The Boss Who Stole Her Heart

Taking a risk with the single dad!

Ellie Munroe retreated to the stunning Yorkshire Dales for a brand-new start. Her plans definitely didn’t include developing a crush on her boss, GP Daniel Saunders! Ellie has been burned before, but the handsome single dad tempts her out of sadness...

After being widowed, Daniel believes his heart is more damaged than Ellie deserves. But she awakens a longing that has him wishing for more, and he realizes falling for Ellie could be a risk worth taking!

‘Welcome to The Larches, Eleanor. It’s good to have you on board.’

Ellie felt relief wash over her as she reached for his hand. She had completely misread the situation, it appeared. Daniel wasn’t thinking of rescinding his offer after all. His hand closed around hers and a frisson ran through her when she felt the strength of his fingers envelop hers. For some reason she couldn’t explain, it felt right to have him hold her hand–right and wonderfully reassuring. Even though she knew nothing about him, she felt safe with him. Safe and cherished.

‘It’s good to be here,’ she murmured, quickly withdrawing her hand.

She dredged up a smile, needing to rid her head of such nonsense. Daniel Saunders was her employer: no more and no less than that. He wasn’t going to have any impact on her life outside work...

Dear Reader,

When I had the idea for this book I didn’t realize how much I was going to enjoy writing it–or that it would lead to a whole trilogy set in the Larches GP practice in the Yorkshire Dales!

As soon as Ellie and Daniel appeared on the page they had me hooked. Then, as I built the story around their budding romance, other characters started to clamor to have their stories told as well. It was a real snowball effect, and I hope you get as much pleasure from reading the series as I am writing it.

Both Ellie and Daniel have a lot of baggage when they meet, and they certainly aren’t looking for love. However, they soon discover that it isn’t always possible to do the sensible thing. While they both know it isn’t the right time for them to have a relationship, they simply can’t help themselves–even though they’re sure it can’t last.

Helping them realise that they can find a way around their problems was totally engaging. I agonised over the decisions they made, felt for them when they thought they had to part, and rejoiced when they realised they simply couldn’t live without each other. Some characters are simply meant to be together. Like Ellie and Daniel!

Love,

The Boss Who Stole Her Heart

Jennifer Taylor

www.millsandboon.co.uk

JENNIFER TAYLOR has written for several different Mills & Boon series, but it wasn’t until she ‘discovered’ Medical Romances that she found her true niche. Jennifer loves the blend of modern romance and exciting medical drama. Widowed, she divides her time between homes in Lancashire and the Lake District. Her hobbies include reading, walking, travelling and spending time with her two gorgeous grandchildren.

Books by Jennifer Taylor

Mills & Boon Medical Romance

Saving His Little Miracle

One More Night with Her Desert Prince...

Best Friend to Perfect Bride

Miracle Under the Mistletoe

The Greek Doctor’s Secret Son

Reawakened by the Surgeon’s Touch

Visit the Author Profile page at millsandboon.co.uk for more titles.

For Leo and the team at Cancer Care, a huge thank you. You really are the best!

Praise for Jennifer Taylor

‘A superbly written tale of hope, redemption and forgiveness, The Son that Changed His Life is a first-class contemporary romance that plumbs deep into the heart of the human spirit and touches the soul.’

—CataRomance

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Booklist

Dedication

Praise

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

SHE COULD HAVE been beautiful with that fine clear skin and those huge grey eyes. However, the severely cropped black hair and strictly functional clothing did nothing to enhance her appearance. As he took stock of the woman seated in front of his desk, Daniel Saunders found himself wondering why Eleanor Munroe had failed to make the most of her considerable assets. Was she deliberately trying to disguise her femininity for some reason, playing down the fact that she was a highly attractive woman?

‘Right then, Dr Munroe, we may as well get straight down to business.’

Daniel dismissed that strangely unsettling thought as he picked up her CV. He skimmed through it once more, although he already knew the facts by heart. Dr Eleanor Munroe was thirty-five years old, with a birthday coming up the following month. She had read medicine at Cambridge and graduated with a First Class Honours degree. After completing her rotations at St Linus’s Hospital in London, she had opted to go into general practice and had trained at a busy practice in Kent and subsequently been hired by them too. She had supplied references from the head of the practice and had added a codicil to the bottom of her CV that gave Daniel permission to phone and speak to her referee directly.

Although it was unusual to do that so early in the proceedings, Daniel had taken up the offer and he had to admit that he’d been impressed by what he had heard. According to her former employer, Dr Munroe was above reproach and any practice who hired her would be extremely fortunate to secure her services. It appeared that Eleanor Munroe ticked all the boxes on paper, at least, but he still needed to be sure that they could work together.

‘A most impressive CV, Dr Munroe,’ he said, glancing up. ‘Backed up by the conversation I had with your former colleague. He was highly complimentary and even mentioned that you were in the running for a senior partnership. It makes me wonder why you decided to leave your last post when you were so successful there.’

‘I left for personal reasons, Dr Saunders.’

Her voice was cool, distant even, so Daniel had no idea why the hairs on the back of his neck sprang to attention. He glanced at her CV again, needing a moment to collect himself. He hadn’t felt this aware of a woman in a very long time, not since Camille, his wife, had died, in fact. That it should happen now, and with seemingly so little reason, surprised him. He cleared his throat.

‘I see. So what attracted you to the post here at The Larches? You do understand that it’s only temporary? Beth—Dr Andrews, that is—is planning to return once her maternity leave is over. Barring any unforeseen changes to her plans, she will be back at work next September.’

‘I understand that. It was perfectly clear from your advertisement.’ Eleanor Munroe pinned him with a chilly stare. ‘I wouldn’t have wasted your time or mine by applying for the post if I wasn’t happy with the terms.’

‘Quite so.’ Daniel summoned a smile although he couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable at the frosty rebuke. She certainly wasn’t a pushover, he decided, storing that titbit away for future reference.

‘Right, now we’ve established that, let me tell you about the practice,’ he continued briskly, needing to take control of the proceedings once more. He wasn’t normally indecisive when it came to his work—he was always single-minded and focused. However, Dr Munroe seemed to possess the ability to unsettle him and he wanted to get back on track. ‘The Larches, whilst being a rural practice, is extremely busy, mainly because we cover such a wide area of the Yorkshire Dales. As you will know from our advertisement, as well as the main surgery here in Beesdale we run a branch surgery at Hemsthwaite. Between the two sites we have roughly four and a half thousand patients on our books. So if you thought it would be easier working here than in your previous post then I’m afraid you were mistaken.’

‘I didn’t apply for the job because I thought it would be the easy option,’ Eleanor Munroe said brusquely. ‘On the contrary, I am looking forward to being kept busy should I decide to accept the position.’

Daniel could feel his eyebrows rise and struggled to control them but Dr Munroe’s confidence was more than a little startling. There had been no trace of doubt in her voice that she would be hired, no hint at all that she saw this interview as anything more than a formality. Eleanor Munroe obviously knew her own worth. And what was more, she intended to make sure that everyone else was aware of it too!

* * *

Ellie could feel perspiration trickling down her back. That had come out completely wrong! She knew it wasn’t a given that she would be hired for the job. Despite first-class references and glowing endorsements, there were other factors to consider, the main one being that Dr Saunders needed to be sure they could work together. That seemingly arrogant statement would hardly have endeared her to him, would it? If she could have taken back the words she would have done so, but there was nothing she could do now except brazen it out.

Ellie sat up straighter, curbing the urge to run her hand over her newly short hair. She had never worn her hair so short before but she had decided to make a lot of changes to her life and changing her appearance had been first on her agenda. Once she had sorted out her new hairstyle, she had bagged up all the pretty, feminine dresses, the jewel bright tops, the high-heeled shoes, and given them to a charity shop. Her wardrobe now consisted of serviceable tailored trousers and shirts—neat, tidy, professional. Now that she was concentrating on what she wanted, she didn’t need any more frippery.

‘Well, there’s no doubt that anyone who works here will be kept extremely busy,’ Daniel Saunders said evenly, although Ellie could tell that her comment had been added to the minus column on her score sheet.

She bit back a groan, not wanting him to guess how mortified she felt. She wanted this job—no, not wanted it, needed it. If she moved to Yorkshire it would be the first step towards rebuilding her life. Maybe the future wasn’t going to turn out the way she had thought it would but she intended to have a good life and on her terms too. Even though she’d been betrayed in the worst possible way, she was going to use what had happened to her advantage. She had always been a rather cautious person, preferring to stick to what she knew, but not any more. No, she intended to travel and see something of the world while she furthered her career. Maybe what had happened had been a blow but she would get over it. She was determined about that!

Ellie was so lost in her thoughts that it was a moment before she realised Dr Saunders had asked her a question. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, feeling the embarrassed colour run up her neck. She hated to be caught unawares. She thrived on order and preferred to be prepared at all times. However, there was something about the man seated opposite that unsettled her.

‘I asked if moving up here would create any problems for you, Dr Munroe.’ Daniel Saunders shrugged, drawing Ellie’s unwilling attention to the width of his shoulders. He was casually dressed in navy chinos and a light blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and, despite herself, Ellie couldn’t help noticing how the blue of his shirt brought out the midnight blue of his eyes and highlighted the steel-grey streaks at his temples before she forced her mind away from such nonsense.

‘Problems?’ she repeated uncertainly. ‘In which way, Dr Saunders?’

‘You may need to consider someone else’s views. It’s a long way from Kent to Yorkshire and a lot of people might not be happy about relocating so far away.’

‘I don’t need to consider anyone else, I assure you.’ Ellie sat up straighter, annoyed that he should have asked her a question like that. Maybe she should have let it go but, after what had happened recently, it stung. She glared at him. ‘So if you’re trying to find out if I have a husband or a partner who might object then I consider it a blatant infringement of my rights. I think you will find that no prospective employer has the right to discriminate against a female employee on such grounds.’

‘I’m sure that’s correct, Dr Munroe. However, to set your mind at rest, it’s a question I would ask any potential employee. Male or female.’

His tone was as hard as flint and Ellie realised with a sinking heart that she had completely blotted her copybook now. No way was he going to offer her the job after this. Pushing back her chair, she stood up, wanting to bring the interview to a conclusion before she did something unforgivable. She hadn’t cried, not even when she had found her fiancé in bed with one of their colleagues that day. She had held onto her composure throughout it all, right through the apologies and the ever more elaborate excuses. She hadn’t even lost it when Michael had tried to blame her for his behaviour yet, for some reason, at that moment she could have stood there and wept.

‘I apologise. I should never have said that. It was completely out of order. Thank you for seeing me, Dr Saunders. I hope you find someone suitable to fill the post.’ Ellie swung round and headed towards the door. She knew it was directly behind her but she couldn’t seem to see where she was going. She blundered into a filing cabinet and winced when the metal dug painfully into her hip. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she find her way out?

‘Here. Come and sit down.’

A large and surprisingly comforting hand closed around her arm as she found herself being led back to the chair. Ellie dropped down onto the seat because she really didn’t have a choice. Tears were streaming down her face now, blinding her to everything else; she could only sit there while Daniel Saunders went to the sink and filled a glass with cold water.

‘Drink this.’ He crouched down beside her, so close that she could smell the clean fragrance of shampoo that clung to his hair. Holding the glass to her lips, he urged her to take a sip. A few drops of water trickled down her chin but before she could find a tissue, he wiped them away with his fingertips. ‘Better?’

Ellie nodded, not trusting herself to speak. At any other time she would have been mortified by her loss of control but, oddly, she felt nothing. Daniel Saunders straightened up and put the glass on the desk then regarded her with eyes that held only compassion. He obviously wasn’t the type to pass judgement, she thought, and found the idea strangely comforting.

‘I apologise if I upset you, Eleanor. It wasn’t my intention.’

His deep voice rolled softly over her name, affording it a surprisingly pleasing inflection. She had never really liked her name, had always thought it was too formal and old-fashioned. However, it sounded different when he said it, softer, gentler, far more appealing. She bit her lip, aware that she was allowing herself to be sidetracked. What did it matter how he said her name? The only thing that mattered was that she had made a fool of herself.

Pushing back the chair, she stood up, wanting to get away as quickly as possible. Maybe she had been pinning her hopes on getting this job but there would be other jobs in other parts of the country or abroad. Maybe she had promised her parents that she would stay in the UK until she had thought things through properly, but if she moved overseas, to Australia or New Zealand for instance, there would be no risk of her having to see Michael ever again...

‘Right, it’s time I gave you the conducted tour. We were lucky enough to secure funding to improve the facilities here so you may be surprised by what we offer our patients.’ Daniel Saunders stepped around her and opened the door. His eyebrows rose when Ellie failed to move. ‘Whenever you’re ready, Eleanor.’

‘Oh! But I thought...’ Ellie tailed off, unsure what was happening. Why on earth was he offering to show her around when there was no chance of her being offered the job?

‘You thought that you’d blown it?’ Daniel Saunders laughed softly. ‘On the contrary, Eleanor, it seems to me that you’re exactly the sort of person I want working here.’

‘I am? But why? I mean, I made a complete and utter mess of my interview, didn’t I? And if that wasn’t enough, I compounded my mistakes by breaking down and crying.’ She shook her head. ‘If I were in your shoes, Dr Saunders, I wouldn’t hire me for all the tea in China!’

‘It’s Daniel. If we’re going to be working together then I can’t see any point in us standing on ceremony.’ His blue eyes were filled with certainty when they met hers and Ellie felt a surge of warmth flow through her and start to melt the ice that had enveloped her these past terrible months. It was all she could do to concentrate as he continued in the same quietly assured tone.

‘As for hiring you, from where I’m standing you seem like the ideal choice. I don’t want someone working here who can’t relate to our patients, someone who fails to understand that the problems life throws at them can and do impact on their health. I also don’t want someone who’s afraid to show her feelings either. So will you take the job, Eleanor? Please?’

CHAPTER TWO

‘BASICALLY, WHAT I’D like you to do, Beth, is help her settle in. Every practice has its own way of doing things and I think it would help if Eleanor was shown the ropes rather than simply being thrown in at the deep end.’

Daniel leant back in his chair, wondering if his partner had any idea how important it was to him that Eleanor wasn’t put under any pressure. Even though he couldn’t understand why he felt this way, he knew that he wanted to make the move to The Larches as stress-free as possible for her. Maybe she had appeared supremely confident at the start of her interview but it had soon become clear that it wasn’t the case. There was a vulnerability about Eleanor Munroe that had aroused all his protective instincts.

‘Of course.’ Beth Andrews smiled at him. ‘It will be a big change for her, working here. Just basics, like the fact that we’re almost an hour’s drive from the nearest hospital, will be a challenge for her. We’re far more hands-on when it comes to our patients than a lot of practices.’

‘Exactly.’ Daniel breathed a little easier when Beth gave no sign that she considered his request strange. Maybe it wasn’t either, he mused. After all, if Eleanor was unable to do the job she had been hired for then it would impact on him. The last thing he wanted was to have to put in more hours at the surgery when Nathan was in his final year at sixth form college.

When Camille had died four years ago, his son had gone completely off the rails. He had dropped out of school and fallen in with a bad crowd too. Daniel had been afraid that Nathan would never get his act together but, after a lot of heartache, he’d come through. However, if Nathan was to achieve the grades he needed for university, he had to stay focused, and to do that he needed to be there to support him. Little wonder that he had been so worried about his new locum, was it? The thought reassured him, helped to settle his mind. If he was honest he had felt more than a little concerned that Eleanor Munroe had occupied his thoughts so much lately. He had lost count of the times she had popped into his head and it was good to know why it had been happening.

‘Thanks, Beth.’ Daniel smiled as he pushed back his chair and stood up. ‘I really appreciate it.’

‘No problem.’

Beth grimaced as she levered herself up off the chair. She was eight months pregnant and Daniel guessed that she was finding it difficult to get around. He remembered how tired Camille had been when she had been expecting Nathan and she had stopped work well before this stage. However, as a soon-to-be single mother, Beth didn’t have the luxury of leaving work early. She had opted instead to continue working and take the bulk of her maternity leave after her baby was born. Nevertheless, Daniel made a note to ask Marie, their head receptionist, to redirect as many of Beth’s patients as possible to him. He didn’t want Beth pushing herself too hard during her final week, neither did he want Eleanor being placed under too much pressure. It would be better if he took up the slack for now.

Once again Daniel found himself worrying how his new employee would fare. Oh, there was no doubt about her ability—her CV was proof of that. However, would she be able to deal with whatever had led her to leave her previous post? he found himself wondering as he made his way to Reception. Although he knew nothing about Eleanor on a personal level, instinct told him she had suffered some kind of major blow and recently too. Had she been let down in love, perhaps? Treated badly by some man?

Daniel was surprised by how angry the idea made him feel. Bearing in mind that he had met her only the once, and that it hadn’t been the most auspicious of meetings either, it shouldn’t have had this effect on him. Nonetheless, the thought of some guy hurting her made him feel extremely angry and it was completely out of character for him to react that way. His expression must have been unusually grim as he stopped at the reception desk because Marie looked at him in surprise.

‘What’s wrong?’ she demanded. In her forties, with two grown-up sons, Marie had worked at The Larches ever since Daniel had taken over the practice and didn’t believe in standing on ceremony. ‘Has something upset you? Because I have to say that you could turn the milk sour with a face like that!’

‘Sorry.’ Daniel dredged up a smile. Admitting that he was upset at the thought of their new locum being unlucky in love would have caused no end of questions, most of which he couldn’t have answered even if he’d wanted to. He swiftly changed the subject because he really and truly didn’t want to start searching for explanations at that moment. ‘I know it’s short notice, but can you redirect as many of Beth’s patients as possible to me? I don’t want her tiring herself out by doing too much in her last week.’

‘Of course. But what about the new doctor? What’s her name again? I wrote it down somewhere...’

‘Eleanor Munroe,’ Daniel said promptly, and felt a little thrill course through him as her name rippled off his tongue. He glanced at the clock above the desk, needing a moment to collect himself. The last thing he wanted was Marie suspecting how he felt. ‘She should be here any minute...’

‘Good morning.’

Daniel swung round when he recognised Eleanor’s voice. In a fast sweep his eyes ran over her from the severely styled hair to the sensible shoes on her narrow feet and he felt his nerves start to tingle. What was it about this woman that affected him so much? he wondered dizzily. As an eligible widower, he’d had his share of women pursuing him over the past four years. However, he had never taken them up on their invitations to lunch and dinner, or whatever else had been on offer. The fact was that he hadn’t been interested in them.