Read Online McCallum Quintuplets by Kasey Michaels - Free Book Online Page A

pager? You took your pager along tonight? You told me you weren’t on call. Dammit, Maddie, you’re not on duty every last damn minute, you know.”
    But she wasn’t listening. She was already disentangling herself, those long legs leaving him so that he lay there, feeling angry, frustrated, confused…and not a little stupid.
    â€œIt’s the hospital,” she told him, heading for the phone, punching in numbers. The perfect professional, just as if she hadn’t been lying on top of him fifteen seconds ago, being groped, giving every indication that she was enjoying being groped.
    Ian sat up, took in several deep breaths, then stood, went to the minibar to pick up his mug of lukewarm coffee. He watched Maddie as she talked, listened, talked some more, all while holding the phone between ear and shoulder, her left hand abstractedly spinning the diamond bracelet.
    â€œI’ve got to go,” she said as she put down the phone, reached for her boots. She sat on the edge of the coffee table, struggled into the boots. “Dammit, look at this. Zippers on shoes. I don’t need this hassle. It was so much easier with my sandals, but these slacks are too long, so I have to wear the heels. I could have been out of the door by now, if I had my sandals.”
    Ian smiled. He couldn’t help himself. This was the Maddie he knew, the Maddie he loved. The most down-to-earth, unaffected, honest woman he’d ever known. “There’s trouble with one of your patients?”
    She nodded as she stood up, stamped her feet a few times, quickly downed the remainder of her coffee. “Maggie McCallum. She’s spotting, and frightened out of her mind. I’m not officially on call, and I won’t treat, since I did have that wine. Zachary Beaumont is already there, but I’ve got to go. She asked for me.”
    â€œThen you go if you have to, but I’ll drive if you do,” Ian said, not that he believed Maddie would stay if he’d asked her to stay. They could talk later, tomorrow. Talk about what happened tonight. If either of them could figure out what had happened tonight. But, right now, and for as long as it took to deal with Maggie McCallum, Maddie’s entire mind would be concentrated on her job, doing her job.
    â€œOh, you don’t have to—thank you, Ian. I’d appreciate it.”
    Maddie picked up her purse, headed for the door. “Maddie?” he called after her as he grabbed his car keys from the table.
    â€œHuh?” she asked, one hand on the doorknob.
    â€œI don’t want to be overly picky, but—”
    â€œWhat, Ian? We have to go.”
    â€œYes, I know. But I was thinking—first you might want to rehook your bra.”
    â€œOh, damn! ” she said, her cheeks flushing as she dropped her purse, reached her hands behind her, under her blouse. “Oh, stop smiling. It isn’t funny!” Then she quickly opened the door as Ian followed after her, laughing out loud.

Chapter Four
    Madeline tapped her fingertips on her thighs, an outward sign of her inner wish that Ian’s car had wings and they could be across town now, at the unit.
    She knew Maggie McCallum, knew her to be a steady, levelheaded woman. An intelligent woman. But she also knew that all the intelligence and maturity in the world meant less than nothing to an expectant mom who’d started bleeding two months into her already at-risk pregnancy.
    Maggie would hold on, give an outward appearance of calm. But inside? Inside, she’d shake, cry, silently scream against the unfairness of it all.
    Madeline’s job would be to get through to Maggie, and to Adam, as well. While Zachary took care of his patient medically, it would be Madeline who had to calm the expectant parents, keep them operating as part of the team, not another problem for the team.
    â€œMaddie?”
    â€œHmm?” Madeline said, mentally rehearsing what she’d say, how