A Christmas Wish
Authors: Evie Knight
A
Christmas Wish
Evie
Knight
A Christmas Wish
Copyright © 2014, Evie Knight
All rights reserved. Ebooks are not
transferable. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or
transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording, or by any information storage system without the
express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief
quotations in a book review.
Edited by Tricia Kristufek
Cover Art by
E.K
Publisher’s Note:
This book is a work of
fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual
persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
First In Love with Romance Publishing, electronic
publication: 2014
In Love with Romance
Publishing
Christmas hasn’t been the same
for Dr. Jasmine Lamont ever since she lost her parents in a car accident ten
years ago. She avoids romantic relationships and the holiday spirit like the
plague. This year is no different and she knows exactly what she doesn’t want
for Christmas: Ethan Sinclair, the sexy pediatrician, that won’t leave her
alone.
Ethan isn’t one to give up
easily. No matter what it takes, he’s determined to break down the walls she
hides behind and heal her heart—if only she’d let him. And all it will take is
a Christmas wish.
“Are you going to do it?”
Laurie asked.
“Ssh….”
Jasmine glanced around the office, making sure none of the nurses or medical
assistants walking by heard. “No.” She wrote a note and signed the medical
record in her hand. “That Wishing Well is a hoax.”
Laurie
took the folder from Jasmine and handed her another. “It is not.”
“It is
too.” Jasmine adjusted her glasses and flipped the file open. “Please tell me
you’re not that naïve,” she said, scanning the lab results printed on the sheet.
“That Cinderella Wishing Well can’t make your dreams come true anymore than I
can.”
“You’re
like the Grinch. Can you, just this once, let yourself believe magic is
possible? That sometimes wishes do come true?”
When
would Laurie and others leave her alone? Jasmine hated Christmas. She wanted
nothing to do with the darn holiday. Yet everywhere she went, everyone she talked
to had the holiday in their head. Goodness. And she had four more weeks to
endure before this madness ended.
“Really?”
Annoyed, she looked at Laurie. “You expect me to believe the Cinderella Wishing
Well at Walt Disney World is magical. That if I go there and make a wish, my
one true love will come to me?”
Shaking
her head, Laurie said, “Yes. Rumor has it everyone who makes a wish on
Christmas Eve finds their true, everlasting love on Christmas Day.”
“You’re
out of your mind.”
“She’s
not.”
Hearing
the familiar huskiness of Ethan’s voice, a thrill shot down her spine and her
back stiffened. Jasmine busied herself signing the lab results, handed the file
to Laurie, and grabbed another one. “Let me guess. It found your true love.”
His
low chuckle reverberated through her. “Not mine. My sister’s.”
“Then,
maybe you should try it,” Jasmine said, still not looking at him, though she
could feel the intensity of his hot gaze on her.
“But
why would he? True love would ruin his fabulous life,” Laurie said.
“What,
according to you, is my fabulous life?” Ethan asked.
“You
fuck anything with a skirt, Dr. Sinclair.”
Shocked
at Laurie’s reply, Jasmine gasped.
“Rumors,
that’s all they are,” he said.
She risked
lifting her gaze to him. As it happened time and time again, his piercing dark
gray-green eyes, ringed with long lashes, captured hers. She drew in her
breath, trying to slow down the sudden spike in her pulse. “Rumors?”
Crossing
his arms, he said, “Maybe, I’m looking for the one.”
“She’s
lucky you haven’t found her,” Laurie said.
“If
you weren’t so efficient, I’d fire you right now,” Ethan said to Laurie,
keeping his gaze trained on Jasmine.
“Only
you can’t, because she’s my assistant, not yours.” Breaking their eye contact, Jasmine
took the rest of the charts from Laurie. She’d rather busy herself going
through the rest of her patients’ files than continue their foolish chat. Right
now she’d do anything to erase the image of Ethan’s dirty-blond hair, the
cynical twist to his mouth, and his suntanned skin. Why didn’t he stay wherever
it was he went on vacation? Why did he have to come back? Jasmine headed for
her office. “Laurie’s right. Whoever you’re looking for is lucky you haven’t
found her.”
“I
promise you, Jas, she’d be the luckiest woman on earth when I find her,” he
said.
Jasmine
stole one last glance at him, and said over her shoulder, “
If
you find
her.”
* * * *
“It’s on my wish list for
Santa Claus this year,” he said to her back, taking in the sway of her hips in
her scrubs and the golden locks escaping her tousled pony tail.
“I hope
Santa Claus doesn’t misplace your list, then.” Jasmine shut the door to her
office.
What
is her problem?
Ethan stood in the hallway, staring at the
name plaque on her closed door.
Dr. Lamont.
Since they’ve been working
at the same practice for the last three years, no matter what he did to have an
amicable work rapport, Jasmine didn’t let him in. She had walls of steel around
her. Good for her, because to be honest, he’d always wondered what it’d be like
to wine and dine her, to taste her sweet lips and finally seduce her.
He
shook his head, willing the thought away.
“I’ll
let you in a little secret, Dr. Sinclair.” Laurie jerked him out of his reverie
as she moved to stand next to him. “Dr. Lamont hates Christmas for reasons I
can’t tell you. She doesn’t believe in true love, or maybe it’s more she’s
afraid to fall in love.” Laurie seemed to consider what she’d say next. “She
likes you as much as you like her, that’s why she evades you like the plague.”
Blinking,
Ethan stared down at Laurie’s big brown eyes. “I never told you I like her.”
“You
didn’t have to.” She rolled her eyes at him. “It’s so obvious, even a blind
person can tell. Everyone here knows, which is why none of the other doctors have
asked her out. Like, ever.”
“You
know, I’m beginning to wonder if you come here to work or to gossip.”
“Both.”
She spun on her heel. “Your next appointment is already here, Dr. Sinclair,”
she called over her shoulder.
So,
Jas hates Christmas and she likes me.
What should he do with that
bit of information? Was it even true? Why should he believe Laurie? That there
were others at the practice that wanted to ask Jasmine out irked him. Maybe it
was time he stopped trying to fake a friendship and pursue Jas the way he
should’ve done since he met her.
Jasmine Lamont.
He smiled, his mind
racing in a million different directions on how he’d woo her.
Sleep never came last night.
Not when her head swirled with thoughts of Dr. Sinclair.
Ethan.
Ugh, the
man was the devil in disguise. Erasing his angelic looks from her mind was
impossible. Jasmine closed her eyes, and his dazzling smile, hypnotic gaze, and
athletic physique haunted her. It didn’t make a difference if she opened her
eyes either.
Unable
to catch any sleep, she decided to get a head start in her day and complete all
her pending paperwork. Her last appointment was at four o’clock, which worked
out perfect, because she’d leave soon after. She’d stop by the children’s
hospital to check on three of her patients, then head home. The only exciting
thing about her day would be the few stolen glances at Ethan, which then meant
she’d be dreaming of him yet again tonight.
Maybe
she should listen to Laurie’s silly belief in magic. Nuh. Even if it were true,
Jasmine was too broken for some impractical magic to work on her. First she’d
have to believe, and her faith in anything she couldn’t do for herself was nil.
Crossing
over the threshold into the noiseless pediatric medical practice, she walked to
her office. She drew in her breath, welcoming the peace and quiet the early
hour afforded her. Jasmine dropped her purse inside the bottom drawer of her
desk, then turned on her laptop. Ready to immerse herself in her work, she took
a seat as the chime of an instant message broke through the peaceful silence.
E_Sinclair:
GM
Her breath
left her. What does he want this early? She came into work at this time for a
reason, and he wouldn’t mess up with her plans. Jasmine hit Ignore on the IM
window and grabbed the pile of folders on her desk.
Moments
later, the chime of the IM interrupted her once more, and she looked up at her
screen.
E_Sinclair:
I know you’re there.
J_Lamont:
And what, you’re also going to tell me you know what I did last summer?
Jasmine
stared at her screen, clamping down the giggle forming in her throat. Whatever
made her type that? After a minute, his IM status changed from green, for
available, to yellow, for away. She figured he probably got sidetrack with
other stuff. A tinge of disappointment settled in her chest. Determined to
prevent any further distractions and senseless conversations, she closed her IM
and put her laptop lid down.
“I
wasn’t, but since you asked, I know for a fact you did nothing last summer. You
were too busy working to take some time off,” Ethan said from her door.
Her
breath caught in her throat at seeing him standing under the doorframe, in all
his powerful glory.
Jerk.
His words hurt. Why did he care what she did
or didn’t do? It wasn’t any of his business. And… and… why did he come to her
office? “What do you want? I have lots to do and you’re taking up my time.”
Ethan
closed the distance with a few long strides and propped his hands on her desk,
leaning forward. “I’d love to take you out to dinner, but you’d say no, so I
won’t ask.”
Of
course she’d say no. Her indifference façade toward him was limited to work.
Being with him outside of their usual surroundings would be a game-changer—something
she’d never knowingly put herself through. Dinner with him would lead to other
things she wouldn’t be able to walk away from. Studying his face, her eyes
lingered on his seductive lips, confirming her last thought. One kiss from him
and she’d be doomed.
“I saw
in the calendar that you’re going to the children’s hospital. Can you take a
couple of my patients’ files and drop them off? I’m staying until closing
tonight, and their admin offices would be closed by the time I’d get there.”
Jasmine
took in the way his lips moved when he talked, imagining what his velvety voice
would sound like if he ever whispered naughty things at her ear. How would his
lips feel on her neck? She blinked, then looked away. “Sure. Give them to
Laurie.”
“Would
you let me take you out to dinner?”
Without
looking at him, she said, “I thought you said you wouldn’t ask.”
“I
changed my mind.”
She
opened up a file and grabbed a black pen. “Thank you. But my answer is no.”
“I can
be persuasive.” With his finger, he slid her folder toward him, forcing her to
look up.
“I can
be stubborn.”
His
lips twisted into a lopsided grin. “I like stubborn.”
* * * *
Since their impromptu
encounter in her office this morning, Jasmine hadn’t been able to concentrate.
Luckily for her, today she had easy appointments, and for the most part, her
time had been filled with paperwork. She left as soon as her last appointment
was over and hurried to the children’s hospital. Ethan never handed the files
to Laurie, and Jasmine didn’t bother to ask him for them. If that’d been part
of his plan, then he’d failed.
“Dr.
Lamont,” Sally, one of the nurses, said, “the kids have been waiting for you.”
Jasmine
took the charts from Sally and headed down the narrow white hallway in the
direction of her patients’ rooms. “How are they doing?”
“They’re
doing wonderful today. It must be the season,” Sally replied, barely containing
her excitement. “What kid doesn’t look forward to Christmas, right?”
“Right.”
Jasmine drew her brows together as she continued her walk, pondering what had
Sally in such high spirits today.
“The
kids are in the playroom. I hope you don’t mind.”
Shaking
her head, she said, “No.” Jasmine found her way to the recreation room at the
end of the hall and stopped in her tracks.
Ethan was
surrounded by kids, sitting in the middle of the room, as he read a book to
them.
What
the….
His gaze
met hers across the room, and heat covered her from head to toe. She could’ve
sworn he was still at the practice when she left. Or had she imagined it?
Tracing back her time at the office today, she actually didn’t recall seeing
him all afternoon.
“Oh,
Dr. Sinclair is so great with the kids. He’s been here most of the afternoon,”
Sally said.
“Has
he, indeed.” The man wasn’t persuasive, he was stubborn. She narrowed her eyes
at him and approached the small circle. Her three little patients stood and hugged
her.
“Jasmine,
you won’t believe what Ethan told us,” one of the kids said.
“It’s
so great, I can’t believe it!” another kid shouted.
Jasmine
pulled up a small chair and sat opposite Ethan, intrigued by the infamous
promise he’d made the kids, including her own patients. “It sounds exciting. Would
anyone care to tell me?”
A
little girl, with bright red curls, sitting next to Ethan, said, “If we take
all our vitamins, and eat all our vegetables, and don’t complain during therapy.”
She paused, with a smile from ear to ear she glanced up at Ethan, then at
Jasmine. “He said you two will take us to Disney World on Christmas Eve.”
Between
the kids’ ecstatic laughter and clapping, Jasmine felt her smile freeze in
place. She blinked, swearing she’d kill him. How could he make such an
outrageous promise to these kids? Their parents would most likely agree, but
that wasn’t the point. How dare he tell them that without consulting her first?
Oh, she’d wring his neck if she could.
“He
did, didn’t he?” she heard herself say.
“Isn’t
that great?” Sally asked.
Great?
Jasmine didn’t celebrate Christmas. Or rather, hadn’t since her parents and
brother died in a car accident on Christmas Eve nine years ago. This year would
be their ten-year anniversary, and spending it with kids,
her patients
,
and
him
… at Disney World, celebrating a holiday she loathed, would kill
her.