Daredevil Doctors

  Brothers, best friends...playboys!

  After their brother Mick was left heartbroken at the altar and then suffered a life-changing injury in a tragic accident, brothers Eddie and James Grisham made a pact with him. From now on, they would seize life, take opportunities, chase adventure and—most importantly!—remain bachelors forever. Settling down and having their wings clipped is not an option...

  Until one by one they meet their match in the most unlikely of places, and their resolve to remain single is tested... With their hearts opened to new possibilities, could an even more exciting future be on the cards for these daredevils?

  Can Eddie’s guarded colleague be the one to tame his heart in Forbidden Nights with the Paramedic?

  And when a beautiful stranger arrives with news James is a father, he must face his fears and his future in Rebel Doctor’s Baby Surprise.

  Both available now!

  Dear Reader,

  Have you read one of my recent books called Fling with the Doc Next Door? With it being set in Scotland, along with my wonderful heroine Ella and her gruff but adorable Scottish hero, Logan, I think it might be one of my favorite stories so far. It was also where these two books began, because Ella was the big sister of triplets—Eddie, James and Mick.

  After Mick was devastated at being jilted at the altar, these three brothers made a vow to be there for each other through thick and thin. They also vowed to avoid anything that could interfere with that bond and their determination to live their lives to the fullest—like a long-term commitment to any particular woman, for example.

  It might not be intentional—or even welcome—but some of these vows are finally, dramatically, crumbling.

  For all the gorgeous Grisham brothers. And for three amazing women who are about to change their lives forever.

  Happy reading,

  Alison xxx

  Forbidden Nights with the Paramedic

  Alison Roberts

  Alison Roberts has been lucky enough to live in the South of France for several years recently but is now back in her home country of New Zealand. She is also lucky enough to write for the Harlequin Medical Romance line. A primary school teacher in a former life, she later became a qualified paramedic. She loves to travel and dance, drink champagne, and spend time with her daughter and her friends. Alison Roberts is the author of over one hundred books!

  Books by Alison Roberts

  Harlequin Medical Romance

  Morgan Family Medics

  Secret Son to Change His Life

  How to Rescue the Heart Doctor

  Paramedics and Pups

  The Italian, His Pup and Me

  Miracle Baby, Miracle Family

  A Paramedic to Change Her Life

  One Weekend in Prague

  The Doctor’s Christmas Homecoming

  Fling with the Doc Next Door

  Healed by a Mistletoe Kiss

  Visit the Author Profile page at Harlequin.com for more titles.

  Praise for Alison Roberts

  “The love story is built up slowly but surely with just the right amount of passion and tenderness. This novel will tug at your heartstrings and give you hope in miracles. All romance readers need to grab a copy of this terrific tale ASAP.”

  —Harlequin Junkie on A Paramedic to Change Her Life

  Contents

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  EPILOGUE

  EXCERPT FROM REBEL DOCTOR’S BABY SURPRISE BY ALISON ROBERTS

  PROLOGUE

  THEY STOOD, shoulder to shoulder, in matching tuxedos at the front of the church.

  Three men.

  Three brothers.

  Born thirty-two years ago, within minutes of each other, there’d never been any doubt that they would be together in such a significant moment in all their lives when the first of them, Michael, had decided to break their pact to remain bachelors for as long as possible.

  Edward had come all the way from Australia, meeting James in London, where they’d both caught a train up to Aberdeen. It wasn’t the town they’d grown up in but it was where their older sister, Ella, had chosen to make her life with the man she loved and that was close enough to a home base for three brothers who had never been ready to settle anywhere. Or with anyone.

  Until now.

  Mick turned his head again, hoping to catch a glimpse of his bride, Juliana, preparing to walk down the aisle. His brothers instinctively turned as well, but the vestibule was still clearly empty. Instead, they shared a smile with Ella, who was sitting in the front pew, holding her husband Logan’s hand.

  Turning back to face the front, Eddie and James shared a glance that was brief but still spoke volumes.

  They weren’t completely comfortable being here. Sure, Mick was madly in love, but deciding to get married felt like a decision that had been rushed. A shotgun wedding?

  What had happened to that pact they’d made after they’d lost both their parents when they were only teenagers—that life was too short and that they had to make the most of it—so, alongside an exciting career, they needed to cram in as many adventures and beautiful women as they could find? Just because this particular gorgeous girlfriend, whom Mick had met in Brazil on one of his recent deployments with Médecins Sans Frontières, was pregnant, it didn’t mean they had to instantly commit to being together for the rest of their lives, did it?

  Something didn’t feel quite right.

  And it seemed as if the brothers’ disquiet was spreading throughout the small congregation in this church that was divided into a section with Michael’s friends and family on one side and a few young Brazilian people on the other. Ella glanced at her watch and then whispered something to Logan. More than one of the guests on the bride’s side of the church were turning their heads in the direction of the vestibule and one of them got up to walk outside, texting on his phone as he went.

  The woman playing an organ began another rendition of Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’ and Mick’s body language advertised an increasing tension.

  ‘Brides love to be late,’ Eddie reassured him quietly. ‘It makes people even happier to see them walk down the aisle.’

  Someone did appear but it wasn’t the bride. It was the minister, who came through a side door close to where the brothers were standing. He smiled at Mick.

  ‘Could you come with me for a moment, Michael?’

  ‘What’s wrong? Oh, my God...has something happened to Juliana?’

  The minister’s smile looked frozen now. ‘Come to the vestry so we can talk in private.’

  Eddie and James shared another glance. Privacy was not an option. Something was going on and they were not going to leave their brother without support. Ella and Logan were already on their feet, also ready to follow the minister and Mick.

  The young Brazilian man who’d left the church a few minutes earlier was in the vestry.

  ‘I am Juliana’s brother, Lucas,’ he told them. ‘I’m sorry, but she cannot be here, after all.’

  ‘Is she all right?’ Mick had gone very pale.

  ‘She is good,’ her brother replied. ‘Not unwell in any way.’

  ‘So why isn’t she here?’

  Eddie and James moved closer on either side of Mick. Close enough for their shoulders to be touching.

  It was the minister who broke a rather awkward silence by clearing his throat. ‘It appears that there is someone else involved who arrived from Brazil this morning. The father of the baby Juliana is carrying.’

  ‘I’m the father.’ Mick sounded bewildered. ‘She told me.’

  Lucas shook his head. ‘No. She was pregnant before she went to the medical centre where she met you. To José. He did not want to acknowledge the baby but now he has changed his mind. And Juliana is still in love with him. They are on their way to the airport to return to Brazil.’

  Ella and Logan looked at each other. Then they looked at Mick.

  ‘Stay here,’ Ella said gently. ‘Eddie and Jimmy will stay with you until we’ve sorted everything and sent people home.’

  An hour later the church was empty and the reception venue cancelled. Two hours after that, the brothers were in a hotel room and the first bottle of Scotch they’d ordered had just run dry.

  ‘I’m calling room service,’ Mick declared. ‘We need another one of those.’

  ‘Let’s order dinner,’ James suggested. ‘Maybe some wine.’

  ‘Champagne,’ Mick muttered. His laughter held no amusement. ‘Let’s celebrate the fact I’m still single.’

  ‘Hey, mate...’ Eddie put his hand on Mick’s shoulder. ‘I know it hurts right now but you’ll get past this. She wasn’t the one for you.’

  ‘Yeah...’ James shook his head. ‘Reckon you dodged a bullet there, bro. She was just using you to make her boyfriend jealous.’

  ‘First and last time I’m getting married.’ Mick shook his head. ‘What was I thinking? We all know that life’s too s
hort and we need to live hard.’ He raised his almost empty glass to his brothers. ‘Take this as a warning and don’t even go there.’ He downed the last of his drink and grinned at them. ‘Why settle down when there’s a whole world to explore? And why buy a book when there’s a whole library to enjoy?’

  Eddie and James clinked glasses with him.

  ‘Life is short.’ Eddie nodded. ‘Sometimes it’s awesome and sometimes it sucks.’ He draped his arms over each of his brother’s shoulders. ‘At least we’ve got each other. We can celebrate the awesome stuff and be there for each other for any of the bad stuff.’

  The moment’s silence following his words was verging on misty and Mick’s voice was not much more than a whisper when he spoke.

  ‘That’s all we need,’ he said.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Four years later...

  ‘I’M NOT GOING BACK.’ Edward Grisham shook his head slowly to underline his resolution. ‘I can’t.’

  The man standing beside him in the hospital corridor was staring at him. Horrified.

  ‘But you can’t not go back,’ he said. ‘You’ve been here ever since the accident. Day and night. For weeks.’

  ‘Exactly. That’s why I can’t go back.’

  ‘So what am I supposed to tell your brother when he wakes up and you’ve just walked away?’

  ‘I’m not leaving Mick, you idiot.’ Eddie couldn’t believe he’d been so misunderstood. ‘I’m talking about not going back to Australia.’

  ‘Och...’ James Grisham tipped his head back as he blew out a breath that sounded relieved. ‘Sorry...colour me sleep-deprived.’ He threw a weary smile at Eddie. ‘I’ve only had a couple of hours of shut-eye since a crazy busy night shift in Emergency last night. Let’s go and get a coffee and you can fill me in properly.’

  The route from the high dependency, acute section of this specialist spinal injury centre that was attached to Glasgow’s Central Infirmary was all too familiar now but, on the plus side, they had discovered a small private courtyard not far from the cafeteria and, for a change, it was fine enough to get outside for a bit of fresh air. They ordered their coffee in takeaway paper cups and headed for a wooden bench that faced a small water feature in the courtyard garden.

  ‘So...’ James took another appreciative sip of the strongest coffee that had been on offer. ‘You’re going to leave your dream job with Air Rescue Australia?’

  ‘Yep. Already have. I’ve got someone packing up my stuff to ship home as we speak.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Or she will be when she wakes up and gets my message.’

  ‘She...?’ James raised an eyebrow. ‘You leaving a girlfriend behind as well as your job?’

  ‘Nah...that relationship was over a long time ago. Kylie and I are just friends now.’

  ‘Keeping the pact, huh?’

  Ah...that pact. The one that meant you never let a relationship get serious enough to interfere with what you wanted to do in your own life or worse, that would leave you in broken pieces when it crashed and burned—like Mick had been after he’d waited at the altar for a bride who was never going to arrive.

  Not that any of the Grisham brothers had ever been disrespectful to women in any way. They’d always made it clear they weren’t looking for anything serious. They made sure the chosen woman had as much fun as possible while they were enjoying their friendship with benefits and they almost always managed to leave before anyone got hurt and a continuing friendship—without the benefits—became unlikely.

  The very idea of that pact, and the lifestyle that had fostered it, was becoming increasingly distasteful.

  Eddie shrugged. ‘I guess...’

  ‘You don’t sound too sure.’

  Eddie rubbed his forehead with the pad of his middle finger. ‘It’s kind of changed everything, don’t you think?’

  ‘What? Mick’s accident?’

  ‘Yeah...’

  ‘It’s certainly changed everything for Mick.’ James had to clear his throat as his voice roughened. ‘What do you think the odds are that he’ll be able to walk again?’

  ‘You’re the doctor, man. I’m only a paramedic. What do you think?’

  The silence spoke volumes. Neither of them wanted to discuss a worst-case scenario. They’d approached this journey as a family, one step at a time, ever since they’d first heard the awful news of Mick’s serious accident when he was hang-gliding from the rugged slopes of Ben Nevis in the Highlands of Scotland. Mick had been flown by helicopter to this hospital and specialist spinal unit for his initial assessment and treatment and the family had gathered. James had been closest, currently working in an Edinburgh hospital, and he’d been waiting at the unit when Mick had arrived. It had taken Eddie thirty-nine hours to get here from Sydney, Australia, but he hadn’t left since—thanks to the accommodation provided for close family members on the grounds of this centre.

  That had been six weeks ago.

  ‘He’s due for some luck,’ James said quietly. ‘He’s had just about every complication available so far, hasn’t he?’

  ‘I thought the worst was going to be seeing him in ICU on a ventilator when I came straight from the airport. Nobody warned me that I needed to buckle up for the rollercoaster that we’ve been on since then.’

  ‘I know. Two rounds of surgery. Spinal shock, those cardiac complications of arrhythmias and, I don’t know about you, but I found the levels of hypotension scarier than I wanted to admit. And then there was the paralytic ileus, pneumonia, unmanageable pain...’

  Eddie’s smile was wry. ‘And I’d been so relieved to hear that the injury was incomplete. That it was at a thoracic level so he hadn’t lost any sensation or function in his arms or hands. That there was a possibility he might walk again.’

  ‘It might not feel like it but it’s still early days.’ James took a last mouthful of coffee. ‘It could be weeks before he completely recovers from the spinal shock and who knows how much residual inflammation is there from both the injury and the surgery. At least he’s stable enough to be able to be moved to a rehab centre in Aberdeen. At least Ella and Logan won’t have that long drive so they can visit more often. Mick adores Ella.’

  Eddie could hear a new level of concern in his voice now.

  ‘I’m worried about how flat he’s been in the last couple of weeks,’ James added quietly. ‘He’s hardly eating. And I think all this sleeping might be a way of avoiding talking to us.’

  ‘I’ve thought that too,’ Eddie agreed. ‘It wouldn’t be surprising to have a clinical depression setting in after the initial fight to stay alive is done and dusted.’

  ‘He’s certainly showing some symptoms of depression.’

  Eddie sucked in a breath. ‘If anyone can help, it’ll be Ella.’

  Ella was the older sister of the triplet brothers. A second mother to them when they were growing up who’d married the love of her life a few years ago and was living and working in Aberdeenshire. She was the obvious anchor point for the brother who was going to need so much support from his family for the foreseeable future so it had been an easy choice to pick a centre in Aberdeen for the next stage of Mick’s recovery and rehabilitation.

  ‘And you’re going to be a whole lot closer too?’ James crumpled his cup. ‘That’s...’ He gave Eddie a soft punch on his upper arm. ‘That’s awesome news, bro. Will you go and stay with Ella? Will you look for work around Aberdeen?’

  ‘Don’t need to.’ Eddie took a deep breath. ‘It seems that the universe was waiting for me to get back home. I’ve got a job lined up with the Aberdeen Air Ambulance—Triple A as they apparently like to call it—not to be confused with an abdominal aortic aneurysm.’ He smiled at James. ‘I can even take over the lease of an apartment from the medic I’m replacing.’

  ‘Sounds perfect.’

  ‘Yeah...’ Eddie got to his feet. ‘Hope so...’

  James followed him back inside, his frown advertising concern. ‘You still don’t sound too sure.’

  Eddie shrugged. ‘Like I said...everything’s changed. It’s like we’ve just been playing at being grown-ups until now. Going wherever we wanted in the world, doing the jobs that excited us the most.’ He gave his brother a sideways glance that felt almost embarrassed. ‘Making sure we stayed single so we could play the field like a bunch of irresponsible celebrities?’ His sigh was heartfelt. ‘Well...life got real the moment Mick fell out of the sky, didn’t it?’