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Dr. Dad
Julianna Morris
REMEDY: WIFE?A baby was just not what the doctor ordered. But somehow Dr. Noah Bradley was sharing his home with his precocious orphaned niece and an ever-increasing menagerie of pets. He figured daddyhood was the hardest task he'd ever undertaken. And then beautiful Starr Granger walked into his life.This can't-commit bachelor didn't know what his niece's godmother muddled more–his home or his heart. Playing house with Starr was getting way too personal for this doctor's comfort. Noah thought he was immune to this irrepressibly flamboyant female's intoxicating charm, but she set his head spinning and he felt a painful ache whenever she wasn't around. Was Starr just what the doctor needed?
“What is it about you that keeps me so confused?” Noah asked (#uba8342bd-5155-5241-a2d8-9a9b87e48003)Letter to Reader (#ufcbb0479-435e-5735-837c-158ccd328519)Title Page (#u671e40c4-a69c-5e78-bf2d-cd378f9ea684)Dedication (#u14850a08-6b7b-572e-bef8-650dd123220c)About the Author (#ueaabf64d-62fb-5044-9dd7-063ad01c6a31)Chapter One (#u08c006e2-bccb-5d27-8a6b-cd2c2d0a6923)Chapter Two (#u6386a7e6-7823-5c51-a04d-200be8c1de53)Chapter Three (#uf371ff63-a332-5de3-b5d0-96c7c0b3094d)Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)
“What is it about you that keeps me so confused?” Noah asked
Starr couldn’t be sure, but she suspected his confusion was caused by his intellect arguing with male instinct. On a purely rational level he obviously didn’t want to get involved with her. But on a physical level...maybe he wasn’t so sure. A small, embarrassed smile tugged at her lips—it was flattering, even though she didn’t want to get involved, either. But what was so wrong with her, anyway?
“For the record...” she said thoughtfully. “What do you dislike about me? I mean, aside from my impulsiveness?”
“You want some kind of list?” he asked, giving her a teasing grin.
“Just hit the high points,” she said with an overdose of sweetness.
“Er...I don’t dislike you. But we’ve got different priorities. I have Becky to think of....”
Starr blinked. She respected Noah’s protectiveness toward his niece. Yet she couldn’t help thinking he was looking for an excuse. Not so much to keep her out of his niece’s life, but out of his.
Dear Reader,
Silhouette Romance is celebrating the month of valentines with six very special love stories—and three brand-new miniseries you don’t want to miss. On Baby Patrol, our BUNDLE OF JOY selection, by bestselling author Sharon De Vita. is book one of her wonderful series, LULLABIES AND LOVE; about a legendary cradle that brings love to three brothers who are officers of the law.
In Granted: Big Sky Groom, Carol Grace begins her sparkling new series, BEST-KEPT WISHES, in which three high school friends’ prom-night wishes are finally about to be granted. Author Julianna Morris tells the delightful story of a handsome doctor whose life is turned topsy-turvy when he becomes the guardian of his orphaned niece in Dr. Dad. And in Cathleen Galitz’s spirited tale, 100% Pure Cowboy, a woman returns home from a mother-daughter bonding trip with the husband of her dreams.
Next is Corporate Groom, which starts Linda Varner’s terrific new miniseries, THREE WEDDINGS AND A FAMILY, about long-lost relatives who find a family. And finally, in With This Child..., Sally Carleen tells the compelling story of a woman whose baby was switched at birth—and the single father who will do anything to keep his child.
I hope you enjoy all six of Silhouette Romance’s love stories this month. And next month, in March, be sure to look for The Princess Bride by bestselling author Diana Palmer, which launches Silhouette Romance’s new monthly promotional miniseries, VIRGIN BRIDES.
Regards,
Joan Marlow Golan
Senior Editor
Please address questions and book requests to:
Silhouette Reader Service
U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 1325, Buffalo, NY 14269
Canadian: P.O. Box 609, Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 5X3
Dr. Dad
Julianna Morris
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
In memory of my grandfathers—
Virgil and Daniel—two remarkable men
who passed on a commitment to ideals,
strength of purpose and the joy of laughter.
JULIANNA MORRIS
has an offbeat sense of humor that frequently gets her into trouble. She is often accused of being curious about everything—her interests ranging from oceanography and photography to traveling, antiquing, walking on the beach and reading science fiction. Choosing a college major was extremely difficult, but after many changes she earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental science.
Julianna’s writing is supervised by a cat named Gandalf, who sits on the computer monitor and criticizes each keystroke. Ultimately she would like a home overlooking the ocean, where she can write to her heart’s content—and Gandalf’s malcontent. She’d like to share that home with her own romantic hero—someone with a warm, sexy smile, lots of patience and an offbeat sense of humor to match her own. Oh, yes...and he has to like cats.
Chapter One
The wail of fire engine sirens cut through the calm morning and Starr automatically pulled to one side of the road. Several trucks and police vehicles sped around her, headed for a rising plume of smoke on the hillside.
Alarmed, Starr followed the flashing lights and slammed to a stop outside the perimeter established by the emergency personnel. Heart sinking, she grabbed her notebook and confirmed the address; sure enough, this was the house belonging to her goddaughter’s baby-sitter.
“Blast,” she muttered, jumping out of the car.
“Sony, lady, you’ll have to stay back like everyone else,” said an officer controlling the onlooking crowd.
“But—”
“No special privileges.”
Special privileges?
It was then Starr realized she’d instinctively grabbed her camera, with her press credentials attached to the strap. “That’s not why I’m here. I just want to know if Rebecca Bradley is all right. I’m her godmother.”
The officer hesitated, then turned to one side and pointed. A child stood next to an ambulance, tears rolling down her cheeks. She seemed so little and vulnerable that pain twisted inside of Starr.
No.
Becky had already lost her parents. She’d been through enough. It wasn’t fair to have something else happen to her.
The policeman cleared his throat. “You can go over, but keep out of the way,” he warned.
Starr spared him a single glance before threading her way toward the child. Becky’s mother had been her best friend, though in the two years since Becky had been born, Starr had only seen her three times; her career as a photojournalist kept her out of the country for months on end. Horribly, she hadn’t even known Amelia and Sam were dead until well after the funeral. That had been six months ago and this was the first time she’d been able to get home.
“Don’t cry. Please, don’t cry,” begged the woman standing over Becky. “Don’t worry, it’s all right.”
All right? Starr’s honey brown eyebrows lifted. She walked to the ambulance and crouched till she was at the same height as the child. “Hey, kiddo,” she murmured.
“Dr. Bradley will be furious if you take any pictures,” the other woman insisted. “He doesn’t like reporters.”
Starr sighed and tucked her press badge into a pocket. Noah Bradley was Becky’s uncle and guardian. They’d had a couple of uncomfortable telephone conversations since she’d arrived home, but she’d never met him. “You’re Mrs. Dinsdale, aren’t you? I’m Becky’s godmother. We spoke this morning.”
“Oh...Miss Granger.” The woman’s lined face turned pink. “I’m sorry. It’s nice to meet you.”
Starr gave her a brief smile, then returned her attention to Becky. “What’s wrong?” she asked softly.
For a long moment the youngster gazed at her. “Kitty,” she said at length, pointing to the house. “Get Kitty.” Her voice held an endearing confidence that this newcomer would be able to solve the problem.
“Were you playing with Kitty?”
“They were in the playroom,” the elder woman interjected. She motioned toward a second-story window and Starr looked at it thoughtfully. The fire hadn’t reached that side of the building. In fact, it seemed virtually ignored by the firefighters.
“I—”
“Becky!” A moment later the child was swept into a man’s arms. Compared to his generous height, Becky looked like a dainty china doll.
Starr stood and watched them, a corner of her mind appreciating the stranger’s broad shoulders and clean male scent. He had Becky cuddled against his chest, and his hand stroked her gold hair with a reassuring motion.
“Don’t worry, Dr. Bradley, she isn’t hurt. The medics checked her over...she didn’t inhale any smoke,” the elder woman said quickly.
Starr’s eyes widened. This was Noah Bradley? He was very different than she’d envisioned him, a complete opposite to his easygoing brother. They didn’t even look alike. Sam had been blond and solid; Noah had dark brown hair and a tall, athletic body. He certainly didn’t look like the grumpy, bespectacled doctor she’d envisioned from their brief discussions on the phone.
“Let her speak for herself, Mrs. Dinsdale,” he said quietly. “Are you okay, Becky?”
To Starr’s surprise, Becky pointed at her. “Kitty,” she repeated.
Dr. Bradley gave Starr an assessing look. She couldn’t tell if his impression was good or bad, and it annoyed her to realize she cared. Her life-style and career didn’t lend itself to relationships...as her brief marriage had proven. Getting worked up about a man with warm, intelligent eyes wouldn’t change anything.
“What about a kitty?” he asked.
“I guess it’s in the house,” Starr murmured.
“He’s one of the neighborhood cats,” Mrs. Dinsdale explained. “Becky plays with him all the time. I planned to ask you if she could take it home.”
“Unca Noah, Kitty,” Becky said mournfully.
“Dr. Bradley, is this lady bothering you?” queried the policeman who had talked to her earlier. “She claimed to be your niece’s godmother.”
Noah’s eyes narrowed. He should have recognized Starr immediately—she’d become almost as famous as her photographs. “It’s all right. We’re...getting acquainted.”
The officer nodded and faded away discretely.
“Unca Noah, Kitty!”
The emphatic tone of Becky’s voice demanded his attention, and he looked at her, surprised she would talk so much in front of someone she didn’t really know. Though...a lot of things about Becky surprised him. He’d quickly learned there was a huge difference between doctoring children and raising them. It was frustrating and scary...and wonderful. He’d never planned to have kids, yet Becky had crept into his aching heart. Sam was gone, but his smile and eyes were mirrored in the little girl he’d left behind.
“Let me take a look at you,” he murmured, setting her on the back step of the ambulance.
An exasperated, comically adult expression crossed Becky’s face. “I o’tay. Kitty.”
After a brief hesitation Starr stepped back and headed for the nearest fireman. While Dr. Bradley made sure Becky was really okay, she’d worry about Becky’s beloved kitty.
“Excuse me...?”
The official turned. “Stay back, ma’am.”
She scowled at the dreaded word ma‘am. Thirty-two wasn’t old enough to be called “ma’am.” “Uh...there still might be a cat in the house.”
“We’ve already searched the building.”
“But—”
“I’m sorry, but there’s nothing we can do. If we find the animal, we’ll bring it out.” He motioned her away with his arm.
Biting back a retort, Starr gazed intently at the house. A large, spreading tree grew next to the window that supposedly belonged to the playroom. The branches were old and gnarled, and dipped low on the street side.
A definite possibility.
Starr took a deep breath and slipped around the back of the ambulance. Getting into the tree was ridiculously easy—the firemen were focused on the west side of the house. They certainly didn’t have time to notice a woman climbing into the bed of an old pickup and then chinning herself onto a low limb.
It wasn’t until she was high in the air that Starr realized she still carried her favorite camera around her neck and shoulder. Not that it hindered her; she’d taken her cameras into every type of dangerous situation, until they almost seemed a part of her body. Climbing a tree was nothing compared to dodging bullets in war-torn countries.
Except... Starr grimaced at the lingering soreness in her shoulder. She hadn’t always managed to dodge the bullets. Her last assignment had resulted in a lengthy stay in the hospital.
Oh, well. Starr nudged open the window and peered inside—it looked safe and normal, so she swung feetfirst into the playroom.
“Kitty?” she called, pausing to listen for anything that might be an animal. Of course, she had no idea if the feline was still inside the building—which made her present actions rather foolishly quixotic.
“Kitty, Kitty...?” Starr plowed through a pile of cushions along the wall, calling, then waiting, then calling again. She checked the closet and caught a whiff of smoke drifting down from the attic access.
“Terrific,” she muttered.
Circling the room, she shifted scattered toys and furniture, finally hearing a faint hiss.
“Kitty?”
Dropping to her knees, Starr peered into the shadowed space between the wall and a giant stuffed teddy bear. A pair of amber eyes glimmered from the corner.
“Okay, come here,” she coaxed, reaching toward him.
The feline sent out a lightning set of claws and raked the back of her hand. The attack was accompanied by a low growl, similar to the sound of angry bees. She clenched her jaw and grabbed a second time. This time both hands were slashed, leaving beads of scarlet welling on her skin.
“Wretch,” Starr hissed back at the cat. “I’m leaving, and you’re leaving with me.”
With her third grab Starr grasped the back of “Kitty’s” neck and hauled him out, spitting and struggling.
“Stop that,” she ordered, giving the feline a small shake. She held it up and glared into its almond-shaped eyes. After a long second of primal communication, the animal went limp and she stuffed it inside her jacket. Kitty promptly dug his claws into her body for balance, but Starr was beyond caring.
There was a startled shout as she swung onto the tree branch, and from the corner of her eyes she saw Noah Bradley running across the yard. A faint smile curved her mouth. Dr. Bradley had “establishment” written all over him, but he still made her feel warm and shivery in the pit of her stomach. You could tolerate a lot from a man like that.
“Get the hell down here!”
