Robin Gianna - The Last Temptation of Dr. Dalton

Until the slow blink of her eyes, the tip of her tongue licking her lips, the rise and fall of that tantalizing vee of skin beneath her robe obliterated all regrets.

“I don’t think your sleep is my responsibility,” she said. “You’re on your own.”

She swayed closer, lids low, her lips parted, practically willing him to kiss her. What was the reason he’d been trying not to? Right now, he couldn’t quite remember. Didn’t want to.

“Seems to me we agreed you were in charge of my life while I’m here.” Almost of their own accord his feet brought him nearly flush with her body. Close enough to feel her warmth touch his bare chest. To feel her breath feather across his skin. “Got any ideas on a cure for insomnia?”

“Maybe a hammer to the head? I’ve got one in the toolbox in the closet.”

He reached for her, put his hands on her waist. “I know you said you couldn’t promise not to hurt me, but that seems a little drastic.” His head lowered, because he had to feel her skin against his lips, touch them softly to her cheek, beneath her ear. “Any other ideas?”

Her warm hands flattened against his chest. When they didn’t push he pulled her tightly against him, fitted her curves perfectly to his angles. Much as he knew he should back off right now, there was no way he could do it. He wanted her even more than the night they’d fallen into her bed together. And that night had knocked him flat in a way he couldn’t remember ever experiencing before.

Dear Reader

As I was writing my debut Medical Romance™, CHANGED BY HIS SON’S SMILE, I fell a little in love with a secondary character—charming playboy Dr Trent Dalton. Writing a book about him and how a certain spunky woman turns his life upside down was sure to be fun!

I chose Liberia as the setting for this story because of its unique ties to the United States, as well as its interesting West African culture. The civil wars the people of Liberia endured in the very recent past were horrific, with medical care nearly non-existent during the worst of it. Mission hospitals and schools like my fictional ones in this story are an important part of the country’s healing and growth. I hope you enjoy learning a little about Liberia, too, as you read the story.

Trent travels the world working in mission hospitals, careful never to get tied to one place—or one woman—for very long. Beautiful Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Edwards certainly has to be determined and feisty to meet the challenges of running a mission hospital, and I knew she was the perfect heroine to tame him. But just when he finally realises she’s the one worth sticking around for, he finds out she just might have been playing him all along.

Please drop me a line through my website, www.robingianna.com, if you enjoy Trent and Charlie’s story. I’d love to hear from you!

Robin

After completing a degree in journalism, working in the advertising industry, then becoming a stay-at-home mum, ROBIN GIANNAhad what she calls her mid-life awakening. She decided she wanted to write the romance novels she’d loved since her teens, and embarked on that quest by joining RWA, Central Ohio Fiction Writers, and working hard at learning the craft.

She loves sharing the journey with her characters, helping them through obstacles and problems to find their own happily-ever-afters. When not writing, Robin likes to create in her kitchen, dig in the dirt, and enjoy life with her tolerant husband, three great kids, drooling bulldog and grouchy Siamese cat.

To learn more about her work visit her website: www.RobinGianna.com

A recent title by Robin Gianna:

CHANGED BY HIS SON’S SMILE

Also available in eBook format from www.millsandboon.co.uk

The Last

Temptation

of Dr. Dalton

Robin Gianna

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Many thanks to:

Critique partner, writer friend and paediatric emergency physician Meta Carroll, MD, for spending so much time walking me through medical scenes and double-checking them for accuracy. I appreciate it so, so much!

My sister-in-law, Trish Connor, MD, for helping me figure out why my heroine had needed plastic surgery as a child.

Cynthia Adams, piano teacher extraordinaire, for the perfect music choices in the story.

Mom, you always told me how important writers are to the world.

This one’s for you.

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

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

CHAPTER ONE

IT WAS ALL she could do not to throw her stupid phone out of the car window.

Why wasn’t he answering? Charlotte Edwards huffed out a breath and focused on driving as fast as she possibly could—not an easy task on the potholed dirt road that was just muddy enough to send her sliding into a tree if she wasn’t careful.

Thank goodness it was only May in Liberia, West Africa, and just the beginning of the rainy season. Her battered four-by-four handled the terrible roads pretty well, but once they were inches deep with mud and water all bets were off.

Adrenaline surging, Charlie cautiously pressed harder on the gas pedal. No matter how uncomfortable it would make her feel, she absolutely had to catch Trent Dalton at the airport before he left—then tell him off for not answering his phone. If he had, she’d have paid for a taxi to bring him back stat to her little hospital, instead of wasting time making this trek both ways.

The sudden ringing of her phone made her jump and she snatched it up, hoping it was Trent, seeing she’d called a dozen times. “So you finally decided to look at your phone?”

“It’s Thomas.”

The hospital technician sounded surprised and no wonder. Her stomach twisted with dread, hoping he wasn’t delivering bad news. “Sorry. You calling with an update?”

“The boy is still holding his own. I pray he’ll be okay until Dr. Dalton gets back here. But I wanted to tell you that Dr. Smith has offered to do the appendectomy.”

“What? Tell him no way. I’m not having a liar and a hack working on any of our patients—unless Trent’s already gone, in which case we’ll have no choice but to reconsider. I’ll let you know as soon as I get to the airport.”

“Yes, Ma.”

She hung up and shook her head, managing a little smile. The word “Ma” was used as a sign of respect in Liberia, and no matter how many times she’d asked Thomas just to call her Charlie, or Charlotte, he never did.

Dr. Smith had been sent by the Global Physicians Coalition to work at the Henry and Louisa Edwards Mission Hospital for a one-year commission. But when his arrival had been delayed they’d asked Trent to fill in for the five days until Smith could get there. Though he’d just finished a stint in India, Trent had thankfully not minded his vacation being delayed until Smith showed up.