The Nurse's Christmas Wish Page 15

  Mac strolled up to the table and offered his arm. ‘Let’s go through to the conservatory,’ he suggested, his eyes resting on Louisa, who was hurrying around the kitchen like a mad thing, putting the finishing touches to the lunch. ‘I popped in on Vera before I came home and she was enjoying herself hugely. She had three doctors perched on the end of her bed, listening to her wartime stories.’

  Alice laughed. ‘Poor things.’ She swayed slightly and caught Mac’s arm. ‘Come on, then, let’s sit down.’

  * * *

  Louisa stared at her plate and suddenly realised that she wasn’t hungry. Her insides were too churned up to eat.

  Why had Mac come home?

  And what had he meant by that comment about carving the turkey from now on?

  Nothing, she told herself firmly. He meant nothing. And she wasn’t going to fall into the trap of imagining a fondness that wasn’t there.

  She glanced out of the window.

  Beyond the conservatory windows the garden was white from a new fall of snow and beyond that the sea stretched, gunmetal grey, into the distance.

  Next week she’d be back in London.

  Back to her anonymous life in an anonymous city.

  The thought depressed her beyond belief.

  ‘Louisa...’ Alice’s voice came from the far end of the table. ‘You haven’t pulled your cracker, dear.’

  Louisa gave a determined smile. She had to join in. She didn’t want to spoil anyone else’s Christmas Day by being a misery. She glanced around her. ‘I can’t find my cracker—that’s weird. I’m sure I put one out for everyone.’

  ‘It’s here.’ Mac lounged next to her, his dark gaze intent on her face. He was holding her cracker.

  Louisa took the cracker and forced a smile. ‘All right—who is going to pull this one with me. Poppy?’

  ‘Not Poppy.’ Mac’s voice was deep and his eyes held hers. ‘Me.’

  She hid her surprise. He wanted to pull a cracker with her? He really was getting into the Christmas spirit.

  ‘All right but I ought to warn you that I hate the bang.’ She curled her fingers around the cracker and instinctively closed her eyes. Then she pulled.

  There was a bang and a metallic clatter as something fell onto her side plate.

  Everyone around the table fell silent and Louisa opened her eyes and glanced around her. ‘What’s the matter with you lot? Have you—?’ She looked down at her plate and gave a gasp.

  A beautiful diamond ring lay on her plate, sparkling like the decorations on the Christmas tree.

  She stared at in stunned silence.

  In disbelief.

  Hannah gave a gasp and Alice gave a sigh. ‘It’s amazing, the quality of crackers these days. For a moment I thought that ring was real.’

  Louisa reached out and touched the ring hesitantly, as if it might disappear at any time. A huge diamond twinkled and glinted and she stared down at it in fascination.

  What did it mean? She didn’t dare hope...

  ‘Are you going to look at me, Louisa?’ Mac’s voice was rough and gentle at the same time, and suddenly she couldn’t breathe properly.

  ‘Mac...’ She knew she shouldn’t hope and yet she couldn’t stop herself. And she couldn’t look at him in case he saw that hope and killed it.

  ‘I’m sorry I wasn’t here to carve the turkey,’ he said softly, taking her shaking hand in his and holding it firmly, ‘but next year I will be and for every year after that unless I’m required at the hospital. But if that happens, we’ll cook our turkey on Boxing Day instead.’

  She lifted her eyes to his, oblivious to the fact that they had an audience. ‘What are you saying?’

  He smiled and picked up the ring, sliding it onto her finger. ‘I’m saying that you’re the best Christmas present that my brother has ever given me, and I intend to keep you. I’m saying that I love you.’ His voice was husky and there was a smile in his eyes. ‘I think I’ve probably loved you since the moment you fell through my toilet window, but I was too blind to see it.’

  She stared at the ring in wonder and felt something lodge in her throat. ‘You don’t do relationships.’

  ‘That was before I met you,’ Mac said huskily. ‘Now I’ve discovered that I was wrong. I went into the hospital and for the first time in my life I didn’t want to be there. I wanted to be here. With you.’

  There was another sigh from Alice. ‘That’s so romantic.’

  Without turning, Mac grinned. ‘Thank you, Alice.’ He tightened his grip on Louisa’s hand. ‘Are you going to speak?’

  ‘I was afraid I’d driven you away.’

  ‘You’ve given me my life back.’ He slid his other hand around the back of her neck and pulled her gently towards him. ‘You’ve made me see things as they really are.’

  ‘Are they going to kiss?’ Poppy stared at them in fascination and then glanced at her father. ‘Are they going to kiss?’

  Rick grinned and scratched his head. ‘Looks like they might. Close your eyes, sweetie. Perhaps you shouldn’t be watching.’

  Louisa blushed and Mac gave a slow smile of masculine satisfaction. ‘No kissing. In a moment we’re going for a long walk on the beach and there will definitely be some kissing then, but for now I just want Louisa to answer one very important question.’

  Alice cleared her throat. ‘Is there any more gravy?’

  Mac closed his eyes briefly. ‘I’m trying to propose, Alice.’

  ‘Oh, goodness.’ Alice turned pink and adjusted her paper hat, which was falling over her eyes. ‘Do carry on. I’m not saying another word. Not another word.’

  Louisa started to giggle, happiness erupting inside her. ‘Mac...’

  Mac took a deep breath and then Hopeful crashed into the room, the remains of the turkey in his mouth.

  Louisa gave a gasp of horror and stood up. ‘Oh, Mac! He’s got a turkey bone! It will splinter in his mouth and we’ll have to take him to the vet!’

  ‘Hopeful!’ There was no mistaking the authority in Mac’s tone and the dog stopped on the spot and dropped the bone.

  ‘Oh!’ Louisa stared at him in delight. ‘He’s learning to be obedient! You wonderful dog. I hope you didn’t swallow any, darling.’ She was on her knees beside the dog, sliding her fingers into his mouth to check. ‘I think he’s OK.’

  ‘I’m relieved to be spared the experience of discovering how much vets charge on Christmas Day,’ Mac said dryly. ‘And now, if no one minds, I’m taking Louisa down to the beach for a walk so that I can propose in peace.’

  ‘I know she’ll say yes,’ Alice said wisely, ‘so shall we have another drink to celebrate?’

  Hannah giggled. ‘Alice, you’re going to be under the table.’

  ‘Probably.’ Alice reached for her glass. ‘Just make sure you wake me up for the Queen’s speech.’

  * * *

  The beach was deserted and the sky was grey and threatening.

  ‘There’s going to be more snow.’ Louisa glanced upwards and Mac caught her in his arms and pulled her against him.

  ‘I don’t want to talk about the weather,’ he growled, ‘and I don’t want to talk about turkey, Alice or Hopeful. I just want to talk about us and that ring you’re wearing on your finger. And I need to do it quickly before there are any more interruptions. Will you marry me?’

  He was strong, handsome and the embodiment of every dream she’d ever had.

  Despite the cold, her insides melted. ‘I can’t believe you really love me,’ she whispered as she stared up at him. This couldn’t be happening. ‘I’d given up hoping.’

  ‘Well, I do love you. Madly. And you were right about so many things,’ he said gruffly, stroking her cheek with his hand. ‘And it’s because of what I feel for you that I finally understand that what I had with Melissa wasn’t right. When I was with Melissa I never once had this burning urge to come home. I was happier at the hospital.’

  Louisa didn’t notice the biting wind or the whisper of snow again
st her cheeks. ‘And now?’

  ‘I’ll be happy wherever you are,’ he said softly, lifting a hand and brushing her hair away from her face. ‘Melissa and I were totally wrong for each other. If I’d loved her or she’d loved me, I would have followed her to London or she would have followed me to Cornwall. We would have wanted to be together. But the pull wasn’t strong enough. I know that now. I didn’t know what love was until I met you, but you taught me.’

  She slid her arms round his neck. ‘And what is love, Dr Sullivan?’

  He cupped her face in his hands, lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her gently. ‘Love is what I feel for you.’ He muttered the words against her mouth, his touch warm and seductive. ‘Love is wanting to be with someone and build a future together. Love is about creating a family and family traditions. Every Christmas from now on I will be home to carve the turkey. And every Christmas we will have a walk on the beach, just the two of us.’

  She chuckled, her body trembling from his kiss. ‘We won’t need to. We won’t have Alice every year.’

  His mouth still hovered above hers. ‘No, but it’s the only way we’ll get any peace from our five children.’ His dark eyes gleamed. ‘It was five, wasn’t it, Louisa?’

  She felt emotion welling up inside her. ‘And a dog, Mac,’ she said softly. ‘Don’t forget the dog.’

  As if on cue, there was wild barking and Hopeful came loping across the sand towards them.

  Mac glanced over his shoulder and raised his eyes to heaven. ‘Somehow I don’t think I’m going to be allowed to forget the dog. What does a guy have to do to propose in peace?’ He turned back to her, laughter in his dark eyes. ‘Quickly. Before he gets here and does something that requires another visit to the vet. Will you marry me?’

  Hopeful bounded up to them, leaping and jumping, his tail wagging so hard he almost lost his balance.

  Suddenly the world seemed perfect.

  ‘Yes.’ A smile spread across her face. ‘I’ll definitely marry you. Merry Christmas, Mac.’

  ‘Merry Christmas.’

  And he bent his head and kissed her.

  * * * * *

  USA TODAY bestselling author

  SARAH MORGAN

  welcomes you to the Big Apple in her new fresh and sexy Made in New York series!

  Follow three best friends as they maneuver their way through love, careers and life in the bustling and exciting city of Manhattan.

  Made in New York series (available in 2016):

  MIDNIGHT AT TIFFANY’S (e-novella)

  SLEEPLESS IN MANHATTAN

  SUNSET ON CENTRAL PARK

  MIRACLE ON 5TH AVENUE

  “Morgan’s brilliant talent never ceases to amaze.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  For more irresistible romance, don’t miss these great titles in Sarah Morgan’s charming Puffin Island series!

  The windswept, isolated and ruggedly beautiful Puffin Island has a way of bringing people together in the most unexpected ways… Find out how in:

  FIRST TIME IN FOREVER

  SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL

  ONE ENCHANTED MOMENT

  These brothers are more tempting than dessert and twice as sinful!

  Be sure to also catch the O’Neil Brothers trilogy available now!

  SLEIGH BELLS IN THE SNOW

  SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER

  MAYBE THIS CHRISTMAS

  “Uplifting, sexy and warm, Sarah Morgan’s O’Neil Brothers series is perfection.”

  —Jill Shalvis, New York Times bestselling author

  All available now in ebook format.

  Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!

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  HQN Books is proud to present Made in New York, the fabulous new trilogy by USA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan!

  Read on for an exclusive extract from MIDNIGHT AT TIFFANY’S, the enchanting novella that introduces the trilogy…

  She paused outside the glittering windows of Tiffany’s and he raised his eyebrows.

  “You like jewelry?”

  “Yes,” she murmured, “but that isn’t why I stop here. It’s a romantic place.”

  “It’s a store.”

  “It’s a store that sells dreams. I often come here late at night. There’s something sparkly and perfect about it.” She shook her head and gestured with her head toward a couple standing to the left of them, hand in hand. “See that woman’s face?” she whispered. “She looks ecstatic.”

  “Of course she’s ecstatic. He’s about to open his wallet and spend a fortune on her.”

  The couple wandered off hand in hand and Matilda sighed.

  “That isn’t why she’s ecstatic. She’s happy because she’s with him. It was in her eyes and in her smile. He makes her happy and they were choosing something that would tell the world they love each other. I’ve always thought working here must be fun. You see people at their best.”

  “And at their most terrified. I thought he looked pale. People working here probably need advanced emergency response skills.”

  It made her laugh. “You’re not a romantic.”

  “I’m a realist. A pragmatist. So far, all I know about you is that you spend a lot of time observing other people’s lives, have a secret life as a writer and have another job that you won’t share. You’re a secretive person?”

  “Not secretive.” She paused, realizing that was going to sound ridiculous given everything she’d told him. “I’m not always that great in big crowds of people. I’m more of a one-on-one person.”

  “One-on-one?”

  The atmosphere cracked with sexual tension, intense and deliciously unfamiliar. She paused, uncertain what to do with it.

  This wasn’t love, was it? This was fun. And there was nothing wrong with having fun.

  So why did it feel as if she were standing on the top of a very high cliff, about to plunge into deep water?

  She wasn’t a brave person. She’d never been a brave person.

  She lived a small life in this big city, a tiny flickering candle eclipsed by bigger, brighter lights.

  They walked past the Plaza, to the edge of Central Park.

  The first spots of rain started to fall, scenting the air and dampening her emergency dress for the second time in one night.

  If she was going to make a move, it had to be now. Right now.

  But she wasn’t. She couldn’t.

  “So here we are.” She kept her voice light, trying to mask her disappointment and frustration with herself. “Central Park. Your final destination. Where do you live?”

  “I’m staying in an apartment a couple of blocks from here.”

  It was impossible not to be impressed. “Well, if you can afford to rent around here, then whatever it is you do with your life, you must be doing it very well.”

  The rain was falling more heavily now, huge cooling drops that landed on the trees with a hollow patter, drenching leaves and saturating paths.

  “Where do you live?”

  She thought of her cramped apartment and then took a deep breath. “I live in New York City, and that’s all that matters to me. I’d rather live in a small room here than a big apartment anywhere else in the world.” Not that she’d be able to afford a big apartment anywhere, but the principle was true. She tipped her head back, looking at the buildings rising above the shadows that were Central Park. The rain trickled through her hair and she smiled. “There is something magical about this city. I always have the sense that something unexpected could happen.”

  “Unexpected?” His voice was soft and he drew her against him with purpose. “You mean like this?”

  And without giving her a chance to ask what “this” was, he took her face in his hands, lowered his head and kiss
ed her.

  What happens when Matilda decides to follow her heart and take a risk on the delicious man she’s just met?

  Find out in:

  MIDNIGHT AT TIFFANY’S

  Also available from Sarah Morgan and HQN Books

  The O’Neil Brothers

  MAYBE THIS CHRISTMAS

  SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER

  SLEIGH BELLS IN THE SNOW

  Puffin Island

  FIRST TIME IN FOREVER

  You’ll definitely want to visit Puffin Island again! Be sure to watch for SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL and ONE ENCHANTED MOMENT coming soon in 2016!

  ISBN: 9781459291744

  The Nurse’s Christmas Wish

  Copyright © 2005 by Sarah Morgan

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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