Moyra Tarling - A Diamond For Kate

“I’m sorry, sweetie,” Jackie quickly jumped in. “But it’s against the rules.”

Sabrina’s eyes instantly filled with tears.

“I’ll tell you what,” Kate suggested, throwing Jackie a pleading glance. “If you stay here with Jackie, I’ll go take a peek at your father and see how he is. Okay?”

Sabrina sniffed and nodded.

Moving around the desk, Kate settled Sabrina into the swivel chair.

“Dr. Franklin told me to put Dr. Diamond in the old plaster room down the hall. It’s quieter and a little more private there,” Jackie told Kate. “Heather’s with him.”

“Thanks.” Kate turned to Sabrina. “I’ll be right back.”

Threading her way to the rear of Emerg, Kate paused at the door to the plaster room. Had Marsh regained consciousness? And if so, would he remember her?

Kate could still recall with vivid clarity the way he’d looked at her the night of the accident, an accident that nearly cost his sister, Piper, her life.

Piper Diamond, the popular, fun-loving and sometimes reckless sixteen-year-old, had been the only teenager at Kincade High who had made an effort to make Kate feel welcome, when Kate had transferred into the school in early March. Piper had taken her under her wing, instantly seeing through Kate’s facade of careless indifference to the vulnerable, lonely girl beneath.

Once the high school had let out for the holidays, Kate had spent a lot of time with Piper and her brother, the handsome med student who’d come home to study for his exams. Marsh had even taught her how to ride, after first helping her overcome her childhood fear of horses.

Kate had enjoyed the fact that Piper and her brother had treated her like a member of the family, but as the hot summer days passed, her thoughts and feelings for Marsh had intensified and had been anything but sisterly, because she’d developed a giant-size crush on him. Only later had she seen that his friendship was nothing more than polite tolerance.

A bitter smile curled at the corners of her mouth at the memory, a memory that still had the power to hurt. Annoyed at herself and the route her thoughts had taken, she drew a deep steadying breath and opened the door.

Heather Jones, also working part-time for the summer, glanced up from reading the patient’s chart. “Kate, what brings you here?”

Kate darted a quick glance to the supine figure on the bed, noting his left arm wasn’t in a cast but bandaged and in a sling, and proceeded to tell Heather about Sabrina’s concern.

“He’s rather restless,” Heather said. “Dr. Franklin is confident it’s only a matter of time before he’ll regain consciousness. He was thrashing and moaning a few minutes ago, but he’s settled down again.”

Kate cast another nervous glance at the patient. “His arm isn’t broken?”

“Apparently not. It’s just a light sprain. He’s a lucky man. The teenager who hit him wasn’t wearing his seat belt, and his injuries are much worse. He had to have his spleen removed, not to mention that he’s got a broken leg and multiple lacerations.”

“That’s too bad.”

“Uh...Kate, I hate to ask, but while you’re here, would you do me a favor?” Heather hurried on.

“A favor?”

“I’m under orders to stay with Dr. Diamond until he regains consciousness. But Dr. Franklin needs the lab results from a test he had done on another patient earlier tonight. Could you stick around while I run upstairs to the lab?”

Kate hesitated. “Sure,” she finally said, certain Heather would do the same for her if the situation was reversed.

“Thanks. I’ll be as quick as I can.”

Kate stood for several seconds after Heather left, listening to the sound of Marsh’s steady breathing. Slowly she inched her way toward him, her curiosity overriding her reluctance to be anywhere near the man who’d treated her with such disdain the last time they’d met. Her stomach muscles tightened with tension as her pulse kicked into high gear.

Slowly she studied his ashen face. He hadn’t changed much. He looked older, more mature, but even after all this time he was still the most attractive man she’d ever known.

A clean dressing now covered the cut she’d treated earlier. His thick black hair, normally brushed back, was in careless disarray, falling across his forehead to soften his features. He looked totally vulnerable, completely defenseless, and Kate had to stop herself from reaching out to touch him. She felt her heart pound against her breastbone, then quickly right itself when she noticed that the bruise over his right eye had begun to change color, darkening from red to purple and spreading over his eyelids.

Continuing her perusal, Kate noted the sweeping curve of ebony lashes that were just like his daughter’s, before her gaze settled on the fullness of his lips, lingering there for several long seconds.

Her pulse tripped in double time and a shiver chased through her as she recalled how she’d once tried to imagine what it would be like to have Marsh kiss her.

Suddenly his lips began to move, his mouth opening to emit a low, pain-filled moan.

Kate couldn’t move. Her feet seemed to be glued to the floor as she watched his eyelids flicker before his lashes lifted to reveal incredible ice-blue eyes.

Marsh moaned again, louder this time, a sound that tore at Kate’s heart. His arms started flailing, but the sling restricted his movements. He grew more frantic by the second, tugging at the bedclothes in an attempt to break free.

Fearful he might hurt himself, Kate placed her hands gently but firmly across his chest to restrain him.

Marsh’s struggles intensified.

“Dr. Diamond. Please, take it easy.” Kate spoke softly, hoping to calm him. “You were in a car accident, and you’ve been brought to Mercy Hospital.”

At her words he immediately stopped struggling. “An accident?” he repeated, his voice little more than a hoarse whisper. “My daughter? Where’s my daughter? Is Sabrina all right?”

“Your daughter’s fine,” Kate assured him, wishing Heather would return, sure at any moment Marsh would turn and recognize her.

He clutched her arm, and she felt his fingers dig painfully into her flesh. “Why is it dark in here?” he asked, panic vibrating through his voice. “Why can’t I see?”

Chapter Two

“This isn’t happening!” Marsh said in a low growl of anger, frustration and pain.

Kate watched his handsome features contort. In an attempt to allay his fears, she covered his hand with hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze, ignoring the ripple of awareness that danced up her arm at the contact.

“Dr. Diamond, you’re all right. Try to stay calm. You have several injuries, including a sprained left wrist. It’s in a sling and restricting your movements.”

“Where’s Sabrina? I must find her,” Marsh said, distress evident in his tone. Jerking his good hand free, he began to fumble with the bedcovers trying to push them aside.

“Dr. Diamond! Your daughter wasn’t hurt in the accident. Trust me. She’s quite safe,” she added, but he was much too agitated to listen, shoving her unceremoniously aside, before sitting up and swinging his legs off the bed. But as soon as he stood a dizziness seemed to assail him, and his legs buckled beneath him.

Kate braced herself to take Marsh’s weight. She managed to steady him, but the feel of his lean, muscular, near-naked body pressed hard against hers sent her pulse jumping around like a blip on a radar screen.

With every breath she drew, his earthy male scent swarmed her senses, transporting her back to the summer afternoon she’d slid off the back of a horse and right into his arms. Kate could still vividly recall those heart-stopping moments when he’d held her tight. They’d stared at each other for several long seconds, the air between them charged with tension.