Rescuing Dr Macallister. Sarah Morgan

      Ellie handed the baby back to her cousin

      still misty-eyed from the experience of the unexpected home delivery.

       The baby was gorgeous.

      Ben appeared in the doorway, his handsome features unsmiling. “How is she doing?”

      Ellie smiled. “Come and see her, Ben. She’s beautiful!”

       Was it her imagination or did his entire body tense?

      “I need to make a phone call,” he said curtly. “Dress both of them warmly and I’ll meet you downstairs in five minutes.”

      Ellie watched as he strode out of the room, wondering what on earth was wrong. Because something was wrong, she was sure of that.

      Ben had saved the baby’s life—but now he was remote and untouchable again.

Dear Reader,

      Perhaps you are driving home one evening when you spot a rotating flashing light or hear a siren. Instantly, your pulse quickens—it’s human nature. You can’t help responding to these signals that there is an emergency somewhere close by.

      Heartbeat, romances being published in North America for the first time, brings you the fast-paced kinds of stories that trigger responses to life-and-death situations. The heroes and heroines whose lives you will share in this exciting series of books devote themselves to helping others, to saving lives, to caring. And while they are devotedly doing what they do best, they manage to fall in love!

      Since these books are largely set in the U.K., Australia and New Zealand, and mainly written by authors who reside in those countries, the medical terms originally used may be unfamiliar to North American readers. Because we wanted to ensure that you enjoyed these stories as thoroughly as possible, we’ve taken a few special measures. Within the stories themselves, we have substituted American terms for British ones we felt would be very unfamiliar to you. And we’ve also included in these books a short glossary of terms that we’ve left in the stories, so as not to disturb their authenticity, but that you might wonder about.

      So prepare to feel your heart beat a little faster! You’re about to experience love when life is on the line!

      Yours sincerely,

      Marsha Zinberg,

       Executive Editor, Harlequin Books

      SARAH MORGAN trained as a nurse and has since worked in a variety of health-related jobs. Married to a gorgeous businessman who still makes her knees knock, she spends most of her time trying to keep up with their two little boys but manages to sneak off occasionally to indulge her passion for writing romance. Sarah loves outdoor life and is an enthusiastic skier and walker. Whatever she is doing, her head is always full of new characters and she is addicted to happy endings.

      CONTENTS

       COVER

       BACK COVER TEXT

Dear Reader

       ABOUT THE AUTHOR

       TITLE PAGE

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

       CHAPTER THREE

       CHAPTER FOUR

       CHAPTER FIVE

       CHAPTER SIX

       CHAPTER SEVEN

       CHAPTER EIGHT

       CHAPTER NINE

       GLOSSARY

       COPYRIGHT

      Rescuing Dr MacAllister

      Sarah Morgan

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

PROLOGUE

       HE HATED hospitals.

      Ben MacAllister stared at the bold red sign for the Accident and Emergency unit and wondered what on earth had possessed him to take the job. It had been a moment of weakness and one which he was already bitterly regretting.

      What the hell had he been thinking of?

      He could have stayed in the clinic in Pakistan where they were desperate for doctors with his skills, or he could have done what he’d been promising himself for ages and taken a year off and travelled.

      In fact, he’d had any number of options, all of which were considerably more appealing than the one that he’d chosen.

      With an impatient sigh, he strode across the car park to the entrance. If he didn’t get himself inside the building soon he’d be climbing back into the car and driving back the way he’d come.

      Forcing himself to move, he strode through the swing doors and stopped dead as the memories came rushing back. The smells, the noise, the bustle...

       That one awful day that had changed his life.

      Sweat broke out on his brow and he gritted his teeth to stop himself running.

       This was never going to work.

      He was about to turn and go back the way he’d come when his oldest friend came striding through the swing doors towards him, a stethoscope looped round his neck like a tame serpent.

      ‘Ben—great to see you!’

      ‘Nicholson.’ He clasped the hand that was offered, aware that his brief chance for escape had vanished. ‘How are you?’

      ‘Relieved to see you.’ Sean Nicholson shot a telling glance towards the crowded waiting room. ‘Where do they all come from? I’m trying to run this department with zero staff at the moment so you’re as welcome as alcohol on a stag night. Let’s go to my office and talk.’

      Ben reluctantly kept pace as the other man led him down the corridor into a small office which over-looked the car park and the mountains beyond.

      Sean