AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"That's the woman I'm in love with," I mumbled. Then I hummed, enjoying the way I felt right now. My eyes closed again.
The next time they opened, it was because I felt lips on my fingers. The ones that said "BULL" across them. There she was, my own little angel, kissing every letter. Yeah, one day I'd have to get the other hand done, but I liked the joke. I liked it even more that this woman got it.
"That's why you're the one," I breathed, rocking my head to the other side.
There, a plump woman with dark hair was checking the monitors. "The anesthesia takes a bit to wear off, but this is normal. His vitals are looking good. Once he's able to sit up, we'll put him in his own room."
"And his surgery?" Cody asked. "Did they have to take his, um..."
"Spleen? No," the nurse said. "The surgeon was able to get the bleeding stopped. He's a very lucky man."
"Or a dumbass," Cody said, looking over at me to smile.
My lips curled to match hers. "Damn, you're pretty," I said.
She bit out a laugh. "You're stoned, J.D."
"Mhm," I agreed. "Ain't nothin' hurtin' neither."
"And he's back with us, it seems," the nurse said, leaning over my other side. "Do you prefer J.D. or José?" she asked.
"Don't care," I told her. "Cowboys call me J.D. Mama calls me José. Cody calls me whatever she wants."
The woman flashed a smile over at Cody. "Sounds to me like you've got this one wrapped around your finger. Maybe try convincing him to stay away from the livestock?"
"Won't happen," Cody said. "But J.D.'s gonna promise me he'll heal up before riding again, right?"
"Aw, Cody..." I groaned.
"If you don't, I'll ask Jake to give me a ride to Boise," she threatened.
"Kiss my fingers again, and we got a deal," I relented.
So she lifted my hand and kissed all four of those letters. "You scared me, J.D."
"Scared me too," I admitted just as everything finally began to filter into my drug-befuddled head. "Did I have surgery?"
"Yes, sir," the nurse said. "Now, you catch up with your girlfriend, and I'll find a doctor to fill you in, ok?"
"Thankya," I mumbled, making it all one slurred word.
She just smiled, patted my arm, and then wandered off. Immediately, Cody moved in from the other side, sliding her chair even closer. I had lines hanging down around me that looked important, but I didn't know what they were. An IV, maybe? Oxygen? Those electronic thingies? Hell, didn't matter.
"Jake and Tanner are out in the waiting room," she told me. "Sounds like Ty took first place tonight. I don't know what happened to our gear, but Jake drove me and Tanner here. He didn't think we were fit to drive ourselves."
"Jake's a good guy," I assured her. "Keeps his nose clean. Ty hates him, but that's a Ty problem, not a Jake problem."
"Gotcha," she said. "And you made it to seven point two on Without Ado."
Now that? It made me smile. "So damned close," I mumbled.
Which earned me a weak little giggle. It was the kind that sounded like she could finally stop worrying, and I kinda liked it. Not how I'd made her worry - but that she cared enough to give a shit about me? That was real fuckin' nice.
"I also called your mother," she said. "I'm going to give her another call when they move you up to a permanent room."
"So I'm stuck here tonight," I realized.
"You had fucking surgery!" she hissed.
