by Tina Beckett
There were so many things architecturally about this chapel she loved. So much represented her core beliefs about being in the Navy. Like the stained glass window of Sir Galahad and his ideals which every Naval officer tried to live up to; and the domed ceiling, which reminded her of a cathedral in Florence, Italy, and was beautiful to look at.
Of course, when she’d originally had that thought when she was going for training here, she hadn’t thought it would actually come to pass because she hadn’t thought that she’d actually get married.
It hadn’t mattered if she ever got married, until she’d met Thorne. Even if he’d never asked her, she’d have been happy with the life they were living in Annapolis. Both of them had been furthering their careers in the Navy, saving lives and training recruits when the proposal had happened. She hadn’t been expecting it. They’d been walking along the shore a month ago, watching the sailboats with the colorful sails moving across the blue water, when he’d cried out in pain, dropping to his knee.
When she’d tried to see if he was okay, worried it was his phantom leg pain, he’d opened a small velvet box and proposed.
It was like something out of a dream; she still felt a bit dazed by it all.
And now she was standing in the antechamber, her knees knocking under the white silk of a very simple wedding dress.
“You could’ve worn your Navy uniform,” Commander Rick Kettle, Regina’s husband, whispered in her ear. “You are a captain.”
“No, she’s not!” Regina screeched and Erica chuckled.
“She’s a captain, Regina. She has every right to wear her dress uniform.”
Regina shot her husband the stink eye. “She looks beautiful and she’s going to get married like a proper bride. This is a momentous occasion.”
Rick shook his head and Erica glared at Regina, who was rocking back and forth, holding her newborn daughter named after Erica.
“If you weren’t holding my goddaughter you would be in serious trouble, my friend.”
Regina winked. “Well, at least it got your mind off your nerves, now, didn’t it?”
Erica was going to say more when there was a knock at the door and Erica’s mother stuck her head into the room. Erica had resolved things with her mother and, even though her mother didn’t totally agree with Erica’s career choice, she’d absolutely been won over by Thorne. The rift between her and her mom was healing and she was very excited to be a part of the wedding.
“It’s time.”
Regina came over and squeezed Erica’s arm. “You can do this!”
Erica nodded, but she was still shaking.
Regina and her mother left the anteroom. Erica didn’t have any bridesmaids because the only man Thorne had wanted to stand up with him was his brother and he couldn’t have that. So they’d both opted to keep the wedding small.
The only people attending were close friends and family.
Erica would’ve liked Captain Dayton to walk her down the aisle, but he was out at sea on the Hope, so Regina’s husband was stepping in, and he did look quite dashing in his white dress uniform.
“You ready to go?”
“Yes; if I linger too much longer I might bolt from sheer terror.”
“As long as it’s not Captain Wilder making you bolt.”
“No,” Erica said and then smiled. “No, not him.”
Rick smiled and took her arm. “Left and then right, Captain Griffin. Just one foot in front of the other.”
Erica nodded and he walked her out of the antechamber to the main chapel. The large pipe organ began to play the bridal song, but she couldn’t hear it over the sound of her pulse thundering in her ears.
As she started walking up the aisle there was a call out and a salute, which caused her to gasp, as a group of Navy SEALs decked out in their dress uniforms stood at attention for her, their sabers hanging at their sides.
They were Thorne’s old unit. She recognized Mick the commanding officer she’d stood up to all those years ago on the Hope—and then she got a glimpse of Thorne standing there in his dress uniform and suddenly she wasn’t so nervous any longer.
She walked up the aisle and glanced at all their friends and family; she welled up when she saw Bunny and Scooby in the aisle, smiling at her. Scooby bowed quickly, beaming at her. She stopped Rick, breaking rank, so she could hug them briefly, trying not to cry.
When she got to the front Thorne took her hand. She didn’t even remember the ceremony, because all she could see was Thorne—the man who’d had no name when she’d first met him but was full of fight, spirit and a passion to serve his country.
He enchanted her and enraged her at times. They were volatile together, so explosive, and Erica loved every minute of it.
Before she knew it, she was kissing her husband to an audience that was cheering and clapping.
“Are you okay?” Thorne whispered in her ear.
“I’m fine, why?”
“You look a bit shocked.”
“A deer trapped in barbed wire?”
Thorne chuckled. “Headlights. I’m buying a book of old sayings for our first anniversary.”
Erica pinched him as they headed down the aisle. “If we survive that long.”
“We will.”
“How do you know?” she teased. They paused at the entrance of the chapel as his old unit raised their sabers in a salute. Erica and Thorne passed under them, kissing at the end.
“Because I love you and I’m never letting you go.”
* * * * *
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ISBN-13: 9781460385128
Taming Her Navy Doc
Copyright © 2015 by Amy Ruttan
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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Rebel without a home!
Being a traveling nurse suits Rebel Taylor just fine—no ties, no relationships, no dating! With the Huntington’s gene in her family, what can she possibly offer a guy anyway? But Duncan McFee, Albuquerque’s hottest and most single doc, disagrees.
He’s determined to tempt this stunning, wonderful woman—and when he does, her story is enough to make him risk his own heart. He can give her all the love and family she could want. All he needs to do is persuade Rebel!
Now that he had caught her, he found himself in a very interesting position.
Holding on to her was inappropriate, yet letting go of her seemed equally so. She was tiny beneath the figure-erasing scrubs. It was a crime against man to cover up such a beautiful body. He looked down at her and realized that if he wanted to kiss her she was in the perfect position fo
r him to do so.
He watched as she licked her lips and pressed them together. What an enticing mouth she had… Unfortunately he had to release her before any opportunity to taste those lips occurred. As a man experienced in the ways of romantic coworker relationships, he knew that was a treat best left unsavored.
“Sorry about that. Are you okay?”
Reluctantly, he let her go. With some amusement he watched a vivid blush cruise up her neck and into her cheeks. She was not as unaffected as she pretended to be. Interesting. Off-limits, but very interesting.
Dear Reader,
Thanks so much for picking up my latest Harlequin Medical Romance story, which has all of my favorite elements: a great heroine, a fantastic hero, romance and family.
This one is set in my adopted state of New Mexico, where green chili is the number one agricultural crop. After being in this state for so long I’ve begun to understand why the state is nicknamed “The Land of Enchantment”—because once you live here for a while you become enchanted and don’t want to leave it. I hope you enjoy the setting I’ve created and the characters who make their home here, as well.
If you find yourself in the neighborhood of New Mexico, stop for a visit. You might also find yourself enchanted—as I was.
Love,
Molly
Molly Evans
has been a nurse since the age of nineteen. She’s worked in small rural hospitals, the Indian Health Service and large research facilities all over the United States. After eight years as a traveling nurse, she finally settled down to write in her favorite place: Albuquerque, New Mexico. In mere days she met her husband and has been in Albuquerque ever since. With twenty-two years of nursing experience, Molly has a lot of material to use in her writing. She lives in the high desert with her family, three chameleons, two dogs and a passion for quilting in whatever spare time she has.
Visit Molly at www.mollyevans.com.
HER FAMILY
FOR KEEPS
MOLLY EVANS
Books by Molly Evans
Harlequin Medical Romance
The Surgeon’s Marriage Proposal
The Nurse’s Little Miracle
The Emergency Doctor’s Chosen Wife
The Greek Doctor’s Proposal
One Summer in Santa Fe
Children’s Doctor, Shy Nurse
Socialite…or Nurse in a Million?
Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.
Midwives On-Call
Midwives, mothers and babies—lives changing forever…!
Over the next four months enter the magical world of the Melbourne Maternity Unit and the exceptional midwives there, delivering tiny bundles of joy on a daily basis. Now it’s time to find a happy-ever-after of their own…
In April, gorgeous Greek doctor Alessi Manos is determined to charm the beautiful yet frosty Isla Delamere…but can he melt this ice queen’s heart? Just One Night? by Carol Marinelli
And when Dr. Oliver Evans’s estranged wife, Emily, crashes back into his life, old passions are reignited. But brilliant Dr. Evans is in for a surprise…Emily has two foster children! Meant-to-Be Family by Marion Lennox
In May, midwife Sophia Toulson and hardworking paramedic Aiden Harrison share an explosive attraction…but will they overcome their tragic pasts and take a chance on love? Always the Midwife by Alison Roberts
And hotshot surgeon Tristan Hamilton’s passionate night with pretty student midwife Flick has unexpected consequences! Midwife’s Baby Bump by Susanne Hampton
In June, free-spirited locum midwife Ally Parker meets top GP and gorgeous single dad Flynn Reynolds. Is she finally ready to settle down with a family of her own? Midwife…to Mum! by Sue MacKay
And when beautiful redhead Phoebe Taylor turns up on former army medic Ryan Matthews’s doorstep, there’s only one thing keeping them apart: she’s his best friend’s widow…and eight months pregnant! His Best Friend’s Baby by Susan Carlisle
Finally, join us in July, when brooding city surgeon Noah Jackson meets compassionate Outback midwife Lilia Cartwright. Could Lilia be the key to Noah’s locked-away heart? Unlocking Her Surgeon’s Heart by Fiona Lowe
And renowned English obstetrician Darcie Green might think playboy Lucas Elliot is nothing but trouble—but is there more to this gorgeous doc than meets the eye? Her Playboy’s Secret by Tina Beckett
Experience heartwarming emotion and pulse-racing drama in Midwives On-Call this sensational eight-book continuity from Harlequin Medical Romance.
These books are also available in ebook format from Harlequin.com.
CONTENTS
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
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Epilogue
CHAPTER ONE
REBEL TAYLOR ROLLED her shoulders against the heat. Sweat tickled and trickled down her back as she crossed the steaming parking lot. It was a very hot day for the first of June, even for New Mexico.
Movement in the backseat of a small sedan drew her attention. As an ER nurse, she was highly trained in skills of observation. Even the smallest detail made the difference between life and death. Frowning, she moved closer to the back window.
Rebel dropped her backpack as she hit full ER nurse mode. “Hello?” She stepped closer and the bottom dropped out of her stomach.
A toddler was strapped in the backseat.
Alone.
“Oh, God.” Panic flooded her, and her limbs went limp for half a second. She looked around at the parking lot full of cars but devoid of people. “Help! Someone help!”
Tugging on the door handle brought her no results. The windows in the front were down a crack, but not enough to squeeze her arm through.
The child’s cries grew into screams as he pulled on his hair. What Rebel had first thought was a seizure was the frustration of the toddler imprisoned in the heat.
“Hold on, baby. Hold on!” She jerked her cellphone out of her pocket and called 911.
* * *
Dr. Duncan McFee strolled across the parking lot toward the hospital, but had to pass through the lengthy, car-filled parking area. When the doctors’ car park was full, he parked with the rest of the staff. Heat bubbled up from the black surface and seemed to take on a life of its own, reaching out to drag passersby down into the dark depths. Days like this, he always wondered why he’d passed on that exotic job offer in the Caribbean. An ocean breeze would have been very welcome at the moment. If the desert had an ocean, it would be perfect.
Up ahead, he noticed a woman with long, luxurious, curly red hair who apparently had locked her keys in her car and was bent on beating the life out of it as a result. He decided to see if he could help the lovely damsel in distress. Not every day presented an opportunity to meet such a stunning woman.
“Lock your keys in?” he asked.
She turned, true panic in her incredibly green eyes, and took in a gasping breath. Duncan frowned. Something was wrong with this lady, not just keys locked in her car.
“There’s a baby in there!”
“How long has he been in there?” Duncan dropped his briefcase, instantly understanding her panic.
“I don’t know, but he’s in trouble.”
Duncan knew he needed to get that child out of there. Time was the enemy right now.
“Call 911.”
“I did, but he’ll die before they get here. We’ve got to do something.” She hit the heel of one hand against the window in frustration.
Duncan looked around for a rock or anything he could use to break into the car. People started to gather, attracted by their activity. The woman grabbed t
he closest person. “Go get Security. We have to break into this car. It’s an emergency. Go!”
The man raced away into the building.
Frustration mounted in Duncan, and he felt the same emotion emanating from this unknown woman. She was obviously a caring and concerned person, as well as stunningly beautiful. She stuck her fingers through the space in the front window and pulled. The window didn’t budge. “Dammit.”
Duncan joined her and managed to slide his fingers in alongside hers. “On three, pull. One, two, three…pull.” Together they put their muscles to work, but the window simply didn’t move. They couldn’t get enough leverage on it.
“Dammit! Where’s Security?” He glared toward the building, but there was no rescue party racing up the hill. “We’re going to have to do this ourselves.” One glance in the backseat was all he needed to realize she was right. The baby would die in the next minute unless he was rescued.
And then what they both feared happened. The child had a seizure, its little limbs jerking uncontrollably in response to the high temperature in the car forcing its body temperature too high. The brain could only take so much before reacting badly.
“There has to be something we can use to smash the window.” The woman glanced around. “There!” She ran a few feet to grab a landscape rock nearly hidden by shrubbery.
“Give it to me.” He took the rock, and she turned her back, but stayed close. With everything, every ounce of strength he had, he smashed the rock into the driver’s window, determined to get this baby free. Never again was he going to let someone die in a car. Not if he could help it.
Glass shattered. She shoved the window in with the heels of her hands and released the door lock. “Got it.”
