Page 62 of The Goalie in Room 1

“That’s mostly the swelling. It puts pressure on the tissues and makes the knee feel tight and strange.”

“Still giving me doctor answers.”

“It’s what you pay me for.”

My gaze snapped to his.

“Bad choice of words,” I said.

“No shit.” He cleared his throat. “Any numbness?”

I nodded, answering silently, but then added, “Yeah, but it feels like it did the first three times. I think the docs then said it had to do with the incisions disrupting the nerves.”

He nodded. “Yeah. That’s right.” He took a deep breath and said, “Okay. You should be able to reach the hot and cold, and”— he grabbed the hand held shower head, holding it out to me— “here’s the sprayer. I’ll be…umm…over by the door…so…umm…if you need anything…just yell.”

I nodded, and he turned. The man was adorable when flustered, and in that moment, I made it my mission in life to ruffle his feathers on the reg. Starting with…

“Hey, Doc?”

He looked back at me with a brow lifted.

“Catch!” I said, tossing him the T-shirt I pulled off. It smacked him in the face. My shorts, which he’d left lying on the bench, followed. He laughed, pulling the fabric from his head.

“Asshole.”

“Yep. I’d show it to you too⁠—”

“Don’t you fucking dare. Your knee⁠—”

“But I’m scared you’d have a fucking coronary since my knee’s going commando.”

“Take your damn shower, you fucking menace.”

I smirked before flipping on the shower and adjusting the water temperature.

14

THAD

Professional distance came easily to me. It always had. A body equaled anatomy, an injury a problem to solve. I separated the person from the work my hands needed to perform without issue.

Until Cash Benjamin showed up in my life, injured and in need of a helping hand.

Cash was not anatomy.

He was flesh and blood.

Wet skin and flexing muscle.

A low moan that escaped when the water washed away the sweat and residue clinging to him.

Sexy sass that made me smile and laugh.

And a vulnerability I wanted to protect and trust I had yet to earn.

Yet. To. Earn.

I was determined to fulfill those words because the alternatives made my brain revolt. The brain that refused to cooperate and return to the status quo.