Midwife to Destiny (Destiny African Romance #1)

By Nana Prah

Ghanaian nurse Aurora ‘Ora’ Aikins never expected to find the love of her life while on vacation in South Africa. Engaged to another and believing that love has no place in her life, she returns to Ghana, and puts duty and honor first.

Three years later, Dr. Jason Lartey still can’t get Ora out of his mind or his heart. After learning she never married, he takes a risk and moves to Ghana hoping to rekindle what they started. His sudden appearance in Ora’s Emergency Department sends sparks flying all over again.

They’re in the same country, working in the same hospital, and together but distance creeps between them. Can they make their destined love one for the ages?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Decadent Publishing
• Release date: Feb 25, 2014
• ISBN: 9781613336595

Nana Prah

Nana Prah first discovered romance in a book from her eighth grade summer reading list and has been obsessed with it ever since. Her fascination with love inspired her to write in her favorite genre where happily-ever-after is the rule. Her books are sweet with a touch of spice. When she's not writing she's over-indulging in chocolate and enjoying life with friends and family.

Book preview

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Midwife to Destiny

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2014 by Nana Prah

ISBN: 978-1-61333-659-5

Cover art by Tibbs Designs

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

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www.decadentpublishing.com/

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Midwife to Destiny

By

Nana Prah

~Dedication~

For Ortanyi Arrington, Sherry King, and Loyce Thomas, my friends forever—even across the Atlantic.

Prologue

The pain pulsing through Aurora ‘Ora’ Aikins’ injured wrist transitioned into a delicious, unfamiliar tingle when Dr. Lartey touched it.

It’s just my luck to come on vacation and get hurt, she huffed in frustration as she forced herself to not sigh at the pleasure his gentle probing touch evoked.

You were very lucky. The x-ray shows your wrist isn’t broken, but you sustained a very bad sprain so you have to be careful with it, he said, sounding all business-like.

Each time he touched her wrist, her stomach twisted and her awareness of him as a man, with the need to get to know him better, intensified.

These sensations unnerved her but the gorgeous man she had the privilege of calling her doctor seemed unaffected.

His confident stride had drawn her attention when he’d entered the consulting room. His spicy, with a citrusy undertone, cologne filled the sterile hospital air, making her nostrils flare to take in more of his unique scent. Deep brown eyes had perused her chart as she’d taken in his short-cropped hair, high cheekbones, and thick lips that brought kissing into her mind. Dark smooth skin rivalled the richness of high quality chocolate.

Ora scanned the emergency room cubicle, which had become smaller with the doctor’s broad-shouldered, towering stature, for cameras. Could she be on a reality TV show? Starring in one had never been a life objective, but the crew might have caught her unaware. No visible cameras, but those producers were sneaky and could place one inside a stethoscope.

Are you on vacation alone? he inquired while writing.

Yes. My fiancé was supposed to come with me, but his work detained him at the last minute.

His head snapped up and in a flash, a look of distress passed over his features. The expression flittered by so fast she may have imagined it. You’re engaged?

Pain shot up her arm as she held out her left hand. She put it back down at the sight of her bare finger. I didn’t want it to cut off my circulation when the swelling started, so I took off my ring.

I see. Smart move, he mumbled and returned to writing.

Thanks. For some inexplicable reason, she had wanted him to break down at the news of her engagement but other than that fleeting look, the information didn’t disturb him at all.

Have you been to Cape Town before?

Reading the health posters on the wall had kept her from gawking at him. At his question, she shifted her head so fast he may have to treat her for whiplash, too. This is my first time. The city is beautiful.

He nodded and smiled. Yes, it is.

She refused to blink as she stared captivated into the glorious deep pools of his eyes.

He cleared his throat and looked away. What sights have you seen?

She couldn’t tell if the burning in her face occurred from embarrassment about her lack of tourist activities or her attraction to him. Ora turned, grateful for her dark skin hiding her flaming face. I’ve been to Canal Walk Mall a couple of times.

He raised both eyebrows, as if waiting for her to add other places. Even though she avoided lying whenever possible, she almost told him she’d been to the waterfront and Table Mountain, but she’d viewed the sights through the window of a taxi.

His voice held a hint of laughter when he asked, Who’s showing you around Cape Town?

She reached into her purse, removed her tour guidebook, and waved it in the air. I’m showing myself around.

His laughter burst forth. You’re not doing a very good job of it if all you’ve seen is Canal Walk Mall. You can’t tour Cape Town alone. It’s not right.

Well, I came by myself so I have no choice.

Lucky for you, I’m off for the next two days. I could show you the sights.

She blinked three times in rapid succession, not sure if she’d heard him right. When his words registered, her stomach filled with butterflies. Thanks, but I don’t think so. Don’t you have things to do with your free time? A family to tend to? She held her breath waiting for the answer to her indirect question of his marital status, not that it would matter one way or another.

It’s just me right now. My parents are on vacation and I’m not married. I’ve got all the time in the world to show you around tomorrow. He leaned in close to her ear. Don’t tell anyone, but my life is a little dull at the moment.

Ora would’ve laughed, but her throat constricted as her body warmed from his nearness. His breath tickled her ear, making her aware of just how close he stood. If she turned her head, she could rub her lips against his. But she resisted the heavy temptation to do so.

She exhaled when he stepped back. The appearance of a dimple in his right cheek when he smiled melted her heart. She’d always been a sucker for a man with a dimple. Umm. I don’t think that would be a good idea. You probably work long hours so you should recuperate. I don’t want to take up all of your time like that.

He shrugged. I don’t mind. I didn’t have anything planned for tomorrow, anyway.

She thought about his offer. She’d be crazy to say yes. She didn’t know him from any other South African walking the streets. He could be a psychopath for all she knew, maybe even a murderer.

I’m not crazy. He chuckled.

She cocked her head. People who are crazy, try to convince others they aren’t.

You have a point. But in my case, it’s true.

Her instincts had never let her down before and he emanated a positive, non-lunatic vibe. She didn’t believe he’d hurt her. Her attraction to him gave her the greatest pause at accepting his offer. The amount of energy she used to keep her hands, and other parts of her anatomy, to herself could provide electricity for the whole hospital for a day.

His lips begged to be kissed, or were her lips doing the pleading? Either way, she shouldn’t have any form of physical contact on the brain. She was engaged.

Although her fiancé evoked no passion within her and they shared no love, she’d promised to marry him and not lust after another man.

Being around Dr. Lartey longer than necessary would be dangerous.

On the other hand, it would be great to see Cape Town with someone who knew the best attractions and could take pictures of her, too. She called up the image of her fiancé. He wouldn’t mind; he trusted her and, because of his workaholic tendencies, she had to deal with temptation in the flesh. Her logic struck her as brilliant, but deep down, she knew that if she never saw this man again, she’d regret it for the rest of her life.

I’ll take you up on the offer, Dr. Lartey. But I’ll ask my fiancé his opinion. If he says it’s okay with him, then we can go.

One side of his mouth tilted up in a grin. I don’t see why he’d object. Please call me Jason.

Okay, Jason. You can call me Ora. Short for Aurora. Once again, his gaze held her hostage.

She tore her gaze away from his. If you’re done, I think I’d better get to the hotel.

She should cancel the whole arrangement, but her mouth refused to do so. Her heart, body, and instincts told her to get to know him.

He reached inside his shirt pocket. Here’s my card. Where are you staying? I can come pick you up.

I’m wary of strangers knowing where I reside, so let’s meet at the McDonald’s on Long Street instead.

His head jerked back as if taken by surprise. I’m not a stranger.

How do you figure that, since I just met you three hours ago?

His brows drew together. I feel like I’ve known you for a lot longer than that.

The certainty that she’d known him since the dawn of time broke into her consciousness, but she shook off the ridiculous musing.

Okay. We’ll meet at McDonald’s at seven in the morning.

I’m on vacation, remember? That’s not vacation wake up time.

Ah, but South Africa awaits us.

Okay, seven it is, she grumbled.

He chuckled and all of a sudden, she wanted to be a comedian to keep the laughter flowing.

I’m sending the nurse in to bandage your wrist up. Keep it elevated, apply ice, and try not to move it too much. I’m prescribing pain medications. The nurse will tell you where to pick them up.

He’d returned to professional mode. Ora forced herself to pay attention instead of gazing into his eyes like a teenager staring at a poster of her favourite actor.

He faced her as he moved to the entrance. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.

Ora waved goodbye, not sure if they’d ever meet again. The thought of her husband-to-be brought her crashing back to reality with a pang of guilt. She headed back to the hotel to call him, determined to forget the cute doctor with the magic hands.

***

At ten past seven, Jason strode through the door of McDonald’s. What the hell had brought him here? Ora had made her engagement crystal clear, and in the past, he’d respected when women were in a relationship. Still, staying away from her proved impossible. He’d been sure when he woke up in the morning that this fascination with her would have dissipated. It hadn’t.

He spotted her sitting in a booth and his step faltered. Her beauty overwhelmed him. Today, her shoulder-length, straight hair framed her heart-shaped face. Her almond-shaped, hazel eyes drew him to her like a black hole vortex. His life would never be the same again after knowing her.

Hi. Sorry I’m late, he said.

Ora smiled and his heart flipped over. He tapped his chest with a fist and dismissed it as indigestion.

I can forgive you for being ten minutes late.

How’s your wrist this morning?

A little sore, but the swelling has decreased. I didn’t need to wear the bandage today.

The need to touch her again burned through him. Let me take a look.

She extended her arm. Just as it had been in the hospital, the contact of her warm, smooth skin sent little shock waves into his fingers to course up his arm. His reaction to her, both in the physical and, as much as he hated to admit it, emotional sense, had confused him when they met. Early in his career, he’d learned to detach himself from patients and deal with them on a professional level, but not with Ora. With nothing more than her presence, she’d broken through his clinical coolness.

He’d fallen into unknown territory and had been in danger of crossing an ethical line, but for this woman, he didn’t care.

Passing through medical school had been easier than making himself let go of her hand after his brief assessment. He cleared his throat. It looks better. You did as instructed. You’re a good patient.

She emitted a sweet tinkle of laughter.

What’s so funny?

Nurses are never called good patients.

He chuckled. You’re right. Second to doctors, they’re the worse patients in the world. Ready to get going?

Yes. What’s on the agenda?

A bus tour. It’s a good day for it, too; the weather is perfect. We’ll be able to see a lot of sights, and get off the bus to explore more if a place interests you. The tours have a schedule so we can hop onto the next scheduled bus when we’re ready.

Is Table Mountain on the tour?

I believe so. I have the brochure here. Let’s take a look.

Her broad grin delighted him. If Table Mountain hadn’t been listed, he would have found her another tour company.

It is. The mountain is so beautiful from afar. I didn’t know if I’d be able to get to it during my visit.

Aren’t you glad you sprained your wrist? You would have been stuck going from shopping mall to shopping mall if you hadn’t met me.

She rolled her eyes. Yeah, I’m overjoyed about the intense pain I went through in order to meet you. You’re my vacation saviour.

They’d met