The Doctor's Rebel Knight Read online

  Jacob reached for her as someone else led Kane and Dave towards the waiting ambulance. ‘Don’t you ever do that to me again,’ he said as he held her so close to him she felt she was being crushed. ‘I thought I was going to lose you. I couldn’t bear to lose you, not when I’ve only just found you.’

  Fran kept holding on to him, breathing in his scent, marvelling at how sure she felt about her feelings for him. It seemed the perfect time to tell him. She pulled back in his hold and looked at his dusty and reddened eyes. ‘Hey, I think I love you,’ she said.

  He was still breathing heavily, his chest moving up and down against hers. ‘Did you have to go falling into a mineshaft to come to that conclusion?’ he asked.

  She grinned at him. ‘You know something? I think I did, yes.’

  ‘My life flashed before my eyes when you disappeared down that hole,’ he said in a ragged tone. ‘It was then I realised I couldn’t bear to go on without you in it. I know you don’t want to stay in Pelican Bay. I’m not going to pressure you to do anything you don’t feel up to doing, but please think about staying here as my wife.’

  Fran blinked her eyes a couple of times. ‘Did you just propose to me?’

  Jacob laughed. ‘Yeah, I think I just did. How long have we known each other?’

  ‘A couple of weeks.’

  ‘Long enough.’

  She widened her eyes. ‘You think?’

  ‘My mother told me just before she died that she knew she was going to marry my father the first time she met him.’

  ‘Where did she meet him?’ Fran asked.

  ‘He nearly ran her down with his motorbike,’ he said with a crooked grin.

  ‘Oh, well, then, it looks like this was meant to be,’ Fran said, still grinning from ear to ear. ‘Caro will be beside herself. No, actually, she’ll probably be annoyed that she didn’t have something to do with getting us together. She’s been husband-hunting for years for me to no avail.’

  Jacob gathered her close again. ‘No pressure, sweetheart, but I just heard from one of the ambos that the doctor they had lined up for the locum has some issues with his overseas qualifications. It could be a while before they find a replacement. Do you think you could step up to the plate in the meantime?’

  Fran looked up at him with adoration. ‘How long do you think it will take to find a new locum?’

  He gave her a sexy grin. ‘What say we give it nine months at least, then instead of claiming a headache you can give the patients a genuine excuse for calling off consultations.’

  Fran smiled radiantly as she nestled up close. ‘At least then if I have to cancel a clinic at short notice, I can honestly say it’s your fault.’

  He brought his mouth down to just above hers. ‘I can’t wait until I am proven guilty,’ he said, and kissed her until they were both breathless.

  Two months later

  When Fran arrived at the Pelican Bay church on her father’s arm it seemed the whole town had turned up. All the familiar faces were there—Candi and her father, the Pelleri family, and Tara and Sam Clark with their father Wayne. Kane was being held by Dave with one hand, the other arm protectively around the waist of Beth, her hair only just starting to grow back after her surgery for a benign tumour.

  The collective sigh as Fran walked down the aisle towards the tall figure of Jacob made her skin tighten with excitement. He was smiling at her, his blue eyes glistening with moisture the closer she got.

  Caro, as matron of honour, was blubbering, their mother stalwartly and surreptitiously feeding her tissues from the front pew.

  ‘You look breathtakingly beautiful,’ Jacob said as Fran came to stand beside him.

  She smiled up at him. ‘You look pretty amazing yourself.’

  He squeezed her hands in his. ‘Everyone in town is here. That is how much everyone adores you.’

  ‘Not quite everyone,’ Fran whispered back. ‘Rufus is back at the house with a juicy bone.’

  Jacob’s eyes twinkled. ‘Are you absolutely sure about that?’

  She turned as she heard an all-too-familiar bark at the entrance to the church. Before anyone could do anything to stop him, Rufus came bolting down the aisle to sit at Jacob’s feet, his tail thumping the floor excitedly.

  Jacob reached down and unclipped a little parcel attached to Rufus’s collar. ‘Thanks, mate,’ he said, giving the dog a quick ruffle of his ears.

  Fran’s eyes widened. ‘You trusted him with the rings?’

  Jacob grinned. ‘Who else would I ask to be my best man?’

  All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.

  All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  ® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

  First published in Great Britain 2009

  Harlequin Mills & Boon Limited,

  Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

  © Melanie Milburne 2009

  ISBN: 978-1-4089-1778-7

  Table of Contents

  Cover Page

  Title Page

  Excerpt

  Dear Reader

  About the Author

  Other Books By

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Copyright