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Take Heart
A gentle hippie with a new heart, a hellion making good, and a rebel doctor discover together how healing takes more than just medicine.
Dr. Brendan West, a dreamer and a doctor, knows there’s more to life than the job, and he wants to experience it for himself. His first step after finding a temporary job at St. Hawk’s is falling for kind-hearted gardener Evan—only to discover that Evan’s already taken by boisterous Griff.
For his part, Griff sees this as more of an opportunity than a threat. He likes the good doc’s kind heart and clear eyes, and the way he sees it, their lonely doc needs them just as much, or more. With Evan on board, he sets to work bringing Brendan into a ménage relationship.
Brendan knows he could fall hard for the odd couple, but the thing is—he’s not in St. Hawk’s for the long haul. He can’t bear to surrender his heart if he’s only going to leave it behind.
Can the doctor, the gardener and the hellion find a way to make it work, or will they find themselves losing out on love?
Give Chase
Declan’s always been careful to guard his heart, but Isaac’s catching up at last. Some things are worth fighting for, even when they’re running fast.
Dr. Isaac Paliades has never been much for letting sleeping dogs lie, and he’s been intrigued by his colleague Dr. Declan Day from the moment they met. Declan’s a hard man to get a read on, one minute cool as snow and the next minute hot-blooded enough to give Isaac a run for his money. Though they work together, play together—and occasionally sleep together—Isaac has yet to get a good look at the man Declan is behind the carefully constructed masks he shows to the world.
But when the pair of physicians rescue an abandoned baby discovered while they’re out for a jog, Isaac sees cracks start to appear in Declan’s façade. He’s taking the care of their foundling more seriously than anyone imagined he would, and bringing Isaac along for the ride. He’s asking for dominance in bed, and a deeper friendship at St. Hawk’s.
Isaac thinks he’s finally found the key to unlocking Declan’s guarded heart. But even when the walls come down, can Declan find the courage and will to let Isaac in?
General Release Date: 13th March 2015
Excerpt from Take Heart
Griff linked his hands loosely across his lap to sit back and get a better look at how the good doctor took that little speech. Not bad. Soberly, but that seemed to be his nature. He did clean up pretty, though, didn’t he? Take off the white coat and he had a pair of shoulders that a quarterback could be proud of. Strong arms filled out the light sweater he’d wrapped himself in, something made in soft-looking yarn that variegated between gray and white with dark speckles like cinnamon dashed over cream.
Griff leaned to the side to get a better look at how Brendan fitted into his jeans, and whistled under his breath.
“Glad you approve,” Brendan muttered behind his own nearly empty glass. He blushed straight after, but he didn’t duck his head and turn away, and Griff liked his spirit all the better for it. “Listen. I hadn’t meant to bring this up, but I might as well.”
This ought to be good. Griff fished a sprig of mint out of his glass and twirled it at Brendan between thumb and forefinger in a well, let’s hear it, then gesture.
Brendan met his gaze as a man should. “I don’t know why Evan invited me, except that as far as I can tell he’s genuinely that sweet-natured.”
“Not wrong,” Griff said. “And?”
“And, he’s yours,” Brendan returned calmly. Only the white of his knuckles gave his true feelings away. “I still don’t know what’s going on inside your head, but I didn’t come tonight to cause trouble. I’m asking you plainly if you want me to leave.”
Griff’s contrary nature always had led him around by the balls. He kicked his legs forward, sprawling wide and lazy. Evan called that a surefire tell, swearing that when Griff was most interested, he looked least likely to move. Sleeping Tiger, Snoozing Dragon. “Now, why would I want that?”
Frustration brought a brighter spark of life to Brendan’s face and made his accent burr-r-r-r. Damned fine-sounding. “Because if you weren’t here, I would still be interested in him,” he said. “And even with you here, I’m tempted. Is that plain enough?”
“It’ll do.” Griff enjoyed teasing this man more than he’d thought he would. “You don’t think I’m pretty?”
“Of course I do, I’m not—” Brendan shut his mouth with an audible click of teeth. He exhaled. “And that is not something I’d meant to say. If you’re kind, you’ll pretend it never happened.”
Oh, Griff thought as the engine inside his head finally started ticking over.
“Back,” Evan announced from behind him. He eased drinks full to the brim onto their table as deftly as any professional waiter, though with a twinkle in his eye Griff would bet astronauts could see from space.
Evan, you sneaky son of a gun. I see what you mean now. Right in front of my eyes.
“Oh, thank God,” Evan breathed as he took a seat and curled up with one foot beneath himself. “I wasn’t sure what I’d have to do if you didn’t get there soon.”
“You think you’re clever, don’t you, darlin’?” Griff asked quietly as Brendan tried to bury his thundercloud of emotions in a fresh glass of red, red wine.
“Yes, I do,” Evan murmured, one soothing hand warm on Griff’s thigh. “He’s exactly what we’ve been looking for. Are you with me?”
“Since the physician can’t heal himself,” Griff said. He tipped back a hearty swig of his refill with a satisfying clatter of ice cubes. “All right, darlin’, you started the music, so I’m gonna call it your dance. How do you want this to go?”
Evan winked at him. “Just follow my lead.”
Evan hadn’t chosen the Palomino at random. Griff loved the food, but Griff would chow down on a block of newsprint if it came with enough butter and salt. The views through the floor-to-ceiling windows would take anyone’s breath away, but if he wanted to take in the great outdoors, he preferred to be outdoors. Any bar and grill or just plain bar might have done, except for one thing—live local music on Friday nights.
And he’d timed his exit and return just right.
Pleased with himself, he tilted his head to catch the first warm-up notes of the band. Not one he knew, but he’d idled by the low-rise stage while watching Griff work his magic from afar, and the peek he’d gotten at the band’s set list suited him down to the ground. They’d start off fast and hard, and moving to that kind of music would be like falling into bed after going long enough without it to be hungry.
Brendan must not have noticed the musicians setting up. He pricked his ears, and almost seemed to slump. At Evan’s curious gesture, he explained, “I’d hoped to have a word with you, but they look like they’re going to be loud.”
Evan kept a straight face as Griff nudged him in the side. He nudged back. Don’t you worry, I’ve got it covered.
“You can still talk to me,” Evan said to Brendan. He slid his chair back and stood. “Any time you want. Music doesn’t last forever, and I’d rather enjoy it while I’ve got it. You could enjoy it with me, out there. I’d like that.”
Griff coughed to cover the chortle Evan knew would have popped out of him.
Brendan blinked those huge dark eyes of his at Evan.
Poor guy. Evan’s heart softened. He really wasn’t used to this at all, was he? He took both of Brendan’s hands in his and pulled gently, coaxing the good doctor to his feet. Just to be on the safe side, he held on to the right even when Brendan was fully upright. “Come on. Let your hair down tonight. You’ll like it once you try it, I promise.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about,” Brendan muttered. He caught up his drink, spilling a few drops over his hand and down his wrist, and tossed back a deep enough gulp to make Griff give him an impressed tip of the hat. “Tonight, that’s… You’re sure?”
“There’s nothing to doubt,” Evan said. Behind his back, he tossed a quick gesture to Griff, which he hoped Griff interpreted correctly as Give us a minute, and then you can play too. Then, he tugged at Brendan’s hand. “I want this. Come with me.”
Excerpt from Give Chase
And once was all they’d had. Once seemed as if it was all that would ever be. They were what they were. Maybe Declan had the right of it, and maybe their separate paths never would fully merge into one.
And if that was the case… Well.
“You look like you’ve had a fun night. Anything interesting?”
Isaac glanced back over his shoulder to find Dr. Gabriel not quite hot on his heels, but making decent time. Not a lot of people ‘got’ their chief operating officer’s deadpan sense of humor, but he tickled Isaac’s funny bone. Gallows humor was a must for surviving the field of medicine. “And then some. The stories I could tell, God. You?”
Dr. Gabriel winced. Tall and built on stern lines, he seemed sober to most but once you knew how to read his small tells and giveaways, a world of expression opened up. “Teenagers out too late with booze.”
Isaac made a noise of sympathy. He’d been elbow-deep in the aftermath of that particular combination more times than he cared to remember. “Knife fight,” he offered. “And a baby with a fever of a hundred and two.”
“So, business as usual.”
“Pretty much.” The employees’ only side door of St. Hawk’s tended to stick and scrape in extra-cold weather. Isaac wedged the stubborn metal beast open, propped it with his hip, and stuck his head outside to drink down a deep draft of the icy January frost.
Mmm. Bliss. So good after a night running from trauma to trauma in the Emergency Department. Isaac draped himself over the door’s crash bar and hummed a deep, quiet moan.
Dr. Gabriel chuckled at the sight he must have made. “Enjoying yourself?”
“Only a little.” Isaac shivered with yearning pleasure as the cool breeze kissed his cheeks.
“Uh-huh. If I could please my dates ‘a little’ like that, I’d have the reputation of a sex god.” Dr. Gabriel made a show out of eyeing the gym bag Isaac carried, and the pair of athletic shoes tied together by their laces that hung around the crook of one elbow. A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth as he shook his head. “Running in this weather. Tch. Better you than me.”
Isaac hummed noncommittally as he savored the moment’s worth of standing still, letting the cold wash him clean. Declan was already waiting for him on the sidewalk outside, just like always. Every morning after every night shift since July, they’d gone for a run together. Isaac wasn’t sure if it was Declan’s way of keeping him at arm’s length but within his line of sight, or if Declan had another motive in mind. The man could be a mystery. Either way, Isaac enjoyed it. On a good day they were evenly matched. Though Declan had the long, lean legs of a natural runner, Isaac’s broader shoulders hinted at his deeper reserves of stamina.
Days like this, he felt as if he could run forever.
Thinking about keeping pace with Declan brought a frisson of heat back to Isaac’s blood despite the cold. This, yes. This was what he’d needed all night long.
Dr. Gabriel eyed first Isaac then Declan. “The man who never gives in and the man who never gives up. How’s that work, again?”
Isaac blew out a breath. “Got me. I can let you know when I find out.”
“Better you than me,” Dr. Gabriel said. He clapped Isaac firmly on the back. “Tell him I’m still waiting for an answer about his spearheading the new family medicine committee, if you can remember that while you’re out there. Unless you’d care to take a look up at the sky, realize we’re about to get at least three inches of snow dumped on us, and come to the Whistle Stop for a cup of coffee like a sane person.”
“I’m not sure ‘sane’ enters into it.” Isaac returned the slightly too firm pat on the back with interest. “And I don’t think I could stop, even if I wanted to. When people say running is an addiction, they’re not wrong.”
“I’ve heard the same thing said about sex,” Gabriel mused. “That’s the problem with putting too many stubborn people in one place. We never know when to give up, no more than we know when to give in.”
He wasn’t wrong, for sure. Which was at least half of the problem. One taste wasn’t enough. Isaac wanted more.
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