Diamond (Rare Gems #2)(3)
“I don’t like you.”
He grinned, thinking if that’s all she had he was going to have a great deal of fun with her.
“Most people don’t. Actually, I think that other than your sister and her husband, no one does. Not even my own family.”
“I can see why. You’re bossy and stupid with this self-proclaimed power that you think everyone should just jump when you say so.” He wanted to test her theory about him and have her kiss him but was actually afraid she’d hurt him. “I’m not one of your minions.”
“No, you’re not. One of my minions, as you called them, would never have spoken to me the way you have and gotten away with it. I’ll have to think of a proper punishment for you. Maybe I could think of something while I’m recuperating at your home.”
Diamond jerked her gaze to Blair so quickly that he wanted to laugh. The man looked like he he’d been pinned to the wall. And Thad had a feeling that whatever he had planned for the little nurse wasn’t going to be anything compared to what she had in store for the big man she was staring down.
The door opening behind her had Thad want to shove her behind him to protect her. He had no idea where that thought had come from either, and was worried he might have hit his head harder than they all thought. He was just about to ask the doctor that when she turned on Diamond. He was glad now that he was there to see this, because there was no way he would have believed it if anyone would have told him.
“You should have told me no when I asked you to work extra. Now I’m down one nurse because you had to get sick in the middle—”
“I told you no. Repeatedly, as a matter of fact. And also the day before that and the day before that too, if you’ll remember correctly, when you asked me to work double shift after double shift. And today you said that I’d only work a half a shift after you’d begged me to work another double today. I was here for nearly nine hours after that supposed time to get off.” Diamond moved toward the doctor and had her backed up against the door. “You can kiss my ass. I quit.”
The doctor looked around the room as if she had no idea what had just happened, and she was still standing there when Diamond shoved past her and into the hall. Sapphire was moving to go with her sister when the doctor, Talley he thought her name was, finally came back to herself.
“She can’t quit.” Blair nodded when she looked at him. “There is no reason for her to get all upset over this. I was…I was just worried, that’s all. I usually get pissed off, then I…she didn’t really quit, did she?”
“I’m pretty sure she just did.” Blair helped him gather up his things as he continued talking to the doctor, who still looked like she’d been pole axed. “She’ll need to make arrangements to gather her last check I would assume. And there had better be no problems with it, or so help me I’ll own you and this hospital at the end of the day.”
Thad had never seen this side of Blair Henson before. He’d always been so laid back and easy. This man was hard yet quiet in his demands, and Thad had no doubt that they were demands either. And apparently neither did the good doctor.
“I’ll make sure it’s correct. But I’d like to talk to her. I’d like to tell her how sorry I am and that I’d very much like for her to reconsider her quitting. She’s the best nurse I have.”
“Then you should have thought before you spoke.” Blair turned to her then and smiled. It wasn’t a friendly smile, Thad realized. It was actually sort of scary. “Don’t f*ck with my family, doctor, and I won’t your job. Leave my sister-in-law alone, both of them.”
“You think that Ruby will quit too?” The panic in her voice made Thad think that Blair was a great deal more of a big deal around here than he’d ever realized. The man simply oozed power and obedience. Thad found he wanted to please the man as well, and he wasn’t even on the receiving end of his anger.
As he was wheeled out, he began to think of ways to get back at the pretty little nurse. The unemployed pretty little nurse. There was something very appealing about her, and he wanted to explore the things that made him want to get to know her better. Smiling, he looked up at Blair.
“What if your sister-in-law were to take care of me when I’m at your home? You know, see to my wound and help me around? I’d be more than glad to pay her.” He tried to look innocent but was sure he was failing. “I could also see the next set of plans that you and Sapphire have for me while I’m here.”
“It’ll be up to her, but I got the feeling she didn’t care for you overly much.” Blair looked at him hard, and Thad had to work at not squirming under such scrutiny. “She will more than likely give Talley another try, but I can’t for the life of me see why. The woman would suck her dry if Diamond let her.”
“I don’t know, Blair. I have a feeling Diamond is a great deal stronger than she looks. I’m betting she could take her on without much in the way of trouble.” He smiled when he thought of the sponge baths he was going to receive from the girl. “You think she’s any good at chess? I would love to find someone to challenge me in a few games while I’m here.”
He’d been introduced to strip chess when he’d been in college. Back then it had been a way to get a girl naked without having to buy her dinner first. He and his roommates had been really good at it too, and it had gotten him the reputation of being quite the player, in more ways than one. Thad was sliding into the truck when he realized he didn’t even know if Diamond was seeing anyone. Not that it mattered, he supposed. He just wanted a good time, nothing long term was in his future if it involved love and women. Never again.