Playboy Doctor to Doting Dad

‘Yesterday? Why didn’t you bring him in immediately?’ If they’d been able to treat Joey’s shoulder then, it would’ve been a simple matter of manoeuvring the joint into place. Now surgery was very likely.

‘Had to wait until the booze made his dad fall asleep.’

Kieran felt the heat of anger as it gripped him. Anger at the thug who’d done this to his family. The man Joey should be able to trust to protect him. A picture of Seamus smiling as he tore open his Christmas presents blasted into Kieran’s head. Never in this lifetime could he understand anyone doing something like this to their child.

Until now he’d always thought his loveless, sterile childhood had been horrible, but it had been a picnic compared to what this little boy suffered. It was time he got over feeling sorry for himself. At least those two little rascals he thought of as his would never suffer physical harm. Not with Abby for their mother. Or him for their father.

A light touch on his shoulder, a gentle nudge at his waist. He glanced around. Abby. Warning him to take it easy. Telling him she was right there with him, that she knew and understood his feelings. Warmth seeped into his muscles, began unravelling the knots. They were on the same side. She was so right. Joey needed his medical skills, not his rage.

CHAPTER TEN

‘YOU look gorgeous.’ Steph grinned at Abby’s reflection in the mirror as she peered over her sister’s shoulder. ‘I’m really glad you borrowed a dress for tonight.’

‘If I couldn’t ask you for help with clothes, then who could I ask? You are the clotheshorse of the family.’ Abby laughed nervously at her image. This dress wasn’t quite what she’d had in mind. The traffic-light-red suited her, but. ‘You really think wearing a figure-hugging sheath suits me? What about my bumpy bits?’ She touched her stomach, stared at her breasts.

‘Suit you? It was made for you. Where’re those earrings Kieran gave you? They’ll finish the look perfectly.’

There was that word again. Perfect. Kieran had said that on Christmas morning when she’d first worn the amazing jewellery. Perfect didn’t usually mix with her. But maybe she had scrubbed up okay tonight. She twisted around, trying to stare at her bottom. ‘You’re sure I have to wear the G-string?’

‘G-string or no knickers at all. Your choice.’

‘Call that a choice?’ A nervous laugh escaped her lips. Steph and Charlie had dragged her to a lingerie shop and bought her underwear to match the dress. ‘Why the push-up bra? I’m starting to look like a woman on the make here.’

‘Then mission accomplished.’ At Abby’s gasp, Steph waved her hands in the air. ‘Live a little, sis, and stop being a mum for a night. It’s New Year’s Eve and you’re going to a party with the extraordinarily good-looking Dr Flynn. You’ll have his attention firmly on you all night.’

Did she want Kieran’s undivided attention? Oh, yes. If he was the playboy, then for one night she’d be the toy. Then hopefully she’d have got him out of her system and could go back to being that mum, happy with her lot.

Abby ignored the knot of excitement that had been threatening to spring apart all afternoon at the thought of going on a real date with Kieran. Instead, she slipped the fine wire hooks through her earlobes and turned to hug her sister. ‘Thanks so much. It’s lovely to be wearing something that’s not stained with kiddy food. I feel like a real person for a change.’

‘You’re a real person all the time. Don’t you think we all appreciate you? Abby, your family loves you. But if a change of clothes makes you feel whole then I’m going to donate my wardrobe to you and start afresh for myself.’

‘I don’t go out enough to wear that many clothes.’

‘I’ll have you know I don’t have as many as you’re intimating.’

Abby merely rolled her eyes.

Steph laughed. ‘Hey, don’t knock it. I’m the sister with the same shape and size as you.’ She tipped her head to one side and walked around Abby. ‘Hair up or down?’

Abby tucked one hand under her ponytail and lifted it onto the top of her head. ‘Up kind of looks elegant.’

‘Down and loose looks sexy.’

Abby’s stomach knotted. Sexy. Her? Not really. Did she want to look sexy for Kieran? What sort of question was that? Of course she did. Already Steph was undoing the cord holding her hair in place and splaying it across her shoulders. Seems she didn’t have a choice. And it did look … um … sexy.

‘I’d better wear it up.’

‘Coward.’ Steph grinned at her then after a moment turned serious. ‘Come on, you’re keen on the guy. Show him what you’ve got. Mind you, he’d have to be made of plastic not to already have noticed. You are beautiful, sis.’

Words that Kieran unwittingly repeated when he picked her up half an hour later. His low whistle when she opened her front door to him was involuntary. One look at Abby and his insides turned to mush, warming him through and through. Sensational. Stunning. Desirable. But, then, when hadn’t she been?

But he couldn’t stop staring. ‘Abigail, you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever had the pleasure to take out.’

Abby’s cheeks suddenly matched the colour of her dress as she turned to lead him inside. Her words tumbled out in a rush. ‘Come in. The children have gone across to Dad’s but Steph’s hanging around to see you.’

Steph gave him a big bear hug and told him, ‘Wow, don’t you look a knockout, too.’ There was a wicked twinkle in her eye. What was she up to?

‘Aren’t you partying tonight?’ He’d bought three shirts that morning because he hadn’t been able to decide which matched his jacket best. A jacket he’d no doubt take off within minutes of arriving at Hamish Harrington’s home since the outside temperature was in the high twenties. But he’d wanted to look good for tonight. For Abby.

‘Of course I’ve got a party to go to. Two, actually. But I wanted to spend some time with Abby first. Sister bonding, and all that. I’m good for advice on some things.’

Abby took pity on him. ‘Do you want a drink before we go? Or shall we get out of here?’

‘We should get going,’ he replied with relief. These sisters were an act, one he didn’t always understand.

Driving back into the city and the Port Hills, where Hamish lived, Kieran had his hands firmly on the steering-wheel and his mind stuck on Abby. He’d known she was beautiful, even though she seemed to go to extraordinary lengths to hide it, but tonight she was something else. Sophisticated. Breathtaking. The deceptively simple dress highlighted her superb figure, accentuating curves, including the slight swell of her tummy where his son had grown.

His mouth dried. This lovely woman sitting beside him had him hooked. Face it. Inexplicably he’d always been attracted to her. But now she was reeling him in, centimetre by centimetre, stirring his blood, charging his heart, bringing him alive in a way he hadn’t known before.

‘Stop. You missed the turn.’ Abby touched his forearm.

Heat sped through his veins. He braked too quickly. ‘Hell,’ he muttered, and slammed the vehicle into reverse gear, ignoring the perfectly styled eyebrows raised at him from the other side of the sports car. Thank goodness he’d kept this car when he’d gone back to the dealer to get a more practical vehicle. Tonight Abby deserved nothing less than a swanky car to go out in.

The massive home was easy to find with the numerous cars lining the narrow road and strains of music reaching their ears as they alighted from the car. Taking Abby’s elbow,

he followed the laughter and voices until he found their hosts, glad to get among other people and put some space between himself and the woman causing his brain to fry.

Introductions over, Kieran turned to Abby. ‘Wait here while I get us something to drink.’

But Abby had other ideas and stuck with him as he headed to the bar.

‘Are you all right?’ she asked, a frown on her brow.

‘Couldn’t be better,’ he told her. ‘This should be a wonderful night. Everyone seems geared up to enjoy themselves.’

‘No doubt there will be the usual number of headaches tomorrow morning.’

‘Then I’m glad I’m not working.’ He took the glasses being pushed towards them. ‘Let’s go party.’

Kieran’s prediction was right. Everyone seemed set to have the best night of their lives. The only bad moment was when Hamish informed Abby that Michael’s son was extremely ill with everything that could go wrong with a liver transplant.

The evening flew by and Kieran couldn’t remember having so much fun in a long time. It rankled when he found he had to wait his turn to dance with Abby. ‘You’re a popular lady,’ he commented when he finally had another turn with her on the floor.

‘I don’t think anyone recognises me as Nurse Brown.’ She grinned. ‘It’s this dress that fascinates them all.’

He could understand that. ‘If the dress means I miss out dancing as often as I want with my date, we might have to tear it off you.’

Her eyes boggled at him. ‘Tear it off? I don’t think so.’ A flicker of doubt crossed those beautiful eyes. ‘Not even you would want to dance with me then.’

Want to bet? Putting his fingers under one shoulder strap, he teased, ‘Let’s find out, shall we?’

She shivered, and he relented. ‘Spoilsport. Want a cold drink? Out on the deck? It’s stifling in here.’

‘Good idea.’ She tucked her hand over his arm and strolled outside with him, where they scooped up two flutes of bubbly.