From Duty to Daddy (15 page)

Fourth point. She could be a doctor anywhere. There’d be some legalities, but nothing insurmountable.

Fifth point. There wasn’t one. Definitely not a positive one.

Could she move away from all she knew for the man she loved?

Her fingers folded into a fist and her hand dropped to her tummy. Marshall would never agree to this madcap idea anyway.

CHAPTER TWELVE

M
ARSHALL
PULLED
THE
SUV over to the kerb on the left and hauled on the handbrake. At least he’d made it without any incidents involving other vehicles. Glancing further along the road, he grinned to see John’s newly panel-beaten and painted work vehicle parked in the same spot it had been the day he’d pranged it.

‘Bet if John knew I might breeze by he’d have parked it in his driveway.’

Using his shoulder to shove the door open, he climbed out to stand, hands on hips, staring around him. His heart hammered against his ribs. His mouth dried while his eyes moistened. There hadn’t been a night since he’d left he hadn’t thought of this place. If he’d been a romantic kind of guy he’d have said he’d left his heart in Taupo that day. Not anywhere in Taupo but right at this address, this house that begged to be filled with kids and laughter, with happy adults and fun times around the barbecue with friends.

Looking over at the house Charlie had grown up in, he noted the windows and front door weren’t wide open as they had been in January. April here was cooler. Driving down from Auckland he’d noted that the trees were beginning to change colour as autumn sent out its first chilly tentacles. Though not the trees in Charlie’s yard. They were evergreens. Solid native trees the likes of which he’d never seen before coming here.

The paddling pool had disappeared. No one sat on the veranda, though the lounger still remained in its place. Charlie must be inside because her car was parked on the other side of the closed gate. He didn’t know if he was pleased or disappointed she wasn’t in the same place she’d been that first day he’d turned up.

He’d come to talk to her, to tell her his plans for the future. So why was he suddenly shaking? He was doing the right thing. He was doing what he wanted, needed to do. Until now he’d believed Charlie might be pleased with his decision. Yet standing on the road outside her house, he felt an alien fear. What if she’d decided she was better off without him? Worse, could she have already met another man?

No. She’d told him she loved him. Charlie wouldn’t be replacing him that easily or quickly. From what he’d seen of her and Aimee and Brendon, love in the Lang family was for ever. He just had to expand his horizons and allow this family into his heart.

Too late, mate. They’re already there. Which is why you’re taking this enormous risk
.

That, and because life wasn’t worth much without these people in it.

‘Daddy.’ The sweetest young voice on the planet shrieked from somewhere behind the fence. His stomach crunched, his heart played a weird tattoo against his ribs. And his mouth lifted from grim to happy. He stepped across the road.

Another shriek, louder still. ‘Daddy’s here. Lift me up.’

* * *

From the flowerbed where she was planting daffodil bulbs Charlie jerked back on her heels so fast her neck cricked. ‘Aimee?’ She couldn’t have seen Marshall. He was in Kansas. ‘Aimee, come here.’ Away from strangers. Away from the disappointment that was sure to follow when she realised that her daddy had not suddenly appeared.

Ever since the day she’d called Marshall Daddy as they’d talked on the computer Aimee had been talking about Daddy, looking for him in cupboards and under beds. It had broken Charlie’s heart to see the tears well up every time Aimee came to her and said, ‘Daddy’s gone away.’

She looked around the empty lawn. ‘Aimee, where are you?’

‘Hello, Charlie.’

Her heart stopped. ‘Marshall?’ she squeaked. That deep, velvety voice sounded like his. Her gaze lifted slowly, fearful of finding a stranger looking down at her. The thighs filling out those tight jeans seemed familiar, the narrow hips, the broad chest stretching a light woollen jersey. She swallowed hard. And lifted her chin enough to see the face belonging to this body. Green eyes glittered down at her, a hesitant smile caught at her, and a hand reached down for hers.

‘Marshall?’ she whispered, as she placed her soil-stained hand into that firm grasp.

With a gentle tug from Marshall she stood upright, balancing precariously on her toes, drinking in the sight before her. Words had deserted her. Her world was tipping all over the place. The only vision filling her hungry eyes was the man who’d owned her head space for weeks. Could this be a mirage? The hand holding hers felt real; solid, strong, warm, right. The eyes holding a steady gaze were real. The arm gripping Aimee like he’d never, ever let her go was real.

‘Marshall.’ Her voice came out low and quiet. ‘You came.’ But for how long?

‘Couldn’t stay away another moment.’ His smile slipped. ‘I’m sorry it took so long for the truth to hit me. I really believed I could walk away and let you get on with finding a better life. How dumb was that?’

‘About as dumb as me thinking I could let you go without putting up a fight.’

His free arm went around her shoulders, pulling her close to him. ‘I’ve missed you both. You have no idea how much.’

Oh, yes, she did, but who was she to argue? She’d been going crazy with the need to see him. ‘I have to kiss you to know I’m not dreaming.’

‘Can’t argue with that.’ As his head came down closer and closer to hers a familiar tension wound through her, a hot tautness that had everything to do with recognition. Her body knew this man. A kiss wasn’t going to change a thing. But, still, a girl had to kiss her man when he came home, didn’t she?

Then Marshall pulled back. His steady gaze locked with hers. ‘This is for ever, Charlie. I’ve left the army, packed up my few belongings and shipped them out here. I’ve even made enquiries about registering with the New Zealand Medical Council.’

Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, preventing her saying anything, so she nodded, waiting for him to go on.

‘It isn’t going to be easy. I’ve never stopped in one place long enough to see two Christmases in a row. I don’t know what it’s like to treat the same patients month in, month out, to become involved with them and their families.’ He sucked in air. ‘And I certainly have no idea about living in a loving family. But I want to give it my absolute best shot.’

‘Then it will work out just fine.’

‘You know I love you, don’t you?’ A hint of uncertainty underscored his question.

Tapping her chest, she smiled. ‘Right in here I feel your love all the time.’ Reaching up on tiptoe again, she said against his mouth, ‘And now for that kiss.’

His lips brushed hers and then he pulled back again. ‘One more thing.’ This was getting to be an annoying habit of his.

She gave him a mock glare. ‘This had better be good, Marshall Hunter. A girl can only wait so long for a kiss.’

His mouth twitched like he was holding in a laugh. ‘You’ll get all the kisses you want once you answer my next question.’ Juggling Aimee on his hip, he used his other hand to brush a strand of hair off her cheek. ‘Charlotte Lang, will you marry me, be my lifelong partner and keep me grounded? Share the raising of our daughter with me?’

Doubt suddenly rose in her, dwarfing the hope in her heart. ‘What about having more children?’ His frown creased his forehead and when his mouth opened to answer her she raced on. ‘I can’t have any more babies. Ever. Have you thought about that?’

The frown disappeared, and his gorgeous mouth curved into a sensational, toe-curling smile. ‘Babe, you and Aimee are all I need. You’ll both be running rings around me as it is. I don’t need any other children to make me happy. I’ve already got everything I could ever want.’

For the life of her she couldn’t move. Her legs had turned all jellylike and her body felt weightless. Warmth flowed through her, touching every corner, knocking out the chills. Marshall wanted her, wanted to be with her, for ever.

‘In case your hearing has got bad these past weeks, I’ll repeat myself. Charlie Lang, will you do me the honour of marrying me?’

Whipping her hand out from his fingers, she gripped his arm and held on. Marry Marshall? ‘Yes, yes, yes, and yes.’ He had asked four things of her, hadn’t he? ‘Yes, Marshall, my love and my lover and the father of my child, I will become Mrs Charlie Hunter.’ Stretching up, she begged, ‘Now can I have that kiss?’

Some kisses were made in heaven. This one had been brewing since the day they’d met in the ED in Honolulu, and had only just reached its full potential. It had the right blend of love and desire and commitment and dedication. It spoke of their future—together. It was all about love.

* * * * *

We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin ebook. Connect with us for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!

Subscribe to our newsletter:
Harlequin.com/newsletters

Visit
Harlequin.com

We like you—why not like us on Facebook:
Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks

Follow us on Twitter:
Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks

Read our blog for all the latest news on our authors and books:
HarlequinBlog.com

ISBN-13: 9781460324813

FROM DUTY TO DADDY

Copyright © 2014 by Sue MacKay

All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.

www.Harlequin.com