Blurb"
Ginny’s new job as patient care coordinator at a suburban hospital is a dream come true. She can raise her daughter and young niece away from the city.
The older orthopedic surgeon who recruited her helps make the move easier. His stroke brings his son, another surgeon home to take over his father’s practice. Unfortunately, Ginny remembers him from an evening encounter at the city hospital where she worked. They had words. He also remembers that night.
They clash but beneath the anger, there is an attraction. Blake wants her in his bed and attempts to romance her. Then he discovers he wants her forever and must eat a lot of crow.
Excerpt:
She headed to her office. Her life was on schedule, so why was the knot of anticipation expanding?
A rap on
the window broke into her reverie. A grinning
Annette peered through the glass. “Girl,
quit your dawdling.
Ginny shook her head. She pictured the older Dr. Marshall, subtracted years and added hair. Pleasant. Maybe cute, but hardly fantasy material. She rose. “I’m on my way. Wouldn’t want him to accuse me of ignoring him.”
“Won’t happen. He seems as nice as his dad. Run, don’t walk. Rescue him before Val drowns him in sweetness.”
Ginny frowned. Val -- Sweet -- impossible. The unit’s secretary was a mistress of the rude put-down.
When
Ginny turned the corner, she stopped short.
A barely contained urge to run in the opposite direction caused her to
approach the desk with slow, measured steps.
Her hands curled into fists. Dr. Marshall laughed at something Val said and then turned to Lisa. The knot in Ginny’s abdomen swelled into her chest. No way, she thought. She wouldn’t allow this man or anyone to detour her from her chosen road. She plastered a smile on her face that she knew didn’t watch the hostility she felt.
“Dr.
Marshall, I’m Ms. Barr, Patient Care Coordinator for the unit. Welcome to
Lisa strolled away. “See you around, Dr. Marshall. You’ll soon discover Hudson View is nothing like the University for interesting and exciting cases.”
Ginny stiffened. Why did Lisa constantly bad mouth the hospital? If she felt bored, she should have stayed at the University.
A slow smile curved Dr. Marshall’s lips. His dark brown eyes appraised Ginny with the intensity of a scientist peering through a microscope. He held out a hand. She resisted the desire to thrust her hands behind her back. Instead, she held her arms stiffly at her sides.
“Ms. Barr, Blake Marshall. My father speaks highly of you.” He rested the hand she had refused to touch on the counter that separated the nurses’ station from the hall.
“Then I must thank him. He has been eagerly awaiting your arrival.”
She held back a groan. Stilted conversation had never been her forte, but this morning and with this man, she’d become an expert. The knot edged into her throat. She gulped a breath. Why did the air between them smell of ozone as though a bolt of lightning had struck nearby?
She saw a question in his eyes and wondered if he remembered the night they’d met. She had called him twice and the third time had demanded he come to assess a patient. She would never forget because that had been the night Joey had left Manda. Angry thoughts swept her into the past.
“I
insist you come immediately.” She
gripped the phone and listened to the sleep-fogged voice question her about the
patient. “I won’t hesitate to go over
your head. It’s been a half hour since
my last call and an hour since the first.
The patient’s pain is constant and excruciating. I’ve elevated his left and applied ice. A possible compartment syndrome is no joke.”
Five
minutes later, he strode into the patient’s room. His rumpled, green scrubs didn’t disguise his
muscular physique. His dark eyes had
flashed with anger. He eyed her name
tag. “An agency nurse. What do you know about orthopedics?”
She
bit back an angry response. She could
have told him she had worked in orthopedics for five years and that in three
semesters, she would have a Masters as a nurse practitioner with a focus on
orthopedics. But she wouldn’t. His question didn’t deserve an answer.”
“Just
check the patient,” she said.
Once he examined the young man’s leg and discovered she’d been right, she had expected an apology. He’d given none, just split the cast, made a note on the chart and strode away.
Her memory of the past faced. She couldn’t allow that incident to influence her. “Would you like a tour of the unit? The renovations were completed in May just before I took over.”
“Would be my pleasure.”
His voice reminded her of velvet, smooth, lush and sensual. She swallowed and headed for day surgery. “Your father has an arthroscopy on the schedule. I thought you might be involved.”
Was that her voice? The tight, clipped tones sounded foreign to her ears.
“Greg took the case. As of tomorrow, I’ll be taking Dad’s cases until he returns.”
“Don’t you intend to join the practice?”
He shrugged. “I’m not sure of my plans.”
The hint of arrogance in his voice was no surprise, but the anger it stirred shocked her. The senior Dr. Marshall had spoken of his son’s return with eagerness and pride. “Your father will be disappointed if you leave.”
“Not for long. Dad’s always encouraged me to pursue my own goals.”
“How
fortunate for you, but don’t you think --”
She stopped herself. Arguing
would do no good. Didn’t he think he
owed his father anything?
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3 comments:
appraised Ginny with the intensity of a scientist peering through a microscope - what a great visual.
Enjoyed your excerpt. Sounds like she has a lot to think about with the new Dr. Thanks for sharing.
There's lots of tension between them already!
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