Kate Hardy - Her Celebrity Surgeon

He couldn’t stop himself. Charlie bent his head and very gently brushed his mouth against hers. And Sophie was starting to kiss him back.

God, he wanted this so much. Wanted to feel her body close to his. Wanted her to kiss his demons away.

It couldn’t happen. He had to stop.

Except he couldn’t. Not when it felt so good, so right, to hold her and kiss her.

The beep of a car horn shocked them apart.

He dragged in a breath. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I just…” Just couldn’t help himself. Wanted to be a real person for once, instead of Charlie, Baron Radley. Wanted Sophie’s warmth to enfold him.

“Don’t worry. I won’t be ringing Celebrity Life to give them a kiss-and-tell,” she said dryly.

He shook his head. “That isn’t what I meant. But we have to work together. I think it’s best if we ignore what just happened.”

Honorable, eligible and in demand!

Baron Rupert Charles Radley

The Hon. Sebastian Henry Radley

The Hon. Victoria Radley

Three aristocratic doctors, the very best in their field, who just can’t avoid the limelight!

In this exciting and emotional new trilogy from bestselling author Kate Hardy read how these eligible medics do their best to stay single—but find love where they least expect it.

HER CELEBRITY SURGEON

Baron Rupert Charles Radley

(aka Director of Surgery) meets his match with fiery registrar Dr. Sophie Harrison. The paparazzi have a field day!

Sebastian’s story from Mills & Boon® Medical Romance™!

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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For Maggie, Sue and Sandy—with love

Cover

Excerpt He couldn’t stop himself. Charlie bent his head and very gently brushed his mouth against hers. And Sophie was starting to kiss him back. God, he wanted this so much. Wanted to feel her body close to his. Wanted her to kiss his demons away. It couldn’t happen. He had to stop. Except he couldn’t. Not when it felt so good, so right, to hold her and kiss her. The beep of a car horn shocked them apart. He dragged in a breath. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I just…” Just couldn’t help himself. Wanted to be a real person for once, instead of Charlie, Baron Radley. Wanted Sophie’s warmth to enfold him. “Don’t worry. I won’t be ringing Celebrity Life to give them a kiss-and-tell,” she said dryly. He shook his head. “That isn’t what I meant. But we have to work together. I think it’s best if we ignore what just happened.”

Title Page Her Celebrity Surgeon Kate Hardy www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dedication For Maggie, Sue and Sandy—with love

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

Extract

Copyright

HALF past eight. Sophie groaned inwardly. She’d probably missed the party for Guy’s promotion to Director of Surgery, but no way could she have left her patient in the middle of the operating table. And she never, but never, left the ward until her patients had been round from the anaesthetic for at least half an hour. You never knew with surgery: one moment, your patient was fine; the next, all hell could be let loose and you might even need to go back into Theatre.

But when she finally made it into the wine bar opposite the hospital, Guy was on his own. ‘Don’t tell me that rotten lot went off to get food and gave you the short straw of waiting till I got here, when it’s your party?’ she asked.

‘No. The party’s off.’

‘Why?’

He shrugged. ‘The job went to an external candidate.’

‘Oh, Guy. I’m so sorry.’ He was a brilliant surgeon and a nice bloke, too. It really wasn’t fair. ‘I was so sure…’

‘It means you’re stuck where you are, too, Soph.’

Because she’d been in line for promotion to Guy’s job. She waved her hand to protest at his bitter tone. ‘Hey. My promotion wasn’t a given, anyway. They couldn’t advertise the job until your promotion had been announced—and I might not even have made it to the interview stage.’ She could see in his face that he was brooding. And he’d had more than his share of hassles this year, with an acrimonious divorce. His wife had blamed her affair on Guy spending too much time on his career. Time that clearly hadn’t paid off.

‘Come on, let’s have a commiseration drink instead. I’ll shout you a curry. We can put the world to rights, and stick two fingers up at the hospital board—who clearly can’t see talent when it’s two millimetres in front of their noses.’

‘You’re good for my ego.’

Not as good as Abby would have been—Guy’s house officer, who’d admitted to Sophie in the changing rooms a few weeks ago that she had the hots for Guy—but Sophie could work on that. A few judiciously dropped hints, and maybe Guy would see what was two millimetres in front of his nose.

When they’d settled themselves comfortably in the local curry house and ordered their meal, Sophie turned the conversation back to Guy’s bad news.

‘I hate to rub salt in your wounds, Guy, but do you know anything about the new director of surgery?’

‘R. C. Radley, you mean?’

The name was familiar, but she couldn’t think why. She nodded.

‘He’s a plastic surgeon.’

‘We’re going to have a nip-and-tuck merchant in charge of surgery? Oh, great. No prizes for guessing where all the new equipment’s going to go, then.’ Damn. And she’d raised half the money for the equipment she had her eye on. It looked as if she’d have to raise the other half, too.

‘And he went to a certain well-known public school.’

Uh-oh. There was a distinct whiff of fish in the air. ‘Eton?’

Guy nodded.

Like some of the members of the board. Sophie rolled her eyes. Now she understood what had been puzzling her—why Guy had been passed over. ‘So the old-boy network strikes again, then?’

‘Yep.’

‘It sucks, Guy, it really does—but don’t let it get to you. There’ll be other chances.’ She raised her glass of beer. ‘Here’s to us. You and me, and a brilliant surgical team.’ Though she wasn’t going to drink to their new director of surgery. Not until after she’d met him and seen if he was worth drinking to.

‘Mr R. C. Radley. Why does his name ring a bell?’ she asked.

‘He’s not a Mr. He’s a lord.’

‘He’s a what?’

‘A baron,’ Guy told her.

Baron Radley? The board had appointed a baron to run the surgical team? Sophie’s mouth tightened. ‘So instead of giving the job to someone who can do it blindfolded, the board’s made a political appointment. Someone who’s got the right name and the right title.’ And the right accent. Sharp, braying, coupled with a mocking, hearty guffaw as he…She shook herself. No. That had been years ago, and she was over it now. Over it.