Nurse In The Outback

Nurse In The Outback
Sharon Kendrik

Mills & Boon are proud to present a thrilling digital collection of all Sharon Kendrick’s novels and novellas for us to celebrate the publication of her amazing 100th book! Many of these books are available as e books for the first time.Under the Australian sunThe harsh curl of Grant Kershaw’s sensual mouth would not, Kate decided, make her regret swapping Southern England for the remote Western Australian outback. She had not survived years of medical training, and one broken relationship to succumb to the brooding power of the surgeon-in-chief… her new boss!Working closely by his side, as Grant’s theatre nurse, it’s not long before they both give in to the heady desire that burns between them. But can their bourgeoning relationship survive the jealous fury of the vengeful Sister Tessa Hetherington?

‘I’d like you to meet our new theatre nurse. I’ve just had to practically drag her away from the clutches of young Dr Anderson! Staff Nurse Carpenter, this is Dr Kershaw—our Surgeon-in-Charge.’

It was as though someone had pulled a shutter down in front of those grey eyes, thought Kate as he stared at her. All the passion and amination had been wiped clean from his face, which now looked blank and cold.

‘Miss Carpenter,’ he said. ‘You and I seem to be meeting with monotonous regularity.’

Tessa Hetherington was looking closely from one to the other. ‘Am I to assume that you two are already friends?’ Her voice sounded high and forced. It seemed to Kate that she was carrying a very large torch for the moody Dr Kershaw.

‘Hardly friends, Sister,’ replied Kate evenly. ‘I’ve met Dr Kershaw briefly on two occasions in Perth. Ours has been the most fleeting of acquaintanceships!’

‘You certainly don’t waste much time, Nurse!’ she said brightly and turned to him conspiratorially. ‘As I said, I found Nurse Carpenter in deep conversation with Dr Anderson, and she’d only been in the building for five minutes!’

‘Really?’ The surgeon’s arch query carried a wealth of disapproval. ‘I must say I don’t envy you your job one bit, Tessa. Trying to keep the nurses’ minds on their work and out of the doctors’ hair must be an uphill battle.’ He stood up suddenly and his tall angular frame seemed to fill the room.

Dear Reader (#ue338543a-8129-5ae5-967f-22cd1716634e),

One hundred. Doesn’t matter how many times I say it, I still can’t believe that’s how many books I’ve written. It’s a fabulous feeling but more fabulous still is the news that Mills & Boon are issuing every single one of my backlist as digital titles. Wow. I can’t wait to share all my stories with you - which are as vivid to me now as when I wrote them.

There’s BOUGHT FOR HER HUSBAND, with its outrageously macho Greek hero and A SCANDAL, A SECRET AND A BABY featuring a very sexy Tuscan. THE SHEIKH’S HEIR proved so popular with readers that it spent two weeks on the USA Today charts and…well, I could go on, but I’ll leave you to discover them for yourselves.

I remember the first line of my very first book: “So you’ve come to Australia looking for a husband?” Actually, the heroine had gone to Australia to escape men, but guess what? She found a husband all the same! The man who inspired that book rang me up recently and when I told him I was beginning my 100th story and couldn’t decide what to write, he said, “Why don’t you go back to where it all started?”

So I did. And that’s how A ROYAL VOW OF CONVENIENCE was born. It opens in beautiful Queensland and moves to England and New York. It’s about a runaway princess and the enigmatic billionaire who is infuriated by her, yet who winds up rescuing her. But then, she goes and rescues him… Wouldn’t you know it?

I’ll end by saying how very grateful I am to have a career I love, and to thank each and every one of you who has supported me along the way. You really are very dear readers.

Love,

Sharon xxx

Mills & Boon are proud to present a thrilling digital collection of all Sharon Kendrick’s novels and novellas for us to celebrate the publication of her amazing and awesome 100th book! Sharon is known worldwide for her likeable, spirited heroines and her gorgeous, utterly masculine heroes.

SHARON KENDRICK once won a national writing competition, describing her ideal date: being flown to an exotic island by a gorgeous and powerful man. Little did she realise that she’d just wandered into her dream job! Today she writes for Mills & Boon, featuring her often stubborn but always to-die-for heroes and the women who bring them to their knees. She believes that the best books are those you never want to end. Just like life…

Nurse in the Outback

Sharon Kendrick

writing as Sharon Wirdnam

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

Contents

Cover (#u85d84fee-3397-5250-a564-d8cb5a5c2f42)

Dear Reader (#ue26b8c89-fe87-5732-a9b0-1d97aea0fba4)

About the Author (#u7f7c539d-5cd8-5939-ae29-fc13a5c34863)

Title Page (#uaf1be326-549c-56d6-b687-050850f81f25)

CHAPTER ONE (#ulink_210c3630-f1c8-5b34-aa52-e9d36b095068)

CHAPTER TWO (#ulink_e4d27db8-9888-5c42-b3e3-9e03a151ae17)

CHAPTER THREE (#ulink_0ec5214b-9514-5378-93e6-e66688eac608)

CHAPTER FOUR (#ulink_b307fed1-55c9-5eea-a9a2-1c5be64f0953)

CHAPTER FIVE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER SIX (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER ONE (#ulink_4e9b2ddf-db1a-5fff-b947-16e2cb1a02aa)

‘SO YOU’VE come to Australia looking for a husband, have you?’

Kate stared indignantly at the tall man in front of her, whose dark good looks appeared to have mesmerised almost every woman in the room. She drew herself up to her full height which, infuriatingly, still only reached to his shoulders.

‘How dare you?’ she said furiously. ‘It may surprise you to realise that not all women regard marriage as the pinnacle of achievement.’

‘I’ve yet to meet one, I’m afraid,’ he said, in an exasperatingly offhand manner. ‘Although that’s what they always say.’

‘I’m not even going to dignify your prejudices by discussing them with you,’ she retorted disdainfully.

Turning on her heel, she stalked towards the drinks trolley which stood in a corner of the large airy room whose windows overlooked the Swan river. With a trembling hand she lifted a pitcher and poured herself a glass of punch.

She hadn’t even wanted to come to this party, she reflected, as she quenched her thirst. It was her young cousin Paul, a fourth year medical student at Western Australia’s busy teaching hospital, who had persuaded Kate to accompany him to his ‘end of firm’ party. This was a small affair given by Paul and the other students for the surgical team who had been teaching them for the last two months.

‘But I won’t know anyone,’ she had protested.

‘Then I’ll introduce you! You must come, Katie, you’ll enjoy yourself,’ he had insisted.