Diamond (Rare Gems #2)(2)
“Come on, breathe for me.” The man on the bed was holding her. “Come on now, you can’t pass out on me, who would I have to sew me together again?”
“Let me go.” He didn’t, of course, and she felt herself being lowered to a bed. “I can’t lay here. Let me up.”
She didn’t have it in her to struggle with him. Then she heard him laugh again. He was saying something that made no sense to her. Then she heard another voice, one she was too tired to make out. But her body began to realize it was in a good position and it was going to take advantage of it. Sleep rolled over her like a freight train. Soon she was out.
~~~
Thad watched the young woman sleep. He had noticed that she was exhausted when she’d been looking at his driver. He might have stayed and teased her more into arguing with him if he hadn’t seen that she was close to falling over. Thad looked up when someone entered the room he’d asked to have her moved to. He was pleasantly surprised to see Sapphire and Blair.
“Thad? What are you doing here?” Sapphire went to the bed as Blair shook his hand. “I thought…Christ, were you in that accident?”
“Yes. We were nearly to the turn off on the highway when the car in front of us suddenly just flipped over. I’m sure there was more than that, but it’s all I saw when Jasper slammed on the brakes, tossing me to the floor.” He looked over at the two women, just now realizing that they were related. “Your sister is a nurse?”
“Yes.” Sapphire brushed back the hair that had fallen over the woman’s cheek. “She has worked three doubles this week and was supposed to get off over seventeen hours ago. She called and told me that she was staying, but that she was getting off ten hours ago. They are very short staffed here.”
“Apparently. She looks like you now that I know the connection. She passed out in my arms and I had them bring her in here. I’ve been in here with her since someone stitched up my leg.” He looked down at the white bandage that covered most of his calf and knee.
“You’ll stay with us until you’re ready to leave.” Blair didn’t make it sound like a request, and Thad had to laugh a little. If he didn’t know any better, he’d swear that the nurse was related to both of them.
“I was told an hour ago that Jasper, the driver, didn’t make it. And that seven people were killed out there. Do you know what happened?” When Blair looked at Sapphire, he knew that they didn’t know either, but before he could ask, the woman sat up suddenly.
“Oh God, I’m going to be sick.” Sapphire helped her move off the bed and to the bathroom. Both he and Blair stood there watching as the door was opened and both women disappeared into what appeared to be a bathroom.
“She’s been working for eleven days straight. It’s a small wonder she’d not passed out before now. We’ve been trying for a week to get her to tell them no, but she won’t.” Blair sat in the other chair and smiled at him as he continued. “I’m sure she’s going to tell me that she will take some time off, but I’m betting that she won’t. Too much like her sister in that respect.”
“What’s her name?” He had no idea why he wanted to know. “She tore into me earlier when I told her to take care of Jasper. Spit fire little thing, isn’t she?”
“Diamond, and she’s been known to hold her own.” Blair stood up when the door opened again, and there stood the two women. When Thad started to stand, she glared at him. What he wouldn’t give to see if she had that much passion when making love.
The thought had come from nowhere and he was a little startled by it. He had never had those kinds of thoughts about women that had been as rude to him and as mouthy as she’d been. He stood anyway just to see her get pissy again. She didn’t disappoint him.
“What is wrong with you? Sit down before you open your wound again. I swear to you that I’ve never seen a man so bent on hurting himself.” She moved to the chair behind him and shoved it under him. He had no choice but to sit. “Blair, will you see if I can stay until this moron is released?”
Before he could tell her that he’d been released while she’d been napping, Blair snapped at her. “You’ll get your ass to your locker and put your stuff in my truck. I’m not allowing you to work another minute more looking—”
The low growl from Diamond had all of them tensing up. Thad watched as Blair took a step back when Diamond moved toward him.
“You listen here, you big, overgrown pup. I will do as I damned well please, and you’ll learn to live with it. You do not allow me to do squat, do you understand me? I’m a grown woman.”
“Then act like it.” Thad hadn’t realized he’d spoken out loud until she turned to him, but it was too late now. “You’ve passed out in my arms, puked what little there was on your belly up, and can barely stand up without holding onto someone. If you don’t want people to treat you like a childish brat, then don’t act like a kid without a nap and do what you’re told.”
She took a step toward him, and he stood up. He felt his wound tear open, but he wasn’t going to back down from her. She looked…delicious was what came to mind, and he wanted to taste her fiery lips as much as he needed his next breath. When she stood there glaring at him for what seemed a lifetime, he took a step toward her, only to have her take one step back.