The Doctor's Forbidden Fling by Karin Baine

possibility of a surgical intervention before they become blocked again.’
    â€˜You had a lucky escape this time, thanks to Nate.’ She wanted to fend off the vitriol she could see was already building with his strength.
    â€˜I want to go home.’ There was no thanks or recognition this man had saved his life, only demands.
    Violet didn’t know why that should surprise her. Owing his life to someone he’d looked down on for most of his life would mean admitting his stereotyping had been wrong. That chaos theory would rip his entire belief system apart. It was about time.
    â€˜I’m afraid you can’t just yet. We need to build up your mobility gradually so you don’t overdo it. Trust me, we want you recovered and out of here as soon as possible too. We need the bed.’ Nate still managed to crack a joke even though it was probably killing him as much as her not to bite back.
    â€˜And when you do, you’re going to have to cut back on the whiskey and cigars, Dad.’ It was time he took responsibility for his own actions to save his own skin if no one else’s.
    â€˜Just like your mother. Trying to tell me what to do. Who asked you to come back here anyway?’ The old curmudgeon closed his eyes and lay back down. Conversation over as far as he was concerned.
    Violet’s blood was boiling. All anyone had tried to do was help him and all they ever got in return was verbal abuse. The olive branch she’d held out was being whacked around her head with every dismissive utterance.
    â€˜This is for your own good. If you don’t want me here, if you don’t want Nate involved, then start looking after yourself.’ In all the years she’d spent with her own patients, she’d always been able to tread carefully and keep her temper in check in the toughest circumstances. Right now it was stretched to snapping point. There’d been a very good reason she’d left her personal baggage in a different country—it made her a different person. A weaker one.
    He didn’t bat an eyelid.
    â€˜This is something we can discuss once your father is up to it. Lifestyle will be something we’ll cover during rehabilitation. I think we should let you rest now, Lord Dempsey.’ Nate addressed her directly for the first time since he’d sneaked in and it was to undermine the stance she was trying to take here.
    She swung around, hands on hips, and tried to communicate via the medium of dirty looks how ticked off she was with him. The patient gave a grunt next to them, which Violet knew amounted to another dismissal. The chance to get everything off her chest had passed and she wasn’t best pleased about it.
    Nate did his own spot of mime, nodding towards the door. She had no option but to follow when he turned on his heel and walked away from the volcanic eruption she was building up to. She didn’t attempt to quieten the fast click of her footsteps out into the hallway after him.
    â€˜What?’ She was mad at him, her father and, most of all, herself for ending up back in this situation.
    He held one hand up in surrender, with the other resting on the door handle of that dreaded family room. ‘Can we talk?’
    â€˜Not in there.’ She was already on the edge without being forced to relive that nightmare again.
    â€˜That’s right. It’ll be safer for me if we go somewhere more...public.’
    She heard the tease in his voice before she noticed the glint in his eye and the dimples blossoming in his cheeks. It was too hard to stay mad when he was giving her his best ‘naughty puppy’ look. Violet groaned in defeat. It had been too good to be true to think he would let last night’s shenanigans sink without a trace.
    â€˜What can I say? I was clearly in the midst of some sort of breakdown. I promise not to try and jump your bones today. I’m sure there’s some sort of medical ethics involved where