Their Mistletoe Baby. Karin Baine

      

      A Christmas dream come true

      When handsome pediatrician Lucas Brodie walked out on his wife, Freya, at Christmas, he left her heart and hopes for a family shattered. This year, nurse Freya is determined to put the pain behind her by volunteering on a trip to take sick children to Lapland. But then she discovers Lucas is coming, too!

      As they begin to fall in love again, Lucas wonders—could he give her a family after all? Can he put his past behind him? Perhaps an unexpected pregnancy could be the Christmas miracle to make Freya’s dreams come true...

      ‘You missed a bit.’ Freya pulled off her mitten and brushed the corner of his mouth with the pad of her thumb.

      It was an innocent gesture, but the moment she touched Lucas his whole body sparked to life, every nerve-ending tingling with awareness. As though he’d been dormant for too long, waiting for her to initiate that contact, that bolt of electricity, to awaken him from his slumber.

      ‘Thanks.’ He locked his eyes on hers and he saw the brief flare of desire before she blinked it away. They might only have been married a short while, but he knew his wife well enough to recognise that look. It was the same flicker of interest he’d found so hard to resist when they’d first started working together and he still didn’t want to. He could see that same internal fight against it in her eyes too, and hope flared in his chest along with desire.

      The most he’d thought he could ask from her was forgiveness, so he could start his new life. He had never imagined that the one good thing about his past might still be available to him. If he’d known there’d be the slightest possibility he could have his wife back in his life he would’ve done everything to make it happen once he was strong enough to fight for her again. He’d simply accepted that he’d hurt her too much ever to go back. Now he wondered if she might still harbour feelings for him somewhere beyond that tough shell she’d cocooned herself in.

      Dear Reader,

      Writing a Christmas book has been a dream come true for me. I am one of those people, like Freya, who still wants to believe in the magic of the festive season. My mum made it such a special time of the year that I never did want to grow up. Even when I’d left home and had children of my own she still managed to wrap up a slice of that nostalgia in a parcel of sweets, books and pyjamas for me to open on Christmas morning.

      For us, the day was always about family. Even though she and my gran are gone now, the rest of us still get together for the traditional board games and obligatory game of bingo after we’ve stuffed ourselves with turkey sandwiches and chocolate.

      Lucas is my Grinch, who doesn’t understand the warm, fuzzy feeling of having family around at Christmas because he’s never experienced it. Of course Freya and I have worked extra hard to show him how special it can be. And what better place is there to start than on a trip to see Santa Claus in Lapland?

      Let’s just hope it turns out better than our family visit there, with a toddler who hated the cold and has no memory of the trip at all…

      Merry Christmas!

      Karin xx

      Their Mistletoe Baby

      Karin Baine

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      MILLS & BOON

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      KARIN BAINE lives in Northern Ireland with her husband, two sons, and her out-of-control notebook collection. Her mother and her grandmother’s vast collection of books inspired her love of reading and her dream of becoming a Mills & Boon author. Now she can tell people she has a proper job! You can follow Karin on Twitter, @karinbaine1, or visit her website for the latest news—karinbaine.com.

      Books by Karin Baine

      Mills & Boon Medical Romance

      Paddington Children’s Hospital

      Falling for the Foster Mum

      French Fling to Forever

      A Kiss to Change Her Life

      The Doctor’s Forbidden Fling

      The Courage to Love Her Army Doc

      Reforming the Playboy

      Visit the Author Profile page at millsandboon.co.uk.

      For my wonderful mum, who created the magic, and my boys William and Alexander, who still let me pretend it exists.

      Thanks to Laura, Julia and Chellie for helping me write the best Christmas story I could.

       Praise for Karin Baine

      ‘The moment I picked up Karin Baine’s debut medical romance I knew I would not be disappointed with her work. Poetic and descriptive writing, engaging dialogue, thoroughly created characters and a tightly woven plot propels French Fling to Forever into the must-read, highly recommended level.’

      —Contemporary Romance Reviews

      Contents

       Cover

       Back Cover Text

       Introduction

       Dear Reader

       Title Page

       About the Author

       Dedication

       Praise

       PROLOGUE

       CHAPTER ONE