“What did you do to yourself, Delta,” he demands as he runs his hands over her body looking for more injuries. If she were able to think straight, she would be angry, but she's so thankful to see them that she can only smile and wipe her tears.
“Well, hell, Daniel, it’s not every day a woman gets abducted and dumped in a national forest, stumbles upon a ghost town and is assaulted by a bobcat. I feel pretty good about myself right now.” No one moves for a moment, and then Chase laughs out loud, startling the birds from the trees nearby.
“I’m gonna kill him, break every bone in his body…” Delta touches Daniel’s face startling him.
“Can you take me home first? It’s been a really long day.” His steam evaporates replaced by concern for her. Chase cuts the jean above her gash and Abby groans.
“It’s all right, Abby,” Chase says. “She put a tourniquet just above it which saved a lot of blood loss. You need stitches and a tetanus shot.” Daniel’s face blanches when he sees the gash.
“Holy hell, Delta. You need a hospital!” He starts to pick her up, but his father grabs his upper arm.
“No! First, I need to release the pressure on her leg, Daniel. That can only stay on for a few minutes before needing to be released. Then we can re-bandage it and move her.” He stares at Abby, who is holding Delta's hand.
“Are you a doctor, Chase?” Delta asks.
“I was a medic during Vietnam,” he replies unwrapping her leg.
“I don’t suppose you have a shot for pain in that little case?” Delta asks hopefully.
“Afraid not darlin, but the sooner we get it done, the better,” Chase replies.
“Tell me what to do, Dad,” Daniel demands and Delta leans back, blinking away her tears. It feels so nice to be taken care of. Sasha licks at her face, causing her to smile.
“First, Abby needs to turn around,” Delta demands. “She doesn’t need to watch this.”
“Abby?” Daniel asks his daughter who is already moving forward to squat on Delta’s other side. “I wanna stay and hold her hand. I won’t look.”
“Thank you, Abby, but could you get Sasha's leash. I don't want her running off if that bobcat comes back.”
Daniel growls and cocks his rifle.
“Daniel will watch for the cat, now lay back and close your eyes.” Chase works fast, and soon they are ready to move. Daniel scoops her up, and she doesn't argue; instead, she savors the scent of him, the feel of his heat warming her up. “I’m just gonna rest now.” She closes her eyes and gives in to the urge to sleep.
Delta spends the next four hours in the emergency room in Phillipsburg. After ten stitches, a shot for tetanus and antibiotics they are ready to release her. The doctor returns to the waiting room and calls for the family of Delta Richards. Daniel, Chase, and Abby all jump up at the same time. He grins and walks over with a set of crutches and paperwork for him to sign. “Mr. Richards your wife is ready to go. She will need to use the crutches until the stitches are out. Delta was lucky that she only tore the top two layers of her thigh and didn’t hit the main artery. It would have been a much worse ending if she had.”
Daniel doesn't trust himself to speak, and no one bothers to correct the doctor. He just signs the papers with a trembling hand. “Can I see her now?” He asks hoarsely.
“Yes, of course, she's been asking for you.”
“Abby and I will bring the car around,” Chase suggests and heads outside with Abby, leaving Daniel to follow the doctor. Before Daniel walks in the room, the doctor tells explains that Delta is on morphine for the pain.
Delta is sitting on the side of her bed, in her black bra and panties when Daniel thanks the doctor and walks in. He stops and stares in appreciation, “Need some help.”
She smiles at him, and he discovers he is desperate to touch her. To him, she is curved in all the right places. Walking close he runs a hand over her shoulder and finds her skin is peaches and cream and so soft to the touch. The wound on her leg is covered, and Daniel feels responsible for it.
“Daniel, I can’t open these.” She sighs and shoves a bag with scrubs to him. “I’m really hot, maybe I will just take the rest of my clothes off.” He grabs her hand before she can unhook her bra.
“As tempting as that sounds, Beautiful, you have to wear clothes to get home.” He lifts her chin and gives in to the urge to kiss her. Softly he tastes her mouth, chasing her tongue with his. Her purr of pleasure has him grinning. “Get dressed.” Setting her back from him, she frowns at him as he rips the scrubs open. “You're very bossy,” she snaps.
“Arms up,” he groans when she lifts her arms. Her breasts are lush and so beautiful. He quickly jerks the top down over her head.
“Scoot to the edge for me.” She grabs his shoulders and drops her feet inside the pants legs. “Now stand on your good leg,” she does as ordered and clutches at his shoulders to keep from falling over. He pulls the stretchy blue scrubs up over her hips while she decides to chew on his ear. “You taste so good, Daniel. Will you kiss me again?” He turns with a smile and looks into her diamond blue eyes.
“Count on it,” he unwraps her arms from around his shoulders. “Though, I think I will wait until you are not high on drugs, so you remember who is kissing you.” He sits her down
