Six Sexy Doctors Part 1 (Mills & Boon e-Book Collections): A Doctor, A Nurse: A Little Miracle / The Children's Doctor and the Single Mum / A Wife for ... / The Playboy Doctor's Surprise Proposal

by Carol Marinelli

  Jeannine focused on Miklo. “Can we get his dad over here to visit for a little while? Roberto needs to know his family is out there. He needs to know someone he loves is nearby.”

  “Sure. If his family is anything like mine, there are fifty people out in the waiting room and they aren’t going anywhere. Maybe one of them can stay with Roberto’s mother for a while.”

  “I have the sedation, Doctor,” the other nurse said, pausing at the end of the bed. “Are you still going to want it?”

  “Yes. The crisis is over for the moment, but in order to avert another one, I think it’s best to keep him under. I’ll write up a more liberal regimen in a few minutes. Don’t be afraid to use it.”

  “The nurse is going to give you some medicine to make you relax some more,” Jeannine said. “It’s going to feel like butterflies are all around you, and when you wake up, you’ll feel better again.” She took a deep breath, remembering the butterflies that she had experienced when she had been a patient in the ICU. “Do you have pain?” she asked. Roberto frowned and tears overflowed his expressive brown eyes.

  “Miklo, can you add some extra pain medicine and throat spray to that cocktail? When I was intubated, it was the worst feeling of my life,” she said, and swallowed roughly and touched her neck again.

  “Absolutely.” He again translated the information to Roberto and added to the orders for the ICU nurse.

  As soon as the nurse administered the medication, Roberto’s eyelids started to droop. Jeannine held his slack hand in hers for a few more minutes. “He’s exhausted, poor guy.”

  “It’s been a long day for us all,” Miklo said with a sigh.

  “I’m sure you’re more exhausted than anyone else. You’re not on call tonight, too, are you?” she asked, hoping he would get to go home.

  Though his days ended, his nights seemed to go on forever. “No, but I’ll probably just crash in one of the on-call rooms in case he has trouble again.” Sleeping in the call room wasn’t ideal and brought back too many memories of the night his family had died. He’d been on call then, and had been powerless to save his wife and child. “Come on. You’ve done enough for today. Why don’t I walk you out to your car?”

  Jeannine took a deep breath and rubbed a hand over her face. “I think I’m ready to call it a day.” She sighed and placed Roberto’s hand by his side with the little car against his palm.

  “I’ll be back in a little while,” Miklo said to the ICU nurse. “We need to avoid another event like that one.”

  “Yes, Dr. Kyriakides,” she said, and turned back to the monitor.

  “What do you think caused his trouble? Just anxiety?” she asked as they made their way to the back of the hospital and out to the parking lot.

  “Yes. As you say, the tube is quite uncomfortable, though I don’t have the same familiarity with it that you do.” He followed her to a small red car.

  “How long do you think he has to have the tube in?” she asked as she opened the door to the car and stowed her belongings on the passenger seat.

  “Another day, possibly two.” He shrugged, and then he looked at her, giving up on subtlety. “You’ve been through a difficult time, haven’t you?” He wanted to reach out and push the hair back from her face, but he resisted the temptation. If he touched her again, he wasn’t sure he’d want to stop.

  “Yes,” she whispered, and tried to hold at bay the boiling emotions inside her. “Talking to Roberto has brought back a lot of things I’d rather have forgotten about. But if I can put my feelings aside and help someone else, then I’m happy.”

  “That can’t be all you want out of life, is it?” he asked. “There has to be more to you than your work.”

  “I could turn that question back to you, Doctor.”

  “Touché. It’s none of my business. But the way you care about people and the passion you put into your work is really very inspiring.” Something he hadn’t felt in a long time. Something he desperately needed in his own life, but didn’t know how to find it. Something he never expected to want again. Until now. This was a day full of surprises all round.

  The sadness returned to her eyes, and he didn’t like the dark circles under them, but knew they were well earned today.

  “Well, goodnight, Miklo,” she said, and curved a hand behind her ear, pushing her hair back. “It’s been a very interesting day.”

  Miklo laughed and some of his fatigue eased. Before he could think better of it, he kissed her on both cheeks. Something inside him couldn’t or wouldn’t prevent the gesture. She needed it, and for some reason he wanted to be the one to give it to her. Her gasp of surprise pleased him.

  “For someone who claims not to have kissed any nurses recently, you’re doing quite a lot of it today.” She narrowed her eyes playfully at him, considering him suspiciously.

  Miklo laughed, liking the feeling of it rolling through his chest and his heart. Focusing on her again, he stepped closer. “You’re right about that.”

  Jeannine’s cautious gaze held his. He could see the hesitation in her, the frown of worry that flitted across her brow. And he waited. Any moves made right now were going to be hers. But if she moved toward him, he certainly wasn’t going to stop her.

  “In the restaurant, when you kissed me?” She licked her lips once and chewed on the lower one, hesitation and uncertainty in every move she made.

  “Yes?”

  “It was very nice.”

  “Nice? It was just nice?” Dumbfounded, he stared at her, trying not to be insulted to the depth of his manhood.

  “Very nice. In a totally hot way,” she rushed to assure him. “But it was so quick I didn’t have time to make a full assessment.” Her hands touched his chest and rested lightly there, warmth pulsing from her palms into him.

  “I see.” Looking down at her, he eased closer, his hands reaching out to draw her in. “So would you like another to be sure of your initial impression?”

  “Yes,” she whispered a second before she closed the gap between them and kissed him.

  Miklo’s arm close about her waist held her tight against him. Without thinking, she locked her arms around his shoulders and held him full against her. Miklo ravaged her mouth with his, his tongue, his lips, his teeth, everything together assaulted her senses. Thank God she was leaning back against her car or she would have melted to the ground. She’d never been held by a man like Miklo. She’d never been so thoroughly devoured by a kiss.

  Jeannine surrendered to the moment and gave herself to Miklo’s heat. Only after being turned to mush did Jeannine pull away from him. Both of them breathed heavily. Miklo turned and leaned back against the car beside her and caught his breath.

  “So, was that to your liking?” he asked.

  “Oh, yes. I think that’ll do,” she said, trying not to humiliate herself in front of him. She had felt that kiss all the way to her toes, and her lips still tingled.

  “Seriously, Jeannine. I’ve enjoyed spending time with you today. And I’ve never taken a nurse to Olympia’s or kissed one in the parking lot.”

  “I see. So this is a one-time deal, then?” she asked, unsure how she really felt. The day had been unnerving in so many ways.

  “I didn’t say that. I’m simply explaining that…there’s something about you that has inspired me today.”

  “I’m feeling much the same. I haven’t been attracted like this for some time.” Why, she couldn’t say, but attraction like this was something she’d never experienced, even with her fiancé. Theirs had been a more cerebral relationship. Something inside of her had sprung open today.

  Pushing away from the car, he opened the door for her, and she slid inside. “I’ll see you soon,” he said.

  “Good night.” She drove off with a casual wave. He watched until she safely left the parking lot, and then made his way back to Roberto’s bedside, wondering why Miss Jeannine Carlyle had intrigued him so deeply in less than one day.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  THE
next morning Jeannine stood in the doorway of Roberto’s ICU room and caught her breath. The two cups of steaming coffee started to burn her hands as she stared at Miklo.

  He sat in a recliner with his arms crossed over his abdomen, his feet up on another chair, and he was fast asleep. His chest rose and fell with the rhythm of his breathing. More than likely he’d spent most of the night sitting up with Roberto, and her heart went out to him. Dedicated doctors never caught a break. He had to be exhausted after the day they’d had, and then a night sleeping in a chair on top of that. In her own bed, she’d slept like a rock. Here, she wasn’t sure how he could have slept propped up like that.

  After setting the cups on the counter, she focused on Roberto. Quickly assessing his condition, she noted his skin was flushed and his heartbeat was too fast for her liking.

  Jeannine touched the back of her hand to the side of his neck.

  “Is he still hot?” Miklo asked, his voice husky and rough.

  Turning, Jeannine saw that Miklo hadn’t moved. “How did you know I was here?”

  “Coffee. I can smell it all the way over here.”

  Jeannine grinned, then hid her expression. “I figured you could use some of the good stuff this morning.”

  “Thanks,” he said, and stretched, then stepped closer to Jeannine, and her heartbeat fluttered just about as fast as Roberto’s. “His temp started climbing a few hours ago. I started an antibiotic that will hopefully cover any bacteria he might have been exposed to.”

  “Infection goes hand in hand with any trauma, doesn’t it?” An unfortunate truth. Trauma wounds always came in dirty.

  Jeannine bit her lip and pushed Roberto’s damp hair back from his face. His tawny skin seemed pale, and she pulled down his lower eyelid to examine the color of the inside.

  She turned to Miklo. “What are his labs like today? He seems pale to me.”

  “Good observation. He’s a little low on the blood counts. It’s hard to say how much blood he lost already, and then we’ve diluted it more with the IV fluids. But if he drops any more, he might need a transfusion.” Having a nurse with such insight and ability to think through the medical issues of a patient was certainly an asset to have in any situation. Though there were plenty of experienced nurses in the pediatric ICU already, she was certainly going to be an asset.

  Jeannine glanced away from him and picked up a cup of coffee, fiddling with the lid and adjusting it. “Well, I guess I’ll go now.” She shrugged. “I just wanted to check on him. Enjoy the coffee.”

  As she walked away, Miklo had a sudden urge to convince her stay. Or go with her. Or…something. Taking a step toward her, he hesitated. “Jeannine?”

  She turned to face him, her delicate brows lifted, opening her blue-green eyes wider as she waited for him to speak.

  Now what was he supposed to do? Think of something clever to say? That was out of the question. He’d run out of clever a long time ago. He cleared his throat and frowned as he struggled to make the right words come out of his mouth. “What are your plans for today? Got anything going?”

  “Well, there’s a new exhibit at the Museum of Natural History I was going to check out.” She hesitated for a second. “If you don’t have plans, I wouldn’t mind the company,” she said, then clamped her mouth shut.

  “Change your mind already?” he asked, amused at her reaction. At least her reactions were honest, and she didn’t try to hide them.

  “No.” Gave him a sideways look that clearly said she was thinking about it. “When you’re around, I just seem to say whatever comes into my mind.”

  “That’s okay. I like your spontaneity, and I’d love to come.” He walked to Roberto and spoke a minute to him, then grabbed his labcoat from the back of a chair. “I’ll change and meet you in the lobby in ten minutes.”

  Soon after, they were driving away from the parking lot of the hospital toward the Old Town part of Albuquerque, settled in 1706. Though primarily geared to tourism, Old Town boasted a number of great museums and restaurants. “It’s a gorgeous day, isn’t it?” he asked, trying to fill the silence that seemed to have settled between them.

  “Yes. I love days like this. Clear blue skies, not too hot, and little humidity. Perfect to me.” She looked up at the sky overhead and as she leaned back against the seat, the scar he had noticed yesterday appeared above her collar.

  “Well, if the weather holds, maybe we can have lunch al fresco.” He used to spend a lot of time outside hiking or biking, but his life of late hadn’t allowed much time for recreation. It was simpler if he just worked.

  “You sound so Continental when you say that,” Jeannine said, and gave a quick laugh. “I’ve never been out of the States, but I want to someday. I have a passport, but I’ve never used it. That’s so lame, isn’t it?”

  “Not even on spring break from college?” he asked, truly surprised. Everyone he knew traveled. As a child he’d traveled to Greece three times before he’d been ten years old.

  “Nope. Back then I was painfully shy and didn’t know what I really wanted out of life.” She turned toward him, her face serious.

  “That’s what college is for, figuring out who you are and what you want.” He shook his head, remembering his own recklessness as a student. Those days were long gone and frivolity not something that was a part of his life any longer.

  “My college experience was a little more conservative than that.”

  “So do you know now who you are and what you want out of life?” he asked.

  Jeannine thought for a moment. “Sometimes I do and some days I just don’t.”

  “You need to go back to college, then,” Miklo said with a laugh.

  “Hey!” Jeannine said. “That’s not fair. Some people don’t know what they want to be when they grow up until they’re, like, thirty. I suppose you have it all figured out, then, Dr. Kyriakides?”

  Sobering, Miklo negotiated the narrow streets until he found the parking lot by the museum. “I thought I had once but, like you, some days I’m not so sure.” He snorted and turned the engine off. “Maybe I need to go back to college, too.” Without another word he opened the car door, came around and opened her door for her.

  “Let’s go see some dinosaurs,” she said, and smiled up at him.

  “Good plan,” Miklo said, and walked silently beside her.

  They continued without speaking again until they made their way through the first exhibit of dinosaurs. They gazed through the glass at a museum worker who was tediously cleaning a dinosaur fossil by removing the rock it was encased in, one speck of dirt at a time. Long moments passed as other museum-goers stopped to watch the work being done. The people made comments, and drifted away to other areas of the museum.

  “Any lingering issues from yesterday?” he asked as they moved to the next exhibit.

  “Well, I’m pretty certain I don’t want to be a surgeon, like you,” she said.

  “At least that’s one decision you came to without having to go back to college.”

  “See how helpful you are?”

  “Seriously, Jeannine. If you have anything you’d like to talk about, I’ll try to help.” He sighed and guilt crashed over him. “I had no idea you’d been through a recent hospitalization. If I had I could have—”

  “It’s okay, Miklo.” She touched his arm and the warmth of her hand was gentle on his skin. Instead of comforting her, she offered it to him with a small smile. “I learned a lot yesterday. I’ve come to realize that learning opportunities are not always as easy and pleasant as yesterday was.”

  “If I had just known…” But he had been thinking of his patient, not himself, not the staff. The same way he’d been thinking of his patients and not his family the night they had died. God! He was so stupid sometimes, so focused, so…blind.

  “Actually, it was a good thing for me to do. I didn’t have time to think about it, and working with Roberto gave me a chance to stretch my wings as a nurse again. I haven’t pushed my boundaries for
a long time.”

  Miklo gave her a sideways smile, admiring the guts it had taken for her to walk into that OR yesterday. “You are definitely one of the bravest people I have ever met.” Her courage humbled him, and it was something he obviously needed a large dose of now and then.

  “Me? No way. I can’t even get on an airplane without having an anxiety attack. I’m like one of those people you see on the commercials, hyperventilating into a paper bag.”

  Miklo laughed and it was good to feel the sensation rumbling through his chest again. “Then I guess going flying with me in my plane this afternoon is out of the question.”

  She gave him a look of astonishment. “Absolutely.”

  Though fear flashed in her eyes, the slight smile that curved her full lips upward made him think there might be another time for her to fly. “Come on, then, let’s go see the rest of the dinosaurs.” Miklo took her hand in his.

  It seemed the most natural thing in the world to have Miklo’s hand clasping hers as they wound their way through the prehistoric exhibits, chatting about nothing in particular. Then they were seated to watch the IMAX film on a two-story screen designed to draw the viewer in and almost become part of the show.

  Jeannine lost herself in the sights and sounds of the undersea adventure, but lost herself more in the feel of Miklo’s arm warm and comforting around her shoulders. The longer the film progressed, the more she relaxed into him, his arm tucking her against his side. The hesitation in her lifted, and she rested her head against him. In the dark he couldn’t see her scars or feel their rough texture. The dark setting gave her a certain amount of freedom that she never would have otherwise found.

  With a sigh, he rested his chin on the top of her head. Jeannine closed her eyes and listened to the beating of her heart. Somehow, she had never heard it beat the way it did now, filling up every void in her body. Each breath she took filled her with hesitant joy and Miklo’s spicy scent.

  Then he pressed a chaste kiss to her temple, and the moment froze as one she would never, ever forget.