Harlequin Medical Romance December 2015, Box Set 1 of 2 (16 page)

EPILOGUE

D
EAN
SMILED
AS
Jess handed him a large festively wrapped box and then perched on the arm of the couch right next to him. Facing the fireplace—and a Christmas tree brimming with presents—he was surrounded by Jess's relatives. Her mum and dad had come down to spend the holidays with them in Cambridge, as had her sister and her family.

He wasn't used to spending so much time with a group of people like this, but he had a feeling it could grow on him. There'd still been no word from the private investigator he'd hired to look for his mum, but that was something he no longer had to face alone. Jess had been right there with him, every step of the way. Whatever came of it, they would handle it. Together.

Abbie and Martin had evidently made their peace, from the way she was folded in his arms as they watched their children scurry to and fro. Loving touches and the bright glow in their eyes as they looked at each other said things were on the mend. It was the same with Abbie and Jess. Old hurts and irritations would probably surface from time to time, but for now all was peaceful. Marissa had been released from hospital a week ago and was now tucked into a portable cot to the side of the tree, sound asleep. Unlike Jess's nephews, who bounced with excitement over getting the rare opportunity to unwrap presents before it was even officially Christmas.

Tugging the bow on the gift Jess had given him, he marveled at how well things between the two of them had gone. So much so that, despite saying that he wanted to wait on marriage and relish the steps leading up to it, his impatience had gotten the better of him. But that gift—safely tucked in his jacket pocket—would come later, far from the eyes and ears of the rest of her family.

He opened the box and parted the tissue paper inside to find a white dress shirt. When he glanced up, he found her eyes alight with wicked amusement. Over the past week, she'd worn a wide array of his shirts, looking just as mouthwatering in each and every one of them. “I like it,” he murmured. “Thank you. I'll have to try it on a little later.”

Color swept into her face as she caught his meaning. Because he did indeed intend to try it on—her, that was—as soon as he gave her his own wrapped gift.

He slung his arm around her waist as the kids bounded toward the tree to see who else had a present hidden beneath it. Glancing up, he found her watching him. “Love you,” he murmured.

“Love you too.”

Jess's parents—especially her mum—seemed a little softer and sweeter as they watched their children and grandchildren laugh and carry on. Their hands had found each other's and clasped tight.

Their happiness seemed in keeping with the holiday, known for its love and gifts.

He squeezed Jess just a little bit tighter, knowing that being here with her was the greatest gift he could ever hope to receive.

It was enough. It was more than enough.

And he planned to savor each and every moment of it, for the rest of his life.

* * * * *

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ISBN-13: 9781460389751

Playboy Doc's Mistletoe Kiss

Copyright © 2015 by Harlequin Books S.A.

Special thanks and acknowledgment are given to Tina Beckett for her contribution to the Midwives On-Call at Christmas series.

All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical,
now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

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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Melting his frozen heart

Heiress Dr. Pollyanna Hargreaves has been wrapped in cotton wool all her life—now she's determined to strike out on her own! But she
never
expected to get stuck with handsome GP Dr. Hugo Denver for Christmas. He's meant to have left on holiday with his adorable niece already—not to be tempting her at every turn!

As they're forced to work together Hugo's icy exterior soon begins to thaw. And it's not long before Polly realizes that she's falling for him…and for little Ruby, too!

She really was fragile, Hugo thought, bending down to give his niece a hug. Last year had been a tragedy for Ruby, and it still showed. She expected calamity.

“This isn't ruined,” he said gently. “It's just flour.”

“It's snow. To make Polly feel better when we're not here.”

“And Polly loves it,” Polly said, and then sneezed as if she needed to accentuate the point. “Ruby, it's still great. Look what we've done, Dr. Denver. All we need you to do is chop down a tree, so I suggest you stop dripping and start helping while I clean up your mess...”

“
My
mess?”

“Your mess,” she said, and grinned. “Walking in on artists at work...you should know better.”

“I'm glad I didn't,” he said faintly as he looked around at the mess and thought for the first time in...how long?...that this place looked like home.

What was better than this? he thought. What was better than Polly?

Dear Reader,

I was raised in a farming community, where everyone knew everyone and where our doctor seemed the linchpin of our lives. Doc—he needed no other name—was known to walk fifteen miles between clinics during wartime gas rationing. By the time he delivered me he was in his eighties, and he worked on until I was in my teens. We never called him unless we truly needed him, but when we did he gave his all. I remember his grandson telling me what it was like at Doc's house at Christmas. You couldn't move for whiskey, he said, and grateful gifts of home-baked goodies and produce were almost an embarrassment. When Doc died, the entire district mourned.

In a way, this book is a testament to Doc and to the caring community I was raised in. My husband and I have recently—joyously—moved back to a small town. As I write this I'm looking forward to Christmas in our new/old home, in our new/old community, and I'm wishing you the magic of belonging. I'm also wishing you the love shown by Doc, and by so many medical staff who follow his tradition of care, and I'm wishing you a very happy Christmas.

FROM CHRISTMAS TO FOREVER?

Marion Lennox

Books by Marion Lennox

Harlequin Medical Romance

The Surgeon's Doorstep Baby
Miracle on Kaimotu Island
Gold Coast Angels: A Doctor's Redemption
Waves of Temptation
A Secret Shared...
Meant-to-Be Family

Harlequin Romance

A Bride for the Maverick Millionaire
Sparks Fly with the Billionaire
Christmas at the Castle
Nine Months to Change His Life
Christmas Where They Belong

Visit the Author Profile page at
Harlequin.com
for more titles.

To the many people who've already made us welcome in our new home.

To Jacky, to Gail, to Colleen, to Alison, and to all on Fisherman's Flat, to all who welcome us as we walk our dog, paddle our kayaks, or simply yak over the front fence.

You're stuck with us for life, and we love it.

Praise for Marion Lennox

“Marion Lennox's
Rescue at Cradle Lake
is simply magical, eliciting laughter and tears in equal measure. A keeper.”

—RT Book Reviews

“Best of 2010: a very rewarding read. The characters are believable, the setting is real, and the writing is terrific.”

—
Dear Author
on
Christmas with Her Boss