The Army Doctor's Christmas Baby Read online

  "Kelly."

  "In the nursery," she called back. "I'll be down in a moment." He probably wanted his lunch now.

  Kelly shut her laptop, pushed herself up from the floor, and began the long task of helping the girls downstairs. They backed down on all fours so they didn't fall.

  By the time they reached the kitchen, Sean had nearly finished the sausage pie she left on the counter for him. "Don't you want me to heat it up?"

  "I popped it in the microwave."

  "Oh. Right."

  "This is tasty. A nice change from turkey leftovers."

  "The turkey did seem to go on forever, didn't it?"

  "Yep. We'll get a smaller one next year."

  His words sent a jolt of hope through her. Was that just a turn of phrase, or did he really believe she would still be here next Christmas?

  For the first time in a couple of days, she relaxed with Sean and smiled. He grinned back, the dimples she so loved appearing in his cheeks. She reached up and touched one, laughing when he grabbed her fingers and kissed them.

  "Let's take the girls for a walk. It's nice outside, cold but clear and fresh."

  "Okay, sounds good." They hadn't been out anywhere since the fateful trip to the hospital to see Alice and the baby.

  Sean dashed upstairs, returning a few minutes later with the girls' all-in-one winter suits. He dressed Zoe while Kelly helped Annabelle suit up for the cold.

  They carried the babies to the utility room and put them in their stroller before donning their own coats, scarves, and hats.

  The crisp chill stung Kelly's cheeks as she stepped out of the warm house. The fresh air cleared her head and sharpened her thoughts. Birds swooped across the pale blue winter sky, and dead leaves fluttered on the ground as they set off along the riverside footpath.

  "I needed to blow away the cobwebs," Sean said.

  "Me too." Kelly walked on her own for a little while, then slipped her arm through Sean's as he pushed the stroller. He smiled at her, looking more like the man she had fallen in love with.

  Then he had to spoil it. "Why did everything go wrong between us on Christmas Day?"

  "Did it?"

  "Come on, Kell. You know it did."

  "Okay." She chewed her lip, not wanting to answer. Yet what did she have to lose? "One of the reasons I put off telling you about my hysterectomy was because I knew it would change how you treat me. I was right."

  Sean's eyebrows rose. "I'm not the one who changed, you are. You've shut me out. I care about you, love. I want to be there for you, yet you won't talk to me."

  Kelly pulled back her arm and halted. "I don't need any special treatment. Just treat me the same way you did before my confession."

  "If you behaved how you used to, I could do that."

  Kelly huffed with frustration. He was just like her family.

  Sean parked the stroller beside a wooden bench and snapped on the brake. The babies were both asleep, huddled in their warm winter suits.

  "Will you sit with me for a moment?"

  Kelly plopped down on the bench, her shoulders aching with tension.

  "I have a present for you."

  "You've already given me something for Christmas."

  "I know. This is an extra present. A special one."

  He pulled a small box from his coat pocket wrapped in gold and tied with a gauzy silver ribbon.

  Kelly's heart fluttered and leaped, her gaze rising from the gift to his face. He smiled, the warm affection in his blue eyes calming her fears like a soothing hand.

  With a racing pulse, she took the gift and pulled away the paper to reveal a red velvet box. "More jewelry?" She cast a questioning glance his way.

  "Open it and find out."

  She raised the box lid to reveal a huge solitaire diamond ring. Her fluttering heart nearly burst from her chest. She pressed a hand over her ribs, struggling to draw breath.

  "Is this a…"

  "An engagement ring. Yes. It's the only way I could think of to prove I love you. You can shut me out and push me away all you like, but I'm not giving up on you. I don't want to lose you, Kell."

  Tears pricked Kelly's eyes and stung her nose. She pressed her lips together tightly until the need to cry receded. Sean pulled off his glove and curved a warm palm around her cheek.

  "Will you marry me, Kelly? Be my wife and mother to Zoe and Annabelle. We all love you and want you to stay with us."

  Tears overflowed her lashes and ran down her cheeks. "I thought you didn't want me anymore."

  He grunted with frustration and pulled her into his arms. "Of course I want you. I wish I'd never made that stupid comment about another baby. I want you, Kelly Grace. If down the line we decide we'd like another child, we can always adopt."

  "You told me you wouldn't get married again." Kelly's words tumbled out in a blubbering muddle with her tears.

  "I'm allowed to change my mind, aren't I?"

  "Yes."

  "Good." He stroked the hair away from her face where it was sticking to her wet cheeks. "You haven't answered me yet."

  "Yes. I want to marry you."

  "Wonderful." Sean dragged her onto his lap and rocked her, kissing away her tears. Kelly kissed him back, passion and desire flaring inside her. How she adored this kind, loving man who was willing to accept her with all her faults.

  He knew her deepest, darkest secret, yet he still wanted her. Relief seared along her nerves and set her pulse racing as she curled against him. Framing his dear face between her hands, she smothered him in tiny kisses, making him laugh.

  For so long she had dreamed of having her own children and he was giving her that dream. She would be the happiest wife and mother in the world with two adorable little daughters and the handsomest husband ever.

  Epilogue

  Kelly laughed with anticipation as she jumped out of the rental car outside her sister's house in Perth. She and Sean had left the cold temperatures of England to celebrate the New Year under the hot sun and blue skies of Australia.

  "You go on ahead," Sean said to her. "I'll get the girls out."

  "Yay, Kelly!" Joanne burst through her front door and dashed down the path to meet Kelly as she opened the gate. They hugged for a long time, the years melting away as if they had seen each other only yesterday. "It's been too long, you dirty stay-away."

  "It was you who moved to the opposite end of the world."

  "Darling, you're here." Kelly's mum and dad hurried out and grabbed her for hugs.

  She held on to her mum for a long time, blinking back tears at the sight of all the gray in her mum's hair. The years had whizzed past. If it hadn't been for Sean, she might not have come to see her parents again.

  "So, where's this fiancé of yours?" her father said.

  Sean appeared at the gate with a little girl clutching each hand and the changing bag over his shoulder. He gave a crooked grin, his golden hair gleaming in the sun, his eyes as blue as the Indian Ocean shimmering in the distance.

  "Holy cow." Joanne gaped at Sean. "Where on earth did you find him and does he have a brother?"

  "You're married, Jo." Kelly smacked her sister's arm.

  Sean shook her father's hand and politely swapped hugs and kisses with her mother and sister.

  "How absolutely adorable." Her mother leaned down to see Zoe and Annabelle. "You two darlings are the prettiest twins I've ever seen."

  "Come on in. The kids are out back with Eric. We're going to eat outside on the deck by the pool." Joanne turned a bright smile on Kelly. "We've cooked a New Year's turkey since you missed Christmas with us."

  Kelly met Sean's gaze. He gave her a wry grin. Neither said they had already eaten enough turkey this Christmas to last them all year.

  "Sounds great," Kelly said. "Lead on."

  She lifted Zoe into her arms while Sean picked up Annabelle. Both babies had slept for much of the time on the second leg of their flight, after a twenty-four hour stopover in Singapore.

  They walked
through the house and emerged into the grassy backyard. Luxuriant shrubs covered in bunches of golden blooms and red spiky bottlebrush flowers bordered the deck. The sun blazed down. It was a shock to the system after leaving an icy UK.

  Kelly was relieved to step under the shady canopy over the table. A Christmas tablecloth and a fat gold candle surrounded by plastic holly sprigs gave a festive touch to the dinner setting.

  On the corner of the deck, a traditional Christmas tree blinked with lights and sparkled with baubles. "It seems so weird having Christmas in the summer," Kelly said.

  "I know. I long for snow sometimes. Not for long, though." Joanne gazed across the garden and raised her voice. "Marty, Tina, Niki. Come here, you three. Say hello to your auntie Kelly."

  A dark-haired boy of six and two little girls of four and three dashed across the lawn from where they were playing in the swimming pool to give Kelly wet hugs.

  Fresh tears filled her eyes to see her nieces and nephew. The last time she visited here, Marty had been two, and the girls hadn't been born. She had only seen photographs of them.

  "It's wonderful to meet you all." She sat with Zoe in her arms and Sean crouched at her side, holding Annabelle. "Say hello to Zoe and Belles." The children were so cute all hugging each other.

  "Hi there." Joanne's husband carried out the turkey and set it on the table before shaking Sean's hand and kissing Kelly. They took their seats, Kelly's mother claiming Zoe to sit on her lap.

  "Oh, Kelly, they're adorable. You're a very lucky girl." Her mother threw an arm around her shoulders, pressing her cheek to Kelly's. "I'm so happy for you, darling, and thrilled that you found the time to come all this way to see us."

  "I won't leave it so long next time, Mum."

  "That's all right, sweetheart. All that matters is you're here now and you're happy."

  "I am. Really happy. Sean is wonderful."

  She held out her left hand to show off her ring before gripping Sean's fingers. His gaze met hers, the corners of his lips lifting in an affectionate smile, his eyes alight with pleasure.

  "I love you, darling," she said, leaning close to kiss him. This man hadn't just welcomed her into his family, he'd helped her find her own family again, encouraged her to take a chance and come to Australia to reconnect with her parents and sister. Now that she was here, she couldn't understand why she had stayed away so long.

  "I love you too," he said.

  "Love, love, love, love," Annabelle chanted and Zoe joined in.

  Everybody burst out laughing.

  "Yes, we do love, love, love." Kelly kissed both her adorable babies and their wonderful daddy. She had been blessed with the very best Christmas present in the world, a family to love.

  If you enjoyed The Army Doctor's Christmas Baby, you might also enjoy these other books by Helen Scott Taylor

  The Army Doctor's Baby

  After his wife betrayed him, Major Radley Knight dedicated himself to becoming the best Army doctor he could be, dedicated himself to saving soldiers' lives. When he returns on leave from Afghanistan he is ready for a break. Instead he finds himself helping a young mother and her newborn baby. He falls in love with Olivia and her sweet baby boy and longs to spend the rest of his life caring for them. But Olivia and her baby belong to Radley's brother.

  Praise for The Army Doctor's Baby

  "This is a sweet romance with a wonderful happily ever after. Highly recommend this read!" Luvbooks

  *

  "I loved this sweet, tender romance about a woman in need of a father for her baby and the man who falls in love with her..." Ruth Glick

  *

  "Loved the twists at the end of the book. Just the right amount of tension to keep me turning those pages! Totally recommend." Mary Leo

  *

  Read a sample or buy The Army Doctor's Baby HERE

  The Army Doctor's Wedding

  Major Cameron Knight thrives on the danger of front-line battlefield medicine. Throwing himself into saving the lives of injured servicemen keeps the demons from his past away. When he rescues charity worker, Alice Conway, and a tiny newborn baby, he longs for a second chance to do the right thing, even if it means marrying a woman he barely knows so they can take the orphan baby to England for surgery. The brave, beautiful young woman and the orphan baby steal his heart. He wants to make the marriage real, but being married to an army officer who's stationed overseas might do her more harm than good.

  Praise for The Army Doctor's Wedding

  "Grab a Kleenex because you are going to need it! This is one no romance lover should miss!" Teresa Hughes

  *

  "The book starts out with lots of action and holds the reader's interest through to the end. It's a great read!" Sue E. Pennington

  *

  Read a sample or buy The Army Doctor's Wedding HERE

  Love is All Around: Box Set of Three Contemporary Romances

  Three highly rated contemporary romances in one box set—excellent value!

  Praise for Helen's Books

  "This is the type of book to snuggle up on the couch with on a slow Saturday afternoon to lose yourself in heartbreak, romance, and happily ever after." Sandy M, The Good, The Bad & The Unread.

  *

  "It was incredibly romantic and sweet, and I couldn't wait to find out how it turned out." Abbey, Wendy's Minding Spot

  *

  "You'll adore this romance with a charming hero who has such generosity of spirit and so much love to give the right woman. You'll cheer Maria on and hope she realizes that sometimes you just have to take a risk and follow your heart." Joan Reeves, Slingwords

  *

  Read a sample or buy Love is All Around on Amazon HERE

  A Family for Christmas

  A heartwarming tale for Christmas.

  A lonely career woman stranded in a blizzard, a disillusioned man who has cut himself off from women. When he rescues her from the snow and takes her into his home, the spirit of Christmas and his little girl's love work their magic.

  Praise for A Family for Christmas

  "What a delightful novella with appealing characters, lovely descriptions, and a sprinkle of suspense." Reader Forever

  *

  "A Family For Christmas is a top-notch holiday read." Heather Hiestand

  *

  "If you want to enjoy a heartwarming Christmas story, you'll love this book." OnTheMark

  *

  Read a sample or buy A Family for Christmas HERE.

  About the Author

  Helen Scott Taylor won the American Title IV contest in 2008. Her winning book, The Magic Knot, was published in 2009 to critical acclaim, received a starred review from Booklist, and was a Booklist top ten romance for 2009. Since then, she has published other novels, novellas, and short stories in both the UK and USA.

  Helen lives in South West England near Plymouth in Devon between the windswept expanse of Dartmoor and the rocky Atlantic coast. As well as her wonderful long-suffering husband, she shares her home with a Westie a Shih Tzu and an aristocratic chocolate-shaded-silver-burmilla cat who rules the household with a velvet paw. She believes that deep within everyone, there’s a little magic.

  Find Helen at:

  http://www.HelenScottTaylor.com

  http://twitter.com/helenscotttaylo

  http://facebook.com/helenscotttaylor

  http://www.facebook.com/HelenScottTaylorAuthor

  ***

  Book List

  Paranormal/Fantasy Romance

  The Magic Knot

  The Phoenix Charm

  The Ruby Kiss

  Dreamy Kisses: Paranormal Romance Box Set

  The Feast of Beauty

  Warriors of Ra

  A Clockwork Fairytale

  Ice Gods

  Cursed Kiss

  ***

  Contemporary Romance

  The Army Doctor's Baby

  The Army Doctor's Wedding

  Love is All Around: Contemporary Romance Box Set

/>   Unbreak My Heart

  Oceans Between Us

  Finally Home

  A Family for Christmas

  A Family Forever

  Moments of Gold

  Flowers on the water

  ***

  Young Adult

  Wildwood