by Jamie Beck
“Excuse me?” Her stunned voice yanked him from his lusty daze. He noticed her eyebrows had risen to her hairline. “Did you just call me Bambi?”
Sky blue, not green. Sky blue eyes dappled with warm flecks of gold. Mesmerizing, but not as bright as the first time he’d seen them. Now faint dark circles beneath them underscored the strain she’d been under.
“Uh, yeah.” He rubbed his jaw, trying to look nonchalant despite the rush of embarrassed heat racing up his neck.
She paused, clearly flabbergasted by his ridiculous remarks. Way to be impressive, Grey. He tucked his phone into his pocket. Unlike the other night, today she wore simple black sweats and a white, Alpine PT-embossed pullover. The boxy clothes did little to conceal the womanly frame underneath. She’d been seated when he first saw her, so he hadn’t known if her figure would be as cute as her face. Apparently this girl had it all.
“I’m sure I’ll regret this question, but where did that come from?” She held his gaze, just like the first time he’d seen her.
Backbone.
He liked it. A lot.
Maybe too much.
“From the way you reacted to me at Plum Tree.” He shrugged, grinning. Something about her provoked the hell out of him, which prompted him to push her buttons and watch her respond. He decided to roll with the pleasant buzz traveling through his limbs . . . and elsewhere.
“Reacted?” She closed one eye and scratched at her temple, pretending to think back. “Gee, and here I recall you ducking out before we even spoke.”
A ripple of satisfaction skimmed through him upon confirming she remembered their near encounter. He leaned close enough to smell her light perfume.
“When you looked up at me, your eyes got real wide and you blinked a few times.” He paused, smiling at the memory. “Well, like a deer in the headlights.”
“I did not!” She tugged at her ponytail, but she didn’t back away. A good sign. “Anyway, that name’s demeaning.”
“Is not. Everyone loves Bambi.” He squared his shoulders. She might claim not to like the name, but the subtle quirk at the corners of her mouth gave her away. He affected her, which revved him up further. “Regardless, it’s how I always think of you.”
Oh Jesus, he might as well have simply used the word fantasize. Real smooth, Grey. When he finally found the balls to meet her eyes, he noticed a hint of temptation in her expression.
“That’s . . . interesting. But we should probably stick with my real name.” She held out her hand, smiling. “I’m Avery.”
His pulse kicked up a notch when he clasped her hand, more than it had from kissing her friend Kelsey. Not good. He didn’t want to let go. “Avery.”
“No. Avery,” she repeated.
“Isn’t that what I just said?” His mind struggled to focus on their conversation, which seemed impossible with every nerve ending in his body on high alert.
“Uh-uh. You said A-vree. But it’s three syllables. A-ver-ee.” Up close he could tell she enjoyed poking at him. Playful—he liked that, too.
He bit his lower lip and leaned forward, speaking in a low voice. “Guess I’ll stick with Bambi then.”
“But I don’t like it.”
Sure you don’t. He chuckled. “Since when does a person get to pick their own nickname?”
She narrowed her eyes as if about to lay something good on him, but then her expression fell serious. “I suspect my name, real or otherwise, is the least of the awkward things between us.”
Dammit. He’d been flirting as if they were at a bar instead of in a clinic dealing with a sticky situation.
“Yeah.” He tried to catch her eye again. “But I’m hoping we can put aside any personal matters and work together.”
“I’m not sure that’s possible.” She shuffled her foot.
“My issues aren’t with you. You’re not responsible for your brother’s screw-up. You didn’t put my whole future at risk.”
Avery winced. “Gee, thanks. But your ill will toward him may be a problem for me. Despite his mistakes, I love him. And I’ve got professional ethics to abide by. Taking you on as a patient is a conflict of interest.”
Grey scrubbed his hand over his face. “You didn’t cause the accident. What’s the conflict?”
“The conflict is that your recovery will affect your claim. Working with you would put me smack in the middle of a messy situation with my brother, especially if you don’t achieve the results you desire.”
Not achieve the results he desired? The mere idea pissed him off, but he wouldn’t alienate her by letting his anger bubble to the surface.
“Well then, I’ve got a problem since the only other ortho PT in this little town isn’t even in Colorado right now.” He could see her struggling with the decision, so he applied more pressure. “From what I’ve been told, the sooner I start therapy, the better my chances of recovery. On top of that, I’ve been told you’re the best. If that’s true, then you should want me to work with you instead of some lesser PT. Aren’t you my best chance at getting back on the mountain ASAP? Won’t a speedy recovery mean less trouble for your brother? So the way I see it, it’s in both our interests to work together. No conflict there.”
One of her brows shot up. “Subtle.”
“I can’t really afford to play nice, so I’m respecting you enough to play it straight. I don’t think that’s unfair unless, somehow, you blame me for this mess.” He watched her withdraw, which was not the result he wanted. His ham-handed approach was proving her fears right. Time to change tactics. “By the way, thanks for the get-well card.”
The fight in her eyes dimmed, but her arms remained crossed.
“I wasn’t sure about the etiquette, but it seemed like the right thing to do. I’m sorry about your injuries.” Her voice had dropped to just above a whisper. Misery and disgrace washed over her features. “And I don’t blame you.”
When despair shone through the cracks in her tough shell, he yearned to offer the comfort of his arms.
Hell. Maybe she was right. Maybe they couldn’t work together without creating bigger problems. But he wanted to work with her, and deep down he knew it wasn’t only because she was the best PT around.
His body came alive around her. Every little thing she did or said stirred him. Therapy would put her in his orbit a few times each week, a positive outcome of an otherwise dire situation.
“Avery, despite my current mood, I am sorry your brother got hurt. I’m sure his troubles are at least as big as mine right now, and I’m sorry about how it all affects you.” He meant it, too.
“Thank you.” She glanced up, misty-eyed, petal-pink lips parted, eyes lit with appreciation. “I would’ve assumed you’d be glad to see the book thrown at him.”
God, his heart was already pumping hard and they hadn’t even begun therapy. Her obvious gratitude temporarily robbed him of speech.
Avery’s particular blend of bluntness and reluctant vulnerability made him want to jump off the table and kiss her. Of course, he did think her brother should be convicted, but watching Bambi—another innocent victim—struggle with the consequences of the accident made his desire for vengeance seem petty.
Suddenly, in spite of his tough talk with Trip, his need to pressure her to be his therapist took a backseat. Maybe he could find another option that wasn’t too inconvenient. “Look, I’m not trying to cause you more trouble. If you can’t legally treat me, or even if you’re too uncomfortable with the idea, I’ll figure something out.”
“You’re full of surprises.” She tilted her head and studied him for several seconds. He held his breath, wondering what she would decide, and whether he inspired any of the same animal attraction in her. “Despite the impression I’ve given so far, I can be professional. I’m assuming even if this butts against the ethics line, the hardship factor of Richard Donner’s absence can pro
bably clear the way as long as you sign whatever waivers or such that need to be signed.”
Thank you, God! “Well okay, A-ver-ee, ’cause I need to get my knee in top shape ASAP. It’s critical I be back on the slopes by November.”
Her expression turned doubtful. “Nine months isn’t ideal. As you well know, skiing is especially demanding on the knees because of constant impact and side-to-side motion. Best practice would be to wait a full year. I’m sure it sounds like forever, but your long-term results will be greatly improved if you’re patient.”
“It’s not negotiable. I’ve got to be ski-ready by next season.” His rough tone appeared to startle her. “My business depends on it. I’ve got no Plan B if this venture fails. I need to know you’re committed to doing everything you can to get me back on the mountain as soon as possible.”
“I’ll do my best, but you need to listen to my advice and your body’s signals. Can you follow my orders?” Her perceptive eyes locked with his for a second before she stepped back. Once he nodded, she continued, “Let’s take one step at a time. First, I’ll complete an evaluation and get some baseline statistics. I’ll give you a home program to do leading up to your surgery. After your procedure, I’ll go over your surgeon’s plans and we’ll work from there.”
“Deal.” Grey followed her to the exam room next door.
She examined the swelling. Her fingers lightly feathered around his knee. “In addition to ice and elevation, you need to begin working on restoring range of motion by doing some simple exercises like heel slides, and quad sets, and such. Flex your quad for me and hold it a few seconds.” When he did, she squeezed the muscle as if testing his strength. “This feels pretty good.”
Pretty good is right. He nodded while focusing on the slender hands massaging his knee. Holy hell. Watching her touch his body sent his thoughts straight to the gutter.
Totally inappropriate on so many levels. Not that he could control his visceral reaction to her—or even wanted to at this point.
Before he’d arrived, he’d thought having Avery Randall as his therapist would be problematic because of her brother. Now he realized another kind of trouble arose from having Bambi touching his thighs. She’d be a major distraction at a time he couldn’t afford any, yet nothing would persuade him to walk away now.
“So, one thing we can check is quad lag. Do a straight-leg raise for me so I can watch your knee and see if you can hold it without bending.”
Grey repressed a grunt and tried to keep his leg as straight as possible, without success.
She droned on about studies and neuromuscular electrical stimulators for a few minutes, but Grey had stopped listening, opting instead to openly stare at her like some kind of lovesick puppy. He’d seen and dated beautiful women throughout his adult life. He barely knew this girl, yet something about her awakened a part of his heart he’d long ago buried with Juliette.
Perhaps the fact the potential lawsuit, her brother’s criminal charges, and her loyalty to her friend Kelsey killed any chance his fantasies could ever become reality spurred his competitive nature. But really, he suspected it had more to do with her ability to go toe-to-toe without shrinking or playing coy.
She caught him gawking again. His body flushed, hot and needy, when he noticed the artery at the base of her neck throbbing. Maybe he had a chance after all.
Avery replaced his brace, then handed him a set of instructions. “Follow these at home. No more, no less. Don’t overdo it.”
“Got it, Sarge.”
She handed him his crutches, chuckling. “Well, at least that’s better than Bambi.”
“You think?” He winked as he slid off the table and onto the crutches. “I don’t know. I’m partial to Bambi.”
“No one ever taught you to quit while you’re ahead?”
“That’s no fun, A-vree.” He encroached on her personal space.
Her cheeks pinked up, making him wish they were someplace other than her office. Some place dark and private.
Of course, he couldn’t push. Hell, she was concerned about whether or not her brother would end up in jail. Meanwhile, he was preparing to sue the guy. Heck, there were a million reasons why he needed to forget all about her.
But he couldn’t escape his lust-driven urges.
She walked with him to the door. Grey saw Trip parked out front. “See you after my surgery.”
“Yes,” she said, resuming a professional demeanor. “Remember to continue with the ice and elevation.” She opened the door for him and waved good-bye before disappearing.
Trip jumped out of the van and helped Grey. “Please tell me that pretty lady is Avery Randall.”
Grey shot him a warning glance, but Trip merely laughed in his face. “Looks like something good might come out of this mess after all, my friend.”
Doubtful. But for the first time in years, Grey hoped he was wrong.
Avery returned to her office, closed the door, and dropped her head into her hands. Could she have been less professional? She’d been preoccupied all day preparing to face Grey’s anger and judgments. Yet he’d ground her preconceptions into dust with a single word: Bambi.
The silly nickname elicited a flicker of pleasure. He’d used his flirty, easy manner to segregate his connection to Andy and convince her to go along with him.
But most surprisingly, he’d thrown her with his compassion. Now not only was she skirting an ethical violation for the potential conflict of interest, but she was setting herself up for another violation due to her intense physical attraction.
He’d wrecked her nerves for forty-five minutes. Yes, clearly her willpower with men was nearly as weak as her mother’s. Could she endure such bittersweet torment a few times each week? Had she made a monumental mistake? No. She was safe. As long as he remained her patient, she absolutely could not flirt or engage in any kind of romantic relationship.
God, she was exhausted. And her parents were still camped out at her house. The last thing she wanted was to go home and spend the evening in her depressing, tense household, listening to yet another discussion about her brother’s predicament. Not to mention, her father was probably going to have an opinion about her treating Grey, too.
As if she owed her dad an explanation.
Maybe marriage required blind obedience, but Avery wasn’t his wife.
Today she’d agreed to treat Grey despite the obvious pitfalls. The threat of her dad’s worst bullying wouldn’t make her go back on her word. Nor would Grey Lowell’s banter. Avery would prove to herself she was capable of handling both men without crossing lines or crumbling.
Her text alert rang, drawing her from her thoughts. Kelsey and Em were meeting for barbeque at The Mineshaft. She accepted the invitation with a quick reply and grabbed her coat.
“Let’s get straight to it, Avery.” Kelsey rested her chin in her palms as she leaned across the lengthy, family-style picnic table in the underground restaurant, designed to resemble a silver mine. “What did you think of Grey?”
“How did he treat you?” Emma’s concerned expression contrasted greatly with Kelsey’s dreamy one. “Was it uncomfortable?”
Avery couldn’t help but laugh. Heck, yeah, it was uncomfortable. Uncomfortable in a flummoxing “I wish my best friend didn’t have a major crush on you and my brother didn’t injure you and we weren’t here in public” kind of way.
Heat scorched her cheeks. Hopefully her friends would write off her odd reaction as an inability to cope with difficult circumstances instead of the rush of lust coursing through her veins.
Avery took a deep breath and answered Emma first. “It was tense at first, but Grey treated me fairly. In fact, he offered to go elsewhere if I wouldn’t work with him.”
“You didn’t take him up on it, did you?” Kelsey’s panic-stricken face caused Avery to shake her head and grin.
“No, K
elsey, I didn’t. Despite my ethical constraints, Richard is indefinitely unavailable and there aren’t other options nearby, so I agreed to work with Grey.” Avery cleared her throat, remembering the well-defined contours of his thigh muscles: vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, semitendinosus. Stop! “You know I can’t really tell you about his therapy. But he’s very determined and strong, so I’m optimistic.”
Avery conveniently omitted any mention of “Bambi” or Grey’s flirting. The whole situation presented quite a pickle. Kelsey, her brother, ethics. If only she didn’t like Grey’s attention, it would be so much easier. She had to control her feelings.
“That’s not what I mean, and you know it.” Kelsey scowled. “What did you learn about him personally? Give me something I can use next time I see him. Something to show how compatible we would be.”
“Honestly, Kelsey, do you think he met me and started spilling his secrets?” Actually, he did in fact do that a little, but not in any way that would please her love-struck friend.
Kelsey wrinkled her nose and shrugged one shoulder. “I guess not. But promise you’ll try to help me if the opportunity arises.”
The best way to help Kelsey would be to redirect her overblown infatuation elsewhere, because Grey apparently had no interest in what Kelsey was offering. Of course, that wasn’t what Kelsey meant. Still, Avery’s response wasn’t exactly a lie. “I promise to help you.”
“You look exhausted,” Emma interrupted.
“Gee, thanks!” Avery teased. “But honestly, I need this cold beer.”
“Drink up, ’cause I’ve got gossip.” Kelsey picked a warm corn muffin from the basket in the center of the table and slathered it with honey butter.
“Ooh, sounds good.” Avery could use a juicy distraction from overthinking everything with Andy, her parents, and Grey. “I hope it’s fun.” She edged closer to the table.
“Well, I don’t know how you’ll feel about this, actually.” Kelsey paused. “I hear Matt may be coming back to town.”
Avery straightened her spine and glanced at Emma for confirmation. “For a visit, or for good?”