Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 48550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
“I can with a visit to the operating room,” Dr. Urial assured them. “I’ve looked at the X-rays. It looks like you’ll need a plate and some screws to fortify that break so it can heal properly.”
Amber ran her fingers through his hair when Rio flopped his head back against the pillows. She knew he was beating himself up for letting himself get hurt.
“We’ll wait until the morning when we’re both fresh to get that taken care of and the trauma surgeons have finished all the gun wound injuries. We’ll keep your pain down as much as possible in the meantime.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Amber said gratefully as she clung to Rio’s hand.
“I’ll take a look now and double check what I saw on the X-rays.”
After Dr. Urial’s exam, Amber could tell that Rio was in pain. She rang quickly for his nurse. When the emergency department director entered the bay, he asked Amber to step outside the cubicle.
“It’s against policy for you to take care of a relative in your capacity as a nurse. Want to clock out for lunch and get him cleaned up off duty?”
Amber smiled at the stern-faced man. He didn’t know her at all as this was her first day working at the hospital. He could have ordered her back to work with a warning or canned her when she insisted on taking care of Rio.
“Thank you, sir. I’ll clock out and get him set to go up to the floor when they have a room for him. I won’t interfere with his nurse. Promise.”
“I’ll hold you to it. You have thirty minutes. Make the most of it. If we have another rush of injuries, you’ll have to cut your lunch short.”
“Yes, sir.” Amber turned to jog through the department, dodging machinery, healthcare workers, and patients. She checked herself out for lunch and returned in a flash to gather a small tub and washcloths, along with a few other items.
The look Rio gave her as she walked in made her heart flutter in her chest. He was as glad to see her as she was to see him. She could have lost him. Amber vowed to treasure every moment they had together.
“Did you get more pain medicine?” she asked.
“Yes, Nurse Murphy.”
“You.” Amber waggled her finger at him. “Now, I’m in charge, Rio.” She turned on the faucet to warm the water.
“Maybe until they get me put back together again,” he allowed.
“And you’re back on your feet.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“This T-shirt is toast,” she told him, cutting the deep pink material off with a pair of shears in seconds.
“Do you all take lessons on cutting clothes off people?” he asked, lifting the sheet to show her his thigh and hip. “Nelson ruined my favorite pair of jeans.”
“You should be glad he didn’t try to take them off the normal way. And, yes, we take all sorts of classes. I’m sure Nelson’s a pro. I’ll bring you some shorts to wear home. I’m going to get to check out your legs for a while,” she joked as she carried the basin over to the bedside table and dipped a cloth into the warm water.
Carefully, she washed his face, arms, and torso. “You were too close to danger, Daddy,” she whispered after making sure they were alone.
“I’m sorry I scared you, Amberella.”
“I’m just glad you’re okay. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
In a few minutes, she had him settled comfortably in a clean gown. She’d even washed his hair with a shampoo cap. From the number of nurses that stopped by to offer to help, Amber knew her handsome man would receive a lot of attention while he was in the hospital. He was definitely not the typical patient filling the hospital bed. Even in pain with a broken leg, Rio was drop-dead gorgeous.
“I’m going to have to get you a stick to beat off all the people who want to help you. Just don’t let them give you five sponge baths a day. It’s not good for your skin,” she teased.
“No one’s giving me a sponge bath but you,” he growled.
“Let the nurses take care of you, Rio. That’s what they’re here for,” she assured him.
Catching sight of the time, she brushed her fingers through his damp hair. “I have to go back to work. They’ll have a room for you soon. I’ll come see you at the end of my shift,” she told him.
“Go home and sleep,” he ordered.
“Maybe after I see you.”
Dragging herself away, Amber retraced her steps to the time clock and logged back into work. The next time she had a break to stop by his room, a teenage girl getting an asthma treatment lay on the bed. Amber waved hello and excused herself to find out what room Rio was in. With the number noted in her phone, she met Nelson and his partner at the door with a new patient.