The Doctor's Runaway Bride

The Doctor's Runaway Bride
Sarah Morgan

Tia knows she can’t marry Dr.Luca Zattoni. She’s pregnant as a result of their whirlwind romance, but she’s made a shocking discovery about Luca. So she leaves Venice — and the man she loves.Luca is determined to find Tia, and soon he’s living and working alongside her again! This passionate Italian fully intends to claim his bride, and their unborn child, but first he must prove his feelings for Tia go deeper than intense physical desire…

This story is partly set in an English hospital. To aid your enjoyment, here is a guide to some of the terms and expressions used:

A&E (Accident & Emergency)—Emergency Room

Community Midwife—a registered general nurse with specialist training in midwifery, or the delivery of infants.

Health visitor—a nurse trained in preventative medicine and midwifery, who educates people caring for dependants, e.g babies or the elderly.

House officer—a hospital-based trainee doctor; also known as an intern or resident.

ITU—Intensive Therapy Unit; a hospital department where intensive care is given to those patients in a critical condition or after major operations.

Locum—a doctor who temporarily stands in for another, due to absence or illness.

NHS—National Health Service; the U.K. public health system, which offers medical and surgical care, and is funded by taxpayers.

Obstetrician—a medical professional specializing in the care of women during pregnancy, labor and the period immediately after the birth.

Consultant—a senior medical professional specializing in an area of medicine.

Senior registrar—a specialist surgeon or doctor who is subordinate to a consultant, but senior to the house officers.

SHO—senior house officer—after registration, a doctor who continues working in a hospital can be appointed to this full-time, training position.

They’re guaranteed to raise your pulse!

Meet the most eligible medical men of the world, in a new series of stories by popular authors that will make your heart race!

Whether they’re saving lives or curing your desire, our doctors have got bedside manners that send temperatures soaring….

Look for more heart-stopping titles in this ongoing new series.

Available only from Harlequin Presents

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The Doctor’s Runaway Bride

Sarah Morgan

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

To Suzy

For your encouragement, expertise and humor, and for being the best editor a girl could have.

CONTENTS

Cover (#ufb3e6b1c-4271-5a05-90d7-9dc13c34709c)

Title Page (#u60df5501-1108-59e4-a557-b126a8a43a76)

Dedication (#u558a20f4-f4ab-5772-aadb-1e7b7b6d6622)

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

EPILOGUE

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

PROLOGUE (#uf7e34d93-de31-5761-9f2d-b308f88592e0)

‘I CAN’T marry him.’

Pale and shaking, Tia Franklin struggled with the zip of her sleek white wedding dress, sobbing with frustration when it stubbornly refused to budge.

‘Tia, wait—you’ll tear it—’ Sharon, her best friend and bridesmaid, tried frantically to calm her down but Tia wasn’t taking any notice.

‘I don’t care.’ As if to prove her point, Tia jerked at the zip again, her sobs increasing as it jammed and the material ripped. ‘What does it matter? I’m not getting married now, so I certainly don’t need a dress.’

Sharon stood still, frozen with horror. ‘Tia, the wedding starts in half an hour and there are one hundred and forty guests waiting in the church—’

‘I don’t care about that, either.’ Tia finally managed to wriggle out of the dress and stumbled across the hotel room to her suitcase, which was already packed for her honeymoon.

She released the catch and grabbed the first outfit that came to hand, tears falling steadily down her cheeks as she struggled into a pair of silk trousers and matching jacket.