The Nurse's Pregnancy Miracle. Ann McIntosh

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СКАЧАТЬ yet, Mom.” Her mother didn’t wear the same formal dress twice, and expected the same from her daughters. “I plan to go and buy something this week.”

      She actually didn’t plan to buy a new dress. For her, the outfit she’d worn to a friend’s wedding would be suitable—but she wouldn’t be telling her mother that. No. She’d avoid the lecture until later, then just say she’d been too busy with work to get something.

      “Leaving it a little late, aren’t you?”

      Shaking her head, Nychelle picked up the water bottle from where she’d put it on the console table and, juggling it, her phone and the bowl of grapes, started back across the living room.

      Suddenly exhausted, all she wanted was that longed-for bath and a chance to relax: impossible to do with her mother on the other end of the phone.

      “I haven’t had a chance before. You know how it is. Work must come first.”

      Unfair, perhaps, to quote her mother’s words back at her, but it should be an effective topic-closer.

      Yet it wasn’t.

      “The annual Medical Association charity gala is where you’ll find all the movers and shakers of the Florida medical community assembled in one place. You need to make a good impression.”

      “Yes, Mom. I know.” If there was one thing her parents had drummed into their daughters, it was that connections were important when it came to building a career. “One day I might be applying to one of them for a job.”

      If she’d had more energy she’d have pointed out that Dr. Hamatty, arguably one of the most influential doctors in the city, had hired her without knowing anything about her other than her credentials. Tonight she just felt as if she’d be battering her head against a wall.

      “Exactly. Well, I’ll let you go. See you next Saturday.”

      And just like that, without waiting for Nychelle to reply, her mother hung up.

      “Wow, Mom. Bye to you too,” she said to the dial tone, before throwing her phone onto the bed.

      While she undressed, she carried on the imaginary conversation. “And how’s Dad? Oh, I’m glad to hear his shoulder is better. How was the surgical conference? Will his latest paper be published?”

      Still grumbling to herself, she filled the bathtub and added a sprinkle of bath salts, hoping to soak out the aches of the long, busy day. Sinking into the warm water, she released a long sigh and willed herself to relax.

      There was no changing her parents at this late stage, so it didn’t make sense to let their attitude toward her life and her career stress her out. Especially now. When she told them she was pregnant there’d be no excitement or joy, just more disapproval, so best she prepare for it.

      Realizing she was grinding her teeth, she sank a little deeper into the tub and, forcibly dismissing old hurts, turned her thoughts to the day just past.

      Immediately David Warmington came to mind, and she smiled as she remembered little Etienne, the Haitian toddler, throwing himself out of his mother’s arms into David’s. Children of that age were notorious for clinging to their parents, especially if they weren’t feeling well, but Etienne had hardly hesitated before happily going to the doctor.

      Not that Nychelle blamed the little boy in the slightest. She’d found herself wanting to throw herself into Dr. Warmington’s arms too. Which was ridiculous—and no doubt caused by some strange chemical reaction that all the IUI drugs had created in her brain. Yes, he was gorgeous, seemed nice, and was sexy as hell—but those weren’t good excuses to be panting after him. In fact they were all great reasons to avoid him like the plague.

      Besides, even if she had been tempted, now she knew for sure David Warmington would never be the man for her even if the circumstances had been different.

      Suddenly wanting to move, to be active, even though the whole point of the bath was to relax, she sat up and reached for her body wash, shivering slightly as the cooler air touched her shoulders and breasts when they rose out of the water.

      It wasn’t a conversation she should even have been privy to, but it wasn’t as though she’d eavesdropped on purpose. She’d just happened to be sitting at the table behind David and Dr. Tomkins, one of the other doctors from Lauderlakes, in the cafeteria during her lunch break. Besides, neither had made any effort to keep their voice down, so they obviously hadn’t had any expectation of privacy. Mind you, Dr. Tomkins had a voice like a cannon, his words booming out in ear-shocking volleys.

      “Dr. H. mentioned to me that the parents are very impressed by you, David. Saying how well you handle their kids. Maybe you should have gone into pediatrics.”

      When David had replied he’d sounded neither gratified nor amused. “No...no pediatrics for me. It was never an option.”

      Dr. Tomkins had chuckled. “Well, at least when you have children of your own you should have a good rapport with them, if today was any indication.”

      “That’s something else I don’t consider an option.”

      Had it been her imagination, or had his voice been cold—not like his usual mellow tones? Without being able to see his face she hadn’t been sure, but the alacrity with which Dr. Tomkins had changed the subject had Nychelle suspecting she was right.

      Shaking her head, she sank back into the water and frowned. Another man who professed not to want kids—probably for some damned selfish reason too. Nick had said he’d consider children once his career was more settled, although he was already well on his way. Now Nychelle couldn’t help wondering what David’s reason was. He didn’t strike her as the selfish type.

      Charm, which Nick had exhibited in abundance, was something she’d learned could be easily feigned, and it differed markedly from good character and genuine caring. Even her father, normally coolly distant, had the ability to turn on the charm when he thought it worthwhile.

      Nychelle couldn’t help wondering if the real David was hiding behind a thin veneer of charisma, like the one Nick had. Not that it mattered to her. She couldn’t care less. Wouldn’t allow herself to care.

      What truly irked her, though, was her physical reaction to David, since she should know better than to be attracted to another charmer.

      As she lay back in the water, it wasn’t the popping of the soap bubbles floating away from her skin that raised goose bumps on her arms and chest and made her nipples tighten and tingle. It was the memory of watching David’s hands as he’d worked, hearing the warm cadence of his voice as he’d soothed the patient and his mother, and the breathlessness she’d felt each time his gaze caught hers or she looked at his lips.

      With a little groan of surrender Nychelle swept a palm over one breast, succumbing to the lure of a fantasy in which David Warmington pulled her close to his strong body and kissed her until she turned to putty in those gorgeous hands.

      And somehow she knew those hands, lips and body could bring her more pleasure than she’d ever known before.

      “Cut it out, Nychelle.”

      Saying it out loud didn’t stop the ache building in her core, and with a growl of frustration she slapped both palms down on the surface СКАЧАТЬ