Heart Surgeon in Portugal Read Online Free PDF Page A

coming out to the Casa. And would you just look at that! An angry hand had wrenched those silky blue curtains with such aggression that the fabric had been dragged away from its wooden pole.
    Ellie fixed the curtains, pulled them aside and her hazel eyes blinked - and blinked again. Could this be for real? Glorious sky, brilliant sunshine, the glitter of a turquoise pool flanked by lavender bushes … and all framed in cerise-pink bougainvillea blossom, stirring gently in the faintest breeze.
    Daylight flooded into the bedroom, as if the Casa was tempting her, revealing pretty white-painted furniture, hand-decorated in pastel shades with flowers and curlicues. Twin beds with more of those nobbly bedcovers, this time in bright blue. French doors so she could step straight out into the garden. ‘No. I’m sorry. You’re very nice but I’m not going to stay!’ she told the room firmly. ‘How can I, after …’
    She buried her head in her hands, reliving it all over again. Oh god, those must be his research papers she’d thrown all over the plane. And she’d stared back at him with a ‘so-what?’ smirk whenever his disapproving eyes met hers. She’d behaved like a little hooligan!
    Well, she certainly couldn't have it out with him, not like this, not looking like a scarecrow. You can’t quit, scolded her inner voice. For Jon’s sake you can’t slink back home like a spineless teenager. You’re a grown woman, an RGN. You’re going to be bossing junior doctors around soon. Deal with it, Staff Nurse Robey.
    ‘Right. I shall do just that. Tidy myself up, apologise (gulp). What’s the beastly man done with all my gear?’
    The first door Ellie opened revealed an en-suite bathroom, decoratively-tiled in deep blues and whites. The next door led out into a passage, and she all but went headlong - just as Rafe Harland had done in the small hours. Here was all her stuff, thrown against her bedroom door with scant regard.
    Half an hour later Ellie ventured forth, bathed, shampooed and in the least crumpled of all her clothes, a pink cotton TopShop sundress. Too short, unfortunately, for the dignified look Ellie first had in mind but it had at least seen an iron before she packed. Palms clammy and heart pumping, she pulled open the French doors and stepped outside, catching the toe of her flip flop on the sill and almost falling into the sunshine. Oh sugar! so much for making a dignified entry into the lion’s den.
    Well, more of a sea-lion’s, judging by the dark figure storming up and down the glittering turquoise water of a Roman-end swimming pool. With any luck Mr Big - stoppit! - hadn’t noticed her almost falling on her nose.
    And where to look first? It was all so exotic and nothing like an English garden back home. Trees dripping with real oranges and real lemons - And all that pink and orange bougainvillea smothering the walls and the covered terrace …
    ‘Oh wow!’ exclaimed Ellie.
    Already the sun was about as hot as was bearable. The shimmery-blue waters looked mighty tempting and Ellie hovered tentatively at the side of the pool, watching Mr Big’s powerful driving crawl. He was good. He made hardly a splash.
    ‘Come here!’ barked the sea-lion.
    Ellie’s lips tightened with dislike.
    Ignoring the steps leading out of the deep end, Rafe Harland was heaving his hard-muscled body out of the water, shaking off the drops that clung to his skin and hair. No stoop, no paunch, not a lax muscle or a spare pound of flesh. He sure is fit! noted Ellie grudgingly. With a tan, he’ll be … She pulled herself together sharply and thought of Sister Lee who ran the most efficient medical ward Ellie had ever worked on. No consultant would dare play the bully with Sister Lee. Ellie was going to be Sister Lee.
    ‘Mr Harland,’ she began crisply and with an assurance that narrowed the thoughtful black eyes resting upon her. ‘About last night, I—’
    ‘Shut up!’ snapped Rafe, towering over her now, legs astride