Tempted by the Hot Highland Doc

Her pink coat spun out as she turned around and strode down the corridor. Her heart squeezed tight in her chest, part hurt, part anger. Why on earth had she thought for even a second that this might work?

* * *

He watched her pink coat retreating, trying to work out what the hell had just happened. He’d told her he loved her and she’d walked away.

There was a movement at the end of the corridor. A camera. Thea.

It appeared he’d just been starring in his own worse nightmare.

Fury gripped his chest. He put his hands on his hips for a few seconds, staring down as he took a few deep breaths.

This had all been for nothing. He’d been crazy to think they could ever make this work.

Then he straightened his back and walked in the opposite direction.

CHAPTER TWELVE

April

‘I QUIT.’

‘You can’t quit. The show has just been syndicated.’

‘For once, Louie, listen to what I tell you. I quit. I’m not setting foot on that island again.’

‘Your contract says you are.’

‘So sue me.’

Kristie slammed the phone down just as it buzzed. She turned it over.

Can we talk?

She stared at the name. Rhuaridh. Her hand started to shake.

NO.

She typed it in capital letters.

* * *

Last time he’d been this tired he’d been a junior doctor on a twenty-four-hour shift. He’d been delayed at both Glasgow then London airports. The heat hit him as soon as he set foot on the tarmac in Los Angeles. Most people in the UK drove cars with gears. Rhuaridh had never driven an automatic and hadn’t quite realised it almost drove himself, meaning when he put the car into reverse in the car park at the airport, he almost took out the row of cars behind him.

He was torn between trusting the air-conditioning and just putting down the window to let some air into the car. It was dry. Scratchy dry.

He hadn’t slept a wink on the flights. He’d been too busy thinking about the way they’d left things. Once he’d calmed down he’d tried to find her, but it seemed that she and Thea had caught the first ferry off the island.

He’d spent a few days replaying everything in his head. Trying to work out why things had gone so wrong.

Rhuaridh didn’t want to call. He hadn’t really wanted to text either, he just wanted to see her. He wanted to be in the same room as her. He wanted to talk to her.

He’d only sent the text once he’d landed, when he’d had a crazy second of doubt that he’d look like some kind of madman turning up at her door uninvited.

His brain wobbled at the number of lanes on the highway. At this rate he’d be lucky to make it there at all. Being called the Hot Highland Doc at least a dozen times between Arran and Los Angeles now seemed like some kind of weird irony. For the first time in his life complete strangers had recognised him. He’d been asked for autographs and selfies. People had asked him to speak so they could hear his accent. And there had been lots of questions about Kristie.

Most people had been completely complimentary—but he was sure that was because there was a lag time of six weeks between filming and the finished episode being shown. Once they saw the next episode that was scheduled—which would surely contain their fight and Kristie walking away—he was pretty sure he’d be toast the world over.

But here was the thing. He wasn’t worried about the rest of the world. He was only worried about her.

He pulled up outside an apartment complex in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles. It looked smart. Safe.

He lifted his chin and pushed every doubt away. It was time. Time to put his heart on the line and tell this woman—again—just how much he loved her. Just how much he was prepared to do to make things work between them. She might still hate him but he had to try. And he could only try his best.

* * *

There was a rumble outside her apartment door, followed by a buzz. Was she expecting a delivery? She didn’t think so.

Kristie looked down. She’d been wearing this pink slouchy top and grey yoga pants for the last two days. She hadn’t even opened the blinds these last few days. She was officially a slob. She shrugged and headed to the door, pulling it open to let the bright Los Angeles sunshine stream into her apartment.