Dr. Wonderful by Charlotte Douglas

Author:Charlotte Douglas
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-01-10T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

“Lizzie McClain,” Becca said, summing up in one word the most important reason Matt had come to Warwick Mountain.

The anger that had stiffened Matt’s spine seemed to drain out of him, and he sank back in his seat. “You think there’s a chance her parents will relent?”

“I’m counting on it. I’ll do everything I can to talk them into Lizzie’s surgery.”

“At least you’ll have some improvements on your clinic.” His voice and expression reflected more than a touch of irony.

“Fixing this place up was your idea,” she reminded him, then quickly added, “but I am grateful.”

He sighed. “If I’d known I’d be this useless, I’d have taken that South Pacific cruise.”

“You gave up your vacation to come here?” He’d sacrificed his time off. Sacrificed it for nothing if she couldn’t break down the walls of prejudice that faced him. Guilt gnawed at her.

“Dwight and I close the practice for several weeks every summer. Makes getting away easier without putting a burden on each other.”

Becca shook her head and was horrified to find tears springing to her eyes. Had to be the damn wine. She’d never been a weepy kind of woman. “I’m sorry.”

He leaned toward her, his eyes bright with sympathy, and closed his hand over hers. Her senses leaped at the warmth of his skin against hers—until her brain kicked in, and she jerked her hand away.

“Hey,” he said with a surprising gentleness that made her want to throw herself into his arms. “It’s not your fault. You’re the one who’s trying to help.”

To her added horror, the unwanted tears spilled over and splashed down her cheeks. “But I didn’t know Dr. Dwight would break his wrist. Or that he’d send Dr. Wonderful in his place. Or that everyone would be so blasted suspicious of you.” She swiped the traitorous tears from her cheeks with the backs of her hands. “Nothing’s gone the way I’ve planned.”

He stood again, grasped her by the elbows and practically lifted her from her chair. With a gentle tug, he led her toward the sofa, sat in the corner and pulled her down into the crook of his arm.

“You’re too hard on yourself,” he said softly. “You don’t give yourself enough credit for all you do for these people. It isn’t your fault they’re too stubborn to take advantage of it.”

Alarms sounded in her head, urging her to stand and run, but her heart encouraged her to snuggle deeper into the warm circle of his arm.

Had to be the wine.

She couldn’t think straight. Couldn’t resist the musky, masculine scent of him, the unexpected comfort of his embrace, the obvious concern in his eyes. Talk about a bedside manner. Matt had it in spades.

Suddenly she realized exactly how much danger she’d placed herself in. She could resist handsome. She could resist fame. She could even resist wealth. But what defenses did she have against a man so innately nice? So transparently kind?

She rose on wobbly legs, intending to leave, but only made it as far as the opposite end of the sofa before common sense demanded she sit again.

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