Amanda’s Patient Hunks Page 2

  “Mrs. Linden, are you having any difficulty breathing right now?” Amanda asked as she typed some information into the computer-on-wheels.

  The computer-on-wheels had a monitor on it and a keyboard, and they were able to take it from patient to patient, and all the information they need to put into was inputted immediately. It made the paper charts obsolete. The nurses were also able to take medications in a locked drawer to each room without having to go get the meds in between patients. Also, there was a scanner on each unit, allowing them to check the wristbands to make sure they were giving the correct meds to the right person, and to keep track of them.

  “No!” the woman answered harshly. “I just want to go home!”

  “I’m sorry about that, ma’am,” Amanda said patiently. “Apparently the doctor wanted you to stay so we can monitor you for a little while. Let’s go ahead see if we can get you well enough for you to be able to go home.”

  “Ah, you’re too young. You have no idea what you’re doing. I intend to go home right now.”

  Amanda turned to look at the woman and found her trying to sit up. She also had pulled out her IV. Rushing to her side, Amanda blocked Mrs. Linden from moving any farther. Mrs. Linden tried to push Amanda out of the way.

  “Get out of my way, girl! I’m going home, and you’re not going to stop me!”

  Trying to be gentle, Amanda grasped the woman’s shoulders and tried to get her to lie back in the bed. When Mrs. Linden continued to fight her, Amanda was able to press the nurse’s button. Patti’s voice came on within a few seconds. “Yes?”

  “I need help, Patti!”

  It was only a few moments before Amanda heard footsteps running down the hall. Alan arrived first, going over to the opposite side of the bed, and tried to pull the older woman back onto the bed. Patti wasn’t too far behind him with a syringe in her hand.

  The head nurse made her way over to the standing IV rack and was going to inject the contents of the syringe into the injection port. “No, Patti!” Amanda cautioned before the nurse was able to do so. “She pulled the IV out.”

  Patti looked down at the woman who was halfway off the bed. “Mrs. Linden, why do we go through this every time you come in?” the head nurse chastised.

  “Because I don’t want to be here.”

  “Frequent visitor,” Patti announced as she moved around to the other side of the bed. “Hold her, Alan.”

  Alan pulled the woman back enough so that Patti had access to Mrs. Linden’s thigh. Quickly, she injected the syringe into the thin leg. The woman howled at the slight pain, and Amanda hoped the sedative Patti had given her would work soon, but probably wouldn’t for at least twenty to twenty-five minutes.

  A hand, stronger than Amanda thought the woman was capable of, landed on her cheek. Her ears began to ring as she stumbled. She tried to remain on her feet, but she crashed into the computer-on-wheels, taking it to the floor and then sprawling across it.

  Pain shot through her body as the metal legs cut into her hip and leg while the pole that held that connected to the upper part of the unit dug into her side. Trying to right herself, she could see Patti and Alan still trying to restrain the woman.

  Ignoring her own pain, Amanda stood. She glared at Mrs. Linden for causing the crash, but then turned her attention back to the bigger issue.

  The nurses’ station seemed a mile away when you were in pain, but Amanda had to get to it to grab a pair of restraints. Limping, she felt the pain all over, and as she made her way back to the room, she noticed the spots of blood that led to Mrs. Linden’s room.

  Damn, I’m bleeding!

  Back in the room, she worked at getting the cuffs on the older woman’s thin wrists, for Mrs. Linden was continuing to struggle. Since she didn’t have her IV in her hand, it was easier to do.

  Once the woman was restrained, she continued a litany of curses and threats. Alan was trying to upright the downed computer-on-wheels while Patti began looking over Amanda.

  “Where do you hurt?” Patti asked.

  “My back, hip, and thigh. And I think I’m bleeding,” Amanda responded. “There’s blood on the floor.”

  “Let’s go over to the next room. It’s empty, and we’ll get you checked out.” Patti began to escort Amanda out the door. She turned back to Alan. “Can you straighten up in here yourself?”

  “Yes, Patti. I can,” he replied, the computer-on-wheels already up righted.

  Patti examined Amanda, finding mostly bruising. The bleeding was coming from the side of her thigh that had hit the feet of the unit. Apparently, there was a sharp edge on it.

  Her violet pants had a slice in it that was about four inches long, and her leg had one that was about two and a half. Patti was holding gauze to the wound and applying pressure.

  “Ouch! That smarts,” Amanda said a bit too loud. “That’s going to leave a mark.”

  The door opened to the room quickly. Amanda turned to see who had arrived only to see that the security guard, Terence, had stepped in. He seemed to survey the situation, as he looked around the room. Then, he was looking at her while she stood there with her scrubs around her ankles.

  Terence’s gray gaze skimmed down her body and then up again, landing on her ass, which was facing him. While working, Amanda wore granny panties that she would be comfortable in, and the ones she chose today were pink. She could only imagine how huge her butt looked today covered in pink nylon.

  “A…I…um…” Terence seemed at a loss for words, causing Amanda to wonder why. Was it because he didn’t like what he saw? Was her ass so gigantic that it silenced him?

  Heat rose within her, consuming her face. Turning away from him, she prayed he would leave. Patti saved her.

  “The patient next door got a bit violent. We’ve already restrained her,” Patti explained as she continued to hold pressure to Amanda’s wound.

  “I’ll go check it out,” Terence said as the door began to close. Then, Amanda heard a soft, “I’m sorry.”

  Terence had been with the hospital for about a year, working mostly the graveyard shift. Unlike Amanda’s request to work the third shift, Terence most likely worked it because he was the last security guard hired. Last hired usually got this shift.

  He was a good-looking man. He had blond hair cut tight on the sides and a bit longer on top to where he combed it up and back. A bit of scruff graced his jaws, creating a look of unruliness in him, but it looked great on him. Gray eyes, the color of the fog in San Francisco, were piercing and beautiful. Full lips that looked kissable were nearly always turned up at the corners, as if he knew a secret.

  If Amanda dated, he would be the second man she would go after if Jimmy ever stopped pursuing her. But those thoughts were always pushed to the back of her mind.

  “God, I can’t believe he saw my butt,” she murmured.

  Patti chuckled. “Well, believe me when I say he liked what he saw. He couldn’t take his eyes off you.”

  That was hard to believe. “Well, he can get in line behind that rancher dude, which will never happen either.”

  “Sooner or later, both of those men are going to find out your secret, Amanda. What are you going to do then?”

  Patti knew about Jasper. Patti’s man friend, Doc Anderson, made house calls, and since Jasper didn’t want to leave the house, Amanda was able to get the kindly man to come out for house calls and treat Jasper when he needed it.

  Eventually, Amanda knew she wouldn’t be able to keep Jasper a secret forever.

  * * * *

  Seeing her near-naked ass had the crotch in Terence’s trousers full of a raging hard-on. He needed to get it under control. Otherwise, he would never hear the end of it.

  When he had gotten the call from a patient that there was a brawl in one of the units, Terence knew that was the one Amanda worked in. His heart was pounding in his chest, and his breathing had become shallow. Forgoing the elevator, he had taken the steps two at a time to reach her. Opening that door when he heard Amanda
’s voice would forever be imbedded in his mind.

  Since his first day at the hospital, Amanda had been in his thoughts. His body reacted to her as if it knew she belonged to him.

  She always said hello, or good morning, instead of good night since they worked the graveyard shift, but otherwise, conversations with her rarely happened. In the mornings when her shift ended, she didn’t stick around. Often, he had to wonder what she was rushing home for, or to.

  Now that he had seen what he had, Terence knew he was in trouble.

  Hopefully, one day he would be able to ask Amanda out, but for the time being, he would be content to see her here at work.

  Chapter Two

  The police would call what he was doing stalking. They would be right. However, if this was the only way for him to see her, then he would take his chances.

  It had been a month since she had told him to stop “accidentally bumping” into her at the hospital and sending her stuff. Even her boss had told him to quit it.

  He came by every morning to see that she got home okay, making sure he wasn’t seen. There were a few times where it had gotten a bit harrowing on the road for Amanda in her little sedan. She had slipped on ice and had gone sliding around the street.

  Jimmy’s heart had leaped into his throat each time it happened. The thought that he could lose her before he had her was heartbreaking.

  She was a good driver, for she was able to get out her car straightened out each time and went on her merry way.

  When she got home, he waited until she got inside okay before he left to go start his own day out on the ranch. At the end of the day, he was always lonely sitting in the empty house. He had to find a way to convince her to go out with him.

  This morning, she looked a bit worse for wear. There was a large bloodstain on her ripped pants. He wondered how she got that way. She worked on the floor where there were patients in rooms, not in the ER where blood could land on her clothes. Besides, the rip was something no one should get in the hospital.

  Jimmy watched as she limped out to her little car, and his heart went out to her. No one should walk out of work worse than they walked in.

  Her car was parked a row over and a few spots down. Getting out of his truck, he walked over to her, trying to make some noise so as not to frighten her.

  Long champagne-blond hair wrangled by a single braid trailed down her back, wild strands of hair escaping here and there. Her curvy body was lovely to look at from this side, her heart-shaped ass with a good enough rise on the buttocks just about did him in. He had to talk down his hard-on before she saw it.

  Willing his fear back down to a small ball of scared, Jimmy arrived at her car the same time she did. “Are you all right, Amanda?” he asked.

  Turning, she faced him, surprise registering on her beautiful face. “Jimmy? What are you doing here?”

  A bit of a smile appeared on her lips when she saw him before it disappeared quickly. It hurt him that she wouldn’t even see him as a friend.

  “What happened to you?” He ignored her question. She was hurt, and he wanted to be the one to take care of her.

  She shrugged as she unlocked her car. “A patient got aggressive. She pushed me down. I’m fine.”

  Jimmy didn’t believe that. “You’ve been bleeding,” he pointed out, even though it was redundant.

  Tossing her backpack into the passenger seat, she appeared to be thinking. Finally, she turned to face him. “I thought it was a small scratch, but the doctor who checked me out put in a few stitches. I’ll be fine.” She took a deep breath. “What are you doing here, Jimmy? It’s too early in the morning for you to be here for an appointment or visiting someone in the hospital.”

  “I’d like to know the answer to that question myself,” a deep voice said off to Jimmy’s left, drawing his attention.

  A security guard was walking up to them, most likely wanting to make sure a hospital employee wasn’t being accosted in the parking lot.

  The man was only a few inches shorter than Jimmy and not as muscular. His muscle came from a gym, while Jimmy’s was earned on the ranch doing manual labor.

  “It’s all right,” Jimmy began. “I’m a friend of Amanda’s, and I saw that she was hurt. I just wanted to make sure she was all right.”

  “Is that true, Amanda? Do you know this man?” the guard asked as he crossed his arms over his chest as if he was trying to look intimidating to Jimmy.

  Amanda looked between the two men, a couple of times before answering. “I know Jimmy. I just don’t know what he’s doing here.”

  The other man took a couple steps toward Jimmy, getting too close for comfort. “He’s been here every morning when you get off work. At least for the past month. I’ve been watching him.”

  Her head turned quickly until she was back to looking at Jimmy. “You’ve been spying on me?” she accused, anger lacing her words.

  Shame struck Jimmy. Shame for getting caught. “It’s not what you think, Amanda. You wouldn’t let me come to the hospital anymore to visit you. The little time I got to was when you came out to your car or when you went into the house, I treasured. Every little glimpse I had of you, I accepted. I don’t know why you are afraid of me, but I want to be with you.”

  His words surprised Amanda, for she gasped.

  The guard looked over at Amanda and then back at Jimmy. “She doesn’t want you around,” he said. “You need to be on your way, mister.”

  “The name is Jimmy.” Jimmy extended his hand as he spoke. “Jimmy Dempsey.”

  Moments passed as the guard looked at Jimmy, obviously not wanting to introduce himself.

  “Amanda, honey, go ahead and get in your car. I’ll keep an eye on this one.” Ah, big man wants Amanda for himself.

  Amanda stomped up to the guard and looked up at him, her anger now projected on him. “Don’t call me honey. I’m neither one of you guy’s honey. I’m leaving now, and I want you to stop following me, Jimmy,” she said as she turned to Jimmy. “I…you…I just can’t.”

  There was a sadness in Amanda’s dark blue eyes that he had seen many times before. He couldn’t understand why she kept turning him down, for she never really gave him a reason why.

  How could a person be so sad and not accept help from anyone? In the year and eight months since he had met her, he had always seen the same sadness in her face, but on occasion, he could see her wanting to break away from whatever was binding her and accept his advances. However, after a moment’s thought, she chilled and told him to move on.

  Jimmy knew two other woman who did the same thing. Their guys kept going after them, and the ladies finally caved. Of course, with his ranch hands, it was a year before they won Erin over.

  Lily, his sister, had tried to push away her two men because she had a fear of embarrassing herself in public. Fear of being laughed at was predominant in her life after an ordeal when she was ten.

  Erin had hidden the abusive relationship she was in from her guys for fear of being abused more. It wasn’t until she had been beaten so badly that she landed in the hospital, and the guys found out about it.

  Standing there looking down at Amanda, Jimmy had to wonder what she was hiding. Now, he was determined to find out.

  Jimmy looked over at the guard, who was being a bit overly protective as if he were interested in Amanda also. The man kept swiping glances over at her.

  Reaching out, Jimmy pressed a hand to Amanda’s cheek and caressed it. She hadn’t flinched, and that was a good sign. In fact, she leaned into it slightly.

  “I’m not giving up on you, baby. This isn’t over.” He hoped it hadn’t come out as a threat, but in a way, it was.

  A flash of desire in her eyes gave Jimmy hope. There was something holding her back, and he needed to find out what it was.

  He watched as she got in her car and drove away, leaving him with the guard. Jimmy’s gaze followed the taillights on her car disappear while the other guy seemed to scrutinize him.

  Other
cars could be heard starting up as their owners got into them to head home. The graveyard shift was leaving.

  Finally, the guard spoke. “What are your intentions with Amanda?”

  Jimmy turned to look at him, crossing his large arms across his chest. “What’s it to you?”

  The man took a deep breath, letting it out, the air turning to steam. “I like her. I have since the day I started here.”

  “How long ago was that?” Jimmy asked.

  “A year.”

  “Well, I met her a year and eight months ago, so I win,” Jimmy said smugly.

  God that sounded petty and childish. Oh, he had it bad, and he hadn’t even realized it until now.

  A smile cracked on the security guard’s face. “You’re really going with that? I win?”

  Anger filled Jimmy. Who the hell is this guy? Why is he being such an ass? I already told him that Amanda’s mine.

  “Why are you interested in Amanda?” Jimmy asked, curiosity getting to him.

  The guard unfolded his arms, breaking the intimidating look he had been giving Jimmy. “Are you blind? She’s beautiful, kind, smart. Everything every woman should be.”

  He was right.

  * * * *

  Every day since he began working at the hospital, Terence had been watching Amanda walk out to her car. He had attempted to escort her when he first began working there, for he got off at the same time as her. She had refused, politely of course.

  For the past month, he had noticed Jimmy’s truck parked a little way away from Amanda’s, and then he would follow her out of the parking lot. Since Amanda hadn’t mentioned anything about being followed, or being accosted, Terence hadn’t said anything.

  This morning, since Amanda had been injured at work, he decided he would walk her out. By the time he had checked out and gathered his belongings, she was already out the door. When he got out to the parking lot, the owner of the truck was walking over to her.

  He looked like a Viking with his long blond hair and his muscular build. A few inches taller than Terence, the man was huge. Terence was instantly concerned about Amanda in this stranger’s presence.