The Surgeon's Surprise Twins Read Online Free PDF Page A

don’t know doctors.” Bailey sighed. “They can sleep through anything. If not, they’d never survive their residency. Thanks anyway.”
    â€œKeep me posted,” Patty said.
    As she tucked away the phone, Bailey dodged back to avoid getting bowled over by a formal sofa that, in her opinion, would be right at home in a funeral parlor. The movers toted it up the walkway toward the double doors, which Owen had flung wide.
    His mouth twisted as he regarded Bailey. It was the smirk of a man who enjoyed winning.
    Well, let him enjoy his moment of triumph. At the hospital, he might be the great Dr. Tartikoff, but he’d just moved in with a woman who wouldn’t hesitate to take his ego down a notch.
    She was almost looking forward to it.

Chapter Three
    Owen didn’t recall the house having such an open design, but then, on his only previous visit while attending a medical conference in L.A., he’d rushed through to approve Boone’s choice of an investment. He certainly hadn’t been thinking in terms of living here himself.
    In the low-ceilinged living room, his parents’ antique furniture looked painfully out of place, hunkering heavily around a plant-filled atrium. Bamboo wallpaper lined the master bedroom, which opened on to the patio and spa through a sliding glass door that appeared to be the only rear exit from the house. Then there was a single bathroom, which connected the bedrooms.
    By the time the movers left, it was after eight o’clock and boxes filled every available space. A couple of large table lamps remained swathed in packing materials. Wishing he hadn’t moved a cartoon-character pole lamp into Bailey’s bedroom, Owen stumbled through near-darkness into the dimly lit kitchen.
    Seeing a small, glum figure eating yogurt at the breakfast table, Owen felt an unaccustomed twinge of guilt. True, her furniture in the main rooms had consisted mainly of flowered cushions and a card table, all of which fit into her bedroom, but he’d been ruthless about taking overthe house. He supposed he could at least have asked her opinion about where to place his entertainment center.
    Too hungry to frame an apology and too impatient to wait for a pizza, he peered into the fridge. “I don’t suppose you have one of those you can spare?”
    â€œYou like yogurt?”
    â€œI’ll eat it when I’m starving.” He didn’t see any, though.
    â€œThis was the last one. I’m also out of raw red meat you can rip off the bone.”
    How did she know he preferred a good steak? “This will do.” He took out a block of cheese and some bread, fixed open-face slices and popped them in her toaster oven. “Look, I don’t plan to be here much except to eat breakfast and sleep.”
    â€œThat’s good news.” She moved her legs away quickly as he sat down, as if any contact between them might burn.
    Owen could carry his food into the other room, but he didn’t feel like it. In fact, he rather enjoyed having this freckle-faced young woman keep him company. In the silence of the house, he felt for the first time exactly how far away he’d moved from everyone and everything familiar.
    In the Boston area, where he’d lived and worked since arriving at Harvard Medical School, he’d had a favorite café—in Cambridge actually. All he had to do was take a table and soon he’d be joined by friends and colleagues, people as passionate as he was about discussing the latest world news and medical developments.
    The funny thing was that, right now, Owen couldn’t picture anyone in particular. He missed the environment, not the individuals. As for the food, melted cheese on toast tasted remarkably good, he discovered as he began to eat.
    After polishing off the meal, he addressed his companion. “We should lay down a few ground rules.”
    â€œI take my morning shower at seven-thirty,” she announced.