us?”
“Bug off, Marc.”
“I will in a minute, but I’m still waiting for my hug. For good luck, you know.” Amused by her hesitation, he raised his eyebrows, challenging her.
She’d given him enough hugs for the day. But he was leaving and needed his Godspeed . One more couldn’t hurt. She rose on tiptoes and deposited a quick kiss on his cheek. His arms closed around her waist, and he laughed. “You call that a hug? Pitiful.”
She smiled and chanted, “ Hasta la vista , Marc. I wish you a safe trip.”
He sobered and let go of her. “I need your good wishes for both the trip and the arrival.” Delivering his brother and sister-in-law’s coffins to the family would be the hardest thing he’d ever done.
“I know it’s going to be tough.” Holly squeezed his hand.
“Once I get home it’ll be worse. Especially breaking the bad news to my grandmother.”
“Talk to her about the baby. It may help.”
Marc glanced at her gratefully. Holly always found a kind way to reassure people. Although he didn’t think she understood the situation. “The baby care will be another problem.”
Was Holly struggling with a smile? She arched an eyebrow. “Well, you’ll have plenty of time to think about it while in San Juan. Maybe your sisters will help with suggestions. It’ll keep their mind off the sadness.”
Except that Holly didn’t know his sisters or Abuelita. He loved them dearly, but they were a meddling bunch. “They’ll discuss him all right. And they’ll insist I bring him to be raised in San Juan with his brood of cousins.” He shrugged. “I don’t intend to give in, though I’ll have to deal with the discussions, the crying, and even some threats and curses. But I’m the older brother, the head of the family. It counts in Puerto Rico.”
“Maybe your grandmother will have some good ideas.”
Marc almost snorted. “Oh, yeah, Abuelita will have several ideas, as soon as she recovers and calms down. But I don’t think I’ll like them.”
Many ideas.
And many young women. All lovely bridal candidates.
When he was in Puerto Rico, Abuelita repeated at every dinnertime, right after the blessing, “ Dios , please, give Marquito a good wife and beautiful niños before I die.”
Marc had gently insisted she stop broadcasting, My grandson, the handsome doctor is in town to find a bride .
He had a niño now. Except the child was Carlos’s son. Abuelita would tolerate no excuse this time. He’d have to prepare himself for a mammoth argument.
That was one subject he didn’t want to discuss with Holly before leaving on a long trip. Already he’d had a slip of the tongue about his grandmother’s view while talking with Halsdale, and he bitterly regretted it. He just prayed the hospital grapevine had not already functioned at full speed.
The baby whimpered. Holly picked him up and settled back in the rocking chair. Marc bent over to rub his nephew’s cheek. “This time I’m really leaving. I’ll call you as often as I can.” He brushed his lips against her mouth in a light caress. She gasped and her lips parted, incredulous and inviting.
So inviting, he forgot the place and the time. Desire coursed like liquid fire through his body. A kiss from Holly was the sustenance he craved, the support he’d need during his absence. He cupped her cheeks, slanted his lips on hers, and invaded her mouth. His hand slid behind her neck, cradling her head as he deepened his kiss.
His lips against Holly’s mouth, he murmured, “I’ll miss you, sweetie.” He released her and straightened. Sucking in a deep breath, he gazed at Holly and the baby, and then turned, and walked toward the door.
Holly’s jaw sagged in disbelief as she watched his departing back. She hadn’t said a word or moved, the baby in her arms trapping her in the chair. Before she could come up with an answer, he was already out of the NICU.
“Dr. Collier, we have a new admission.” The nurse’s voice reached
“Bug off, Marc.”
“I will in a minute, but I’m still waiting for my hug. For good luck, you know.” Amused by her hesitation, he raised his eyebrows, challenging her.
She’d given him enough hugs for the day. But he was leaving and needed his Godspeed . One more couldn’t hurt. She rose on tiptoes and deposited a quick kiss on his cheek. His arms closed around her waist, and he laughed. “You call that a hug? Pitiful.”
She smiled and chanted, “ Hasta la vista , Marc. I wish you a safe trip.”
He sobered and let go of her. “I need your good wishes for both the trip and the arrival.” Delivering his brother and sister-in-law’s coffins to the family would be the hardest thing he’d ever done.
“I know it’s going to be tough.” Holly squeezed his hand.
“Once I get home it’ll be worse. Especially breaking the bad news to my grandmother.”
“Talk to her about the baby. It may help.”
Marc glanced at her gratefully. Holly always found a kind way to reassure people. Although he didn’t think she understood the situation. “The baby care will be another problem.”
Was Holly struggling with a smile? She arched an eyebrow. “Well, you’ll have plenty of time to think about it while in San Juan. Maybe your sisters will help with suggestions. It’ll keep their mind off the sadness.”
Except that Holly didn’t know his sisters or Abuelita. He loved them dearly, but they were a meddling bunch. “They’ll discuss him all right. And they’ll insist I bring him to be raised in San Juan with his brood of cousins.” He shrugged. “I don’t intend to give in, though I’ll have to deal with the discussions, the crying, and even some threats and curses. But I’m the older brother, the head of the family. It counts in Puerto Rico.”
“Maybe your grandmother will have some good ideas.”
Marc almost snorted. “Oh, yeah, Abuelita will have several ideas, as soon as she recovers and calms down. But I don’t think I’ll like them.”
Many ideas.
And many young women. All lovely bridal candidates.
When he was in Puerto Rico, Abuelita repeated at every dinnertime, right after the blessing, “ Dios , please, give Marquito a good wife and beautiful niños before I die.”
Marc had gently insisted she stop broadcasting, My grandson, the handsome doctor is in town to find a bride .
He had a niño now. Except the child was Carlos’s son. Abuelita would tolerate no excuse this time. He’d have to prepare himself for a mammoth argument.
That was one subject he didn’t want to discuss with Holly before leaving on a long trip. Already he’d had a slip of the tongue about his grandmother’s view while talking with Halsdale, and he bitterly regretted it. He just prayed the hospital grapevine had not already functioned at full speed.
The baby whimpered. Holly picked him up and settled back in the rocking chair. Marc bent over to rub his nephew’s cheek. “This time I’m really leaving. I’ll call you as often as I can.” He brushed his lips against her mouth in a light caress. She gasped and her lips parted, incredulous and inviting.
So inviting, he forgot the place and the time. Desire coursed like liquid fire through his body. A kiss from Holly was the sustenance he craved, the support he’d need during his absence. He cupped her cheeks, slanted his lips on hers, and invaded her mouth. His hand slid behind her neck, cradling her head as he deepened his kiss.
His lips against Holly’s mouth, he murmured, “I’ll miss you, sweetie.” He released her and straightened. Sucking in a deep breath, he gazed at Holly and the baby, and then turned, and walked toward the door.
Holly’s jaw sagged in disbelief as she watched his departing back. She hadn’t said a word or moved, the baby in her arms trapping her in the chair. Before she could come up with an answer, he was already out of the NICU.
“Dr. Collier, we have a new admission.” The nurse’s voice reached
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