Falling Again for the Single Dad
by: Juliette Hyland
Genre: Contemporary Medical Romance
Release Date: September 1, 2020
Publisher: Harlequin Medical Romance
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Fatherhood has changed him—
But can she risk her heart?
ER nurse Amara Patel is starting over. Running into her ex, physician Eli Collins, on her first day at Boston General throws a major wrench in the works! Because despite his still irrefutably sexy appearance, he’s not the Eli she remembers. He’s always put work first, but now that he’s bringing up his niece, everything’s changed—except his and Amara’s feelings for each other! Dare Amara allow herself a second chance at love?
Amara pulled at the edge of her skirt and tried to work up the courage to open her car door. Or turn the ignition back on and head home. She wasn’t even sure why she’d decided to come to Eli’s mother’s art show. Sitting at home alone watching television hadn’t held much appeal, even though it was her standard Friday evening routine.
So she’d come here... Eli had said Susan usually came, and the head nurse had told Amara she might stop by. It was just an art show, and she wanted to support Martha. That was all.
Sucking in a deep breath, Amara counted to three and then forced herself to open the door. She’d driven all the way here, and Martha had been kind to her in the past. Amara could do this.
Besides, Eli would be busy with his mother and Lizzy. He wouldn’t have time to spend with her. She was just here to see the watercolors. The argument sounded so weak her heart laughed at her.
“Amara?”
Eli’s voice caught her off guard, and she gripped the side of the car to keep from tumbling over.
“I didn’t mean to startle you,” Eli stated as he stepped closer. “I was just leaving and—”
“Is the show over?” Amara interrupted. She’d thought the flyer said it went until nine, and she hadn’t been in her car that long.
Eli smiled and shook his head. “No, it’s just getting going. But Mom isn’t feeling well. I came to let her instructor know she wouldn’t be able to make it.”
“Oh.” What was she supposed to say? “Well...” Amara's brain fumbled for something to say as she stared at Eli. He was dressed in dark gray pants and a light blue button-up that accented his dark eyes. He looked delectable and dangerous and like all the things she wanted.
Why had she thought coming here was a good idea?
“I didn’t get a chance to walk around, and I already hired a babysitter. Want to take a gander?” Eli’s eyes never left hers as he offered his arm. How was it fair for any man to look this good?
She was already here. “Sure.” Her heart shuddered as she slipped her arm through his. This was a mistake; she knew it, but Amara suddenly didn’t care. It was one art show, one night, nothing more. “Make sure you point out which ones are your mom’s.”
Eli opened the door to the community center. “Just try to stop me.”
***
If there had been a slow-motion camera on him when Eli saw Amara get out of her car, he knew it would have showed him picking his jaw up off the ground.
He’d blinked a few times before he’d believed it was really her. The black skirt she wore hugged her hips perfectly, and the flowy pink top she had on made his mouth water. Amara’s dark hair was wrapped in an intricate bun, and Eli could barely keep his mind from wandering past the thoughts of what it might look like down, and remembering how it felt as he ran his fingers through it.
“Isn’t this lovely?” Amara stared at the picture of a bowl of fruit sitting right in front of the door.
“That’s the image many of the novice students worked from,” Eli whispered. “You’ll see it recreated a lot in here.” He had helped his mother hang her work last night and had already seen all the paintings currently on display. But if Amara was here, nothing was going to drag him away.
“Oh.” Amara’s fingers brushed her lips. “So where are your mom’s paintings, then?”
Amara had dropped her hold on Eli’s arm as soon as they stepped through the front door. His arm felt painfully bare without it.
Gesturing toward the back, he guided her through the crowded facility. Eli was grateful for the small excuses to touch her. The moments were fleeting, but they were all he had.
“This is Mom’s bowl of fruit.” Eli couldn’t stop himself from sounding proud. He knew his mother’s work was amateur, but she’d come so far over the last few years. “You can see that she uses light more, and her strokes are finer.”
Amara smiled at him and shook her head. “Sorry, Eli. I have no idea what I’m looking at. I mean, I know it’s a bowl of fruit. A very nice bowl of fruit, and it looks so...” Amara’s eyes widened as she caught herself.
She looked at the people passing them and leaned toward him. “Hers look better than the ones at the front, but I don’t see the brushstrokes.”
Her lips were centimetres from his cheek, and he was thrilled she’d wanted to quietly mention how much better his mom’s paintings were. It was silly and kind and exactly the sort of thing Eli expected from Amara. The fact that it also meant she was so close to him was a delightful bonus.
Closing the distance slightly, Eli whispered, “I’m happy to show you whatever you like.”
Her smile sent a shiver of longing through him. Eli forced himself to turn toward the paintings before he gave in to the urge to kiss her. He’d promised her time, and Eli could be patient.
He could.
Eli’s throat felt dry, but he managed to outline what his mother had told him about the paintings. Somehow, forcing words past the desire clouding his mind.
***
It was lovely watching Eli gush over his mother’s paintings. They were good, not gallery quality, but his mother had skill. And Eli’s pride in her accomplishments sent such a wave of emotion through her that Amara didn’t think she’d stopped smiling since she got here. Thank goodness she’d gotten out of her car.
“Thanks for staying with me, Eli.” Amara’s skin was hot despite stepping into the cool night air after the show. This hadn’t been a date, but she’d enjoyed spending time with him.
“Thank you for coming. Mom will be so glad you made it.” His deep voice carried in the empty parking lot.
Where had the time gone?
“Tell Martha her paintings were beautiful.” Amara held her car door to keep from touching Eli, again. If she did, she’d kiss him. And he’d kiss her back. That knowledge made her grip the door even harder.
“I will. She’ll be sorry to have missed you.” Eli’s gaze held hers, but he didn’t lean toward her.
Her decision would be so much easier if he did. But Eli stood still, just staring at Amara. Making her want all the things she was trying to convince herself she didn’t need.
“I should get going.” The words were breathless. Should she hug him? No, that would lead to kisses too. And Amara would lose the final bit of control she was clinging onto.
Eli placed his hands in his pockets and tipped his head. “Good night, Amara.” The bubble of tension between them burst as he walked away.
She ran her fingers along her unkissed lips as her body trembled with emotion. She’d made the right choice. She had... Kisses would lead to her wanting more, and Amara already wanted more than was good for her.
So she’d come here... Eli had said Susan usually came, and the head nurse had told Amara she might stop by. It was just an art show, and she wanted to support Martha. That was all.
Sucking in a deep breath, Amara counted to three and then forced herself to open the door. She’d driven all the way here, and Martha had been kind to her in the past. Amara could do this.
Besides, Eli would be busy with his mother and Lizzy. He wouldn’t have time to spend with her. She was just here to see the watercolors. The argument sounded so weak her heart laughed at her.
“Amara?”
Eli’s voice caught her off guard, and she gripped the side of the car to keep from tumbling over.
“I didn’t mean to startle you,” Eli stated as he stepped closer. “I was just leaving and—”
“Is the show over?” Amara interrupted. She’d thought the flyer said it went until nine, and she hadn’t been in her car that long.
Eli smiled and shook his head. “No, it’s just getting going. But Mom isn’t feeling well. I came to let her instructor know she wouldn’t be able to make it.”
“Oh.” What was she supposed to say? “Well...” Amara's brain fumbled for something to say as she stared at Eli. He was dressed in dark gray pants and a light blue button-up that accented his dark eyes. He looked delectable and dangerous and like all the things she wanted.
Why had she thought coming here was a good idea?
“I didn’t get a chance to walk around, and I already hired a babysitter. Want to take a gander?” Eli’s eyes never left hers as he offered his arm. How was it fair for any man to look this good?
She was already here. “Sure.” Her heart shuddered as she slipped her arm through his. This was a mistake; she knew it, but Amara suddenly didn’t care. It was one art show, one night, nothing more. “Make sure you point out which ones are your mom’s.”
Eli opened the door to the community center. “Just try to stop me.”
***
If there had been a slow-motion camera on him when Eli saw Amara get out of her car, he knew it would have showed him picking his jaw up off the ground.
He’d blinked a few times before he’d believed it was really her. The black skirt she wore hugged her hips perfectly, and the flowy pink top she had on made his mouth water. Amara’s dark hair was wrapped in an intricate bun, and Eli could barely keep his mind from wandering past the thoughts of what it might look like down, and remembering how it felt as he ran his fingers through it.
“Isn’t this lovely?” Amara stared at the picture of a bowl of fruit sitting right in front of the door.
“That’s the image many of the novice students worked from,” Eli whispered. “You’ll see it recreated a lot in here.” He had helped his mother hang her work last night and had already seen all the paintings currently on display. But if Amara was here, nothing was going to drag him away.
“Oh.” Amara’s fingers brushed her lips. “So where are your mom’s paintings, then?”
Amara had dropped her hold on Eli’s arm as soon as they stepped through the front door. His arm felt painfully bare without it.
Gesturing toward the back, he guided her through the crowded facility. Eli was grateful for the small excuses to touch her. The moments were fleeting, but they were all he had.
“This is Mom’s bowl of fruit.” Eli couldn’t stop himself from sounding proud. He knew his mother’s work was amateur, but she’d come so far over the last few years. “You can see that she uses light more, and her strokes are finer.”
Amara smiled at him and shook her head. “Sorry, Eli. I have no idea what I’m looking at. I mean, I know it’s a bowl of fruit. A very nice bowl of fruit, and it looks so...” Amara’s eyes widened as she caught herself.
She looked at the people passing them and leaned toward him. “Hers look better than the ones at the front, but I don’t see the brushstrokes.”
Her lips were centimetres from his cheek, and he was thrilled she’d wanted to quietly mention how much better his mom’s paintings were. It was silly and kind and exactly the sort of thing Eli expected from Amara. The fact that it also meant she was so close to him was a delightful bonus.
Closing the distance slightly, Eli whispered, “I’m happy to show you whatever you like.”
Her smile sent a shiver of longing through him. Eli forced himself to turn toward the paintings before he gave in to the urge to kiss her. He’d promised her time, and Eli could be patient.
He could.
Eli’s throat felt dry, but he managed to outline what his mother had told him about the paintings. Somehow, forcing words past the desire clouding his mind.
***
It was lovely watching Eli gush over his mother’s paintings. They were good, not gallery quality, but his mother had skill. And Eli’s pride in her accomplishments sent such a wave of emotion through her that Amara didn’t think she’d stopped smiling since she got here. Thank goodness she’d gotten out of her car.
“Thanks for staying with me, Eli.” Amara’s skin was hot despite stepping into the cool night air after the show. This hadn’t been a date, but she’d enjoyed spending time with him.
“Thank you for coming. Mom will be so glad you made it.” His deep voice carried in the empty parking lot.
Where had the time gone?
“Tell Martha her paintings were beautiful.” Amara held her car door to keep from touching Eli, again. If she did, she’d kiss him. And he’d kiss her back. That knowledge made her grip the door even harder.
“I will. She’ll be sorry to have missed you.” Eli’s gaze held hers, but he didn’t lean toward her.
Her decision would be so much easier if he did. But Eli stood still, just staring at Amara. Making her want all the things she was trying to convince herself she didn’t need.
“I should get going.” The words were breathless. Should she hug him? No, that would lead to kisses too. And Amara would lose the final bit of control she was clinging onto.
Eli placed his hands in his pockets and tipped his head. “Good night, Amara.” The bubble of tension between them burst as he walked away.
She ran her fingers along her unkissed lips as her body trembled with emotion. She’d made the right choice. She had... Kisses would lead to her wanting more, and Amara already wanted more than was good for her.
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