The Perfect Wife and Mother?
A MATCH FOR THE SINGLE DADSince the tragic death of his beloved wife, Dr Ryan O’Connor hasn't considered another woman—until Ginny Jeffries arrives in his Emergency Department. After such heartache, Ginny believes that Ryan can’t offer anything more than a fling; yet against her better judgement she agrees to accept Ryan on his own terms. But being his lover means deepening ties with him and his two adorable children. It’s the family she so desperately wants, but will she lose everything if Ryan finds out her own heartbreaking secret—that she’s not so perfect after all…?THE AUDLEY—where love is the best medicine of all…
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IT HAD been a good wedding.
Ryan was surprised. Heâd been dreading it, in a way. Since Ann had died, weddings werenât his favourite thing. He was OK till they got to the âtill death do us partâ bit, then he was inclined to go to pieces inside.
Strangely, this time he hadnât. Time healing and all that? Maybe. Maybe it was just because Jill and Zach so obviously belonged together. Maybe it was because this time the children had been with him and had been fidgety and heâd had to entertain them. Maybe it was all sorts of things that he couldnât account for.
Whatever the reason, it had been a lovely wedding. He shrugged into his white coat, peered at his reflection in the little mirror behind the door and finger-combed his hair.
It was too short, really, but it had been so hot and heâd had it cut for the wedding. It sprang back now, tawny and rebelliousâstreaked paler by the sunâand he gave up. When it was longer heâd be able to make it co-operate. For now, it just stuck up with that wiry kink in it and that was the way it was. Still, it suited him in a way, made him look younger than his thirty-five years. He searched his face thoughtfully. Was he imagining it or were the lines of grief fading?
About time. It had been two years now, just over. Two long, lonely, heartbreaking years. The children had been more accepting of Annâs death, but heâd challenged God at every turn. It hadnât helped. Heâd still woken up every morning alone.
Perhaps it was time to change that. A little light flirtation, perhaps? Maybe an affair? Nothing wild, just a discreet liaison with a woman who understood the rules.
A bit of ego-massage.
Yeah.
He grinned at himselfâpleased with the ideaâand his eyes sparkled back, green light dancing in their depths.
A woman. His gut tightened at the thought, and he chuckled softly. Would he even remember what to do?
Ginny found the accident and emergency department and looked around. Already, at eight-thirty in the morning, it was bustling with life.
Good. She couldnât bear standing around all day with nothing to do. That was why sheâd chosen A and E. Now to find her boss.
It wasnât difficult. She sort of fell over him, really. One minute she was walking along the corridor minding her own business and wondering where she should go to find him, the next a door opened and a tall, fair-haired man walked smack into her path.
Literally.
His hands came up and grabbed her shoulders, her breasts bounced off his iron-hard chest, and sensation exploded inside her.
HeatâLord, yes, such heat! Not body heat but power, coiled energy, sheer sex appeal. And strength, from the hands gripping her shoulders to steady her to the muscles of his chest bunching beneath her flattened palms. Gentleness, too, his hands relaxing instantly but staying thereâcupping her shoulders with their long, blunt fingers.
Stunned, confused for a second, and yet unwillingly fascinated, Ginny stepped back and looked upâand found herself transfixed by the most astonishingly green eyes she had ever seen.
Funny, they hadnât seemed so green at her interview. And now, she realised, they were more than green. They were interested.
âDr OâConnor?â she murmured. âIâm Virginia Jeffriesâyour new SHO?â
Ryan felt as if heâd been hit over the head by a rock. One minute he was dreaming of a womanâany womanâto lighten his life, and the next minuteâbang!âthere was a woman in his arms.
And what a woman! Soft, cloud-grey eyes framed by long black lashes untainted by mascara, dark glossy hair swinging sleekly to her chin, a soft, full mouth curved in a smile of greetingâhe might as well die now and go to heaven.
Had she really been so lovely at her interview? He didnât remember. How strange that he could have been unaware of her as a woman. Impossible. Lord, he must have been unconscious at the time!
He remembered himself and let her go, stepping back out of harmâs way and sucking in his first breath for almost half a minute. âUmâhi, there,â he managed inanely, and could have kicked himself. Damn, had it really been so long since heâd chatted up a woman that he couldnât remember how to talk to one?
Yesâbut more to the point she was a junior colleague, and he would do well to remember that. No cosying up to this one, no matter how good she might feel squashed up against his chest.
His body was busy disagreeing. He buttoned his coat to allow it a little privacy until he had time to argue about it. Meanwhile he had work to do and an impression to createâif he could just unscramble his tonsils and get the words out!
âAhâcall me Ryan, please? And can I call you Virginia?â Wow, what a smile! He could feel his socks beginning to smoulder.
âDoâor Ginny. Whichever.â
