Bed of Thornes (Bed of Thornes Trilogy Book 1) (5 page)

'Ronni, I'm on my way to the hospital as soon as I lock up, please be okay' read the text. It was sent three hours ago, it must have been when she found out. I wonder how she found out. Where is she though? It's been hours since she said she would be here. I hope she's alright. I have almost made it to the bed when someone knocks on the door and walks in. I turn my head to see who it is since I didn't hear anyone say anything.

"Veronica."

I practically collapse.

M
y
heart flutters like a hundred butterflies in my chest.

"Adrian." I gasp with a mix of excitement and confusion. He's the last person I expected to show up to see me, but the first person I could dream of being here with me. He quickly walks to me and grabs my hand, holding it in his, sending chills down my spine. I forget the pain in this very moment.

"Jenna called Blank Canvas and asked for me. I was making a delivery so the manager called my cell and gave me the message to call her back right away. I called Jenna and she was frantic, telling me you were just in a car accident and were headed to the hospital. She said she had to lock up and then she would be heading here. I told her I would be here as soon as I got back to the city, I was about two hours out making a delivery to a customer that lives in a secluded area outside of Dallas. Then I got a call when I was headed here, she said her battery wouldn't start and there was nobody to give her a jump so she was going to take a cab but she locked her purse in the car and had no cash to pay for the fare. I got here as soon as I could. I'm so happy to see that you're alright, I was worried to death!" He took a breath of relief after his winded explanation.

I stand there looking into his eyes, still surprised by his entrance. I reach my hand over and put it on his, which is firmly holding my other hand, and stroke the top of it. I look up at him with tears forming in my eyes. "You were worried about me?" I ask him.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" He asks in return.

"You barely know anything about me, Adrian. I have friends that have known me for years, and not one of them are here or have even bothered to call. I just didn't expect you to care enough to actually show up to see me." I tell him, pouring my heart out. "And what made Jenna call you of all people?"

"Did you not want me here?" He asks with a sad look on his face.

"No, it's not that. I'm just very shocked, and confused, and surprised. I'm happy you're here, I just didn't expect it to be honest." I reassure him.

"That makes me happy that you're happy to see me." He grins. God, he's so beautiful. I must be dreaming right now. There is no way this gorgeous man is worried about me and here for me when nobody else is. His smile makes me weak, I just want to taste those lips.

"Hey, you okay?" He asks. Yeah, just fantasizing about you as we speak, I think to myself.

"I'm good." I smile. "Better now that you're here."

"Aw... smooth." He laughs. I recall saying he was being smooth when we first met. I grin at him, "Touche." I say. What a flirt. I like it.

"Sit down." He tells me. "Relax." I do just that.

He sits in the over-sized beige colored chair that's next to the bed. I scoot back to get comfortable, he reaches over to fix the pillows behind me. What a gentleman. What's the catch? I mean, this man is damn near perfect. There has to be a catch. All men have a catch to them. I chuckle silently to myself while truly hoping there are no catches. I want this to be real.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner." He says. "I couldn't believe it when Jenna told me, my mind was scattered after hearing the news. I just wanted to leave the delivery and get here."

"It's okay, I understand. I wouldn't expect you to just jump for me like that." I tell him with sincerity.

"Veronica, you probably think I'm crazy for caring so much and not knowing you very well. I hope you don't view me as a creep or something. Just, I don't know actually, I don't have a reason besides the fact that I felt some sort of pull to you when we met. I would like to get to know you more."

"I would like that too." I reply. "And no, I don't think you're crazy... or a creep. I think it's rather sweet of you to be so caring."

He smiles that delicious smile. "Then you go and try to die on me." He says jokingly and laughs subtly. "Was this your way of trying to escape Saturday? You know, you could have just said you couldn't make it or something. I would've respected your decline." His smile grows wider and he throws in a playful wink.

"Oh no, I feel horrible, I forgot all about Saturday. I am so sorry. Believe me, I want to go, that's why I accepted in the first place. I had no intentions of using such extreme measures to get out of it. Hell, I wouldn't turn it down in any type of way. How am I supposed to go now? That's tomorrow." I say, upset that I will have to miss out.

"We can still go if they release you in time. I'll make sure you're comfortable while you're there. That's if you still want to go." He says with the look of hope that I will agree on his face.

"I'm not sure they will let me out of here before then, but I would love to attend. Fresh out of the hospital." I smile at him.

"I'll make sure they do, and I will take care of you. I'll be your nurse." He grins.

"Hey, I'll take that." I wink at him.

Our flirting is pretty consistent. Maybe I was wrong about him not being into me. He seems like he has real attraction to me. His concern for me is extremely warming. I felt so alone, and he came to my rescue. It doesn't get any better, and I couldn't ask for more. He doesn't even have to talk, his presence alone is the best gift I can imagine. I like him talking though, his voice is soothing and makes me damn near drool when I hear it. Keep talking.

"How did all this happen anyway?" He asks curiously.

"It's a long story, but basically as I was rushing to get to my gallery in time to meet with an important client of mine, I was speeding and wasn't able to stop at the red light. Needless to say, the car coming through the green light on their end was also speeding and couldn't stop before crashing violently into the side of my car. You won't believe who the driver is."

"Who?" He asks.

"My client, the one I was in a hurry to meet with."

"Serious? What a hell of a coincidence that is. Is he alright?"

"I know right, it's crazy. Yeah, he's good. He's actually the doctor that has taken care of me today, he called the ambulance right after the accident and followed us here. He feels so guilty, I feel bad about that though to be honest." I look down at my hands, and notice the nurse button still lying at the foot of the bed, then I remember how thirsty I am.

I look back at Adrian. "The nurse never brought my water in, I hate talking on this speaker thing, would you mind stepping out to see if there is a nurse available?" I ask him, and right then my phone starts ringing. I scramble to get it from under my sheet where I left it when Adrian walked in. I turn the phone over to reveal the number, "It's my mother, I have to take this, excuse me just a few minutes." I give him a serious smile.

"No problem, I'll go get that water for you, I know you're probably thirsty as hell by now." He says and stands up from the chair to proceed out to the hall.

I slide the phone symbol to 'Answer'. "Mom?"

"Veronica, honey, oh my god, are you okay sweetie?" My mom's voice is frantic on the other end.

"I'm alright, mom, just rattled up that's all." I tell her, trying to not have her worry too much about me.

"Oh, Veronica, I was scared to death that you were gone. I couldn't find anything out, I tried getting through to everyone once Jenna called to let me know what happened. You've always been a tough one, are you sure you're alright? You're not just telling me that to keep me calm, are you? Veronica, if something serious is wrong, I will take the first flight out to be there with you. You know I won't leave you alone like that." She carries on.

"Mom." I interrupt. I know her heart is in the right place, but this is why I never let her know too much, she gets panicky. "I promise, I'm fine, just a few scrapes and bruises. Nothing serious." Which is the truth really, I came out of this horrible accident without as much damage as I could have accumulated. Dad's car, on the other hand, may be trashed.

"Well I worry about you, sweetie. I'm so far away and there's no telling what could be going on that you won't let me know of. Maybe I made a mistake moving over here." She sounds like she is on the verge of tears.

"No, ma, don't say that. You made the right decision, never regret it. I would have never expected you to put your dreams on hold for me. I mean, I have been able to live out my passions in life, you deserve that chance as well." I tell her with all sincerity.

"Maybe I wouldn't have to be so concerned if you would take time away from work and find yourself a nice man. That's what you need Veronica, a man." She says, sure of herself.

"Ma, let me stop you before you carry on... I got asked out by a man this week, I'm supposed to go tomorrow night, I just hope they will release me from the hospital so I can make it." I tell her, in hopes she will get off my case.

There's not even a moment to breathe before she chimes in, "Oh, that's so wonderful honey. I'm very happy for you, hopefully things will blossom with this one and turn into something special."

"Well let's not get ahead of ourselves now ma, it's the first date... if we're even calling it that... we haven't had much time to get to know one another yet. So we will see."

"Whatever you say sweetie, as long as you're happy and he's good to you. That's what makes me happy, to know you're alright. It's been so long since our last time speaking, I hate that it took an accident for you to have time to talk with your mother."

"Oh, come on ma, don't start. It's not like that." There's a knock on the door. It's Adrian, "Alright to come in?" He asks through the cracked door. I holler to him, "Yes, it's fine."

"Ma I have to go, but I love you and I'm glad that you called to check on me. I promise I will call you more often, I'll even let you know how things go tomorrow." I say quietly enough so that Adrian won't hear me.

"Okay honey, you take care of yourself and you better call me soon. Love you sweetie." She says and I reply, "I promise, love you too." We both hang up and I look over at Adrian, who has a tall white foam cup in one hand and a white piece of paper in the other hand.

"Here's your water." He hands me the cup. I smile while reaching out to take the cup, touching his hand in the process, "Thank you so much, I feel like I haven't drank anything in weeks." I tell him. He steps closer to the bed and sits down on the edge. "You're welcome, the nurses are slammed in there, and she apologized for not already giving it to you.”

I look down at the paper in his hand, "Did you get her number while you were at it?" I ask, jokingly. He doesn't look impressed by the jealous-type statement. "I wouldn't come to see a woman I barely know, to make sure she is alright and in condition to still join me Saturday, if I was just going to get another lady's number." He grins that sexy smile of his, licking his lip while slightly biting it, "This right here, this is your release form, they are going to let you go tonight if you're ready."

"Wow. Really? I'm surprised they would let me go so soon."

He grins again, "Well, I have my ways." He grins even wider, "I told you I would make sure you were able to make it tomorrow. Besides, they said everything is good with you besides a little pain, and I told them I would make sure you're well taken care of and comfortable." He winks at me.

Damn, it's like that? He has his ways, huh? He can have his way with me... as soon as my back doesn't feel like I was slammed in a wrestling match, that is. He sure does know how to make a lady feel special.

"Thank you for that, I really do appreciate it. I couldn't imagine staying overnight in this creepy, empty, cold ass room." I laugh lightly. "It's really sweet of you to do all of this for me, too. I don't know any other man that would bother or care enough. What are you trying to prove, Adrian?" I joke with him.

"Nothing, really, I just feel something in my gut telling me that you're not the type of woman to just write off and look past. You're the type of woman to pay close attention to, figure out, learn, and appreciate in every way possible. You're not just any woman, you're the one every man looks for but few ever find." He leans a little closer, "Don't get me twisted, I'm not trying to come off like I'm sprung or in love, Ms. Thorne, just letting you know that you're worth it."