Doctor Difficult and the nurse who can tame him
ER nurse Paige Winters has a knack for working with difficult Dr. Luke Sherman. But when the demanding physician oversteps one too many times, Paige snaps and gives the doctor a dose of his own bitter medicine, then transfers out of the ER. So why is she so miserable? And why canât she stop thinking about handsome Luke?
Luke is stunned by Paigeâs anger...and the truth in her words. Now that sheâs gone, heâs missing his best nurse and teammate. Paige was the one person who could light up his days. And Luke realizes Paige is the only prescription heâs ever needed. But can the smitten doctor convince her that love really is the best medicine?
Suddenly he was smiling and the response felt good.
He felt good, and that didnât make sense. None at all.
He said, âWeâre all entitled to get angry once in a while.â
âYes. Once in a while.â
He chuckled, and the sound caused her brows to arch with surprise. Her reaction made him realize sheâd probably never heard him laugh before, and the idea stunned him.
She unexpectedly rose to her feet and carried her mug over to the cabinet area as though she was preparing to leave. Luke was promptly overcome with disappointment.
âThereâs no need for you to be afraid and rush off, Paige. I do know how to laugh. I promise Iâve not taken some sort of Jekyll-and-Hyde potion.â
Even though there was a few feet of space between them, he could see a dark blush stain her cheeks. The idea that heâd caused the heat in her face reminded him of just how long it had been since heâd had any sort of personal exchange with a woman. For the past five years heâd been a dead man. But life had suddenly and unexpectedly started flowing through him again. All thanks to this redheaded goddess standing in front of him.
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Men of the West: Whether ranchers or lawmen, these heartbreakers know how to ride, shootâand drive a woman crazyâ¦
Chapter One
âNurse Winters! There is no place in the ER for tears. If you canât control your emotions then get your things and go home! Iâll not have my patientsâ welfare put in jeopardy over your foolish display of histrionics!â
Dr. Luke Shermanâs imperious voice sliced through Paige, just as it had many times before. Over the past three years, sheâd grown accustomed to his barked orders and cutting remarks, his sneers and hateful attitude, but this was the end, she decided.
Not caring if there was a murderous expression on her face, she blinked at the moisture in her eyes and whirled to confront him. And even though she wanted to scream at him, she kept her voice tightly controlled.
âFor your information, Dr. Sherman, Iâm not having histrionics or any other sort of breakdown! I am in perfect control of my faculties and my emotions!â
One of his sandy brows arched upward, implying he found it incredible that she was actually daring to confront him. Paige desperately wanted to step forward and slap the supercilious look off his handsome face.
âLike hell you are!â His caustic retort caused something inside her to snap, releasing the fury sheâd been struggling to rein in.
âYou would view shedding a tear as criminal,â she said angrily. âYouâre not human!â
His jaw clamped into a tight vise. âAre you finished? Or do you have more to say?â
Trying to explain anything to this man would be futile, she decided. He wouldnât understand that the mist in her eyes had nothing to do with being a nurse and everything to do with being a woman. Earlier in the day, her best friend had given birth to a beautiful daughter and a few minutes ago Paige had held the precious, tiny life in her arms. As sheâd gazed down at the babyâs face an empty longing had washed over her, reminding her of everything sheâd been missing and all that sheâd lost. She couldnât expect any man to understand the feelings that were still tugging at her emotions. Especially Dr. Luke Sherman.
Through clenched teeth, she said, âI have plenty more to say. You, Dr. Sherman, have to be the most pompous, self-absorbed bastard thatâs ever called himself a doctor!â
His nostrils flared and a swathe of red color washed up his neck. No doubt sheâd infuriated him and burned her bridges in the process, but she was beyond worrying about the consequences. She was a nurse. Not a doormat or whipping post.