Page 38 of Master Cole

“Hey, Janie,” Susie, her boss, stuck her head into her office. “We’re shutting down. I want everyone to get home safely.”

“Okay, I just heard about the storm.” Janie shut down her computer and grabbed her purse.

A clap of thunder rattled the building as they were leaving, and the skies opened up. Janie made a mad dash for her car, but she was still soaked by the time she got in. Dread settled in her chest. This was not going to be a fun drive home.

She waved at Susie as she pulled out of the parking lot. The rain was relentless, and Janie wasn’t very fond of thunder and lightning storms. They had always scared her from the time she was a child.

So much water. The roads were already overwhelmed and flooding. Janie stayed calm, kept her speed down, and put her wipers on high. She’d make it home. At least she hoped she would, but an hour later she wasn’t so sure. Janie reached for her cell phone.

“Damn it.” She dropped it back into the cup holder. It was dead. She’d forgotten to charge the damn thing, and she had no idea where her car charger was. Well, she had no choice now but to continue to make her way home.

Her fingers began to hurt from her grip on the steering wheel. She was at Johnston Road now, just another ten miles and she’d be home, but the rising water was a big concern to her. Lord, she hoped the bridge wasn’t covered. The river was known to overflow it. Saying a quick prayer, she continued.

Cole paced around the kitchen. Where was Janie? He only had her direct office line and when he’d called her there was no answer, just Janie's voice asking callers to leave a message. Then he had called her cell. Again, voice mail.

Lightning flashed, then a roll of thunder. While they didn’t get a lot of storms here, when they did they could cause major issues. He pulled up the weather app on his phone. There were reports coming in of flooding, and Janie still had to cross the bridge.

Damn, it was already rising above flood stage. Cole paced the kitchen, then to the front door. He opened it. Rain came down in sheets, and visibility was dangerously low. He shut the door and checked his phone.

Janie had texted him when she left work, but that was more than two hours ago. Was she lying in a ditch somewhere? He tried her cell again; voice mail. He didn’t text. Maybe she was just concentrating on her driving.

But it shouldn’t take her more than forty-five minutes to get home, or maybe an hour or so even with the weather. He ran up the stairs, pulled on his boots, and grabbed his rain gear out of the closet. He was going to go find her.

Once inside the garage, he looked at his SUV. It was high enough off the ground and had four-wheel drive. First thing tomorrow, he was getting Janie a better car than that old, small compact she drove.

As he was about to get in, he heard an engine. He jogged back into the house and to the front door. Janie’s car sat in the driveway. He sprinted out into the rain. When he got to the driver’s door, Janie was leaning against the steering wheel.

“Janie,” he yelled her name.

Her head rose, and she pushed the door open. Tears coursed down her pale cheeks. Her body was shaking.

“Let’s get you inside.”

“I don’t know if I can walk.” Her voice trembled.

Cole swore. He reached into the car and snagged her keys. Then, reaching across her, he picked up her bag off the passenger seat and dropped her keys in and then her cell phone.

He slid the bag over his shoulder, then lifted her into his arms, kicking the door shut before making his way back to the house.

The rain was relentless, as was the thunder and lightning. Janie flinched when thunder boomed right over their heads. Once inside the house, Cole didn’t hesitate. He carried her up the stairs and straight into his bathroom.

He sat her down on the toilet. Her face was pale, and she was shivering, but the tears had stopped. Cole quickly stripped off his rain gear and clothing, and turned on the shower before undressing Janie.

“What are you doing?” she asked softly, her eyes cloudy.

“You need to get warm.” He finished removing her clothes, then picked her up and carried her into his shower. The water was hot, and he turned it down so as not to scald her, then set her on her feet facing him.

He kept one arm locked around her waist. He lifted her hands and checked them. There was a bluish tint to them. With his free hand he lifted her chin. Her lips weren’t blue, but her teeth were chattering, and shivers shook her body.

Possible shock along with cold. He’d get her warm and then deal with the rest. He tilted her head back and let the water flow down her tresses, then he maneuvered her until her back was to his chest. Picking up the bottle of combination shampoo and conditioner, he squirted some on her hair and began massaging with his free hand.

“That feels good,” she whispered.

He rinsed the shampoo away and picked up a washcloth and washed her skin quickly and efficiently. He ignored the way her nipples hardened and the moans from her lips.

Cole flipped the water off and led Janie out of the shower. At least she could stand on her own now. Grabbing a couple of towels, he wrapped one around her hair and then started drying her with the other one.

“Why am I wet?” There was confusion in her voice.

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