The Army Doctor's Christmas Baby by Helen Scott Taylor Page A

foyer, climbed in the elevator, and selected the restricted access floor
where the operating rooms and the senior officers' suites were located. At the
beep, she scanned the security pass Sean had given her.
    When the elevator stopped, she stepped out and glanced
around. She had never worked in the Brize Norton hospital, spending most of her
time overseas. This place was state-of-the-art, dedicated to military medicine
and staffed completely by joint forces personnel. She felt immediately at home
surrounded by uniforms. How would she cope working as a civilian? The reality
of leaving the army hadn't sunk in yet. At the moment she still felt like she
was on leave, and technically she was.
    She followed the signs to the viewing gallery for the
theater where Sean and Radley would operate. Although she was early, the rows
of tiered seating in the glass enclosure were already filling up with visiting
surgeons and medical students. Kelly went down the steps and found the two
empty seats at the end of the front row.
    Pieces of paper reading Reserved by Colonel Fabian were stuck on with
tape. She sat on one, aware of a few interested glances aimed her way. She
avoided the looks and stared down at the large high-tech OR where Sean would be
working.
    Already the scrub nurses and the medical technicians who
monitored the equipment were there preparing.
    A few minutes later, someone sat in the other reserved seat.
"Hello," Daniel Fabian said with a grin. "Remember me?"
    "Yes." She could hardly forget him—the man who had
flirted with her the night of Sean's birthday party, despite the fact he had a
girlfriend on his arm. She'd felt sorry for the poor woman.
    Daniel looked like a slightly tarnished version of Sean with
dark blond hair and grayish-blue eyes. He probably had no trouble finding
girlfriends to fuel his reputation as a womanizer.
    "You're the bunny girl. I'm glad you and Sean got
together. You'll be good for him."
    "Thanks." She didn't know what Sean had told his
brother, so she decided not to say much.
    Daniel leaned forward to gaze around the OR. "Wow.
Impressive. I thought you army medics operated in bombed-out buildings with
equipment held together by string and rubber bands."
    Kelly swallowed her laugh. To be honest, he wasn't far
wrong. She'd worked in terrible conditions overseas.
    "Not in the UK," she said with raised eyebrows.
    "Obviously not."
    "Sean says you're a plastic surgeon as well." Sean
had mentioned his brother a few times with obvious affection.
    "Yep. But I don't get to do anything nearly this
interesting. At the moment I'm selling my soul for filthy lucre." Daniel
glanced over his shoulder and lowered his voice. "I do nose jobs and breast
implants for women who have more money than sense. I'm thinking of spreading my
wings and following in my big brother's footsteps."
    "Spreading your wings, as in joining the army?"
    He nodded.
    "Wow. That will be a change of pace for you." And
a large drop in salary. According to Sean, Daniel was in partnership with their
father in an exclusive London clinic. That's where Sean had started out before
he joined the army. When he left, it had caused a family rift.
    "I can recommend military medicine," she said with
honesty. She'd thoroughly enjoyed her time in the army.
    The soft murmur of conversation in the viewing gallery
quieted as the patient was wheeled into the OR below, and transferred to the
operating table. The rest of the medical team followed. She recognized Sean
immediately from his tall, lean build, and his air of authority.
    Her heart raced and then stalled at the sight of him in his
green gown, masked, and gloved with magnifying eye loupes on. What a crazy
stupid heart she had being turned on by that! It just proved she was a nurse to
the core.
    Sean glanced up and met her gaze. A grin tugged at her lips.
Even with his face half covered, she could tell he smiled back. Her heart did a
little dance and she raised a hand to wave, not caring if everyone thought