Thunder - Willow Summers Page 0,59
I meant.” Madison held up her hands.
The nurse started forward again, the movements of a person obviously trying to ignore the insanity going on around her.
“Let’s sleep on it. Get it?” Janie grinned at the nurse. She pointed at her face. “This doesn’t hurt. So the pain meds are working.”
A knock at the door brought Madison’s eyes up. She figured it would be the doctor with the discharge papers. What she saw instead sent joy sizzling through her body.
Colton stood in the doorway with a blank expression. He held a cute little teddy bear and a huge flower arrangement, and his gaze was rooted to Janie.
“That was quick work, Madison,” Janie said. “But I’m afraid I’m not ready for my tour into the male prostitution ring just yet.”
The nurse tensed, her movements more careful now, and not because she was worried about hurting Janie while fixing the bandages. She’d obviously been warned not to make erratic movements around crazy people.
“What are you doing here?” Madison asked with a rush of relief. She couldn’t think of anyone else she’d rather see.
“Hey, baby,” he said in a casual way that made Madison’s heart flutter. Sorrow and anger glimmered in the depths of his beautiful blue eyes. “I thought you girls might need some help. Or company. I brought an entrance fee.”
He eased around the nurse so he could set the flowers and bear on the bedside table for Janie. Madison’s heart leaped into her throat, and she felt the sting of tears.
The nurse glanced up at him as he pushed past her, then started and straightened, getting an eyeful of his large chest before staring up into his handsome face. “Excuse me,” she said breathily, clearly awestruck.
“Don’t think it’s such a bad idea now, do you?” Janie asked with a lopsided grin, half of her fat lip not complying.
“I see your humor is still intact.” Colton laid his hand on the top of Janie’s head, his focus intent. “I’m so sorry this happened to you. You don’t deserve to be treated like this. Not by anyone.”
Janie’s face closed down. Her split lip trembled and her eyes squeezed shut as she broke down in sobs.
“Excuse us,” Colton said to the nurse, laying a hand on her shoulder to get her to move. He took her place and sat on the bed before leaning over and scooping Janie into his arms. “Shhh, shhh, shhh,” he said in a rhythmic way as he rocked her, almost like cooing a baby to sleep. “I know it hurts. It’s okay to feel that way. Pain makes us stronger. It makes us realize that we are in the fight of our lives. When you win that fight, Janie—and you will—you’re going to appreciate yourself and your life even more.”
Janie’s shaky, scraped hands clutched his back. Holding on for dear life.
Tears dripped down Madison’s face, because hearing that from a man, especially a big, intimidating man like Colton, was exactly what Janie needed. He knew just what to say and do, and there was nothing on the planet that could’ve endeared him to her more at this moment.
He rocked Janie for a while longer, rubbing her back, and then finally leaned back.
She gave him a watery smile. “Thanks. Do you have a brother?”
Colton smiled back and squeezed her shoulder before getting up. “Only a married sister, I’m afraid.”
“Oh sure, kill a girl’s dreams.” Janie dabbed her face and took a shaky breath. “Ordinarily, I would be extremely angry that Madison had invited a stranger to hang with us at a time like this, but…forgiven. Clearly.”
“She didn’t invite me.” Colton walked around the bed and stood next to Madison. “I thought maybe you girls might need something.”
“How did you find out which hospital it was?” Madison asked, still teary. She wasn’t as quick to recover from emotional stuff as Janie.
“I have my ways,” he said cryptically, running his fingertips along her neck and down to her shoulder. Shivers ran over her body.
“Ways like…using your phone to call information?” Janie laughed. “James Bond has nothing on you.”
Colton laughed and leaned against the wall, his fingers keeping contact with Madison’s skin. “How long will they keep you?”
Janie glanced at the door, as if contemplating the wisdom of running for it, and then eyed a bandage that still needed to be changed. “I need to be checked out by the doctor, and then they’ll give me the release papers.”
“A while, then.” Colton straightened up again. “I’ll go get drinks. What do you girls