But for this bet, I had to put all my past failures aside.
There was no way I was going to let Emmy win.
Even if this had disaster written all over it.
CHAPTER 8: Charlie
My walk to the Health Sciences Building was a blur. Our residence, Magnolia House, wasn't far enough away to require a car ride, and besides, I'd hoped the fresh air would help me unwind. The bet with Emmy was a mistake. I knew it the same way I knew that kissing Chase had been a mistake. Gah, why was I always so freaking impulsive? I'd have to work on that, I thought.
Right after I figured out the best way to win.
My competitive nature was both a blessing and a curse.
But it was only a kiss.
No harm ever came from kissing.
Right?
Even if Chase was a nice guy who possibly had never hooked up before and I was only trying to get him to kiss me for a bet…I would not feel guilty or overthink this.
"Seriously, stop it," I muttered to myself, determined to put all this nonsense on the backburner for the time being. I was going to a meeting with my department head for goodness sakes. Dr. Meismer had said it was about my degree. I needed to stop thinking of anything concerning hot baseball players and focus.
Focus, Charlie.
As I entered the building, I got on the elevator and hit the button for the fourth floor. All of the O'Briens were safely out of my head—until the man and woman who followed me on started talking.
"They say he'll play in the next game," the middle-aged man said.
"Really?" the woman responded. "That's wonderful."
"Yeah, Chase is such a good kid, a real role model. I was a little worried after that bar fight though."
My ears perked up at the name.
"A fight he tried to stop," the woman put in. "And I agree, that Chase O'Brien is one heck of a guy."
The man nodded. "I wish I could find someone like him for my daughter. You should see the lowlifes she brings home."
"Did you hear? He's decided to remain celibate."
"No, how do you know that?"
"Read it in the Howler. He said so in an interview," she said.
The man nodded. "Well, at least I know O'Brien would keep his hands to himself."
"And seriously, what college guy does that?" The woman gave a sigh. "I wish there'd been sweet, virtuous boys like that when I was in school."
I choked back a laugh, and the two looked at me.
"Anyway," she said, "whether it's your daughter or someone else, the girl who ends up with Chase O'Brien will be a lucky one."
They got off on the third floor, and I waited until the doors closed again to roll my eyes. It was hard though. I mean, okay, Chase was a great guy and all, but they made it sound like he walked on water or something. Remembering what Emmy said, I held back a scoff.
Soulmates.
I shook my head at the word.
Did people even actually believe in that anymore?
Call me a cynic, but the idea was a little hard to swallow. As if there was one person who was perfect for you, as if fate were a real thing, and it would somehow lead you right to the one you were supposed to be with forever.
I was still shaking my head as I reached Dr. Meismer's door. I knocked then walked in as he said enter.
What I saw though was a surprise.
"And here she is," he said, standing from his chair with a smile. "The girl of the hour. Charlie, I'm glad you came. I want you to meet someone."
"Of course, Dr. Meismer," I said. "But I thought I was here to talk about my degree."
"Oh, we are, we are." Meismer gestured to the two people standing in front of his desk. One had broad shoulders and was very familiar for some reason even from the back. The other was a woman with a serious face and pretty figure. Good hair, too, though she had it pulled back into a ponytail. "This is Coach Daisy O'Brien. She's head coach for the Wolves baseball team at Southern University. And this is her son, their lead pitcher, Chase."
I gaped as Chase turned to me with a smile.
"Hey Charlie," he said as if there was nothing weird about this at all. "How's it going?"
I blinked in confusion.
"Going fine," I said. "Chase, what are you doing here?"
He shrugged. "We asked for the best. Apparently, you're it."
I still didn't understand, so I looked to Dr. Meismer.
"Chase is recovering from a recent arm injury," he explained, which I already knew, considering I'd been there the night he'd gotten hurt.
The idiot had stepped in to protect a total stranger. Who even did that?
"Or actually, he has recovered," Dr. Meismer amended. "Coach Daisy and Chase are here because his doctor recommended having a PT there to supervise the baseball games. To work on him personally."
I nodded when Meismer looked to me, thinking he was asking for my input.
"That's smart," I said. "Especially since he's an athlete with a demanding schedule, and they have that tournament coming up."
Coach Daisy tilted her head. "Do you follow the games?"
"For baseball?" I couldn't help but laugh. "Absolutely not."
She didn't crack a smile.
Swallowing hard, I said, "But I know the team's very talented. Your daughter Emmy may have mentioned the championship once or twice." Or a million times, I thought. "I actually already knew about Chase since she's my roommate."
"Checking up on me?" Chase said. "I'm touched."
"You wish," I said.
"It wouldn't be the worst thing to know you cared—which it seems like you do since you're up on my progress."
"Please. Every person within a five-mile radius heard Emmy scream when she got the news about your arm. She wouldn't stop talking about it."
Or the party she intended to throw Chase after his big comeback.
"So you and my son are friends?" Coach Daisy asked.
I looked at the guy in question. "More like…friendly acquaintances."
Who've kissed, I mentally added as I saw Chase's smile drop a fraction.
"I see," the coach said.
There was no inflection in her voice, so I didn't know what that meant.
"Well, if you're as gifted as Dr. Meismer tells us, I'm glad to meet you."
"Likewise," I replied.
"Charlie," Dr. Meismer said, and my gaze went back to him, "they asked who the best in our department is, wanted to find someone who'd be a good fit for the job."
"Okay," I said slowly. "So, are you doing it? I'm sure that will work out great."
Chase looked amused which I didn't appreciate one bit.
"Actually," the professor said, "I recommended you."
I must've been hearing things.
"Me?" I asked.
"Yes. There's no one better. You're at the top of your class. All of your teachers call you a natural, and I thought this could count toward your internship hours. You still have a few to complete before graduation."
"I planned to do those this summer," I said.
"Well, think of this as getting a jumpstart," Dr. Meismer said.
"I'm not sure—" I began, but he cut me off.
"You're the best, Charlie," he said. "That's what Chase needs if he's going to be in top condition. There are a few more games before the collegiate baseball tournament. Your commitment would be until the end of that time. You know I'm a big lover of Wolves baseball. Southern University needs you."
I thought it over, considering all that he'd said, then crossed my arms. "And if I do this, in addition to the hours, you'll give me extra credit which will count toward my GPA?"
"Of course," Meismer said with a smile, but I wasn't done.
"And write me a sparkling recommendation letter, stating how I'm the best?"
"Well yes, I can do that. Now—"
"And"—I held up a finger—"you'll personally call the head of the college of my
choice to sing my praises, telling them I'm one of the most promising PT students you've had come through Southern's doors? Everything helps, Dr. Meismer, and I would hate to have to turn this opportunity down because I was too stressed about getting into a good graduate program."
The professor blinked at me a few times before finally opening his mouth to respond.
"Yes, yes," he said. "All of that can be arranged. So will you help us? Will you sign on to be Chase's personal physical therapist?"
I pretended to ponder it for a moment, but honestly, I was holding back a yell of triumph. Dr. Mesimer was well-respected in his field. Getting a personal rec from him was like hitting the jackpot.
"Yes, of course," I said, and he seemed to sigh in relief. "I wouldn't want to let the school down."
"Wonderful!" Dr. Mesimer clapped his hands together. "Now, you and Chase go find one of the open rooms. It shouldn't take you too long to complete the initial exam. In the meantime, I wanted to discuss strategy for the upcoming game with Coach Daisy."
"Oh professor." Chase's mom laughed, but it seemed forced. "I appreciate your help with this, but that's not necessary. I'm sure you're busy."
"Nonsense." He waved her off. "It's my pleasure. As I said, I'm the Wolves' #1 fan."
I opened my mouth, but he was already shooing us out.
"You two go. Charlie, make sure to get a good baseline, so you'll know where Chase is starting from physically."
As the door closed, I sighed.
"I'm the best, and he thinks he has to remind me about getting a baseline?" I mumbled. "Ugh."
I felt Chase's stare and saw him raise a brow.
"If it makes you feel any better, my mom hates it when people try to tell her how to do her job," he said. "She was being nice in there. But Dr. Meismer should tread carefully, or he'll get reamed."
"Strangely," I said, "that does make me feel better. Which probably means I'm a bad person, but oh well. Follow me, O'Brien. Time to look at that arm."
We got onto the elevator and began our descent. Most of the medical rooms were located on the ground level. It made sense considering a lot of the people we treated suffered from one physical ailment or another, many of them with leg or back problems which could make taking the stairs difficult—or impossible. Feeling Chase's eyes on me, I sighed.
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing," he said, "I was just thinking."
Okay, I'd play along. "About what?"
Chase's brow furrowed. "Acquaintances, Charlie? Is that really how you think of me?"
"I guess." I shrugged. "There's not a good word to describe our relationship. I figured acquaintances was as good as any. Besides, I also said we were friendly."
"Hmm."
He kept staring, and I rolled my eyes, wishing the elevator would move faster.
"Something else on your mind?" I said.
"Just wondering…do you kiss all your acquaintances?"
I looked Chase in the eye and raised a brow. "I've kissed a lot of guys, Chase O'Brien. Several of them I'd only known for a short period of time. Are you asking how you measure up?"
He cleared his throat. "Nah, I'm good. Thanks."
"Afraid of a little comparison?" I teased. "As star pitcher of the Wolves, I would've expected more confidence."
"Oh, I'm confident with a ball in my hand."
I bit back a laugh as he winced.
"That came out wrong," he said. Then Chase ran a hand along the back of his neck. "What I meant was…well, the truth is you make me kind of nervous."
His confession stunned me for a moment before I shook it off.
"Because of my fierce personality or the way I look?" I said. "Either way, it's cool. A lot of guys—and girls for that matter—are intimidated by me. I'm used to it."
He shook his head as we reached our floor, left the elevator and started walking down the hall.
"You are beautiful," he said, and for some reason, though I'd heard guys say it a million times, the words made my heart jump. "And fierce, too. But it's more because you're so honest. We don't know each other well, but I get the feeling there's no BS with you. You tell it like it is."
I wondered if he would still say that if he knew about the bet I'd made with his sister. Probably not. But I nodded.
"Go on," I said as we stopped at an open exam room.
Chase tucked his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
"If I ever made you mad, I know you would cut me to pieces. You could shred me with words alone," he said. "The strange thing is…"
"What?" I asked after he trailed off.
Chase's striking gray eyes met mine, and I couldn't look away if I wanted to.
"I'm pretty sure I'd like it."
Wow.
"Where do you want me?" he said.
Right here, right now, on the floor, against the wall, your pick. Was that too forward?
"Charlie?"
I snapped out of it. "Sorry, yes?" I said. "Can you repeat the question?"
Chase gave me a slow smile. "Where do you want me? For the exam?"
Oh, the exam! The whole reason we were even here together. Ugh. Get a grip, girl.
"Next to the table is fine," I said then turned away to shut the door. "It would probably be best if you rolled up your sleeve or removed your shirt. So I can get to your upper arm easier."
"Sure," Chase said.
Closing my eyes, I used the moment while my back was to him to recover. So. Chase O'Brien may or may not be a virgin, but the guy definitely had game. He'd called me beautiful. It took me a while to figure out why that affected me. Yes, several guys had said those same words to me before. But the difference was…I could tell Chase meant it.
Sincerity, I'd learned from experience, was rare—especially in men.
Still, he shouldn't be making me feel anything. I'd have to remember that if we were going to be seeing more of each other. And it was looking like we were, considering he was supposed to be my patient for the foreseeable future.
And since I'd made a bet involving him and kissing.
Professional, I thought. This was my chosen area of study, and I was damn good at it. I could—and would—keep things professional during our time together.
When I turned around, Chase was standing there.
Shirtless.
The muscles on him were enough to make any girl weep.
I couldn't help but stare.
I was pretty sure my mouth was hanging open.
So much for professional.
CHAPTER 9: Chase
Charlie's mouth was open in a little 'o'.
She was ogling me. There was no other word for it. I couldn't say I minded. If the look of appreciation on her face was anything to go by, all those protein shakes, the years of eating healthy, the hard workouts, they'd all been worth it.
I'd always kept in shape for baseball.
My body was just a side effect of wanting to be and play my best.
But it felt good, having her eyes on me like that.
Charlie blinked and then shook her head as she walked forward.
"You can stop flexing now," she muttered.
I nearly laughed. "I'm not."
"Seriously, relax. If your muscles are tense, it'll mess up the exam."
"I promise I'm not flexing."
Charlie sniffed. "So your shoulders and arms are naturally that toned, and your abs are that ripped even at rest? Please Chase, stop lying. There's no need to impress me. I'm your therapist."
I gave her a slight smile before tightening my muscles.
"Like I said, I wasn't flexing," I repeated. "But now, I am."
Her expression didn't change. But the slight flush suffusing her cheeks was like winning some kind of award I hadn't known I'd wanted until right this very second.
"Also, I don't lie. Never saw the point."
"Hmm," Charlie said.
"Out of curiosity…are you i
mpressed yet?" I asked.
She rolled her eyes at that. "You proved your point, O'Brien. Put those guns away, and let's do this."
Grinning, I relaxed. "As you wish."
Charlie started at my shoulder, palpating it, testing the muscles there. Next, she held my elbow as she straightened then bent my arm, feeling the joint contract and release. She ran her hand down my forearm to my wrist where she had me rotate it.
"Looks good so far," she said. "Could you lie face down on the table for me?"
I nodded, getting onto the table, wondering why I still felt tingles running up and down my skin from her touch. That had never happened with Dr. T. But the doc never touched me quite as lightly or with as much care as Charlie did then. I felt her fingers running along my neck to my shoulders.
"You're carrying a lot of stress here," she said.
I sighed in response.
"Have you been throwing at all?"
"Yeah," I said.
"More than usual?"
I nodded, thinking about the other night and how I'd pushed myself to limit. "Have to be ready to get back in the game."
"Does it always feel so tight?"
"Just after I've pitched for a while."
She didn't say anything at first, but her fingers started pressing against me, releasing some knots I hadn't known were there. I groaned in reaction when she hit a particularly sensitive place on my shoulder.
Charlie stopped immediately.
"Does that hurt?" she asked.
"No, it feels amazing," I said, and her hands started moving again. "My other therapist wasn't big on massage. He said it wasn't necessary."
I could hear the disapproval in her voice. "Some PTs are like that. They give you a ton of exercises to strengthen the muscle which is awesome. But massage is just as important. The benefits to your body can't be overstated."
My eyes had closed at some point, and I could only sigh in response.
"If I had my oils with me, this would feel even better," she said.
"I don't know, Charlie," I mumbled. "Feels good to me."
I heard her chuckle, and after another couple minutes, her touch was gone.
"Okay, we're done," she said. "You can sit up and put your shirt on."
The Perfect Play (Southern U O'Brien Brothers) Page 7