The Doctor's Christmas Bride (Lakeside Mountain Rescue 1)

Maybe the doll was a hit after all.

And then she heard a laugh. A deep, male laugh that she would have recognised anywhere.

Jack?

Hardly able to breathe, she tiptoed to the top of the stairs and peeped down, a frown touching her brows as she saw Jack sprawled on the carpet under her Christmas tree, talking softly to Lizzie who was sitting on him, giggling with excitement.

‘Jack?’ Bryony walked down the stairs, holding the bannister tightly. ‘What are you doing here? Why are you lying under my Christmas tree?’

He sat up, his blue gaze curiously intent as he looked at her.

‘Because that’s where Christmas presents are supposed to be.’ His voice was husky and he gave her a lopsided smile. ‘And I’m Lizzie’s Christmas present.’

Bryony felt a thrill of hope deep inside her and then she buried it quickly. Lizzie’s Christmas present. Of course. He was doing this because he couldn’t bear to see Lizzie disappointed. But that wasn’t going to work, was it? Sooner or later he’d have to confess to Lizzie that it wasn’t real.

‘Jack.’ Her tone was urgent but he simply smiled at her and then sat up, still holding Lizzie on his lap. He reached under the tree and handed the little girl a beautifully wrapped box.

‘And because I couldn’t exactly wrap myself up, I wrapped this up instead.’

Lizzie fell on it with a squeal of delight. ‘It’s for me?’

‘Certainly it’s for you.’ His gaze slid back to Bryony, who was standing on the bottom step, unable to move. She wanted to know what was going on.

Lizzie tore the paper off the present and then gave a gasp of delight, holding up a silk dress in a beautiful shade of pink. ‘Oh, and matching shoes. And a new tiara.’

Jack’s eyes were on Bryony. ‘Someone once told me that a little girl could never have too many tiaras,’ he said softly, a strange light in his eyes. ‘And that’s the sort of thing you need to know if you’re going to be a decent daddy.’

Bryony gave a faltering smile and looked at the dress her daughter was holding.

It looked like…

‘It’s a lovely dress, Jack,’ Lizzie said wistfully, stroking it with her hand. ‘Can I wear it now?’

Jack shook his head. ‘But you can wear it soon. Or at least I hope you can. Do you know what sort of dress this is, Lizzie?’

Lizzie shook her head but Bryony’s heart was thumping like a drum and she sat down hard on the bottom stair as her knees gave way.

‘It’s a bridesmaid’s dress,’ Jack said quietly, his eyes still fixed on Bryony. ‘And I want you to wear it when I marry your mummy.’

‘You’re going to marry Mummy?’ Lizzie gave a gasp of delight. ‘You’re going to play Weddings?’

Jack gently tipped Lizzie onto the floor and rose to his feet. ‘I’m not playing Weddings,’ he said quietly, walking across the room towards Bryony, his eyes locked on hers. ‘I’m doing it for real.’

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny box beautifully wrapped in silver paper. It caught the light and glittered like the decorations on the tree, and Lizzie gasped.

‘It’s so pretty.’

Bryony was looking at Jack and he smiled.

‘Are you going to stand up?’

She took his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. ‘Jack—’

‘Bryony Hunter.’ His voice was sexy and seductive and a tiny smile played around his firm mouth. ‘Will you marry me?’

Her stomach turned over and she stared at him, not daring to believe that this was real. Then she looked at her daughter who was leaping up and down in undisguised delight.

Bryony took a deep breath and looked at the box. ‘Jack—you don’t want to get married. You were never going to get married,’ she began, and he pressed the box into her hand.