Weekend With The Best Man. Leah Martyn

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СКАЧАТЬ Dan was jolted out of his thoughts of weddings and speeches as he noticed the lurching drift of an oncoming car. What the hell? All his reflexes sprang into action. He reduced speed instantly, preparing to brake. For a split second he forgot to breathe, following the speeding car’s trajectory as it plunged out of control, crossing the centre line and placing it on a collision course with the car in front of him. He felt every nerve in his body tense.

      Surely, a crash was inevitable.

      * * *

      Lindsey hissed an expletive, all her defensive driver training coming into play. This couldn’t be happening! Who was this lunatic of a driver? Her heart pounded, echoing in her ears. Please, no! She pulled hard on the steering wheel, feeling she’d dodged a bullet as the sports car shot past in a blur. She was safe. The relief was instant but short-lived as the vehicle clipped the rear section of her car, pushing her off the road. Her head snapped forward and then back, slamming into her headrest as her car spun and spun again.

      Dan’s jaw went rigid. This was a nightmare. He watched in horror as the sports car rolled before coming to rest right side up in a mangled mess of metal and broken glass. One headlight remained working, shining brokenly on the prostrate figure lying in the middle of the road.

      * * *

      It took a few seconds for the nurse in Lindsey to react. All thoughts of her own welfare fled. Pushing out of the car, she set her feet on the road. She felt woozy as she stood, swallowing back sudden nausea. She had to get to the injured person. She began running.

      * * *

      The sight of the female figure running towards the accident wrenched Dan out of his quagmire of disbelief. He brought his Land Rover as near as was safe to the accident site, switching his headlights to high beam. In seconds, he’d lodged a call for an ambulance. Seconds after that, he was out and grabbing his medical case, complete with oxygen and suction. He had a feeling he was going to need every last item in his kit. He took off at a run, noting the woman was already at the scene, crouching over the injured man. Dan frowned. Should she even be there? He’d seen how her vehicle had copped the impact of the sports car. ‘Are you hurt?’

      Lindsey startled at the brisk demand, raising her head. She blinked uncomprehendingly. ‘Dan...?’

      Sweet God. Dan let his breath go in a stream. ‘Lindsey?’

      For a mini-second they stared at each other in amazement and total disbelief. But the whys and wherefores had to wait until later. They had a life to save. ‘Are you OK?’ Dan rapped.

      She frowned slightly. ‘Think so...’

      ‘Then let’s see what’s going on.’

      The injured man looked in his sixties. Possible causes for the accident ran through Dan’s head. Had he fallen asleep? Suffered a stroke or heart attack...? He was wearing bike shorts, T-shirt and hiking boots. Dan threw open his medical kit, snapping on a pair of gloves. Who was this guy—some kind of fitness nut? First things first, he decided, placing an oxygen mask over the man’s face.

      Lindsey hunkered down beside Dan. ‘Ambulance coming?’

      ‘Yep. They’ve diverted one. Let’s hope it gets here in time.’ Dan shook his head at the carnage. ‘Glove up, please, Lindsey. I need your help here.’

      She swayed a little then gathered herself, taking a deep breath and then another, pulling on her gloves over shaking hands. ‘Is he still breathing?’

      ‘Just. Obviously he wasn’t wearing a seat belt to be thrown out like that.’ Dan did a quick head-to-toe check. ‘Multiple contusions, by the look of it, fractured tibias.’ He ripped out an expletive. ‘Arterial bleed from his groin.’

      Lindsey felt her stomach turn upside down, the sight of bright blood pulsing from the femoral artery almost making her gag. She took quick, shallow breaths, swallowing down the bitter taste of bile. Working like a robot, she grabbed whatever she could find in Dan’s bag to absorb the flow of blood and pressed hard against the site. Pressure. They needed pressure. A tourniquet. An ambulance. A and E back-up. Her brain fogged. This was bordering on her worst nightmare. She’d attended dozens of accident scenes. What on earth was wrong with her...?

      ‘Sure you’re OK?’

      Suddenly Dan was butted up against her. Lindsey felt the warmth of his hand anchoring hers. Her teeth began to chatter. ‘Bit s-sick...’

      ‘You’re in shock!’ God, why hadn’t he noticed?

      ‘I’ll...be all right.’ Lindsey forced herself to slow her breathing. In and out.

      Dan scanned her face. Even in the dim light he could see she was as pale as parchment. ‘Do you hurt anywhere? Lindsey, I need to know.’

      She shook her head and winced as a spasm in her neck caught her unawares. ‘Bit of...whiplash. I’ll be OK. Just...get on.’

      Dan hissed a non-reply. Within seconds, he’d wound a tourniquet into place.

      Freed from the task of providing pressure on the wound, Lindsey pulled back. ‘Do you have a collar?’

      ‘No, damn it.’ He shook his head at his lapse. Made a mental note to include one in his kit ASAP. ‘We’ve got to stop that racket somehow,’ he grated. They both knew their patient’s airway was seriously compromised, his tortured breathing rattling into the stillness. He’d have to improvise. Dan’s responses were running at top speed. He moved forward, kneeling so that the injured man’s head was between his thighs. It was the only kind of stability he could offer for his patient’s head and neck. Using gentle pressure, he extended the chin. The man’s breathing improved marginally. It had to be enough until the paramedics got there.

      Lindsey rallied, giving Dan the back-up he needed. She passed him the portable suction unit, automatically pushing the mask aside so he could place the sucker inside their patient’s mouth. She felt black nausea pool in her stomach as blood tracked down into the tubing. Turning away, she retched onto the road.

      ‘That’s enough, Lindsey,’ Dan ordered. ‘I can manage from here.’ He motioned backwards with his head. ‘Go and sit in my car and wait for me. There’s bottled water in an Esky on the floor. Drink.’

      * * *

      Wrapping her arms tightly over her stomach, Lindsey walked a bit unsteadily to the Land Rover. Opening the passenger door, she stopped, breathing away the coil of utter wretchedness. The few seconds’ hiatus gave her some relief and she scrambled inside. Letting her head rest back, she closed her eyes and steadied her breathing.

      It took only a few minutes for her stomach to settle. Feeling more in control, she leaned down and took a bottle of water from the Esky. She began sipping, feeling better after each mouthful. But now she was beginning to feel cold.

      Dan’s jacket was draped across the back of the driver’s seat. Guardedly, aware she could overstretch her already sore neck muscles, she reached over and slowly managed to unhook the coat, draping it across her body like a blanket. She felt herself relax, snuggling into its warmth, breathing in the faint scent of sandalwood and seasoned leather.

      And him.

      Out of nowhere, Lindsey felt a warm sensation down low, sensual tentacles humming through her whole body. She burrowed more deeply СКАЧАТЬ