Free The Rebel Surgeon's Proposal by MARGARET MCDONAGH

them so much as looking at her breasts, they might discover there was more of the Devlin in him than he wanted there to be.
    ‘You know nothing about Francesca and I don’t appreciate you disrespecting her. I wouldn’t do it again,’ he advised curtly, walking away to the locker room, aware the two juniors were staring after him in surprise.
    Once alone, Luke drew in a steadying breath. The comments from his colleagues made him wonder why Francesca had cultivated her reputation for coldness and unapproachability when he knew neither was true. A frown darkened his brow as he thought back, wondering what had happened to her in the ten years he had missed out on and if there were clues there he had yet to discover. He knew she’d had a rough time with that domineering, driven woman for a mother. Francesca had been so oppressed, pushed relentlessly to do something he wasn’t at all sure she had enjoyed. And she’d been kept on such a tight leash she had known no fun, no joy, had not been allowed friends or any freedom. He recalled what she had told him about the incident with his mother’s shortbread and renewed hurt for her tightened his gut.
    His father and his brothers might have been bastards who belonged in the gutter, but at least he’d had his ma, had known some love and affection. How much of that had ever been inFrancesca’s life? Luke ran a hand through his hair. What else had happened to her? Was it just because of her mother that she shied away from relationships, from caring? Or had something else happened in the last decade that had hardened her resolution to remain alone? He needed her, badly, and he believed more and more that she needed him, too…needed to learn to love and be loved.
    He changed scrubs, wrote up his notes and went to the ICU to check on his patient, all duties he had to perform before he was free to go in search of Francesca. With every day that passed, he was filled with renewed determination to stay close to her, to win her round, to show her how good things could be between them. Now they had some time off and he had plans for the weekend….
     

    ‘It’s only a few more weeks until Gina’s wedding and we’re going for the final fitting of dresses on Saturday,’ Holly Tait, a nurse from the children’s ward, explained to the small group gathered at a table in the canteen.
    Francesca allowed the talk to wash over her. She’d sat with Holly because she liked her. Around the same age as herself, Holly was a great nurse…she was also shy and didn’t gossip. Unfortunately, several others had come to join them as night shifts drew to an end, and Francesca wished she had just gone home as she usually did rather than come up here for some breakfast first. She’d told herself it was because she was too tired to be bothered to eat anything when she got home, but she very much feared it was all down to weakness of will and a traitorous part of her was lingering in the hope of seeing Luke.
    ‘Are you coming to Gina’s hen party, Francesca?’ Holly asked, reclaiming her attention.
    ‘If I’m not working.’
    It was a cagey answer, she knew. She didn’t enjoy social occasions and hen nights were usually the worst of the worst. But she liked Gina, and knowing that her celebrations were different from the norm made her reconsider. Instead of some wild, boozy night, Gina had planned a day of being pampered at a spa for a select group of friends, followed by an evening meal at a favoured restaurant. That she had been included on the guest list made Francesca feel both honoured and nervous.
    The talk moved on, the girls giggling as they discussed how lucky Gina was to have won the heart of her rich and sexy Italian doctor. Seb Adriani had fallen so in love with Gina he had left his home country to come to Strathlochan to work alongside her at the drop-in centre.
    ‘Well, I’m pleased for her,’ Holly said, ever loyal in her support. ‘Seb is a really nice guy and they are so in