Series: Life Lessons #1-3
Publication date: October 8th, 2020
Synopsis:
Come visit the cardiac unit at Rutherford Hospital, where three steamy romances unfold, now with bonus epilogues...
Never Date a Doctor
Some lessons are more fun when learned the hard way...
What's the first rule of nurse's club? Never date a doctor. Which Sasha Suvorin has no intention of doing, since she's a nurse at Rutherford Hospital by day and working on her master's degree by night. Who has time for dating, much less dating someone you work with? Bad idea much?
That is, until the sexy British Dr. Caleb Thompson starts at her hospital. It doesn't help that he's exactly her type with his dark hair, blue eyes, and rockin' bod. Or that he's not your typical arrogant and bossy surgeon. But Sasha isn't easily convinced, and she soon discovers Dr. Hottie has a past that puts a stop to whatever she might have been feeling before anything starts between them.
Unfortunately, working together means facing temptation. Every. Single. Day. Is Sasha strong enough to resist what might be the perfect man? And if she gives in, will Cal's past stay in the past? Sasha may be used to playing it safe, but life has a way of teaching its lessons... one way or another.
Bad Boys Don't Make Good Boyfriends
Even when you know better, sometimes it's simply too tempting...
Hospital work isn't for the faint of heart. Becca Dillon knows that, having worked as a medical assistant in the cardiac unit at Rutherford Hospital for longer than she cares to think about. What she does care to think about is having fun, gossip, and guys. Her favorite of the three. And why stick to one, when you can sample them all?
That's exactly her plan when a workplace crush on a mysterious bad-boy orderly takes a steamy turn. But Vincent DeMarco is nothing like she expected, and before she knows it, she's falling hard. She wants him in ways she's never wanted anyone before, but there's something he's keeping from her. Something that's holding him back. And Becca is going to find out what.
Even though she knows that bad boys don't make good boyfriends, he seems like he might be so much more. Will her quest unlock the truth? Or will it end their relationship? Either way, Becca's world is about to change.
You Can't Buy Love
Money can't buy happiness, but neither can pride...
Julianna Magnusson is tired of working at her thankless job as a nurse practitioner for the cardiac until at Rutherford Hospital. Tired of having no time for her own life. But most of all, she's tired of pretending that she's happy about it. So when her boss insists she attend the annual hospital charity gala, spending money on a dress to impress a bunch of stuck-up snobs doesn't exactly sound like her idea of a good time.
Still, she makes an appearance. Only to meet a handsome stranger named Noah who stops her from dunkenly confronting the man who owns the hospital about all the issues at work. Then Noah does so much more, giving her a night of passion that she'll never forget. Still, Jules has no intentions of taking it further. As timely as meeting him was, Noah is many things she'd never want in a man: Clearly elitist, arrogant, and bossy, he's nothing more than a one-night stand.
Which was a great plan until he turns up at her hospital with a mind to shake things up in a way that could affect her career and her decision to write him off, igniting an epic battle between them as the chemistry that sparked the initial attraction transforms into a battle of wills. Their clash could jeopardize everything Jules has worked for--or, if she can look past her own pride, it might lead to everything she needs. In the fight between what we think we want and what life has in store for us, what wins?
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Excerpts
Never Date a Doctor
"Would you like to hear what I want?"
I close my eyes and give a slight shake of my head. "Will it change anything?" I open my eyes and look up at him. Mistake. He's painfully, heartbreakingly beautiful as he looks down longingly into my eyes.
"I guess I won't know until I've told you," he says simply. "But I don't want to overwhelm you. I can only imagine how the wolves have been treating you while I was away." He gives a faint smile.
"Fine. What you do want?"
His eyes light up at the question, and his heated gaze pins me to the spot. "A good many things. But just one that you need to know about." His hand reaches up, and he strokes a finger down my cheek. "Put simply: You. From the moment I saw you. Even though I knew it would be messy on many levels. Though I'm afraid I haven't behaved entirely honorably. And I do understand where you're coming from. But you should know that I'm not going to give up."
Bad Boys Don't Make Good Boyfriends
He blows out a breath and drops back into his seat reflexively. "What do you want from me?" he asks quietly into his hands.
"I just want to know who the fuck you are," I snap. "I mean, there was 'cold and aloof' Vincent who wouldn't even dance with me. Then there was 'smoking hot' Vincent who made grinding magic on the dance floor. Then there was 'whatever' Vincent who ignored me the rest of the night after that. Then 'friendly' Vincent who wants to see me at happy hour. Then 'sweet' Vincent who complimented my hair and fixed my back. Then 'off the charts sexy' Vincent who gave me the best fucking orgasm I've ever had completely out of nowhere. Then 'that's it, I've got to go' Vincent who just disappeared like it was nothing. Then there was 'casual and chatty' Vincent. And now we're back to 'disappearing act' Vincent. Which of these dudes are you, really? No. Never mind. That's not what I really want to know. What I really want to know is why? Why get me off when most of the time you don't seem to want to have anything to do with me and, by your own admission, you're not looking for this to be anything?"
He huffs a dry laugh. "That's not what you really want to know," is his only response. Then he leans back in his chair with an arrogant smile.
"Seriously? Fine. What do I really want to know?" I ask, folding my arms over my chest and leveling an icy glare at him.
His grin widens and he leans forward on his elbows, looking at me with a glint in his dark, beautiful eyes. "You want to know if I'll do it again."
My throat constricts. And so do other parts of me. He's not wrong. The bastard does have me pretty hot and bothered, on just about every level. Damn him.
"Dude, you're the one who wanted to keep things simple. If we can do it without the multiple personalities, I might be up for that. Because I like to keep things simple too. Otherwise, no thanks."
I rise, tossing my napkin onto my plate, totally disgusted with the whole night. Fucking men. Can't a girl just get a good lay without all the drama?
"Where are you going?"
"Home. To get myself off. Everything else is too much fucking trouble."
You Can't Buy Love
At nearly eight, I decide I'll stay to watch the sunset before going in, even if it makes me late. It's just too gorgeous to pass up.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
Wondering how I already know his voice so well, I turn with a smile to see Noah settling his arms on the balcony next to me.
"How'd you find me?" I ask.
He straightens up and gives my dress an obvious once over. "You're hard to miss."
I let my hair shift into my face. I'm both flattered and a little shy again all of a sudden.
I feel his hand slip under my chin, lifting my face to look up into his.
"You can try to hide behind that gorgeous mane," he says, running his thumb along my jaw, "but red dress or not, you were born to stand out, Julianna."
"We should get inside," I mumble. My eyes dart to the glass doors behind us, to the crowds of people filing into the ballroom. "Dinner is starting."
He considers me for a moment, not moving an inch.
"Meet me after. Right here."
"You're awfully bossy," I remark, my lips curling into a smile despite myself.
"Are you saying you don't want to?" he teases, his hand sliding from my face, down my shoulder, over my arm to hold my hand in his.
I give his hand a small squeeze before withdrawing, frankly overwhelmed by how drawn to this man I am. I'm not used to noticing men or being attracted to them, much less actually wanting to act on it.
"I'm not sure yet," I reply.
He tips his head back and laughs. "Oh, I think you are. But you're not a risk-taker, are you?" His heated gaze is borderline cocky as he watches me. "I'll be here at ten. I hope you are too." But something about his tone is so sure that I can tell he thinks I will be, which is underscored when he doesn't say another word before walking back into the foyer. I lose sight of him quickly as he slips into the crowd.
Melanie A. Smith is the best-selling author of The Safeguarded Heart Series and other contemporary romance fiction. Originally from upstate New York, she spent most of her childhood in the San Francisco Bay Area before moving to Los Angeles for college. After that, she spent almost fifteen years in the Seattle Area, and now lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas with her family.
A voracious reader and lifelong writer, Melanie's writing began at a young age with short stories and poetry. Having completed a bachelor of science in electrical engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a master's in business administration at the University of Washington, her writing abilities were mainly utilized for technical documents as a lead engineer for the Boeing Company, where she worked for ten years.
After shifting careers to domestic engineering and property management in 2015, she eventually found a balance where she was able to return to writing fiction.
Melanie is also a Mensan and enjoys sending time with her family, cooking, and driving with the windows down and the stereo cranked up loud.
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