Welcome to…

The Hollywood Hills Clinic

Where doctors to the stars work miracles by day—and explore their hearts’ desires by night…

When hotshot doc James Rothsberg started the clinic six years ago he dreamed of a world-class facility, catering to Hollywood’s biggest celebrities, and his team are unrivalled in their fields. Now, as the glare of the media spotlight grows, the Hollywood Hills Clinic is teaming up with the pro-bono Bright Hope Clinic, and James is reunited with Dr Mila Brightman…the woman he jilted at the altar!

When it comes to juggling the care of Hollywood A-listers with care for the underprivileged kids of LA anything can happen…and sizzling passions run high in the shadow of the red carpet. With everything at stake for James, Mila and the Hollywood Hills Clinic medical team their biggest challenges have only just begun!

Find out what happens in the dazzling

The Hollywood Hills Clinic miniseries:

Seduced by the Heart Surgeon by Carol Marinelli

Falling for the Single Dad by Emily Forbes

Tempted by Hollywood’s Top Doc by Louisa George

Perfect Rivals… by Amy Ruttan

The Prince and the Midwife by Robin Gianna

His Pregnant Sleeping Beauty by Lynne Marshall

And look out for another two titles from

The Hollywood Hills Clinic next month!

Dear Reader,

I was so pleased to say yes when I was asked to participate in The Hollywood Hills Clinic continuity! Not to mention that I smiled when I saw that my hero was both a prince and a doctor—probably not a usual combination, so I knew it would be a fun story to write.

This is the second book I’ve written with a midwife heroine—the first was for the Midwives On-Call at Christmas series I participated in. The other book—Her Christmas Baby Bump—was set in the UK, and this is in the US. There are quite a few interesting differences in midwifery between the two countries, which I found enjoyable to research.

My heroine here, in The Prince and the Midwife, works hard and keeps mostly to herself. Her emotions are still raw from a tragedy she hasn’t put behind her. I loved the thought of my hero helping Gabby move from her painful past to a new future—but the journey isn’t without a few bumps along the way.

Rafael has his own problems, and he’s hiding out in LA for a while to deal with one of them—the constant media attention on a few scandals of his that the royal family is none too happy about. He’s planning to steer clear of all women until the frenzy passes—but meeting Gabriella makes that feel impossible.

I enjoyed the sparks that fly between Gabby and Rafael from the moment they meet—though the initial sparks are mostly of the annoyed variety! But as they learn to respect one another’s work they also learn that perhaps the way they’ve been living their lives isn’t really what they want after all.

I hope you enjoy The Hollywood Hills Clinic books—and Rafael and Gabby’s story. You can find out about my other stories, or contact me, at robingianna.com.

Happy reading!

Robin xoxo

After completing a degree in journalism, then working in advertising and mothering her kids, ROBIN GIANNA had what she calls her’awakening’. She decided she wanted to write the kind of romance novels she’d loved since her teens, and now enjoys pushing her characters towards their own happily-ever-afters. When she’s not writing, Robin fills her life with a happily messy kitchen, a needy garden, a wonderful husband, three great kids, a drooling bulldog and one grouchy Siamese cat.

The Prince
and the Midwife
Robin Gianna

www.millsandboon.co.uk

This book is dedicated to my friend and neighbour Betsy Hackett, RN, DSN. Thanks so much, Betsy, for putting up with my phone calls and numerous questions about midwifery and birthing babies—smooch!

Praise for Robin Gianna

‘Yet another splendid read from the author … a romance which should not be missed by everyone who loves medical romance.’

—Harlequin Junkie on It Happened in Paris …

‘The story flowed brilliantly, the dialogue was believable and I was thoroughly engaged in the medical dramas.’

—Contemporary Romance Reviews on Changed by His Son’s Smile

Contents

Cover

Introduction

Dear Reader

About the Author

Title Page

Dedication

Praise for Robin Gianna

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

GABRIELLA CAIN ABSENTLY raked her fingers through her hair and stared at the messy room, fighting the deep fatigue that crept quietly into every aching muscle. Her second double shift of the week might be officially over, but as the labor suite department head she wasn’t about to leave the disarray for the next midwife to clean up.

Thinking about the twins she’d just delivered to a Hollywood actress and the new mother’s proud, beaming husband gave her an energy boost. The suite was a mess for a great reason—the birth of two healthy newborns. After all, just like a kitchen that was never cooked in stayed clean, a spic-and-span labor and delivery suite would mean no new little babies, and wouldn’t that be a sad thing?

Gabby finished putting new sheets on the bed, wishing her own at home were as nice as the luxurious Egyptian cotton sheets The Hollywood Hills Clinic provided for its demanding patients, then topped it off with a fresh down blanket. The room was strewn with the various supplies she’d just used, and she figured it made sense to clean that up last so she could note what inventory she might be running low on and get them ordered tomorrow.

She folded clean blankets and stacked them inside the toasty warming cupboard. Crouching down to finally gather the things on the floor, the sound of the double swinging doors banging open and a gurney being hurriedly wheeled into the room had her pausing in surprise. The other, even more alarming sounds? A woman’s moans and the receptionist shouting her name.

“Gabby? Gabby! Are you in here?” Stephanie called.

“I’m here.” She stood and stared in dismay when she saw it was Cameron Fontaine lying on the gurney being steered by the hospital’s uniformed EMTs, who had doubtless brought her here by helicopter. The famous A-list actress, who was one of Gabby’s most difficult patients, and whose baby wasn’t due for months. “Cameron? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. I think the baby’s coming. It’s way too soon, though, isn’t it? Oh, God, I’m so scared.” She jabbed her index finger toward Gabby, her blue eyes somehow wide with fear and imperiously demanding at the same time. “You’ve got to do something!”

Gabby’s stomach plunged. Yes. It was too soon, and she sent up a deep prayer that Cameron wasn’t in labor. That her baby would be fine. That her infant would be born healthy and alive. Her hands suddenly cold, she rushed over to wrap her fingers around Cameron’s. “All right. Try to relax. Let’s get you into the bed and see what’s going on, okay?”

“Just get it stopped! The baby has to cook in there a little longer, right?”

Somehow, Gabby forced a smile, wishing it were that easy. “I believe the proverbial bun in the oven actually bakes, not cooks,” she said lightly, proud that she’d managed to keep her tone joking and relaxed. “Let’s see what we can do to make sure she gets to rise a little longer, hmm? Try not to worry until we learn more. Maybe baby is just in a mood, wanting a little attention?” She hoped that was the case, and resisted adding that would mean the infant was a chip off the old block.

Cameron’s hand squeezed hers tightly, and Gabby frowned when she realized the woman’s breath seemed short and gasping as the EMTs carefully moved her to the bed. Thirty-two weeks along was definitely not the optimal time for a baby to decide to come into the world.

“Stephanie, get in touch with whichever OB’s on call and get them here, please.”

Stephanie gave a nod and ran out, and Gabby barely noticed the EMTs leaving too as she grabbed the blood-pressure cuff. “I’m going to get your vital signs, then do an internal exam, okay?”

“Will you be able to tell if the baby’s coming?”

“If you’re dilating, yes. Tell me why you think you might be in labor. Are you in pain?”

“Not...not exactly pain.” Cameron’s hands cupped her belly and her face scrunched up in an unflattering expression Gabby was sure hadn’t been seen on any movie screens by the actress’s many fans, which proved how distressed she was. “I felt a little crampy, kind of like the Braxton-Hicks contractions you talked to me about. And my belly got sort of hard, and when it didn’t go away I knew I had to do something right away and called the clinic.”

“You did exactly the right thing, calling for the helicopter to come get you.”

“Well, it seemed to take them forever!” She swiped her elegantly manicured hand across her frowning brow. “It was at least five minutes longer than when they came to get me after I hit my head, and every second that passed I got more worried. I called three times, and I think that made them finally hurry.”

A smile touched Gabby’s lips, as it was pretty easy to imagine how those conversations had gone. “Let’s see how baby is doing, all right?”

Gabby pressed her stethoscope to Cameron’s belly, and the sound of the baby’s steady heartbeat sent the breath she was holding right out of her lungs. Thank God, baby was still alive and moving. She snapped on exam gloves and what she found during the examination was a mixed blessing. “The good news is that your membranes are still intact, so no rupture there. Which means your labor’s not advanced, which is also good news. But your cervix is dilated two centimeters, so we’re going to have to do something about that.”

“Like what? And what do you mean, labor’s not advancing? Dilating means labor, right?”

Cameron’s voice had gone a little shrill, and who could blame her? Gabby knew she had to help her stay calm—the situation was scary, yes, but with luck it could be managed. “Dilation means early labor, yes, but it can be slowed or sometimes completely stopped with medication. I’m going to get an IV set up to give you a mag sulfate drip right away, and also keep you hydrated with saline and lots of water to drink. We’ll do a urinalysis to make sure there’s no infection, just to be safe. Then we’ll give you steroid injections to help baby’s lungs develop in case she decides she just can’t wait to get here. Please, try not to worry, okay? We’ll be doing all we can to keep her healthy.”

“I want to see Dr. Crane. When is she coming?”

Gabby had learned long ago to not be insulted by that demand, which she got from a lot of patients and their husbands. And when it came right down to it, she wanted the obstetrician to get there, too, in case the situation got worse instead of better. “I’ll find out.” She patted Cameron’s shoulder and smiled. “Try to relax. Easy to say, I know, but you don’t want your blood pressure all out of whack and make things tougher for baby, do you?”

“Could you get me something to drink before you leave? My breath’s been so short for what seems like hours, and I’m beyond parched.” She wrapped her fingers around her throat, little gasping sounds coming from her mouth that this time sounded a little forced. “I’d love some artesian sparkling water with a squeeze of lime. You have that, of course, don’t you?”

Gabby wanted to say it was more important to get going on the medications she needed first, before wetting her whistle, but figured it would be just as fast to get what Cameron wanted as to point that out.

The small stainless-steel refrigerator in every room was kept well stocked, and Gabby ran the lime wedge around the rim of the crystal glass like a Hollywood Hills nurse who’d been a former bartender had taught her to. Cameron grabbed it like she’d been walking miles through the desert, and Gabby was glad after all that she’d taken a moment to get it for her.

“I’ll be right back, okay?” Gabby hurried out to find Stephanie, passing through the halls and out past the beautiful fountain in the center of the glass atrium that made the place feel like a luxury hotel, and breathed in the calming scents of lavender and sandalwood. Except at that moment it didn’t do much to slow the current surge of adrenaline that had replaced all her prior fatigue.

“Is the doc on the way to see Cameron, Stephanie? Who is it?”

“Well, as I was about to see who’s on call, James phoned. He told me Cameron contacted him while she was on the helicopter to tell him to send her own doctor, because she’s convinced Dr. Crane is our best. But she’s out of town, so James asked a good friend of his who’s in L.A. visiting to come see her. A Dr. Rafael Moreno.”

“What?” Gabby stared at her, not comprehending. “Some friend of his? What do you mean?”

“I guess he’s some world-renowned OB, and not only that but the prince of some Mediterranean principality, if you can imagine. Isn’t that exciting?” Stephanie’s eyes were shining, which seemed ridiculous to Gabby since the woman saw superstars in this hospital all the time. “Said he has privileges in hospitals all over the world, including here in California, and thinks Cameron would appreciate the status of having a prince taking care of her.”

Gabby gaped. What in the world? A prince OB? Just visiting the U.S.? That was who James thought was the best person to care for this very demanding and famous patient?

She loved working at The Hollywood Hills Clinic but just might have to point out to James Rothsberg that, exclusive and prestigious or not, the number one focus at this hospital still had to be on premier medical care and not the royalty status of some doctor from another country he happened to be besties with. And, yes, she knew James had founded this hospital with that philosophy, demanding every patient receive the best medical care available, but had to wonder about this particular decision.

“Well, send him in as soon as he gets here, please.” She headed back to the room, pondering if she should call James right then to talk to him about the seriousness of Cameron’s situation and ask about this doctor and his qualifications—if he was really “world renowned,” or just famous for being royal.

“The doctor’s on the way, Cameron,” she said as she got the items she needed. “I’m going to start your IV now.” For the moment, she had to ignore the last of the mess in the room she hadn’t finished cleaning up yet until the doctor arrived and she was certain Cameron had been stabilized.

“It’d better be Dr. Crane,” Cameron said, looking away at the wall with a dramatic wince and yelp as Gabby got the IV needle placed in her arm. “She already knows all about me and my past health scares and situation and I only want to see her.”

“I know you do.” Gabby tried to find reassurance in the fact that Cameron’s voice had become the petulant one she often used when she felt normal. At least she wasn’t getting real contractions yet or freaking out. Gabby conjured her own acting skills and infused her voice with enthusiasm, bracing herself for the woman to get upset at the news her doctor was unavailable. “Unfortunately Dr. Crane is out of town. But this doctor is a personal friend of James Rothsberg and is not only an excellent OB but apparently a prince too.”

“A prince?” Surprise lit Cameron’s face before it relaxed into a pleased smile, thank heavens, instead of outrage. “Well, how nice. If Dr. Crane can’t be here, at least a prince will understand how important my baby is to the world.”

Because a prince and a self-absorbed actress’s baby were more important to the world than most other human beings? Emotions crowded Gabby’s chest—disbelief that Cameron obviously genuinely believed that. Annoyance with that attitude. And deeply buried pain. Because every person’s baby was the most important child on earth to them.

She swallowed before she spoke. “I’m not sure when Dr. Moreno is going to get here, and we shouldn’t wait to get your mag sulfate drip started. Is your belly still hard and tight? Still feeling crampy?”

“Well, yes. But not too bad. I think we should wait for this prince-doctor.” She picked up the television remote, clicked to a movie channel, and beamed the famous megawatt smile she normally reserved for the cameras. “Oh, look, it’s one of mine! I loved this one!”

“Cameron.” Gabby worked to keep her patience. “Giving you the sulfate drip certainly isn’t going to hurt, regardless of what Dr. Moreno has to say, and timing can be critical. Up to three courses of steroids are recommended for the baby’s lung health, but have to be given at least twenty-four hours apart, and the sooner we give the first one, the sooner we can give the second one.”

“I admit I’m still nervous. I know you’re good at what you do. If you think you need to start it now, then let’s do it.” Cameron’s smile disappeared, and Gabby’s frustration with her patient evaporated when she saw the tension etched on her face. Probably her wanting to wait and watch the movie, all smiles, was some coping mechanism, telling herself everything was fine now that she was here at the clinic. Deluding oneself was all too easy to do, as Gabby knew firsthand.

She patted Cameron’s arm, then gave it a gentle squeeze. “I’ll get it started right now. And I bet the doctor will be here any moment.” As though her words had willed it, a brisk knock on the door sounded, and she turned as it opened.

To reveal the most physically beautiful man she’d ever seen.

His dark hair was cut fairly short and impeccably groomed, and his olive skin was tanned a golden brown which looked even more swarthy in contrast to his white doctor’s coat. The blue dress shirt he wore was crisply starched but left open at the collar without a tie, and it was obvious that beneath it lay a very well-built physique. But the most riveting thing about him was the startling color of his eyes, nearly the same hue as springtime in Seattle after rains had turned the landscape a vivid green.

She felt a little as though all the oxygen had been sucked from the room as those eyes met hers. Though the contact was brief, his gaze seemed to both assess her and dismiss her at the same time. Then his attention moved around the room in a careful scan of the space before finally focusing on their patient.

A smile transformed the aloof expression on his handsome face. “Buenos días.” He stepped to the bed, reached for their patient’s hand and, to Gabby’s astonishment, lifted it to his lips. Since when did doctors kiss their patients, even if it was just on the hand? “I do not have to ask if you are the famous Cameron Fontaine. I would recognize your stunning face anywhere. I am Dr. Rafael Moreno.”

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Doctor,” Cameron practically cooed.

“I understand your very special baby is demanding some unexpectedly early attention. I’m told your little one is a girl—what a lucky child. She’ll no doubt be as beautiful as you are.” Lord. Gabby had to wonder if he’d intentionally ratcheted up the charm, or if it just oozed naturally from the man. “Let us see what she has in mind, shall we?”

“Yes. I’m so anxious to hear what you think is going on and what to do about it.”

Cameron’s expression could only be described as coy and flirtatious, and Gabby caught herself about to shake her head at the whole scene. Dr. Moreno had instantly sized the woman up, that was for sure, and Gabby was torn between admiration and disgust at how quickly and easily he’d had her eating out of his hand. While not even bothering to introduce himself to Gabby or ask who she was. The man was royal, all right. Royally rude.

“Tell me what’s been happening.” He sat and directed his attention solely to Cameron, as though Gabby wasn’t even there, and the actress told him all about her symptoms as he looked at the vital signs Gabby had recorded. He took his time speaking with her, acting more like they were at a cocktail party than in a hospital room. But of course Cameron, who was always more than happy to talk at length about herself, basked in the attention as he asked all kinds of questions about her life and career in addition to the ones related to her health.

As the minutes stretched on, Gabby fidgeted, wondering when in the world he was going to get on with what needed to be done and have her administer the meds Cameron needed. At the same time, she had to grudgingly give him credit for completely relaxing their patient.

Then that credit evaporated when he reached for gloves, obviously planning to give her an internal exam.

“Excuse me, Dr. Moreno, but did you see in the chart that I just gave her an exam about thirty minutes ago? That she was already dilated to two centimeters?” Gabby asked.

He turned to her with one eyebrow quirked. “And you are...?”

“I’m Gabriella Cain, head midwife here at The Hollywood Hills Clinic.”

“Now that I am here to care for Ms. Fontaine, I will take care of future internal exams. I’m sure you know they need to be limited in cases of early onset labor.”

What the...? Anger began to burn in Gabby’s chest. “Yes, I am aware of that, Dr. Moreno. Which is why I feel you should wait to do another. I was about to get the mag sulfate drip started, followed by the steroids, then do an ultrasound.”

“I prefer to not rely on others’ examinations and opinions, as that normally isn’t in the best interests of my patient. However, if you’ve done an internal exam, I won’t do another at the moment.” He turned away from Gabby again, and she stared at the back of his silky dark head, hardly able to believe his arrogantly dismissive attitude. His patient? She’d worked with some doctors with domineering attitudes before, but this guy got first place for jerk of the year.

“It’s good that you’re dilated to no more than two centimeters,” he said to Cameron as he looked at Gabby’s notes. “Although that is clearly an indication of pre-term labor, there are things we can do to try to make that cease, and at the same time give baby a chance to grow more.”

“So it is preterm labor. I was so hoping it wasn’t.” Cameron’s white teeth worried her lip, her eyes wide. “Do you think whatever you do to try to stop it will work?”

“It often does, so we will hope for the best.” He lifted his tall frame from the stool he’d been perched on, moving to stand beside the bed and hold Cameron’s hand between both of his, a smile on his face some people might think was charming. “And if baby says, Oh, no, Mama, I’m coming anyway, we will at least have time to give you steroids to help her little lungs function better when she arrives. So we will do that without delay. Okay?”

“All right. Whatever you think,” Cameron said, all grateful smiles. “Thank you so, so much, Doctor.”

“Please, call me Rafael.”

Whatever you think. Thank you so, so much... Gabby gritted her teeth and told herself she couldn’t feel bothered by Cameron’s immediate agreement to the same treatment she’d initially refused to agree to when Gabby had told her exactly the same thing. It was no secret doctors got more respect than midwives from many patients, and an über-handsome doctor who, by the way, happened to be a prince too? Jerk or not, it was no surprise that status-conscious Cameron was all too happy to go along with whatever he suggested.

“Bien.” He stood and turned to Gabby, and his warm expression cooled to one of professionalism. “I’d assume you have the mag sulfate and steroid ready?” Those startling green eyes slowly scanned the area again before pinning hers again with one dark eyebrow raised. “Except perhaps I should not assume that. When I first walked in I was shocked to see the state of this room, which is, well, I must say, terribly disorganized. I’m frankly very surprised by this, considering the stellar reputation of The Hollywood Hills Clinic and knowing James Rothsberg’s perfectionism.”

The irritation that had been simmering in her chest burst into a full conflagration of anger that surged through her blood and made her brain burn. Who did this guy think he was? Friend or no friend of James, prince or no prince, he had no right to waltz in like he owned the place, give it his version of the white-glove test, then criticize her without knowing a thing about the patients and medical situations she’d been taking care of for the past ten hours.

“I was in the process of cleaning and reorganizing it from an earlier, lengthy delivery when Cameron arrived in what might have been an emergency situation. I deemed taking care of her and her baby was a lot more important than tidying and prepping a room that could be tidied and prepped later. And the meds are ready.”

She stalked to the counter, gathering the items together and wishing she could throw them at his arrogant, judgmental face. He reached for them, his hand briefly touching hers, and it ticked her off even more that the feel of his skin brushing hers sent some kind of weird electric shimmer up her arm. The sensation could have been mistaken for attraction, if there had been anything attractive about the man.

Well, there were all those superficially attractive things, but she wasn’t a woman interested in slick, glossy men. Or any kind of man anymore, really.

With grudging respect, though, Gabby did have to admire how quickly and efficiently his long fingers administered the drugs, all the while keeping up a smoothly distracting conversation with their patient.

“All set,” he said to Cameron, giving her a warm and reassuring smile. “Now we wait, keep you comfortable, and check baby periodically through ultrasound and monitoring.”

“Thank you, Rafael. I’m so glad you and Gabby are the ones taking care of me.”

And Gabby was glad the next shift midwife would be arriving soon to deal with Cameron and Dr. Moreno. Not to mention that she was way overdue for a major nap.

“How about deciding what you’d like to have for dinner?” Gabby said as she brought her another sparkling water, along with a menu of options for her meal. The onsite Michelin-starred chef was amazing, and even the pickiest patients loved the elegant and trendy foods he prepared. “The midwife on the next shift will be checking on you throughout the night to make sure you’re comfortable. Then tomorrow morning I’ll be back to take care of you. In the afternoon it’ll be time to administer another steroid dose.”

“But I don’t want another midwife,” Cameron said, a twisting pout on her lips that had Gabby wondering how in the world she managed to still look so pretty doing it. “I want you to stay here with me tonight, Gabby.”

The fatigue Gabby had felt earlier was back in spades. She had a feeling if she closed her eyes she might fall asleep on her feet like a horse, and the vision of curling up in her own comfy bed and getting a solid night’s sleep nearly had her moaning, but she knew Cameron. And Cameron’s expectations. The Hollywood Hills Clinic was known for its exceptional medical care, and that included going above and beyond in every way.

Which meant she’d be spending the night here again.

“I appreciate you wanting me with you, Cameron. I—”

“Your staying here is important, since you are familiar with our special patient and her physical condition and worries,” Rafael interrupted smoothly. “Here is my contact information. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me for any reason.”

Did the man think he was boss of the world? Gabby felt like smacking that seemingly sincere smile from his handsome face as he handed her an elegantly embossed card, then turned to give one to their patient. When Cameron reached for hers, she clasped his hand along with it for a lingering moment, practically batting her long lashes at him as she smiled back.

“Thank you so much, Rafael. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your help and expertise during this terrifying time.”

“It’s beyond my pleasure. It is my calling to help mamas and their babies, whether a pregnancy is smooth and uneventful or high risk and worrying. I promise to take care of you and bebé to the best of my ability.”

Whereas Gabby and most other nurses and doctors didn’t? The guy was pure egotistical arrogance in a white coat, absolutely no doubt about that. And Gabby intended to tell him so, though somehow she’d have to tone down the strength of the language she’d really like to use when she did.

“As I started to say a moment ago, Cameron, I’m more than happy to stay,” she said, giving Dr. Moreno a pointed look she hoped he interpreted correctly—which was to tell him to keep his guest-in-this-hospital nose in his own business. “I’ll sleep better knowing I can check regularly on how you’re doing, and hopefully me being here will help you sleep better too.”

“Thank you, Gabby. I will sleep better.”

“Why don’t you rest now and watch a little TV? I’ll be back in a few minutes to find out what you’ve decided to order for dinner.” She turned to Dr. Full-of-Himself and somehow kept her voice cordial. “May I speak to you privately in my office, Dr. Moreno?”

He inclined his head again, and she sensed him following her from the room and down the marble-tiled hallway, past large windows with beautiful views Gabby normally enjoyed, but not at that moment. Right then, she had only one thing on her mind, which was giving Rafael Moreno a piece of it.

She stopped in front of the open door of her office and gestured for him to go inside but he stopped with her.

“Ladies first,” he said as he mirrored her gesture.

A man with good manners was usually appealing, but this didn’t feel like good manners. It felt more like he was just being controlling again, wanting things to be the way he wanted them and not giving her respect for the fact that it was her office. Which meant she should be calling the shots at that moment, even if it was something as simple as who entered the room first.

The smile she stuck on her face was stiff and fake and she didn’t care if he saw through it. While part of her knew it wasn’t something worth arguing about, he’d irritated her so much already she found herself digging in her heels. “No, I insist. You are a guest here at the clinic, after all.” And if that didn’t give him a strong hint that he’d overstepped his bounds, she was about to tell him so much more directly.

Those silky eyebrows rose at her, and their gazes clashed for several heartbeats until he inclined his head and stepped into the room. She shut the door behind her, not wanting anyone to overhear their conversation, and when she turned to look at him she had that oxygen-sucked-from-the-room feeling again. His height and the breadth of his shoulders made the room seem to shrink, and his erect posture and the utter self-assurance of his demeanor compounded the effect until she felt she couldn’t breathe.

Except breathing was necessary to give him a piece of her mind. Her mouth suddenly dry as sandpaper, she hoped he couldn’t sense her discomfiture as she stepped behind her desk instead of having them sit in the two chairs side by side, wanting to send another message that she was in charge of the maternity wing and its midwives and he should treat her accordingly.

“Please sit,” she said as she perched herself in her swivel chair.

But of course he didn’t. He simply stared down at her, and she suddenly felt like a bug-eyed hamster being eyed by a hawk. Rafael Moreno, standing there all confident and imperious, had utterly ruined the message she’d tried to send by sitting behind the desk, so now what was she supposed to do? Sit there craning her neck up at him while giving him a dressing-down? Or bob back up like a jack-in-the-box? Either one would make her look foolish and, worse, completely lacking in power and authority.

Damn the man.

“What is it you wish to discuss with me, Ms. Cain?”

She huffed out a breath, trying hard to regain some semblance of equilibrium, and slowly stood again to look him in the eye. Or as much as that was possible, considering he still had a good six or seven inches in height on her. “I know you are James’s friend, and I’m told you are good at what you do. Also that you are part of a royal family, which is perhaps why you feel you can do as you please.”

“I can do as I please.”

The arrogance of the words wasn’t diminished by the even modulation of his deep voice. Her heartbeat upped its tempo to double time, and that burning sensation prickled her scalp again. “Maybe you can in a lot of places, but not here, Dr. Moreno. I may be a midwife and not a physician, but I assure you that I’m the person in charge of the day-to-day operation of The Hollywood Hills Clinic’s maternity ward. While I am grateful you came quickly to see Cameron when James requested you to, I don’t appreciate you walking in and just taking over. Completely ignoring the notes I made on Ms. Fontaine’s chart and utterly dismissing my medical opinion and recommendation. Even worse, you said and did it all in front of the patient. That was insulting and rude, and frankly could have very well undermined her confidence in me, my knowledge, and my skills.”

The expression on his smooth, angular features didn’t change, but in the depths of his eyes there was a sudden, dangerous glint. Her breath caught and held in her chest during the long pause that crackled between them before he finally spoke. “Anything else?”

“Yes, actually.”

Gabby slowly walked around from behind the desk, taking that moment to get the air moving in her lungs again, hoping to calm both her tripping heart and her frustration. For the first time in her life she wished she was taller than her five feet six inches, but was so angry she came to stand nearly toe to toe with him anyway.

“I resent you saying that room was a mess, that it was substandard, and by association that I’m substandard. Even worse that you said it in front of our patient as well. I work very hard to keep my ward immaculately clean, organized and running smoothly, to keep these rooms as luxurious and beautiful as James insists they be, and our patients expect. But as an obstetrician you should certainly know that when there’s any kind of medical emergency, like the difficult twin births I was dealing with prior to Cameron arriving, it tends to mess up a hospital room. Is it possible that you never give that a thought, though, since an OB can often run in, catch a baby, play hero, then leave the cleanup to someone else?”

“I assure you,” he said in a silky-soft voice at odds with that glint sparking in his eyes, “I am well versed in hospital room chaos, having worked in all kinds of clinics around the world. I resent your implication that I’m a spoiled and selfish man unwilling to take on any task required of me. That is an unacceptable insult. Who and what I am is a doctor who prides himself on paying attention to every detail, and the fact is that the disarray of that room was obvious evidence that I had to take control of the situation.”

The small gap between them closed, and with his narrowed gaze so close, so intense Gabby found she had to break their eye contact before she got dizzy from it. Which then had her staring at his mouth, at lips that were hard and uncompromising, and somehow at the same time so soft and sensually shaped that her stomach did a strange little flip that didn’t feel at all like the anger pumping through her veins.

“And I assure you that was a misconception, and you taking control of the situation was both unnecessary and unwelcome.” Gabby resisted the urge to stroke her hand down her throat, swiping away the sweat she was sure must be forming there. Why did it suddenly seem so hot in this room? Was it her anger making her heart quiver, and was it her imagination that all that heat seemed to be shimmering right between them, practically pouring from his big, masculine body? “If you end up coming back to see Cameron, and I frankly would prefer a different physician do so, I would appreciate you showing me respect in front of our patient, and I will continue to show you that same respect.”

“Oh, I’ll be back, Ms. Cain, have no doubt about that. Whether you like it or not. When I make a commitment to a friend like James, and to a patient, I always see it through to the end.” His eyes were still narrowed, his words still spoken in that silky, soft tone that sounded odd, coming from lips that had been firmly clamped together the whole time she’d spoken. Then, to her utter shock, he reached for her hand and lifted it to those beautiful lips, pressing them to the back of it.

Both soft and firm, he kept them there for three long seconds, causing that weirdly disconcerting spark to fly up her arm again. Then he released it and, without another word, turned and strode out the door.

Gabby stared blindly at the wall beside her door, absently running her palm from the back of her other hand up her arm, feeling the gooseflesh still making all the little hairs stand at attention. “Well, Gabby, that went well,” she muttered to herself, barely able to catch her breath. “When it comes to verbal sparring to handle a problem, that man is clearly way out of your league.”

Which left her with a very difficult question. What she was going to do next to keep him from taking over her entire ward?

CHAPTER TWO

“YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN a workaholic, but your schedule seems insane to me,” Rafael said as he sat across from James, glad his friend had finally found time to stop by the cliffside home Rafael was renting. “I thought I might be moving on from L.A. before we had a chance to share another drink.”

“Hey, I do things other than work.”

“Like what? Are you taking up golf?” Rafael asked with a grin, since he knew the man had zero interest in spending that much time on a game.

That drew a return grin from James. “No, but I do have a date in about...one hour,” he said, glancing at his watch. “And what do you mean, you might be moving on from L.A. soon? Is rolling stone Rafael already thinking about leaving? I thought you’d come here to go into hiding for a while.”

“Doesn’t seem to have worked too well. One or the other of my parents calls me practically daily with disapproving updates on the photos and completely exaggerated stories still showing up in the gossip magazines about me.”

“If you didn’t date strippers, maybe you wouldn’t have that problem.”

“I didn’t even know she’d been a stripper until it was splashed across all the papers.” He shook his head, wondering why everyone had to make such a big deal out of it anyway. “But if I hear one more word from my family about having to find a ‘suitable’ girlfriend, I may just become a monk.”

“Like there’s any chance of that,” James said with a smirk. “One of the reasons I always liked hanging out with you was because women flock around a prince like ants to a piece of candy. A good way for me to meet the cast-offs.”

“Because you have such a problem with meeting women,” Rafael said dryly. “Didn’t you just tell me you have a date tonight?”

“Yeah.” James’s face instantly settled into an oddly serious expression, and it struck Rafael that his friend might be getting back into a relationship with Mila Brightman, his former fiancée.

“I heard you’re having to spend time with Mila now you’re working with her charity,” he said casually, hoping James would talk to him about it if he felt a need to. “Are you seeing her again?”

“No. That was over long ago.” James seemed to be studying the condensation droplets on his iced-tea glass very intently, and Rafael wondered if it was to avoid looking him in the eye. “But I do think dating someone new is a good idea to, you know, distract me from thinking about the past.”

Rafael frowned. He knew their breakup had been hard on both James and Mila, but it had been James’s idea, after all. How much was he still bothered by it? “Maybe you and Mila—”

“I don’t really want to talk about it.” James set his glass down and put on the cool, professional face Rafael had seen many times when James wanted to put distance between himself and others. “Tell me about how things went with Cameron Fontaine. And by the way, I don’t think I’ve told you how much I appreciate you seeing her.”

“I’m glad you asked me. It’s what I do. Not to mention that not working and having to lie low in L.A. has been getting a little tedious, so I’m happy to be at the clinic.” Oddly, the first thing James’s question instantly brought to mind wasn’t his patient but a certain gorgeous midwife who was an all-too-attractive combination of warmth and smarts and toughness.

Thinking back, he realized he’d deserved the one-two punch she’d given him in her office. He should have shown her immediate respect instead of making her earn it, but in some of the places he’d worked, it had been important to make sure everyone knew what they were doing before you trusted them to. In spite of the chaotic condition of the room, it had been obvious that she was an expert when it came to the medical care of the patients. And wasn’t afraid to point it out in no uncertain terms to anyone who doubted that.

“What’s with that smile on your face?” James asked, quirking his eyebrow. “Did you fall in lust with Cameron?”

“No.” That would be a snowy day in the desert, and he practically laughed at the question. Cameron Fontaine was the kind of self-absorbed woman he met all too often and had no interest in even for just sex.

He wouldn’t admit to James that the woman he’d felt a stirring of lust for had been the clinic’s head midwife. A woman with a fiery temper to match the golden fire of her hair. The last thing he needed was the complication of dating someone he had to work with. Not to mention that dating anyone at that particular moment was asking for more trouble from the press and anger and disapproval from his family.

After the tabloids had blown up again with the juicy story of his latest girlfriend, his parents had insisted he stop embarrassing them. It all seemed so ridiculous since he’d dated the woman barely a month before they’d stopped seeing each other, which was how he liked to keep it. Any longer than that and a woman had a tendency to start thinking long term, and he had no intention of doing forever after with anyone. His brother had taken care of marrying to provide heirs, and saddled himself with a woman who didn’t even like him much. And the picture-perfect partnership of his parents’ arranged marriage? It didn’t hint at the cool distance between them, or question why they were on different continents half the time.

No, Rafael was never going to get stuck in some passionless marriage. He liked his freedom and planned to keep it, thank you very much. Lying low to let his parents simmer down a little was the price he had to occasionally pay for that freedom. With any luck, they’d soon stop throwing “suitable” women his way, wanting to torture him with the kind of loveless marriage they had.

“I’m not sure we’re going to be able to stop Cameron’s labor,” he told James, “but I’m hoping to be able to get her at least a second steroid dose before it happens. I’m heading over there soon to see how she’s doing.”

“Good. You’re the best at what you do, and I hope she knows that. I’m guessing she doesn’t mind that her doctor is a prince either.”

Probably true, but his royal status was something Rafael found to be a far bigger burden than a benefit. “I’ll text you with an update after I see her.”

“I’d appreciate that.” James stood, so Rafael did too. “I’d better get cleaned up for my date.”

He had to wonder how Mila would react to seeing photos of James with a doubtless beautiful woman in the media that followed him around as much as they followed him, but it wasn’t any of his business.

No, his present business was to keep a low profile and his own face out of the tabloids for as long as possible.

* * *

Gabby poured herself another cup of coffee, desperate to somehow keep her heavy eyelids from closing. During the night, when Cameron had slept, she’d managed to grab an hour or two of rest, but had jumped to attention every time Cameron had woken up, both worried that her labor might be advancing. That, combined with her recent double shifts prior to Cameron’s arrival, had left her without much in the way of reserve energy.

Gulping at the dark, hot liquid, Gabby moved to Cameron’s bedside again. “Any changes in the way you’re feeling?”

“No.” Cameron folded her arms across her chest and pouted up at Gabby. “And I’m awfully tired of just lying here. The only thing that makes it bearable at all is the good care you’re taking of me.”

“That’s nice of you to say.” Her words managed to fractionally perk Gabby up since, inside, she’d become a little tired of catering to the woman’s every whim. At least she apparently appreciated it. “I’m doing everything I can to keep you comfortable, and hopefully help baby stay in there a little longer.”

“I know I should apologize for being a tad complaining. Even grumpy occasionally. It’s just so tiresome being in this bed, but I know you understand that.”

“I do understand. Would you like your pillows plumped again?”

At her nod, Gabby complied, thinking it was good the pillows were faux down to prevent any allergens from being in the room, as real down would have been plumped to death by now. Cameron’s word “tad” was an understatement, but Gabby was pretty sure the woman truly didn’t realize that “Diva” should be her middle name.

“It’s not easy getting comfortable, sitting in a bed all day, or to keep from getting bored. I’ll bring you another book to read, if you like.”

“Maybe later.” She leaned back against her pillows with a long-suffering sigh. Just as Gabby was about to creep away, Cameron opened her eyes and started talking again. “And of course the other thing making it bearable to be here is Rafael. He’s just the sweetest, dreamiest thing, don’t you think? And he’s obviously a wonderful doctor.”

Dreamy, maybe, when it came to his looks. But sweet? Definitely not. It was an effort, but Gabby managed to keep a smile on her face and sort of agree. “He has an excellent reputation. I’m glad you like him.”

“Like him? I just love him! Adore him!” Cameron gushed. “I feel so lucky that he happens to be in Los Angeles right now. It seems like fate, doesn’t it?”

Privately, she didn’t think it was fate, unless the universe had decided to challenge Gabby by making life at the clinic difficult, having to work with someone as full of himself as Rafael Moreno. But she was a professional and could handle it, no matter what. And, to look at the positive, at least Cameron was happy.

She glanced at her watch. “If you’re not going to sleep right now, I’d like to get another ultrasound of baby, then give your next steroid injection.”

“Should we wait for Rafael?” Anxious blue eyes met hers. “He said he’d be here this afternoon, and I’m sure he will be.”

Damn the man for insisting he be in charge of everything, and basically telling the patient not to trust her. “I believe Dr. Moreno was simply being cautious because he doesn’t personally know me. But midwives are highly trained in all aspects of pregnancy and delivery, including caring for high-risk patients. You can trust me completely.”

“Of course I trust you. In fact I’m— I— Oh, my God!” Cameron sat bolt upright in bed, her eyes suddenly wide and scared as she stared at Gabby.

Her heart picked up speed because the look on Cameron’s face didn’t seem like overdramatic acting this time. She reached for Cameron’s hand. “What? What is it?”

“I think...I think my waters just broke!”

Oh, no. Gabby immediately checked to be sure Cameron wasn’t experiencing some other sensation that made her think it was her membranes breaking, but there was no doubt about it.

Heart sinking, she prayed the steroids had gotten baby’s lungs developed enough for the premature infant to be all right. She perched on the side of the bed and reached for Cameron’s hands again. “You’re right. Your waters have broken, which means your amniotic sac is no longer intact. And that means baby has to be born, otherwise there’s risk of infection. I’ll call Dr. Moreno and get him here right away.”

“Oh, yes, you must!” Cameron’s manicured nails dug into Gabby’s skin. “Tell him it’s an emergency!”

“I’m sure he’ll get here as quickly as possible. Try not to worry, okay? With luck, you’ll have a smooth, uncomplicated delivery, and baby will be just fine. I’ll be right back.”

Gabby managed to extricate her hands from Cameron’s grip and made a quick note of the time her waters had broken and an estimation of the amount of fluid before she moved into the hallway to pull up Dr. Moreno’s number on her cell. Hopefully, he wasn’t at lunch with some bigwig, or with a woman after a date the night before and not answering the phone because of it. And why that thought would make her tummy tighten uncomfortably, she had no idea. Must just be concern for Cameron, because she knew the woman would worry about having a different doctor come to deliver the baby.

But he answered after only two rings, and Gabby let out a relieved breath. “Dr. Moreno, it’s Gabby Cain. Cameron’s waters broke a few minutes ago and—”

“I’ll be right there.”

She stared at the now dead phone. Now, there was a man of few words. And questions. Which was probably a good thing since the sooner he arrived, the sooner he’d wield his potent charm on Cameron to keep her calmer in a way Gabby wasn’t always able to accomplish.

Back in Cameron’s room, she plumped her pillows yet again and checked her vital signs once more. “Dr. Moreno’s on his way.”

“I knew he’d come right away. I’m just praying he gets here before my baby does!”

“It usually takes a while for contractions to get strong enough for baby to be born. Are you feeling any yet?”

“I...I can’t tell for sure. I feel very crampy, like there’s a fist inside my belly. It doesn’t feel good. And my back really aches. Is it going to get worse? I hate pain! I don’t do well with it at all!”

The famous blue eyes staring at her were so scared and anxious Gabby gave her hands another reassuring squeeze. “How contractions feel varies a lot from woman to woman. Some go from feeling cramps that become more intense as labor progresses, and others experience pretty intense contractions. But all that is helping your baby be born, so it’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“How long will it take?”

“That varies too.” Gabby wasn’t about to tell her it could be just a few hours or as long as twenty-four or more. If Cameron was stressing now, that would probably send her into a panic. “I’m going to check your cervix to see how much it’s thinning and dilating, which may give us a clue how far along you are.”

“Okay, but I want an epidural, because it already hurts a lot! So please call whoever does that right away. Unless Rafael will do that himself?”

“Epidurals are done by an anesthesiologist. We’ll let Dr. Moreno decide when that should happen.” Since he’d wanted to be in charge, Gabby was more than happy to pass the epidural discussion on to him.

It seemed Gabby had barely plumped Cameron’s pillows a third time and gotten ice for her to suck on when Rafael Moreno strode into the room as if he owned the place. All tall and powerful and regal, his mere presence seemed to electrify the air. His gaze trapped hers, and everything in the room seemed to fade away except for that intense connection. Suddenly she felt a little unsteady on her feet, but that was probably sheer exhaustion.

“Thank God you’re here, Rafael!”

Cameron’s voice snapped her back to reality. Focus on your job and patient, silly, not the handsome prince. Um, what had she been about to do just then? “Hello, Dr. Moreno. As I told you, Cameron’s had PPROM. I was about to check her cervical thinning and dilation.”

“What’s PPROM?” Cameron sounded alarmed, and Gabby gave her a pat.

“Sorry, I was talking to the doctor. It’s just an acronym for preterm premature rupture of membranes, which just means your waters broke before baby is full term.”

“Let’s check how far along you are, Cameron, okay?” he asked. Rafael donned gloves and began the internal exam, smiling at their patient and asking questions as he did. Somehow he managed to have her smiling back and laughing at a few of his remarks, and Gabby had to grudgingly admit he had a wonderful bedside manner, obviously used to dealing with even the most nervous and difficult kinds of patients.

When he finished the exam he snapped off his gloves and seemed to take a moment to think of how he wanted to present his findings. “Your special little one is, as we know, very anxious to arrive. You are already dilated to six centimeters, which is a bit surprising for a first baby, though of course your bebé has been impatient for some time, hasn’t she?”

Gabby stared at him in surprise and had to bite her tongue to keep from blurting out something like You’re kidding! Six centimeters was way further along than she’d expected, and she had to admit she was glad Rafael was already there, or she would have been concerned that he might not get to the clinic in time, which would have worried Cameron at a time she didn’t need more worries.

“Oh, my Lord, then I need to get an epidural right now, don’t I?” The blue eyes staring at Rafael quickly became panicky as she apparently experienced a contraction. Panting for a moment, she leaned forward to grab his hand. “I hate pain. You can make sure I don’t have any more pain, right? Fix that for me, please.”

So used to addressing laboring mother’s worries, Gabby opened her mouth before realizing Cameron had asked Rafael, not her. And much as it rankled a bit, since she was used to either delivering babies on her own or being part of a team with the obstetrician, she managed to let him answer instead.

“I have already spoken to the anesthesiologist, as I know you want to be as comfortable as possible,” he said in that soothing voice that was also, damn it, incredibly sexy. “Now that we know you’re dilated enough to receive the pain relief, we’ll get the anesthesiologist here pronto.”

He turned the power of his smile on Gabby, and she had to admit to a warmth filling her chest that he’d included her with the “we” word. Though why she should care if he did or didn’t give her that lip service, she had no clue.

“Gabriella, would you please ask Dr. Smith to come now?”

“Yes, Dr. Moreno.”

“Please, call me Rafael. You and Cameron and I are all friends trusting one another here to bring baby into the world, yes?”

“Um, yes.” No. Not friends. Colleagues. Co-workers. But that simple word—friends—made her chest feel warmer even as it contracted with pain as she went to phone the doctor. Her last relationship had taught her that counting on true friendship and closeness with a man was a mistake. That trust was a mirage. An elusive shimmer of light that could disintegrate and disappear in an instant when times got tough.

Briefly closing her eyes, she willed away the hurt, stuffing it down into the deep, dark corner where it usually resided, until unexpected moments like this dragged it to the surface. But this moment wasn’t about her past. This moment was about helping a mother who would soon hold a new life in her arms, a precious child she obviously wanted with all her heart.

Tears unexpectedly stung her eyes, and she angrily swiped them aside. She delivered babies for a living, and usually felt nothing but joy for the new parents, new families. So what was it about this moment, this delivery that was bringing memories to the surface that were better left behind?

The question made her wonder if, somehow, some way, for some bizarre reason, it was Rafael’s presence that was making her feel so strange. But, of course, that made no sense. She didn’t even know him. Didn’t want to.

She kept her life simple. Worked a lot of hours, taking on as many double shifts as possible. Went out with friends occasionally, but that was pretty much it. Could it be that after such a long time of keeping to herself, being around an exceptionally attractive man, annoying or not, had her neglected hormones all charged up or something?

Yes. That had to be it. And knowing that was all it was helped her get her equilibrium back. Time to quit thinking and remembering and start working. She quickly contacted the anesthesiologist, then headed back to Cameron’s room.

“You checked Cameron for her group B beta strep culture, yes?” Rafael asked from his position by Cameron’s bedside, holding her hand the way she would have, in a way she couldn’t remember ever seeing an OB interact with a patient.

“I did. Status was uncertain, so I gave her a second dose of antibiotics in case it’s an issue.”

“Good.” He nodded and stood, and Gabby found herself fixated on the way his broad shoulders and chest filled out his scrubs, how his tanned forearms looked more like they belonged to an athlete than a man who caught babies for a living. Thankfully, her inappropriate perusal was interrupted as Dr. Smith strode in. Face heating, she turned away, hoping to heck no one had noticed her staring.

The doctors shook hands before the anesthesiologist introduced himself to their patient. “Cameron, I promise I’m not going far, just giving Dr. Smith and Gabriella some room,” Rafael said. “I’m sure Dr. Smith will take good care of you, and of course you are in Gabriella’s excellent hands as well. See you shortly, okay?”

And Gabby sure as heck needed a little space and a breather from Rafael Moreno. She did her darnedest to focus on only Cameron, but as he walked by her she found it impossible to not be aware of the pull of his green eyes, the angular shape of his smooth, golden features, and the sheer masculine force of his presence.

To cover up her confusion over this odd discomfort, she nearly asked tartly if it was okay for her to do an internal exam now, but resisted the urge. She was pretty certain that antagonizing him would just ratchet up this peculiar sizzle between them, and whether it was animosity or something else, Gabby wasn’t sure anymore.

Rafael left her to monitor Cameron’s labor progress and take care of her, checking in only occasionally, which Gabby was glad about on more than one level. She couldn’t deny feeling pleased that he’d obviously come to trust she knew what she was doing, then inwardly scolded herself for that. He should have assumed she was competent at her job, not the other way around, especially knowing James Rothsberg and what he demanded of everyone who worked at the clinic he’d founded.

Rafael not hovering around the room, monitoring everything she did, was another good thing, though why she kept finding him so distracting she had no idea. The man was an expert at turning his charm on and off at will.

“How long is this going to take, for heaven’s sake? I thought she was coming soon.” Cameron’s voice had gotten steadily more frustrated as her contractions got closer together, and Gabby prayed for both their sakes she was close to being ready to push.

“Your baby has a mind of her own already, Cameron, doesn’t she?” she said, keeping her voice light. “First she’s in a hurry, then she takes her time.” A bit like her mother. “The good news is her heart rate looks perfect on the monitor. Let me check your dilation again. Looks like the epidural is keeping you comfortable, isn’t it?”

“I guess. If you can call starving to death comfortable.” Cameron sighed dramatically as she crunched another of the tiny round ice cubes Gabby had replaced in her cup three times now. “You’d think that with modern medicine, giving birth could be completely pain-free.”

“A few decades back, women were given morphine and scopolamine to put them into a twilight sleep. They’d hallucinate, then not remember the birth at all afterwards. I don’t know about you, but I’d want to remember forever the moment my baby arrived in this world.”

It wasn’t the kind of memory she’d wish on anyone, but it was still hers. To rail against, to shrink from, to cherish.

She could see him as clearly as if he were even now in her arms. Stillborn. One simple word that perfectly described a lifeless infant.

Motionless. Quiet. Angelic and beautiful.

Every detail of that day was burned into her very soul. And she prayed it wasn’t a memory Cameron would ever have to share.

“I suppose,” Cameron said grudgingly. “So, how many centimeters dilated am I?”

Grateful for the distraction, Gabby checked and was surprised and more than happy at what she found. “Guess what? You’re at ten centimeters and fully effaced. Time for baby to come into the world.”

“Oh, my gosh—really? Don’t you need to call Rafael? What if she comes out before he gets here?”

Gabby wanted to remind Cameron that she was a qualified midwife, fully capable of delivering a baby on her own, but managed to keep her mouth shut. Besides, she’d be lying if she didn’t admit she kind of wanted to see Rafael at work. “I’ll give him a call right now.”

“No need. I’m here,” a deep voice said, and Gabby glanced up to see Rafael looking relaxed yet wired, obviously ready to get to work. “I had a feeling your little bebé had finally made up her mind.”

“That’s because you and I are simpatico, don’t you think? How much longer?”

“Time to be the strong woman you are and get pushing with the next contraction, sí?”

Cameron nodded, and Gabby was surprised at how quickly her next contraction came. Rafael was calmly encouraging as long minutes passed, stretching into a half hour, with their patient becoming more frustrated and impatient with each push.

“My friend had her baby sucked out with something. Can’t you just do that?” she gasped.

“Ah, ‘sucked out.’ That’s a funny way to put it, though accurate, I suppose.” Across their patient, his amused eyes met Gabby’s and she felt her lips curving. “But it is not a good idea to use the vacuum on a premature infant, and you’re doing well. Isn’t she, Gabriella?”

“Wonderful. Just remember to breathe with the next push, okay?” She reached for Cameron’s hand, stroking it. “Puff, puff, puff. In and out. Tuck down your chin when you push to give it some extra oomph, okay?”

“Extra oomph.” Rafael’s laughing eyes met hers again. “You Americans use amusing words. I must take notes.”

“Well, do it some other time,” Cameron said tartly. “I’m more interested in getting this baby out than helping you write a thesaurus of American words.”

“Just trying to distract you from your hard work, Cameron. Another push now, please.”

He turned those green eyes back to their patient and Gabby realized she’d been briefly mesmerized—again—by that gaze. She glanced at the monitor wrapped around Cameron’s belly as she pushed again, and the reading jerked her mind back to work. “Fetal monitor is showing a decreased variability, Dr. Moreno.”

He glanced at it, too, and his expression turned serious. “Keep an eye on it during the next contractions.”

“What? What does that mean? Is something wrong?” Cameron nearly moaned the questions as she pushed again.

“Baby’s heartbeat is a little flat. But that may just mean she’s sleeping.”

“Sleeping? How could she possibly be sleeping when she’s about to be born?”

“She’s warm and cozy inside her mama, and also tiny because she is early. So sleeping is a possibility, though I agree it seems odd that babies sometimes are sleep before being born, doesn’t it?”

His eyes met Gabby’s, and she read the message in their serious depths. He wanted her to pay close attention to the monitor, and she gave him a small nod. She pressed the intercom around her neck as she watched the baby’s heartbeat. “I’ll give Neonatal a quick call to get them here and ready.”

As Gabby spoke soothingly and encouragingly, Rafael interrupted. “Baby’s head is crowning, Cameron! Not too much longer now. You are doing such a good job.”

“Yes, a few more good pushes and hopefully she’ll be here! Tuck that chin in again and give us another push, okay?” Gabby wiped Cameron’s forehead at the same time she glanced again at the monitor and froze for an instant. “Heart rate’s flat on the monitor, Dr. Moreno.”

“Stop pushing, Cameron,” he said in a sharp tone.

“Stop?” The woman looked at him, her tired eyes wide. “What do you mean? I thought you said her head was crowning!”

“The cord is around her neck. I need to get it off before she can arrive.”

CHAPTER THREE

CAMERON LET OUT a long cry full of dismay and fear, and Gabby held her hand tighter. “Hang in there, Cameron. Rafael’s getting his fingers under the cord.”

Gabby kept her voice calm and quiet but her chest squeezed hard when she saw the cord wasn’t just around the baby’s neck, it was wrapped round a full three times between her collarbone and her tiny chin. Dear God, this was the last thing a preterm newborn already bound to be in distress should go through.

Throat tight, she watched Rafael carefully wiggle his fingers between the cord and the baby’s neck. Gabby was pretty sure she didn’t breathe at all as the long, tense seconds passed while he worked gently to loosen it.

“What’s happening?” Cameron asked in a high-pitched voice. “Is...is she okay? Oh, God.”

“Working on it. Hold on.”

His fingers finally loosened the cord enough to slip it over the baby’s head, and air spilled from Gabby’s lungs in a relieved whoosh. “Cord’s clear now, Cameron. Get ready.”

“Looks like she’s been doing synchronized swimming in there to get so tangled up,” Rafael said as he flashed a quick grin.

How he managed to look so completely collected, Gabby wasn’t sure, and hoped she always exuded the same calm confidence whenever she had to deal with a tricky situation. “Rafael has her head and shoulders now. One more big push, okay?”

“Good. Perfect. And...here she is!” Rafael had the infant in his hands, his dazzling smile lighting up the room as he held her. “You were magnifico! Bravo!”

Gabby quickly laid a towel on Cameron’s chest so Rafael could briefly place the baby there for Cameron to see her for just a moment as the neonatal team swooped into the room. Cameron looked down at the tiny little face, not a good color yet, still too purple, but Gabby’s heart lifted when she saw the infant was already pinking up.

“My sweet precious,” Cameron whispered. Two wide eyes stared back at her, and the new mother promptly burst into noisy tears that pulled hard at Gabby’s heart. “I love you so much. Please be okay. Please be healthy and normal and not damaged because I didn’t eat enough and worked too much and squeezed my belts too tight when you were growing. Worrying about myself instead of you. Please, Skye. Please be the perfect angel I dreamed you would be.”

Skye. Cameron had airily claimed she had no idea what she’d name her baby, but Gabby had always suspected she just hadn’t been ready to share it. And as she looked at the tiny, scrawny baby’s blue eyes, she got choked up herself, knowing so well the guilt Cameron felt. Worries she hadn’t shared with Gabby. And she understood. Because she, too, didn’t share her guilt with anyone.

* * *

Skye was exactly the right choice for the new life in front of her. A pure and precious gift, like any baby was to its mother. Even those who never had their chance to grow up.

“Skye is a beautiful name.” Gabby gently wiped Cameron’s perspiring brow once more, thinking how the woman looked more beautiful at that moment than all the times her makeup was immaculate and her hair perfectly done by her professional stylists. Having worked so hard to bring her baby into the world, she looked vulnerable and scared and more like a real person than Gabby had ever seen her—not at all the ultra-confident screen persona and diva actress she projected to the world most of the time.

For a moment, she let herself watch a little longer. To see Skye whisked to the heat lamp by the neonatal team, a bulb suction quickly clearing her nose before the small oxygen mask was placed over her head. To marvel at the little body being cleaned up and swaddled tight as Gabby would have done if the baby hadn’t had the stress of the cord scare added to her being so premature.

Then she didn’t want to watch anymore. She turned to focus back on Cameron and caught Rafael’s eye. An eye that seemed to be searching right into her very soul, seeing far too much, and she quickly turned away from that unnerving green gaze.

“She is so beautiful, Cameron,” she said, wishing her voice wasn’t tight with unshed tears. “Hard work bringing her into the world, I know. But now she’s here, you can spoil her rotten.”

“Yes,” Cameron said in a wobbly voice as she watched the neonatal team take Skye from the room to the NICU. “Yes, I plan to do just that.”

* * *

“You did great,” Rafael said. “I’m not surprised that the real Cameron Fontaine is even more of a warrior than the parts you play.” The smile he gave the actress looked so sincere, Gabby wasn’t sure if he meant it or if he was as good an actor as their patient.

“Thank you,” Cameron said, but without the preening she usually responded with when given a compliment. “But what if she’s not all right?”

“No worries until we have to worry, right? What is it you Americans say? Don’t borrow trouble?” Another flash of white teeth. “I will get you fixed up, then we’ll see if we can sneak you in to see your bebé, and ask the doctors how she is doing. Okay?”

Cameron simply nodded, her lip trembling, and Gabby wanted to distract her from her worries. Maybe distract herself a little too. “You must be hungry after all that hard work. How about I get you a bite to eat? What sounds good?”

“Just crackers or something. And maybe juice. Do you have orange juice?”

“You want it, we’ve got it.” Which was pretty much true, as the clinic had more different kinds of food and drinks to offer patients than the biggest restaurant in L.A.

Trying to think about food instead of everything else occupying her mind, Gabby could hear Rafael’s deep voice chatting with Cameron as she left the room. She’d already seen he was good with patients, seeming to know when they needed to be firmly told what to do, and when they needed comfort or distraction instead. And, yes, she’d also seen he wasn’t all arrogant, full of himself princely fluff. That might be a part of him, but there was no denying he was an excellent medical doctor too.

Which, dang it, were all unfortunate realizations, because it had been much easier to ignore the man’s overwhelming mojo when she’d thought he was just a handsome, royal jerk.

She concentrated on figuring out what might appeal to Cameron, to focus on work, which was how she always coped when something happened to yank her back in time. But how could she deny that concentrating on Rafael Moreno for a moment instead was an awfully appealing distraction?

Promising herself she wouldn’t look at said distraction as she walked back to the room with a tray, she stopped dead in the doorway. For one heart-stopping moment she thought Rafael and Cameron were in an embrace, and she stared as a horrifying thought followed. Which was that the man was taking advantage of his beautiful patient at a vulnerable time.

Then her heart jerkily started up again when she realized that Cameron was sobbing, tears streaking down her cheeks as she rested her head against Rafael’s broad shoulder, her hands clutching his scrub shirt. That his large hand gently stroking her damp hair back from her face was meant to comfort and soothe. Soft and beautiful Spanish words were coming from his beautifully shaped lips, and though Gabby’s knowledge of the language wasn’t as good as it should have been, she recognized them as words of praise and reassurance.

Oh. My. In her years as a midwife, working with doctors of all kinds, she’d seen many who were wonderful with patients. But this? This was something entirely new to her experience. This man was one lethal combination of excellent medical skill, patient care, and soothing empathy, with movie-star good looks on top of it all.

A sudden vision of his big, tanned hand pushing back her own hair, cupping her jaw before lowering those sensual lips to hers nearly stopped her breath. At that moment, he seemed to realize she’d come just inside the door and looked up. Still holding Cameron, patting her shoulder, his attention somehow seemed to be one hundred percent on Gabby as his eyes met hers. His lips curved in a slow smile, and his head inclined toward her ever so slightly in a subtle but obvious compliment. Giving her his respect and silent kudos that he thought she’d done a good job.

Somehow she managed to break that mesmerizing eye contact, breathe, and get her feet moving to the side of the bed. Her heart pounded hard in her ears, but thank heavens he couldn’t hear it. Could he?

She shook her head at herself and tried to keep her attention on just Cameron, but that was nearly impossible since her face was buried in Rafael’s neck, and she was hanging on to him like a barnacle to a rock. “I brought you a few different things to eat.” Other than Rafael. Gabby found herself momentarily distracted, wondering how, exactly, his neck smelled. Tasted. She’d bet pretty darned good on both counts. “Try a few, and if you think of something else you’d like to have, I’ll be happy to get it for you.”

Cameron slowly eased away from Rafael, her hands releasing his scrub shirt to swipe at the tears on her face. Rafael reached for a tissue to hand her and she gave him a grateful smile. “Thank you. Both of you. You’ve been just wonderful to me through all this, and I really, truly appreciate it.”

“It has been a privilege to be a part of it, Ms. Fontaine.” Rafael stood from his position by the bed. “I need to make a few notes and talk to the pediatrician about when we can see bebé. I’ll be right back.”

Gabby watched Cameron dig into her food with surprising gusto, considering how emotional she’d been a moment ago, and how she’d mostly picked at her food before then. “I’m glad you’re eating. It’ll help you get your strength back faster.”

“I’d thought I’d felt starved before, all the times I’d hardly eaten, trying to stay skinny to get into my costumes. But this time I’m honest to goodness famished!”

“Anything else you want, just let me know.”

“I want to see Skye.” She put the fork down and tears welled in her eyes again. “Rafael said he’d get me there as soon as possible.”

“I’m sure they’ll let you go to see her very soon. They know how important it is for a new mother to be with her baby.”

“I hope so.” Cameron sighed, and this time it sounded less worried and more dreamy. “Rafael’s the sweetest, isn’t he? Just wonderful. Gorgeous. Edible.”

Edible? Apparently, Gabby wasn’t the only one who’d had that passing thought. Then immediately had a vision of Cameron nibbling on the man’s sexy lips. Lips she couldn’t deny any woman would like a taste of.

Was Cameron planning on making a play for him once she was out of the hospital? Gabby had to wonder if he’d be more than happy to take the A-list actress up on anything she might offer. Then again, she’d just given birth, so they wouldn’t...

She drew herself up short and stuffed down those ridiculous and plain awful thoughts. What in the world would make her start thinking about the sex lives of either one was beyond her. She didn’t do relationships anymore. Sex either, and maybe that was why it had come to mind at all. It had been a long time and, hey, she was only human, right? What warm-blooded woman wouldn’t think about sex at least briefly when sharing the same air as Rafael Moreno?

Thankfully, the man entered the room at that moment, so she didn’t have to respond to Cameron’s comment. Or maybe she wasn’t thankful, because her wayward thoughts sent her gaze straight to his lips and, yes, she couldn’t deny they looked very edible indeed. She quickly moved her attention to the bronze color of his throat visible in the V of his scrubs, then on to the broad, powerful chest stretching his scrub shirt taut.

His eyes met hers with something unnerving glimmering in that startling green, and she had that can’t breathe feeling again. Lord, did he know, somehow, she’d been thinking about his nibble-worthy lips?

“Has our patient had a bite to eat?” he asked in a low, rumbling voice meant for Gabby’s ears only. Also meant to make women swoon, if the shivers currently skittering down Gabby’s spine were any indication.

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