His Pregnant Nurse

  “Did you feel the baby move?” he asked in a hushed tone

  “Yes,” she said in awe. “For the first time.”

  Strange, but he almost asked if he could feel it, too. She must have sensed his desire, because after the slightest hesitation she reached for his hand. “Here.” She placed his hand over her belly.

  “Just wait. Maybe it will happen again.” She covered his hand with hers, and the intimate gesture sent a jagged bolt of desire streaking through him.

  This was too personal. He should pull away….

  “There—did you feel it?” Her wide eyes met his, eager to share the wondrous experience.

  “Yes.” The tiny fluttering movements were faint, but distinct. He grinned and kept his hand on her stomach.

  “It’s a miracle.” Her voice was soft, quiet.

  “Yes.” He gazed down at her and fought the urge to pull her close for a kiss. He tried to hide the husky note of desire in his tone. “So are you.”

  Dear Reader,

  Speaking as the mother of two teenage children, I can personally attest to the awesome miracle of birth. At the same time, raising a child is also a huge responsibility. In His Pregnant Nurse, critical care nurse Caryn Stevens discovers she’s pregnant, and although she’s a little overwhelmed by the news, she’s fully prepared to raise her child alone. Until she meets Luke Hamilton, who is far too attractive for his own good!

  Dr. Luke Hamilton is a very special hero, intrigued by Caryn the moment he meets her. Luke has had a traumatic experience, losing his sister and her baby during childbirth, yet when he learns of Caryn’s pregnancy he is fascinated by her strength and drawn to her despite his past.

  Through laughter, tears and a serious epidemic at the hospital, Luke and Caryn find the courage to love again. In case you’re wondering, our hospital had a similar crisis several years ago and writing those scenes reminded me of how difficult it was to provide care when so many of the staff were sick themselves.

  I hope you enjoy His Pregnant Nurse as much as I enjoyed writing Luke and Caryn’s story.

  Happy reading,

  Laura Iding

  P.S. I love to hear from my readers. Please visit my Web site at www.lauraiding.com and drop me a note.

  His Pregnant Nurse

  Laura Iding

  To my sister Joan and my brother Michael,

  because family is important.

  I love you guys.

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  EPILOGUE

  CHAPTER ONE

  CRITICAL care nurse Caryn Stevens sucked in a breath and tried to squeeze between her patient’s bed and the ventilator without success. Her slightly rounded stomach just wouldn’t give.

  She sighed and moved back around to the other side of her patient’s bed where there was less equipment to work around. She was going to have to tell her friends, her co-workers and her boss soon.

  Today.

  But not yet. Ignoring her early morning nausea wasn’t easy but since the entire medical critical care team had just entered her patient’s room for morning rounds, she did her best. Especially when she’d waited almost an hour for them to make their way to her side of the unit.

  “Good morning, Caryn.” Dr. Mitch Reynolds, the critical care attending physician on duty, greeted her warmly. He was engaged to her good friend and ICU nurse Dana Whitney, and she had to admit the two of them made a great couple. Her smile dimmed when she imagined their shocked reaction to her news. “Has Mrs. Nowicki’s neuro status improved at all?”

  “No, I’m afraid not.” Caryn put a discreet hand over her stomach and prayed the meager breakfast she’d eaten would stay down. Nausea wasn’t supposed to be a problem this far along. “No response to verbal commands or to light stimuli. Only a decorticate response to pain and even that isn’t nearly as strong as it was yesterday.”

  “Hmm.” Mitch turned to his team of eager residents. She didn’t recognize any of them—it was the first of the month when the residents rotated to different services.

  She dreaded the first of the month.

  “Dr. Hamilton, I’d like you to take over the care of this patient now, while I finish the round with the rest of the team. I’m worried about her. I think it’s best if we get a stat CT scan of Mrs. Nowicki’s brain to see if there are any changes from the one we took two days ago.”

  “Of course.” A tall, dark-haired, breathtakingly handsome man moved out of the group to approach the bedside. He reached for the chart, taking it from Mitch’s hands.

  Mitch turned to her. “Caryn, have you met Dr. Luke Hamilton? He’s the new critical care fellow I recruited from Kansas University Hospital. He just arrived a few weeks ago and this is his first month on the ICU rotation.”

  “Ah, no, I haven’t.” Caryn pasted a smile on her face and stepped forward to shake his hand. His grip was firm. Warm. Her instant awareness to his touch was alarming. She took a quick step back. “Welcome to Trinity Medical Center, Dr. Hamilton.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Caryn.” His smile was brief but powerful all the same. “I’m glad to be here. And, please, call me Luke.”

  She turned away, hiding her irrational reaction to him. “I’d also like to discuss Mrs. Nowicki’s nutritional status. Her albumin is still too low and I’m wondering when we can consider feeding her.”

  “Let’s get the scan first before we consider feeding her.” Luke opened her patient’s chart and began writing orders. Mitch moved on to the next patient, taking the rest of the team with him. “Do I need to call down to Radiology or can I simply write the order?”

  Her stomach rolled and she battled the need to vomit. She wished the new fellow would write his orders someplace else and leave her alone. But no such luck. Instead, he looked at her expectantly.

  “I think you need to call if you want it stat.” Her stomach somersaulted again and she blurted, “Excuse me,” and then bolted to the back of the room to the patient’s toilet, throwing up the entire contents of her stomach in one sickening lurch.

  “Caryn?” Impervious to her acute embarrassment, Luke rushed to her side. His hand was gentle yet strong as he clutched her arm to steady her. “Are you all right?”

  No, she wasn’t all right. She was pregnant, about five months along, and the baby’s father remained in a coma at a local neuro-rehab center since his scuba diving accident nearly five months ago. Her whole life had been turned upside down. How could she be all right?

  “Here, maybe you’d better sit down.” Luke had dampened a washcloth and handed it to her, then guided her to a chair. “You must have a touch of flu. It is the season and it’s possible you’ve been exposed by several patients here.”

  “I just need a minute.” Because she felt dizzy, Caryn sat. Thank heavens for baggy scrubs or he would have known she didn’t have flu. Still, she wasn’t about to tell Dr. Hamilton her problems. So far, she hadn’t told anyone her most recent news. Had only, in fact, just figured it out for herself over the past few weeks, confirming her suspicions with a home pregnancy test. The symptoms had been there all along, but she’d been in denial. Big-time denial. “If you want that stat CT scan, you’d better make the call. I’ll need to get Mrs. Nowicki packed up to go once they’re ready for her.”

  “Maybe you should go home, get someone else to cover your patients.” Luke actually sounded concerned
about her.

  A hysterical laugh nearly burst free. Go home? He had to be kidding. They were already short-staffed as it was. Besides, she needed the hours since the balance in her savings account was low. Caryn pulled herself together with an effort. Actually, now that she’d been sick, she did feel better. Hungry, even.

  Go figure.

  “Call Radiology.” She desperately wanted him out of her room so she could take care of her patient in peace. Mortifying, to have Luke Hamilton see her at her worst. “The number is on the speed dial on the phones out at the nurses’ station.”

  He hesitated but left her alone. Finally. She pulled herself to her feet then began to document Mrs. Nowicki’s vital signs and neuro status, routine, mundane tasks that helped her to get back on track.

  When she’d finished, she headed out to the nurses’ station. She set the clipboard down next to Luke and pointed to the most recent laboratory readings. “Did you see her sodium level is dropping? And her urine output is very high. Do you want me to increase her fluids?”

  “Yes, increase her IV fluids to two-hundred ccs per hour.” He wrote the order himself, much to her amazement. She had to admit, whichever nurses had trained him in the past had done a great job. Luke didn’t act as if she was there to wait on him hand and foot. In fact, from the little bit she’d seen, he was the epitome of a team player. “Anything else?”

  “No, that’s all for now.” Caryn glanced at the clock. “Is Radiology ready for her?”

  “Yes. I’m coming with you.”

  What? Taken aback, she stared at him. “There’s no need. I’m sure you’re busy. The residents and fellows don’t usually come down on road trips with us.”

  “Maybe not, but, considering how Dr. Reynolds has entrusted this patient to my care, I’d rather go down with you. I don’t feel quite right about her condition. Maybe I’ll learn something.” He seemed to like that prospect. When she simply stared at him, his grin faded. “Besides, what if you get sick again?”

  She winced and glanced around, hoping no one had overheard his remark. His persistence reminded her of a pesky wood tick, stuck to her skin without letting go no matter how hard she tried to shake him loose.

  “Fine. Come along then if you must.” She stalked off, knowing she was acting childish and ridiculous but unable to help herself.

  He followed her, not in the least put off by her attitude. In fact, he seemed in great spirits, looking at the portable monitor with interest.

  She gave a resigned sigh. No doubt about it, his constant cheerfulness was grating on her nerves. Or maybe she was just too stressed. She placed a hand over her stomach. So far she hadn’t felt the baby move, but then again obstetrics wasn’t her strong suit.

  She had pulled out her old books from nursing school to refresh her memory. From what she could tell, her pregnancy was progressing normally enough, except for the constant morning nausea. According to what she’d read, the nausea should be gone by now.

  “Are you going to throw up again? Would you like me to bring an emesis basin along, just in case?” Luke asked.

  “No.” She glowered at him and dropped her hand from her belly. “I’m fine.”

  “I’m glad you’re feeling better.” He smiled again, the corners of his eyes crinkling in a very attractive way. “I’m anxious to get to know some of the people here, as I’m new to Milwaukee.”

  “Sure.” She couldn’t bring herself to smile back. A few years ago she would have been more than a little interested in a guy like Luke. But not any more. She had other, more important things to worry about. Besides, if Luke knew the truth about her condition, he’d be sprinting off in the opposite direction as if his shorts were on fire.

  She sighed. This was going to be a really long month.

  Luke kept a wary eye on Caryn as they wheeled the patient down the hall to Radiology for the CT scan.

  Strangely enough, she didn’t look sick; her cheeks were pink without being pale or flushed. Her skin had been warm, not hot, when he’d taken her arm to steady her. Her big brown eyes had seemed a bit exhausted, as if she’d stayed up too late the previous night.

  Although his contact with the critical care nurse had been limited, he watched Caryn take care of Mrs. Nowicki and sensed she knew exactly what she was doing, exhausted or not.

  He was no stranger to exhaustion. His way of dealing with stress was to bury himself in his work. It was a difficult habit to break.

  Maybe it was time for him to get out more, to meet some people and explore the city. There had to be more to life than reading medical journals and patient case histories, right?

  “Help me turn so we can get through the doorway,” Caryn instructed, leaning her weight against the bed to leverage the turn even as she gave the patient a breath with the ambubag.

  The action pulled her scrubs tight against her body and he caught a glimpse of her gently rounded stomach. She was so slim, the bulge seemed decidedly noticeable. He raised a brow. Was she expecting? If so, pregnancy would certainly explain her upset stomach and the way she kept putting a hand over her stomach. His gaze automatically fell to her left hand and, sure enough, there was a modest diamond ring on her third finger.

  A stab of unexpected disappointment assailed him. Stunned at his reaction, he frowned. He shouldn’t care if the lovely Caryn was married or engaged. He wasn’t looking for anything that even resembled a relationship.

  In his experience relationships didn’t last—at least, not for long. Better to keep things light and simple from the very beginning.

  “This is it.” She sent him an exasperated glance, making him realize he hadn’t been paying attention. “Honestly, Dr. Hamilton, you don’t need to stay down here. I’ve done this a few times on my own.”

  Luke liked the way her eyes flashed when she was annoyed. “I’m staying. And I thought you were going to call me Luke?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Your charm is wasted on me, Luke.”

  He kept his tone light. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.” While the respiratory therapist began setting up the vent, he followed her when she picked up the patient’s chart and went into a small anteroom next to the CT scanner. “What does your husband-to-be do, anyway?”

  She hesitated and glanced down at her ring, as if surprised to see it on her hand. “I’m not getting married.”

  She wasn’t? “So—that’s not an engagement ring?”

  “Yes. No. I mean—Like I said, we’re not getting married. Ever.” She averted her gaze and focused on the radiology technician who’d just come into the room. “Hi, Greg. How are you?”

  The tech smiled. “Good, thanks. Which IV should I use for the contrast?”

  “This one here should be fine.” She indicated which IV line he should use. Greg injected the dye, then left to prepare for the procedure.

  Luke crossed his arms over his chest, raising a brow. “Don’t you think you should let the radiologist know about your condition?”

  “What condition?” She swung toward him, her eyes wide with alarm.

  It was his turn to hesitate. Had he called it wrong? There was no quicker way to alienate a woman than by insinuating she’d gained weight. “The way you were sick earlier, I thought you might be pregnant.”

  Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. “You can tell?”

  “I am a doctor, you know.” He raised a brow when she paled. “What’s the matter? Is something wrong?”

  “No, but I…uh…haven’t exactly told anyone yet.” She worried her lower lip between her teeth and he stared for a moment at her mouth.

  “I see,” he said, but he really didn’t. “Is the baby the reason you’re not getting married?” He had no business prying into her personal life, but then again as a doctor he was concerned about the welfare of the child.

  “Not exactly.” She rubbed a hand over her stomach and implored him with her gaze. “Please, don’t say anything yet. I need to tell my boss first.”

  “I won’t.” Luke hesitated, not li
king the way Caryn appeared to be upset over this. The misery in her gaze tugged at him. He reached over to give her hand a quick squeeze. “Hey, don’t worry. I promise I won’t say a word. But you know, your pregnancy won’t be a secret for long.” He raked his gaze over her slim figure. “Eventually that small tummy of yours is going to get bigger.”

  “I know.” She held his gaze for a long moment, but then glanced away as if embarrassed. “It’s just…things are difficult right now.”

  He thrust his hands in the pockets of his lab coat and stepped back, reminding himself he wasn’t there to get involved. Despite his burning curiosity to know more, he kept his tone bland. “I see.”

  “No, you probably don’t.” She grimaced. “To be honest, the father doesn’t even know I’m pregnant.”

  “He doesn’t?”

  “There was an accident and David suffered a severe brain injury,” Caryn continued in a low tone. “He doesn’t recognize me or his family.” The way she stared down at Mrs. Nowicki’s chart sitting in her lap made him want to give her a reassuring hug.

  “How long?” he asked, realizing she was in a very difficult situation. No wonder she seemed so alone.

  “Nearly five months ago. They’re telling me it’s doubtful he’ll ever wake up.” She squared her shoulders and tilted her chin as if daring him to argue. “But truthfully it wouldn’t matter if he did. Because, either way, I’ve already decided to raise this child on my own.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  CARYN didn’t know why her life story had tumbled so easily from her lips, especially to a tall, dark, handsome stranger like Luke Hamilton, but she couldn’t deny she felt a whole lot better once she’d blurted her secret out loud. Especially when he’d touched her hand, offering support.

  It seemed like such a long time since a strong man had held her hand.

  Not that she needed a man to be happy, she quickly amended. She looked forward to being independent. Yet being solely responsible for raising this baby was a frightening thought. The accountability and responsibility seemed overwhelming. Despite everything, she’d become very attached to the tiny life growing within her. Late each night she vowed to give her child a safe and secure upbringing.