Page 1 of Playing Doctor

One night with a sexy stranger is just what the doctor ordered...

When a fellow RN predicts Beth Roberts will meet a tall, ripped, and totally lick-o-licious stranger who will fulfill her deepest desires, she laughs it off. Given her tragic love life, Beth has no desire to become involved again. But who could have predicted the doctor with the mischievous smile she meets at a wedding, or the chemistry sparking between them that threatens to break through her defenses?

Dr. Gabriel North spent two years blaming himself for his wife’s death. Having finally battled through the guilt and overcome his demons, he’s ready to move on. When he meets a sexy nurse at his friend’s wedding, the attraction is swift and strong, and he wastes no time in pressing his advantage. One night with the woman who makes him feel alive again isn’t enough, but gaining her trust is going to take more than medical school prepared him for…

Chapter One

Scooting her chair closer to the table, Beth Roberts bit back a grin and watched their server wind her way through the early morning diners. Connie was looking at her as though she’d turned down an all-night sextravaganza with Hugh Jackman.

“Okay, back up a minute.” Connie waved her hands as if clearing a chalkboard. The clatter of cutlery against plates and conversation from neighboring diners did little to drown the disbelief in her voice. “You’re driving up to Lexington to help your son do a wedding shoot, but Drew has made last-minute plans to tour the University of Kentucky and hang out with his friends the whole weekend.”

“Yep.”

“So…you have a suite at the Hilton, compliments of the parents of the groom, for the entire weekend and you plan on spending it…alone?” Pushing her coffee to the side so their server could set her breakfast on the table, Connie shook her head. “There’s something definitely wrong with this scenario.”

“Yeah?” With a smile of thanks for the server, Beth unwrapped her silverware from the napkin. “And that would be…?”

“The part where you go back to the Hilton alone.”

Beth added a dollop of cream to her coffee and chased it with her spoon. She loved joining Connie for their weekly breakfast get-togethers at Cracker Barrel. Not only was she one of Beth’s top nurses at Ridgemount ER, she was also her dearest friend. There were no secrets between them. Theirs was a nothing-is-sacred, no-holds-barred friendship that had persevered since grade school.

When Beth became pregnant in her senior year of high school, Connie had stood as maid of honor at her wedding with Jamie. Three years later, when his unit deployed to Afghanistan, Connie had wept with her at the airport, and then held her hand when he returned a changed man, withdrawn and bitter. When Jamie’s anger eventually focused on Beth, turning abusive and claiming the life of their unborn child and later that night his own life as well, Connie was at her side when she’d laid them both to rest.

“You’re missing the point of the trip.” Beth drizzled maple syrup over her pancakes and sliced off a wedge with her fork. “This isn’t about me. It’s about Drew.” He had been so excited about his first paid freelance job, Beth had thought she’d have to peel him off the ceiling when, after shooting his teacher’s wedding, her maid of honor contacted him to do hers as well.

Connie gestured with her spoon. “I’m not missing anything. Drew’s a great kid and one hell of a photographer. I totally agree that this is a kick-ass opportunity for him, but there’s no reason this trip can’t be about you, too.”

Beth studied the bowl of opaque goo beside Connie’s plate. “How can anyone consider a dish called grits appetizing?”

“How can you call yourself southern and not like grits?” she countered.

“Just because I’m from Kentucky doesn’t mean I have to…don’t push that stuff over here. Stop it!”

Laughing, Connie shoveled a spoonful of grits into her mouth and swallowed. “Yum. Now, back to staying at the hotel by yourself…”

Beth sighed. The girl never gave up. “I’m perfectly fine with spending the weekend alone,” she said. “I’m going to enjoy a nice, relaxing evening sipping wine and soaking in the Jacuzzi until I’m limp as a noodle while Jace Everett croons Bad Things to me on my iPod. Then I have the staffing schedule to work on, resumes and applications to review for potential new hires…”

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