The Seduction Challenge

Both his older brothers were in the staffroom now, deep in conversation with their father.

Joel sauntered in and slung his bag down on the floor. ‘I thought GPs were supposed to be having a hard life at the moment. Since when did life get this relaxed? And there was I thinking you were desperate for some help from a decent doctor…’

‘Well, well—it’s the prodigal son.’ Richard rose to his feet, strode across the room and clapped Joel on the back. ‘Better late than never. We expected you earlier. What kept you?’

Joel cleared his throat. ‘Well, actually—’

‘Don’t you mean who kept him? It’s bound to have been a woman. It always is.’ His older brother Michael gave him a wry smile from the comfort of his chair and gestured to the coffee-pot. ‘Are you in need of caffeine?’

Joel nodded. ‘Yes, please, but I’ll have you know I was—’

‘If you’re seriously joining the family firm, you’re going to have to curb your social life.’ His other brother Nick interrupted his attempt at an explanation, his expression mocking. ‘You don’t get special treatment here. You can’t bunk off just because you’re a film star.’

Joel’s eyes gleamed with humour and he rose to the bait. He was well used to responding to his brothers’ banter. He’d had thirty-three years of constant practice. He gave Nick a sympathetic look, designed to drive him mad. ‘I didn’t realise you’d be so jealous.’

‘Me? Jealous of you?’ Nick gave a disgusted snort. ‘Don’t be soft. As if I’d want to spend six months practising medicine with a film crew stuck up my—’

‘Thank you, Nick, this is a family show.’ Michael’s tone was dry as he cut in and handed Joel the coffee. ‘You did a good job, Joel. It was an interesting series. You almost made medicine look exciting and you’ve definitely got the proudest mum in Cornwall.’

‘You’ve also got the biggest mailbag,’ his father commented. ‘You’re certainly not going to be short of adoring women to choose from after all the exposure you’ve had.’

‘As if he ever was. Unfortunately, most of the female sex can’t see further than his pretty face.’ Nick yawned, and Joel leaned broad shoulders against the wall and looked at him innocently.

‘If you like, you can help me answer my mailbag.’

Nick gave him a withering look and then grinned. ‘Any naughty ones?’

‘Dozens.’ Joel’s smile was wicked. ‘You just don’t want to know what some women would like to do with my underwear.’

Nick gave an exaggerated shudder. ‘Please! Spare us the details.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Enough of this idle banter. I’ve got calls to make, so I’ll catch up with you later.’

His father lifted his eyebrow. ‘Are you and Tina joining us for supper at the house?’

Joel brightened at the prospect of a family gathering. ‘Has Mum killed the fatted calf?’

‘Yes, although I can’t think why.’ Nick stood up and gave his brother a wink to take the sting out of his words. He bent down and picked up his jacket and his bag. ‘Yes, we’ll be there, Dad. Tina can’t wait to see Joel. Seems to think that if he’s living here she can calm him down and find him a nice girl who’ll cure him of his wicked ways.’

‘Who says I want to be cured?’ Joel’s eyes gleamed. ‘And I don’t need Tina to find me anyone. The girl of my dreams is standing in your waiting room at this very moment.’

There was a moment’s silence while they all digested this piece of information and then Michael cleared his throat.

‘No way is any girl who features in your dreams, which are undoubtedly pornographic, sitting in our surgery,’ he said mildly, delving into the fridge for something to eat. ‘Oh, for crying out loud—no more milk. Didn’t anyone remember to shop this morning? Whose turn was it?’

Nick looked sheepish. ‘Er—I think maybe mine, but I had an urgent house call…’

Michael picked up the empty carton with a sigh and threw it in the bin. ‘OK, so who’s volunteering to go across the road to the shop?’

There was a sudden chorus of excuses and Joel rolled his eyes.

‘How do you lot manage to stay so undomesticated and not starve? You’re useless!’ He folded his arms across his broad chest and shook his head. ‘I’ll go, on condition that you tell me everything I need to know about my dream woman. I’ve already met her once this morning and—’

There was a collective groan and then Michael spoke for all of them.

‘So that’s why you were late! We knew it! It was bound to be a woman.’

Joel tilted his head back and swore under his breath. ‘I hope your listening skills are slightly more advanced than this when you’re with patients.’

His father put a hand on his shoulder and gave his older sons a disapproving frown. ‘We’re listening, Joel.’

‘There was an accident on the coast road,’ Joel explained. ‘A nasty one. I stopped to help, which is why I was late.’

Michael shook his head in total disbelief. ‘What is it with you and accidents? The rest of us seem to go through life only ever seeing boils and rashes, but drama is your middle name. You attract accidents like a magnet.’ He leaned back in his chair and lifted an eyebrow. ‘So how did the girl of your dreams fit into this?’

‘She stopped to help. In fact, she was first on the scene.’ Joel’s voice was soft. ‘She’s a nurse. Your nurse. Although I didn’t know that at the time.’

The room fell silent and his brothers exchanged glances.

‘Our nurse?’ His father cleared his throat. ‘You mean Lucy? The woman you’re talking about is our Lucy?’

‘Yes.’ Joel glanced between them, his gaze questioning. ‘What’s wrong with that?’

‘Forget it. She’s not your type,’ Nick said slowly, his expression serious for once. ‘In fact, she’s definitely not your type.’

‘I disagree,’ Joel drawled, a strange gleam in his eye as he looked at his brother. ‘From what I’ve seen, she’s definitely my type. She’s gorgeous.’

‘I didn’t say she wasn’t gorgeous.’ Nick’s mouth tightened. ‘She is gorgeous. But she’s also sweet and gentle and definitely not able to cope with someone like you.’

‘Surely that’s up to her to decide.’

Nick shook his head. ‘Don’t even go there, Joel, don’t even think about it.’

Unfortunately it wasn’t that simple.

He’d thought about little else since he’d seen her bending over the injured motorcyclist, her cheeks pink in the frozen air and her expression troubled.

‘She came here for some peace and quiet and to escape some hassle she was having,’ Michael told him, his face as serious as Nick’s, ‘so she doesn’t need any more from you.’

‘Whoa! Dismount from your charger, will you?’ Joel lifted a hand and looked at them curiously. He’d never seen his brothers quite so protective of anyone before. ‘I don’t want to give her hassle.’

‘No. We know exactly what you want to give her,’ Nick said shortly, walking across the room and pausing with his hand on the door, ‘and you can forget it, buster. You lay one hand on her—just one finger—and I’ll knock you out cold.’

Joel’s eyes gleamed and his fists tightened by his sides. ‘You mean you’ll try.’

‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, grow up!’ Richard Whittaker looked at his sons impatiently. ‘Haven’t the three of you got anything better to do than regress to boyhood? Nick, get on with your calls.’

Nick gave a good-natured smile and waggled his finger at his brother. ‘You have been warned. Anyway, she’s one of Mum’s projects, so you won’t be let near her.’

Nick left the room, leaving Joel to digest his last remark. A real sucker for causes, his mother was always rescuing waifs and strays—animals and people.

‘What’s Mum got to do with Lucy?’

‘She and Dad interviewed her for the job.’ Michael reached for his jacket and ran his hands through his hair. ‘You know Mum. Always a sucker for a sob story, and apparently Lucy’s is worse than most.’

Was it?

Joel leaned his broad shoulders against the wall and looked at his brother thoughtfully.

That would explain a great deal.

Like the sadness in her eyes and the reason she hadn’t wanted to give him her details.

He was experienced enough with women to know when someone was attracted to him, and Lucy had been attracted to him.

But she hadn’t wanted to be.

Suddenly he was intrigued. ‘So what’s her story?’ He asked the question casually but he didn’t feel casual at all. In fact, he felt more serious than he’d felt for a long time.

Maybe ever…

Michael shrugged. ‘Don’t know. Mum refuses to discuss it. All we know is she’s got—’

There was a tap on the door and Ros stuck her head round. ‘I’ve got two urgent calls and Lucy needs someone to see a patient.’

‘Add the calls to my list.’ Michael stood up.

Joel did the same. He glanced at his father. ‘I’ll see Lucy’s patient.’

Richard frowned. ‘Joel…’

‘I’m a GP with this practice,’ Joel pointed out smoothly. ‘I need to start seeing patients some time. It might as well be now.’

Michael shot him a warning glance and Joel smiled.

‘Go out and heal the sick, big brother. I promise to behave myself.’

‘You better had. Nick and I are watching you. I’ll see you later, then.’ Michael followed Ros out of the room and Richard caught Joel by the arm to stop him following.

‘Joel, I need to talk to you. I know Lucy’s pretty, but Nick and Michael are right. She’s not your type.’ His father’s tone was sharp. ‘You’re to leave her alone.’

Joel looked his father in the eye. ‘Where’s she living?’

Father looked at son. ‘Joel!’

Joel clapped a hand to his broad chest and looked innocent. ‘Did I say a word?’

‘You didn’t need to. I’ve known you for thirty-three years and women have always been at the top of your agenda,’ his father said dryly. ‘Especially pretty ones. Come on, Joel, you’re a national heartthrob after that TV series. You’re not short of female company and you never have been. You don’t need Lucy.’

Oh, yes, he did.

Joel lifted his chin. ‘What’s the story, Dad?’

His father sighed. ‘She doesn’t want us to discuss it, so I’m not going to, but let’s just say that there’s no way a girl like her is going to want anything to do with a man like you.’

‘A man like me?’ Joel lifted his eyebrows and glanced down at himself. ‘Two legs, two arms, a good pair of shoulders—what’s wrong with me?’

‘Nothing.’ Richard gave a wry smile as he ran his eyes over his son’s muscular frame. ‘There’s nothing at all wrong with you, as you well know.’

‘So?’

Richard sighed and shook his head. ‘She doesn’t want anyone, Joel. And I warn you now, I won’t have her pestered. The girl’s been through enough.’

What had she been through?

Joel’s voice was quiet. ‘I’m not in the habit of pestering women, Dad.’

‘No, because they usually fall at your feet,’ his father agreed, his tone dry. ‘But Lucy is different. She came here for a quiet life and that is exactly what she’s going to have. She’s out of bounds, Joel, and please remember that or your mother will kill me. And she’ll kill you too, probably.’

Joel wasn’t giving up. ‘It was a man, presumably.’ His expression was grim as he contemplated the possibilities. ‘Did he hit her? Hurt her in some way? Maybe Mike, Nick and I could find the guy—’

His father cut him off with an impatient gesture. ‘Put your fists away, Joel. This isn’t your battle.’ Richard gave a long sigh and rubbed his forehead with the tips of his fingers. ‘We all want to help, but she won’t accept more than we’ve done already. I suspect that what she really needs is friendship. She must be very lonely. Your mother and I keep inviting her round but she always refuses.’

‘I make a good friend,’ Joel said softly, and his father frowned.

‘No, Joel! I don’t want—’

‘Relax, Dad.’ Joel put a hand on his father’s shoulder, a confident smile playing around his firm mouth. ‘You need to learn how to chill out! You’re getting too old for all this stress.’

‘Too old!’ His father choked and spluttered and Joel grinned.

‘Trust me, Dad! I’m not going to hurt Lucy. I promise.’

But he’d like to hurt the person who’d done this to her.

His mind still churning over the possibilities, he turned on his heel and sprinted down the stairs before his father had time to warn him off again. One thing was sure: he was going to get to the bottom of what was behind the sadness.

It was the blue-eyed doctor from the accident.

Lucy stopped breathing and stared as he came down the stairs, long limbed and staggeringly handsome.

Oh, no, no, no, no!

Why hadn’t it occurred to her before?

The Whittakers all had those same blue eyes, and Richard had told her that his son had worked on the air ambulance, so she really should have guessed.

Joel.

Joel Whittaker.

Why did this have to happen? She loved Richard, and Michael and Nick were both friendly and non-threatening. But as for Joel…

She swallowed hard as she stared into those glittering blue eyes.

Joel was one hundred per cent predatory male and there was no way she would be able to work with him if he looked at her the way he had this morning.

The way he was looking at her now.

She hadn’t thought she’d ever be attracted to a man again and the strength of her reaction to him shocked her.

But she didn’t want to feel that way. It just confused her.

‘Hello, again.’ He paused at the bottom of the stairs and gave her a friendly smile that she had to admit was more boyish than predatory. ‘Ros said you needed someone to see a patient?’

She looked at him blankly. It hadn’t occurred to her that he’d be starting work straight away.

‘Is there someone you’re worried about?’ he prompted her, and she backed away from him, flustered.

‘Yes, but I just wanted to run an idea past someone. It’s probably stupid, and I know how busy you all are, and—’

‘Lucy.’ He interrupted her gently, his eyes searching. ‘You can run it past me. I’m a doctor, too, remember?’

As if she needed reminding! His impressive performance at the scene of the accident was still uppermost in her mind. If it hadn’t been for him, she dreaded to think what might have happened.

‘Can we go into one of the consulting rooms?’ She glanced over her shoulder towards her treatment room. ‘I don’t really want to talk in the corridor.’

He was instantly professional, his blue eyes keenly interested. He strode ahead of her, pushed open Michael’s door and stood to one side to let her in.

Closing the door behind them, he stayed with his back to the door, watching her carefully. ‘Go on, then—fire away.’

She swallowed. ‘Kawasaki disease. Have you ever come across it?’

He nodded slowly. ‘Once, when I was doing paeds, but it’s pretty rare. Why? Do you think we’ve got a case?’

Lucy looked at him and started to relax. At least he hadn’t laughed or scoffed or tried to tell her that she was overstepping her role.

‘I’m probably completely wrong—tell me some more about it. It’s not in the textbook I keep in the treatment room.’

Joel took a deep breath and paced across the room to the window. ‘Kawasaki disease—otherwise known as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome—first reported in 1967 in Japan. It’s thought to be related to a viral infection and usually affects children under the age of five.’ He turned to face her, a frown touching his brow. ‘What signs and symptoms does the child have?’

‘She’s had a temperature for the last five days. She saw Michael once at the beginning, but he thought it was viral, and now she’s got a nasty peeling rash on the palms of her hands and the soles of her feet,’ Lucy told him. ‘And her tongue looks like a strawberry. That’s what made me think of it, to be honest. I just remembered the strawberry tongue bit from my training. One of those useless bits of information that stay with you.’

‘Clearly not useless,’ Joel said softly, walking back across the room and opening the door. ‘Michael’s gone out on a call so I’ll take a look at her with you.’

‘They couldn’t get an appointment to see one of the doctors today, so she thought she’d ask me about the rash,’ Lucy said as they walked to the treatment room. ‘I’m probably being ridiculous. It’s probably nothing.’

Joel pushed open the door of the treatment room and Lucy introduced him to Millie Gordon and her mother.

Despite the temperature, which was clearly making her feel ill, Millie’s eyes widened. ‘I thaw you on the television,’ she lisped, and Joel grinned at the little girl and squatted down in front of her so that their eyes were on the same level.

‘You did?’

She nodded her head. ‘My mummy thinkth you’re gorgeouth.’

Millie’s mother turned a deep shade of pink and Joel threw his head back and laughed, clearly not in the slightest bit embarrassed by Millie’s indiscretion.

‘Well, that’s nice to know.’ He was totally confident and relaxed. ‘I need all the fans I can get.’

Lucy glanced between them, confused, and then suddenly remembered what the paramedic had said. ‘You were on television?’

Mrs Gordon looked at her in surprise. ‘You mean you haven’t ever seen Helicopter Doctor? It’s on every Tuesday at seven p.m. It’s the most exciting thing on television! We haven’t missed a single episode in our house. Even my husband enjoys it. Although not,’ she said with a blush, ‘for the same reasons as I do. Dr Whittaker is the nation’s heartthrob,’ she added in an undertone to Lucy.

The nation’s heartthrob?

Was he?

It was easy enough to understand. Those gorgeous blue eyes and that killer smile must have had the female viewing public falling to their knees. Combine it with some heroic roadside rescues and he must seem irresistible.

Seemingly indifferent to his growing national reputation, Joel examined the little girl thoroughly, keeping her entertained with stories of life on the air ambulance as he took a good look at her.

‘She’s had a temperature for five days now and she’s very cranky,’ Mrs Gordon said softly as Joel checked Millie’s mouth and her eyes.

‘Any diarrhoea?’

‘Some, yes.’ Mrs Gordon frowned. ‘What do you think it is?’

Joel straightened and crossed his arms across his broad chest. ‘It could be a number of things,’ he said quietly. ‘There’s no point in me listing them for you, but Sister Bishop here suspected something called Kawasaki disease and I think she’s right. Some people think that it can come on after a viral infection. It may not be that, of course, so it’s important that I send her straight to the paediatricians at the hospital so that they can do some tests.’

‘Tests?’ Mrs Gordon looked shocked. ‘What tests?’

‘Blood tests mostly,’ Joel explained. ‘Do you have transport, Mrs Gordon?’

The woman nodded, clearly distracted with worry. ‘Yes, I’ve got the car, but I don’t—Is it serious?’

Joel put a hand on her shoulder. ‘It can be, but providing we get her into hospital I have every confidence that she’ll be fine. I’ll ring the paediatrician now so that he’ll know to expect you. Sister will help you get Millie to the car while I do a letter.’

Lucy helped Mrs Gordon gather up her things and followed her through to the car park.

‘I just wanted you to check the rash.’ Mrs Gordon settled Millie onto the booster seat and bit her lip. ‘I didn’t think—’

‘It may be nothing,’ Lucy said quietly, ‘but better safe than sorry. We’ll call the hospital to check how she’s doing, and don’t be afraid to call us here if there’s anything we can do.’

Joel strode across the car park and handed Mrs Gordon a letter. ‘Her name is Dr Emma Peterson and she’s expecting you. Park in the main car park and take her straight to Kitten Ward, the paediatric unit.’

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