Susanne Hampton - A Baby to Bind Them

’ Jade slowly stood to her feet and came face to face with the man she had heard so much about—the wanderer who never stayed anywhere long, the brother David had loved and admired, and the man she now knew enjoyed teasing his mother. And the man who immediately took her breath away. He was not scruffy—not even close. His long blond hair, once wild and dirty, was very short and well groomed, his long beard replaced by a fine covering of dark stubble, and his eyes—always hidden behind sunglasses in the photos—were the brightest shade of blue. As clear and brilliant as the sky she had seen when she’d arrived a few hours ago. It couldn’t be the same man. This man was gorgeous. And as he gently pulled her to him to kiss her cheek softly she smelt the fresh overtones of his cologne. Her senses were suddenly overloaded. ‘Aunty Jade—catch!’ Jade turned her attention back to her niece to see a soapy plastic duck heading towards her. Instinctively she moved to catch the airborne object, but caught her sandal on the bathmat, losing her footing. Suddenly Mitchell’s firm hands reached out and caught her. She fell into his arms and his mouth hovered only inches from hers. His touch was warm on her bare shoulders, and his strength kept her upright until she gathered her composure and could do it for herself. Her stomach began to churn nervously. Her reaction and feelings surprised her. No man had affected her that quickly for a very long time. Then she mentally corrected herself. No man had ever affected her that quickly.

Dear Reader Dear Reader Dear Reader About the Author Title Page Dedication PROLOGUE CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE EPILOGUE Copyright , When planning this book, set in the neonatal intensive care unit of a large teaching hospital in Adelaide, I drew on the experience of my youngest daughter’s premature arrival into this world almost thirty years ago. While neonatal medicine has changed so much over the years since Tina entered the world, the rollercoaster of emotions experienced by parents has not changed at all. The joy of holding our baby, prevented by the sea of wires needed to monitor her fragile life, the worry, the prayers for her survival and the elation at each tiny milestone during those first few days and weeks is what I hoped to capture in this book. And just as the range of emotions for new parents has not changed over the years nor has the empathy and love shown by the dedicated doctors and nurses of the NICU. I wanted my hero and heroine’s love story to unfold in this setting, where emotions run high and the greatest gift is finally to cradle your tiny newborn in your arms. My hero, Mitchell Forrester, is the ridiculously handsome neonatology consultant at the Eastern Memorial Hospital. He has spent his life avoiding commitment by never staying in one place for too long—and then he meets Jade Grant. Jade has seen tragedy in her life, and has lost those she loved dearest, but still she finds a way through, driven by her love for the little girl who needs her most. Although Mitchell and Jade share a bond—their niece Amber, who was orphaned at birth—they have never met until Jade and Amber visit Adelaide from Los Angeles to meet Amber’s grandparents and celebrate her third birthday. Their visit, and the baby that binds them, opens their eyes to a different way to see life … and finally find love. I hope you enjoy Mitchell and Jade’s story. Susanne Hampton

About the Author Married to the man she met at eighteen, SUSANNE HAMPTON is the mother of two adult daughters—one a musician and the other an artist. The family also extends to a slightly irritable Maltese shih-tzu, a neurotic poodle, three elderly ducks, and four hens that only very occasionally bother to lay eggs. Susanne loves everything romantic and pretty, so her home is brimming with romance novels, movies and shoes. With an interest in all things medical, her career has been in the dental field and the medical world in different roles, and now Susanne has taken that love into writing Mills & Boon® Medical Romance™.

Title Page A Baby to Bind Them Susanne Hampton www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dedication Dedication Dedication PROLOGUE CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE EPILOGUE Copyright Thank you to Orianthi and Tina for being the most wonderful daughters in the world. You are amazing young women who appreciate your God-given gifts and every day bring joy to those around you. I am so proud of all that you have accomplished and all that still lies ahead. And once again thank you to Charlotte … who always brings out the best in my writing … and ensures I finish on time!

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

EPILOGUE

Copyright

JADE GRANT HUMMED along to the radio as she prepared dinner for one. The music was loud, just the way she liked it when there was no one around to complain about the volume. Occasionally she sang a few words, but remembering words to songs was not her strength, and neither, according to her sister, was her pitch, so mostly she stuck to humming.

Her bare feet danced a few steps on the way to the refrigerator. Her slim hips, dressed in faded denim shorts, swayed, and she managed a spontaneous spin in time to the music. While her voice left more than a little to be desired, dancing was something she was good at.

Opening the door on the beat, she bent down to peer inside then pulled some fresh broccoli and carrots from the crisper before she closed the door on the next beat and headed to the chopping board. Her new favourite song was blaring from the portable radio on the windowsill. A smile dressed her face and she felt good about life. It hadn’t always been that way but finally she was in a happy place. Her career as a neonatal nurse was on track, she loved working at Los Angeles District Hospital and, although she wasn’t dating anyone, there were more than a few residents paying her attention.

She wiped some tiny specks of broccoli from her cotton tank top before she glanced up at the clock on the wall and smiled. Her sister and brother-in-law would have arrived in Palm Springs and be in their happy place for the long weekend.

The hotel looked so luxurious online and the reviews were all good. Jade hoped that it would live up to the hype and Ruby and David would have a wonderful few days relaxing before their baby arrived. Ruby was just over six months pregnant and Jade wanted to give the pair a second honeymoon as she knew that once they were new parents their focus would be their baby. The way Ruby struggled with her pregnancy, and morning sickness that still hadn’t abated, Jade wasn’t sure how much of a honeymoon it would be, but it would at least be a getaway.

Ruby and David had taken Jade into their home after her ground-floor apartment had been flooded by a burst water main the previous month, and this was her small way to show appreciation. She planned on moving back in to her beach-side home as soon as repairs were completed but the insurance company was still arguing with the landlords so no date had been confirmed. Jade hadn’t lost any personal belongings to the murky water, as she leased the apartment furnished, so it wasn’t devastating, just inconvenient.

She finished chopping the vegetables and put them on to steam before she turned off the radio and went into the sitting room. While it was only temporary, it was still wonderful having a big house to herself for a few days, she thought as she sat down on the sofa. Her place in Santa Monica was quite small and the paper-thin walls allowed her to know far too much about her neighbours. Some mornings she found it difficult to look them in the eye in the car park. There were some things she just didn’t want to know and some she found hard to forget. So Jade was enjoying everything about being in her big sister’s house.

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