. The first time they spent the night together, he did not want her brother sleeping a few doors down the corridor. That was bound to cramp his style.

  He grabbed his phone from the desk drawer where he'd left it. A text from her flashed on the screen. How did it go with Kieran?

  Good! he texted back. Would you like to come to Edinburgh with me for the weekend?

  He stared at the screen, his heart thumping like a schoolboy, counting the seconds until she replied.

  Yes!

  He grinned so wide, his face hurt.

  ~*~

  Megan snuggled up to Daniel's side in the back of the cab as it wove through the Edinburgh traffic, taking them back to their hotel. They had arrived on the train that morning, dropped their bags at the hotel, and spent the day sightseeing. Because Megan studied medicine at Edinburgh University, she knew the city well. She'd given Daniel a tour of some of her old haunts, as well as visiting the medieval fortress dramatically situated on its rock above the city.

  The black cab stopped outside the hotel with a screech of brakes. Daniel paid the driver, then they climbed out and walked hand in hand through the sliding doors.

  At the check-in desk, Daniel filled out the guest information form. "I hope you enjoy your stay," the receptionist said, handing them two plastic key cards.

  They'd lunched at a small bistro tucked among the narrow medieval streets of the old town, a place Megan had frequented when she was a student. She hadn't managed to eat much, though. A shimmering bundle of excitement and nerves filled her stomach. They'd had a wonderful time sightseeing, but she knew why Daniel had brought her to Edinburgh. It had nothing to do with the beautiful castle.

  Megan trembled with anticipation as they climbed in the elevator. She couldn't wait to spend the night in Daniel's arms.

  He squeezed her hand. "Cold?"

  She flashed a smile and nodded, unwilling to reveal how nervous she was. The fear she might fall short of the bevy of beauties he'd dated lay like a lump of cold porridge in her stomach.

  They walked out on the top floor and wandered along the corridor to their room. Daniel released her hand to push in the key card. He'd hardly let go of her all day, as if he feared she might disappear if he weren't holding her hand.

  "Wow! This room is fantastic." Classic dark wood furniture with burgundy and navy drapes, sofa, and carpet gave the room a classy, timeless feel. Megan rushed to the window to stare out at the scenic view across Edinburgh to the castle in the distance. She glanced at the doors leading off the sitting room area and realized this wasn't an ordinary room, it was a suite. She frowned, surprised.

  Daniel must have noticed her reaction. He shrugged. "I'd love to share a room with you, but I wanted to give you a choice."

  He was always a gentleman, never rushing her into anything she wasn't ready for. Megan appreciated that. She checked inside one bedroom, then crossed the sitting room to pop her head through the door of the other. Both rooms were similar, both luxurious.

  Daniel picked up their bags. "Where do you want yours?"

  She was looking forward to spending the night with Daniel, but it might be nice to have her own space to change and prepare. "I would like my own room."

  Daniel's disappointment hit her like a physical blow. His shoulders slumped, his expression bleak.

  She should have explained herself better; the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him. Closing the gap between them, she put her arms around his neck. "Just so I can get ready. I want to spend the night with you."

  His grin flashed back, full of relief. "Don't do things like that to me, sweetheart. I nearly had a heart attack."

  He dropped the bags and pulled her close, lifting her off her feet as he kissed her. They held each other tightly, his breath warm against her hair.

  She had never gone away with a man before and didn't know how to behave. But Daniel wasn't just any man; he was the man she loved. All she had to do was be herself and show him how
she felt. She sank into his arms, relishing his hard, muscular body against her.

  In a few days, he would leave for Norway. She wanted to hold him and love him and make some memories to keep her warm during the long nights he was away.

  "Let's take both bags into one room." Forget the pretty nightdress she had planned to wear. She didn't want to waste time primping. She just wanted to be with Daniel.

  "Megan." He stroked back her hair, staring into her eyes, then kissed her so softly and sweetly she nearly melted on the spot.

  Megan framed his face between her hands, his expression serious for once, intense, almost vulnerable. "I love you, Daniel," she said against his lips.

  He scooped her up in his arms and carried her towards the bedroom, dropping tiny kisses on her eyelids, her nose, and her lips. "I love you too, Megan Mackenzie. I didn't even know what those words meant until I met you."

  ~*~

  Once Daniel had held Megan in his arms all night, he couldn't bear the thought of sleeping without her. Back at Kindrogan, he slipped into her room every night and stayed until they rose to walk the dogs.

  In the early hours of Thursday morning, Daniel lay beside Megan, watching her sleep. He tried to imprint on his mind this image of her, soft and peaceful. During the cold, lonely nights in Norway, he would remember. His phone was loaded with photographs of her, but there would be times when he didn't have access to power. Then he'd have to depend on his memories and the photograph he'd printed to keep in his pocket.

  A door closed outside in the corridor. Daniel stirred, checking the clock. He and Duncan were due to catch the train at six. They needed to leave soon. Reluctantly, Daniel slipped out of the warm bed. He leaned over Megan, breathed in her fragrance, and kissed her cheek. "I'm going to my room to get dressed, sweetheart. I'll come back to say good-bye."

  She mumbled and blinked sleepily. A wave of pain passed through him. He pressed his lips to her neck, willing her to understand how he felt. He didn't want to leave her. This time he had no choice. It was too late to back out. He'd made a commitment to the army and to Duncan. But he would not leave her again.

  If the army decided to post him overseas, he would resign. They needed him more than he needed them. With his experience, he could easily find another job. He liked working for the army, but not if it meant being away from Megan. Life was too short to be parted from his most important person.

  He strode along the corridor to his cold room and dressed quickly in winter uniform, only vaguely aware of his belongings lying around—his Rolex watch, his snowboard, his designer gear that had seemed so important to him before.

  During the last few weeks, he'd realized the material possessions he'd treasured didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was Megan. When he arrived back from Norway, he planned to sell his London penthouse and swap his sports car for a four-wheel drive.

  As he left his room to return to say good-bye to her, Duncan strode towards him. Duncan reached her door first, knocked, and put his head inside. "We're off, Meg. I have my phone if you or Hew need to contact me. Just leave a message and I'll get back to you when I can. I've asked Lyall to keep an eye on things and make sure you're all right."

  "Wonderful," Daniel muttered. "Encourage the competition to hang around her, why don't you." If Megan needed help, he wanted her to have it. Not from Lyall, though.

  "See you downstairs in ten minutes," Duncan said to him, heading away down the corridor.

  Ten minutes! Desperation flashed through Daniel as he slipped into Megan's room and closed the door. How would he survive without her for eight weeks?

  He stretched out on the bed at her side, moving the covers off her face so he could see her. She turned into his arms, all warm, sleepy, and adorable, her hair silky and fragrant.

  "I don't want to leave you," he whispered.

  She burrowed against his chest, curling her fingers in his shirt. "I wish you didn't have to go."

  "I love you, Meg. I'll miss you every day." He punctuated his words with kisses.

  "I love you, too. Come back to me safe and sound."

  "Don't worry. It's only training."

  Megan sighed, and seemed to wake up. "Just be careful, Dan. There's always some risk involved in military training."

  Her words jolted him. Although he'd joined the army, he'd never considered he'd be in danger. After all, he was a doctor, not a soldier.

  Tears gleamed in her eyes and twisted a knife in Daniel's guts. Leaving her was the hardest thing he'd ever done. Why had he joined the damned army? What had he been trying to prove?

  A knock sounded on the door. "Time to go, Dan."

  Megan huddled close and they kissed. She stroked his cheek, ran her hand over his hair, her eyes scouring his face as if she were memorizing him.

  Duncan knocked again. "Come on, Romeo."

  "Go," Megan whispered.

  Daniel pressed his lips to hers in one last desperate kiss, then scrambled off the bed, backing away, their gazes locked until the last moment. He gripped the door handle and swallowed hard, clearing the tightness from his throat.

  Whoever wrote that love hurt was right. He'd never felt this bad in his life before.

  Chapter 9

  Lyall poured a cup of coffee and Megan thought she was going to throw up. Ugh, nausea rose in her throat and she felt awful. Tea was her preference, but she normally didn't mind the smell of coffee. Yet for some reason, over the last few days she'd really gone off it.

  She turned the sausages, bacon, and haggis frying in the skillet and held her breath. This didn't smell too good either. Nothing did. Perhaps she was coming down with a bug. These last few weeks she'd felt so tired. She was definitely not herself.

  Daniel would be home in a couple of weeks and she really wanted to be fit and healthy to greet him. Ever since he left, she'd been looking forward to his homecoming. The last six weeks apart from him had been the longest of her life. She couldn't wait to see his face, hear his voice, snuggle close to him, and feel his strong arms around her.

  A lovely gold bracelet had arrived the first week Daniel was away. Every week since then, two jeweled beads had been delivered from him, each package accompanied by a sweet message telling her how much he loved her. The bracelet was so pretty with the beads sparkling in the kitchen lights, each decorated with different colored jewels.

  The bracelet was a pleasing weight on her wrist, a constant reminder of the man she loved. Daniel must have bought it and arranged the delivery before he went away. She had never dreamed he was such a romantic.

  Holding her breath, she slid the spatula into the skillet and served up Lyall's breakfast, then handed him the plate. "There you go. Hope you're hungry."

  "Wonderful. Thanks. Your breakfasts are as good as Mum's and that's saying something."

  He sat down, moving aside the huge vase of flowers Daniel had sent her. This was the third bunch, a beautiful arrangement of exotic blooms delivered from a specialty flower shop in Edinburgh.

  Lyall nodded at the vase as Megan joined him at the table with a cup of weak tea, her stomach too sensitive for anything else. "I assume all the flowers mean Fabian is coming back here after his training exercise."

  "You assume right." Although she didn't know how long Daniel would be able to stay. Duncan had been posted at the institute for five years now. If Daniel specialized in thermal medicine, there was a good chance he could work in Scotland for the foreseeable future.

  Nausea rose in Megan's throat. She took a sip of tea and pressed a hand over her mouth. She really did feel rotten. If they weren't short staffed at the doctor's surgery she might ask for the day off.

  "Are you all right, lass," Lyall asked, pinning her with a concerned gaze.

  "Not really, but I'll manage. I'll just pop upstairs for a moment before we go."

  Megan hurried to her room. She felt so bad, she sat on the edge of the bathtub with her head in her hands for five minutes, sure she was about to throw up. She didn't, but she still felt nause
ated.

  Checking her watch, she stood with a sigh. She didn't have time to be ill. After splashing cold water on her face and repairing her makeup, she went downstairs, slipped on her shoes, and grabbed a coat before she met Lyall outside.

  The four-wheel drive headed towards Kinder Vale, Lyall chatting about some of the problems he was handling. He asked her opinion of Andrew McKay, a teen from a notorious family. They seemed to be the source of all trouble in the village.

  Megan struggled to concentrate and answer. In addition to the nausea, her brain felt fuzzy, as if it were full of cotton wool. What was the matter with her? She needed to pull her thoughts together before she saw her patients.

  Lyall stopped outside the police station and cut the engine. "You going to be all right, Meg?"

  "Yes. I'll be fine. Thanks for the ride. See you later." She climbed out and headed into the small surgery. The receptionist greeted her as she walked through the waiting room. When she reached her consulting room, she hung up her coat and pulled open her desk drawer to put away her handbag. Then she realized she'd forgotten to pick her bag up.

  "Darn." She frowned and rubbed her forehead. Perhaps she should have stayed in bed.

  "Morning, Meg. How are you?" Gerald, the senior partner of the practice, put his head around her door.

  Megan dropped into her chair. "I've been feeling nauseated for a few days. It gets better as the day goes on, then the next morning it's just as bad again. I can't seem to shake it off."

  "You're not pregnant, are you?" Gerald's eyebrows rose and he chuckled at his quip as he wandered away.

  Megan froze, her hand against her belly, her mind blanking for a second before racing back over her time with Daniel. She couldn't be pregnant. Could she? They'd taken precautions. Although, as a doctor she knew very well that accidental pregnancies happened all the time.

  With an unsteady hand, she grabbed a pregnancy kit from the shelf in her office, hid it under her sweater, and hurried to the bathroom. Ten minutes later she sat back in her office chair, staring at the two pink lines with a sense of unreality.