Free Return of the Last McKenna (Harlequin Romance) by Shirley Jump

put a hand on his shoulder, her brown eyes filled with
kindness. “I understand. You take care of you and I’ll take care of the
schedule.”
    In a matter of hours, she’d managed to free half his days for
the coming week. Brody made a mental note to send Mrs. Maguire a big box of
chocolates and a gift certificate to her favorite restaurant. Maybe two gift
certificates.
    The day brightened as the sun began its journey to the other
side of the sky. Odd how the same sun that warmed Boston’s streets created an
oven in Afghanistan. And how the same sun that shone over a quiet neighborhood
street could shine over a war zone peppered with the wounded and the dead.
    The dead—like Andrew Spencer. Cut down before he’d lived a
fraction of his life.
    Guilt washed over Brody, teemed in his chest. He’d done all he
could, but still, it never seemed he’d done enough. Had he missed something?
Forgotten something? Taken too few risks—
    Or too many?
    The what ifs had plagued Brody ever since Andrew’s last
stuttering breath. They’d been a heavy blanket on his shoulders as he’d boarded
a plane to return to his family, knowing another plane had brought Andrew home
to his family, stowed in a wooden casket in the cargo hold.
    He could still see Andrew’s wide green eyes, trusting Brody,
hoping that Brody would pull off an eleventh hour miracle. Then trust had given
way to fear, as the reality hit home. All the while, Brody battled death,
tending to Andrew, then to the other wounded soldiers, assessing wounds based on
survivability, and making his priorities off that grim reality.
    Those who would die no matter what were put to the end of the
list. While those who had a chance were helped first. Brody and the other doctor
with him had worked on the others, knowing Andrew’s chances…
    Brody cursed as he drew up short outside the cupcake shop. Why
had he agreed to do this? And why would Andrew pick him, the doctor who had
tended him until his last breath, to watch over Kate? The task loomed like a
mountain, impossible.
    Inside the building, Kate crossed into his line of vision. She
saw him outside and shot him a wave. Today, she had her hair up in a clip that
poufed the back in a riot of curls. The style accented her delicate features,
drew attention to her emerald eyes.
    Maybe not impossible, just tough as hell. As he watched Kate,
he decided no matter what mountain faced him, it would be worth the climb.
    Brody opened the door and stepped inside. Sweet scents of
vanilla, chocolate, berry, wrapped around him like a calorie laden blanket.
“Damn, it smells good in here.”
    “Thanks.” Kate smiled. “If you ask me, it smells like
temptation on a stick. Working here makes staying on any kind of diet
impossible.”
    His gaze traveled over her lithe frame. She had on a V-necked
black T-shirt emblazoned with the shop’s logo and a pair of body hugging jeans.
Tempting was exactly the word he’d use, too. “I’d say you’re doing just fine in
that department.”
    Had he just flirted with her? What the hell was he
thinking?
    A pale pink flush filled her cheeks, and the smile widened.
“Well, thank you again.” Her eyes lit with a tease. She wagged a finger at him.
“But don’t think you’re getting out of dishes just because you complimented
me.”
    “Damn,” Brody said, then grinned. “And here I thought you’d go
easy on me.”
    “And why would I do that?”
    “Because of my charming good looks and great bedside manner, of
course.”
    She laughed. “That might work with the nurses, but I’ll have
you know, I am a tough taskmaster.”
    He closed the gap between them, and his gaze dropped to her
lips. Desire warred with his common sense. “How tough?”
    “Very.” She took a breath, and her chest rose, fell. “Very
tough.”
    The urge to kiss her roared inside him. If there was one woman
on this planet Brody shouldn’t date, it was her. Already, he’d gotten too close,
gotten too involved, when he had