The Celebrity Doctor's Proposal Read Online Free PDF Page B

‘You could have said no. You should have said no.’
    He raised a dark eyebrow. ‘Why?’
    â€˜Because you know this isn’t going to work, that’s why.’
    â€˜I hate to disappoint you but saying no to a sick man, especially when that sick man is my father, isn’t exactly my forte.’ He gazed at one of the photographs on her wall and Anna bit her lip, hating the intrusion into her personal space. ‘That’s nice. Bedruthan steps. Do you remember that time wewere almost cut off by the tide? You always loved that beach when we were kids.’
    â€˜Stop changing the subject. You could have pretended you couldn’t get away. You could have encouraged him to arrange a locum.’
    â€˜He did arrange a locum. Me.’ Sam ran a hand over the back of his neck and shot her an impatient look. ‘All right, you tell me how I was supposed to say no. With Dad so ill and Mum so worried, how was I supposed to say no?’
    â€˜You’ve said no before, lots of times.’
    â€˜When he’s asked me to join the practice, to be part of the family firm,’ Sam agreed. ‘This is different. This is an emergency. I don’t say no to emergencies.’
    â€˜Just to commitment.’ The words were out before she could stop them and even before she saw the narrowing of his eyes she regretted them. ‘Forget I said that. The way you run your life is none of my business.’
    â€˜No, it isn’t.’ He folded his arms across his chest, his gaze fixed on hers. ‘But the way I run my life clearly bothers you.’
    Suddenly the room felt unusually warm. ‘It doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is that you’re going to swan in here for a few weeks or until you get bored then leave us in the lurch.’
    â€˜No, that isn’t what bothers you.’ His gaze didn’t shift. ‘What really bothers you is the fact that you haven’t planned this and we both know that you haveto plan everything. You think you have your whole life sorted, don’t you, Riggs?’
    â€˜There’s nothing wrong with planning.’ She wondered why she was defending herself to someone she didn’t even like.
    â€˜Except that life has a way of throwing you surprises. And it’s harder to cope with surprises if you’re inflexible.’
    â€˜I’m not inflexible. And you’re not a surprise, McKenna. You’re a nightmare.’
    â€˜I promised my father I’d stay for the summer and that’s what I intend to do.’
    â€˜Along with your film crew.’
    He shrugged. ‘Life goes on. When I return to London in the autumn I’ll want to pick up where I left off. The film crew is part of my life.’
    Anna shook her head. ‘It isn’t going to work, McKenna.’
    â€˜It’ll work if you don’t get all high and mighty on me. Why shouldn’t it?’ He was as direct as she was, hard and uncompromising in his approach to life. ‘Because I’m the only person you can’t control, Riggs? Because I don’t fit your image of a doctor? Because I don’t do things the way you do them?’
    She tilted her head, her gaze cool. ‘Because you drive me nuts.’
    â€˜Likewise.’
    Their eyes locked in combat for endless minutes and then she gave a sigh. ‘All right. Let’s look at the facts here. I need help and I don’t have time to lookfor a new locum. You’re here. You can stay until I find a suitable replacement. But there are rules.’
    â€˜You amaze me.’ He folded his arms across his broad chest. ‘And there I was thinking you were such a relaxed, laid-back person. Always willing to go with the flow.’
    She chose to ignore his sarcasm. ‘No filming without my permission, and the patients’ permission, and if it interferes with your workload then it stops.’
    His eyes glittered dangerously. ‘Anything