Terri Reed - The Doctor's Defender

DO NO HARM

As a trauma surgeon, Dr. Brenda Storm saves lives every day. But someone wants her dead. It starts with the anonymous delivery of poisoned cupcakes. Now the hospital has hired a bodyguard to protect her 24/7. At first, Brenda doesn’t think too-handsome Kyle Martin is right for the job. Then she discovers his harrowing background—and that Kyle will do anything to keep her safe. With every attempt on her life, she’s more drawn to the strong and silent man who risks his life for hers. But their growing feelings could put them both in harm’s way.

“Do you ever give a straight answer?” Brenda asked.

“Not if I can help it.” Kyle understood she wanted to know what made him tick, what made him qualified to protect her, what made him who he was.

But he needed her to trust him without knowing the answers. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Trust me. I promise.”

Her mouth twisted in a wry grimace. “What choice do I have?”

He grinned again. “Now, that’s the spirit.” He sobered as he approached the next subject, prepared to do battle. “We need to figure out a more secure location for you.”

Dark eyebrows shot up almost to her hairline. “Excuse me?”

He gestured toward the covered window. “Too many places a sniper could take a shot from. The outside hallway’s too tight. A perfect place for an ambush. If we needed to escape, all anyone would have to do is pick us off as we came out the door.”

A visible tremor worked over her. “I don’t know where we could go.”

“I do.”

TERRI REED

At an early age Terri Reed discovered the wonderful world of fiction and declared she would one day write a book. Now she is fulfilling that dream and enjoys writing for Love Inspired Books. Her second book, A Sheltering Love, was a 2006 RITA® Award finalist and a 2005 National Readers’ Choice Award finalist. Her book Strictly Confidential, book five in the Faith at the Crossroads continuity series, took third place in the 2007 American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Award, and Her Christmas Protector took third place in 2008. She is an active member of both Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers. She resides in the Pacific Northwest with her college-sweetheart husband, two wonderful children and an array of critters. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, gardening and playing with her dogs.

You can write to Terri at P.O. Box 19555 Portland, OR 97280. Visit her on the web at www.loveinspiredauthors.com, leave comments on her blog, www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com, or email her at terrireed@sterling.net.

The Doctor’s Defender

Terri Reed

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge

and my fortress: my God; in Him I will trust.”

—Psalms 91:2

To my husband, who is always my hero.

Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Excerpt

ONE

“You’re working late again.”

Dr. Brenda Storm glanced up from the open files spread out across her desk and winced. Dr. Sam Johnson walked into her office, looking very GQ, with his gelled hair, pressed slacks and starched shirt beneath his white lab coat. She hadn’t heard the door open, let alone a knock.

The thought of having to fend off another of his unwelcome advances made her stomach churn. The plastic surgeon might have excellent skills when it came to facial reconstruction, but he hadn’t a clue about her lack of interest in him. He was probably so used to women falling at his feet that he saw her disinterest as a challenge.

Well, she wasn’t looking for romance. She had too much to accomplish, too much at stake. Her career came first. It would always come first.

And even if she were looking for a relationship, it certainly wouldn’t be with some playboy hotshot whose ego was triple his shoe size. She’d made that kind of mistake once when she was young and naive.

She’d fallen for such a guy once her first year of med school. Josh had been cute, smart and charismatic. A total player.

And she’d been just another conquest to brag about.

Humiliated and hurt, she’d vowed then to be more careful when it came to romance. So far her carefulness hadn’t lent itself to finding a husband, much to her parents’ chagrin.

She forced a smile. “Hi, Sam. What can I do for you?”

His white, even teeth gleamed when he smiled. All practiced charm. It usually worked for him, she was sure, but to her it came across as very phony. Too much like the men her parents were constantly trying to fix her up with. Men who wanted the prestige of having a general surgeon for a wife, but not the lifestyle that went with it.

Long hours and single-minded focus were what got her this far. At thirty-four she was a well-respected general-practice surgeon with ambitions to be department chief. That usually didn’t settle well with prospective suitors.

She’d been called a workaholic, too serious, too controlling, too dispassionate...

“Since we’re both speaking next Friday, I was thinking maybe we could go together,” he said.

She blinked. “Where?”

“The annual fundraiser.”

She’d forgotten about the hospital’s yearly fall gala. She’d been asked to speak about the technological advances used in general surgery. Ugh. No way of bowing out. She scrambled, searching for a reason why they couldn’t “go together” as he put it. “I...”

Gary, the hospital’s security guard, poked his head inside the doorway. “Package for you.”

Glad for the interruption, she waved him in. In his sixties, the man was twice her age, with graying hair and a wide smile, but he was still strong and capable. He’d been a part of Heritage Hospital long before she’d come aboard. She hoped he’d be around for a long time. He helped out when he saw a need, unlike some of the younger guards who manned the front reception area during various shifts.

Given that Heritage Hospital took up a full block in a very affluent suburb of Chicago, she guessed the younger guards viewed their time at Heritage as a cushy job since they saw little criminal activity on a daily basis. Still, having a security presence gave patients and staff of the hospital a measure of comfort.

And for the doctors and nurses, an extra pair of hands was an extra pair of hands. Welcome when needed.

“These smell delicious.” Gary carried a pink bakery box. The distinctive label on the side was from a posh cupcake shop not far from the hospital. “There’s a card taped to the top.”

Brenda rose and came around the desk to peel the envelope from the top of the box. Inside was a pretty thank-you card. The signature of the sender was illegible. She had no idea who was thanking her or why.

“You get cupcakes from patients?” Sam asked, peering over her shoulder. “All I get are pictures once they’ve healed. I’d prefer cupcakes.”