Leanne Banks: The Doctor Takes a Princess / Pregnant with the Prince's Child

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Dear Reader,

Have you ever been underestimated? How did you deal with it? Laugh it off? Get angry and stomp your foot? Ignore it?

All are options. For Princess Bridget Devereaux, once her life was saved by her now sister-in-law, everything changed. Now, she needs to make sure the life she’s living is worth saving. What a challenge. What she doesn’t know is that she is far more important than she believed.

So back to this underestimation thing … Have you ever underestimated yourself? I think we often do. When someone comes along who believes in you, who sees you as bigger and more capable than you see yourself, it can be a hugely empowering, amazing experience.

When Princess Bridget meets Dr Ryder McCall, he and his babies challenge her in ways she’d never dreamed. Along the way, they could end up saving each other. I hope you’ll enjoy the ride to see how it all turns out …

xo,

Leanne Banks

LEANNE BANKSis a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author who is surprised every time she realises how many books she has written. Leanne loves chocolate, the beach and new adventures. To name a few, Leanne has ridden on an elephant, stood on an ostrich egg (no, it didn’t break), gone parasailing and indoor skydiving. Leanne loves writing romance because she believes in the power and magic of love. She lives in Virginia with her family and four-and-a-half-pound Pomeranian named Bijou. Visit her website at www.leannebanks.com.

This book is dedicated to all those underestimated

women with tender hearts and big fears who hide it all

with a big smile. Thank you for being so much more

than we give you credit for.

Ryder McCall raced the double baby stroller into the elevator just as the doors started to close. The twin boys cackled with glee at the wild ride as he pressed the button for the eighth floor. He’d already rescheduled the appointment with his attorney three times and he would have done it again if he’d known the nanny was going to bail on him. Again.

In the back of his mind, he counted his pulse. His heart rate was higher now than when he’d run a half marathon last year. His life was far different now, he thought as he glanced at the boys and caught a swishing movement behind him. Stepping to the side, he saw a woman dressed in a pink cocktail gown that skimmed over her creamy shoulders and her curvy body. The dress ended just above her knees, revealing a tempting glimpse of her legs and high-heeled sandals. The medical expert in him knew the negative impact of high heels on the human body, but the man in him was trying to remember the last time he’d been out with a woman. He was having a tough time remembering.

The woman smiled at him and gestured toward the twins. “They’re adorable. I bet they keep you busy.”

He nodded. “More than you could—”

The elevator suddenly jolted and dropped several feet, then stopped.

Ryder glanced at the boys at the same time he heard the woman’s intake of breath. “Everyone okay?”

The twins just looked at them with wide eyes.

“Are we stuck?” the woman asked, her brow furrowed with worry.

“Let me see,” he said and pushed the button for another floor. The elevator didn’t move. He pushed the button to open the doors and nothing happened. He pushed the alarm button and a piercing sound filled the elevator.

The woman covered her ears. “Oh, my—”

A voice came on an intercom. “This is building security. Do you have a problem?”

“We’re stuck,” Ryder yelled over the terrible pulsating alarm. He heard a sob from one of the boys. A half beat later, the other started, louder.

“So sorry, sir. We’ll come and fix it soon.”

“Soon,” he echoed as the twins began to cry in earnest. “When is soon?”

“As soon as possible,” the woman on the intercom said and there was a clicking noise. The alarm shut off, but the boys were in high gear.

“Oh, the poor things. They must be frightened,” the woman in the elevator said. She paused a moment, then shrugged. “Here, I’ll hold one of them.”

Ryder shot a skeptical glance at her. “They haven’t had their baths and they ‘re very messy eaters.” Tyler was wearing a gross combination of yellow and orange on his blue shirt while Travis clearly had not enjoyed his strained peas. Green smudges decorated the light blue shirt that matched his brother’s.

The woman made a tsking sound. “Well, we have to do something. We can’t let them keep screaming.” She set her purse on the floor and held out her hands. “Go ahead, give one of them to me,” she insisted in a voice that sounded as if she were accustomed to having her orders followed.

As a medical doctor and acting chief adviser for the residents at Texas Medical Center, he, too, was accustomed to having his orders followed. This time, though, he decided to allow the woman to take Tyler because the baby was clearly beyond upset. As soon as he set the boy in her arms, she bobbed as if she’d handled a crying baby before. Ryder hauled Travis out of his stroller seat and also bobbed.

The woman made soothing sounds and Tyler gradually quieted between hiccups. As usual, Travis took a little longer. He was the louder boy of the two.

“That’s better,” she said. “Who am I holding?”

“Tyler,” Ryder said. “This is Travis. I’m Ryder McCall. Thank you for your help.”

“You’re quite welcome,” she said in a voice that seemed to combine several accents, none of which originated from Texas. “I’m Bridget,” she said and fanned herself with the shawl draped over her arm. “Whew, it’s getting warm already.”

“And it’s only going to get hotter until they fix the elevator. Are you feeling faint?” he asked, aware that plenty of people would grow light-headed in this situation.

She shook her head. “No.”

“I’d offer you some water, but I was in a hurry when I left the house, so all I’ve got are bottles for the boys.”

“Well, at least you have that,” she said and glanced at her watch. “I hope we’re not stuck for long. Perhaps I should call my friends.” She bent toward the floor and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Tyler. I’m going to have to put you down for a moment,” she murmured and carefully placed the tot in his stroller seat. She picked up her phone and punched some numbers, then frowned.

“Let me guess,” Ryder said. “No service.”

She nodded.

“Figures. The steel doors can sustain most catastrophes known to man, so they’re bound to make it difficult to get a cell connection.”