Playing Doctor (14 page)

“Time off from work. Say we wanted to go on vacation…both managers would be gone.”

“Assistants, we both have them. Not the same thing as replacing two members of staff.”

“Disagreements at work bleeding over into our personal lives and causing problems between us.”

“We’re professionals. Work related issues stay at work.”
Keep setting them up, babe, and I’ll keep knocking them down.

She was quiet for a moment. He gave her a gentle nudge with his chin. “Is that it? Is that all you’ve got?” The heavy sigh that lifted her chest told him that the next one was a biggie.
Bring it, and I’ll tear it down, too.

“If…” She swallowed. “If this doesn’t work…between us…it would be difficult to work together—”

“No.” Gabe stopped that thought before she could take it any further. He pulled her face from his neck, tipped her head back on his shoulder, and sealed his mouth over hers. Desperation and need flavored the kiss, though whose he couldn’t discern. “The only ‘if’ here is if the job gets in our way, and I was looking for a job when I found this one. I chose this one to be close to you, and that’s all. Finding another won’t be a problem. We come first.” He banded his arms around her. “
You
come first.” She had to know that, believe it. Trust it. “I made that mistake once; I don’t intend to make it again. You and I know better than anyone that life holds no guarantees, but I say we take what we have now and run with it, take it as far as it goes.”

She was quiet for a moment, then murmured, “I want this.” She looked up at him, her eyes fierce with resolve. “I still have issues to work out, and I’m so sorry for what I said. I’ll never compare you to him.”

He brushed his lips over hers. Then, because he could, did it again. “We both have issues, we’ll work them out together, and
I
swear to
you
, no matter what happens, no matter how angry I get, I’ll never raise a hand to you. I can’t, however, promise we won’t argue or fight over stupid stuff. I’m not perfect.” She gave him a look. “It’s true. But you know the best thing about arguing and fighting with a lover?”

“What?”

“The make-up sex is smoking hot.”

She grinned.

He sat there for a while, content to just hold Beth, feel her sigh as she relaxed in his arms. “You remember at the wedding, just before Albert went down for the count? I was having a beer with Ian and you were helping your son.”

“I remember. We were eye-flirting.”

He snorted. “Honey, that was an eye fuck if there ever was one.” Her jaw dropped. “Anyway, when I looked up and saw you looking at me, I felt…alive.”

She looked up at him, her eyes bright and moist as they met his. “Like you’d been returned to the land of the living.”

She’d nailed it. “Yeah, exactly like that. You know what I mean?”

She pressed her mouth to his. “I know exactly what you mean, and I plan on making you feel that way for a very long time.”

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Acknowledgments

So many times, we read that writing is a solitary endeavor with a lone person hunched over the keyboard listening to the voices in his or her head. She may sit motionless, fingers poised on the keys for an undetermined length of time, then spring from her chair and pace the floor, making odd hand gestures while muttering under her breath. She talks to the monitor and carries a dog-eared notebook and pen to jot down fleeting ideas, scenes and dialogue. Google becomes her most valued friend.

There are certain special individuals who played a very important role in the evolution and eventual completion of this, my debut publication. With that in mind, I humbly acknowledge the following:

My fellow ER nurses, Ellen Horn and Kelly Polak, for reading a very rough partial of this book and nagging me to hurry up and finish it, and Angela Hunter for reading bits and pieces during our night shifts in the ER and for, well…just being you. I wouldn’t have had such great supporting characters in this book had it not been for the three of you. Your friendship and support mean as much to me as Connie’s mean to Beth.

My critique partner, Cathryn Fox, for being such a fabulous friend and keeping me straight when the story threw me curves. Your advice and suggestions have played a major part in the success of this book.

My editors—Heather Howland for seeing the potential in this book and giving a new author the opportunity of a lifetime, and Tahra Seplowin for her patience with a newbie, her amazing insight, and helping me to make it shine.

Wendy Marcus for being there at the beginning when a blurb contest started the ball rolling, and Laura Kaye for cheerfully answering numerous emails. Your advice was and is gold.

The ladies of the Harlequin “Work in Progress” forum. Your comments, suggestions and encouragement has meant so much to me. Thank you for celebrating the sale of Playing Doctor with me. I’ll be there for you on your day!

To every writer of every book I’ve read, then gone back and read again and thought, that’s the kind of book I want to write, the kind of story I want to tell.

To every reader who picks up this book…I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

About the Author

Jan Meredith has always loved reading humorous, spicy romances. In 2012, she decided to write one of her own. What began as a two-paragraph blurb for a writing contest ended up being
Playing Doctor
. She lives South Central Kentucky, near from Mammoth Cave National Park, with her husband, Tommy. She spends her weekends working as an infusion therapy nurse and her weekdays writing and plotting her next book. She has two sons, Phillip, also an RN, and Justin, a student at Western KY University, studying for his BSN in nursing.

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