“Good to meet you, Jake. It looks like that barn of yours is about to fall in though, bruh. Is it even safe for the ladies to walk in there?” Dom asked sarcastically as they followed Jake inside. It got him a hard elbow from his mom but he shrugged his shoulders at her and went on in.
“It does need a lot of work but she’s still sound. I wouldn’t let my daughter go in there if there was a chance that she could be harmed, let alone anyone else, Dom. I promise you that, my friend.” Jake was polite but it didn’t look like he got the message that Dom didn’t like him close to his girl. Whoa. Chelsea wasn’t his girl. She was just…Chelsea. Where did the possessiveness come from? He thought to himself.
But when Jake put his hand on Chelsea’s shoulder to lead her towards the stalls where his therapy horses were, he seriously considered knocking his cowboy hat off his big blond head—
with a shovel. Apparently his mom caught on to his train of thought and gave him an elbow again in the same spot she did earlier. Dom grunted and rolled his eyes at her and walked in between the cowboy and Chelsea, keeping him from getting close enough to touch her again. It was good to see the guy got the picture and didn’t reach for her again.
Chelsea however, sidled around Dom and went to stand right next to the amazon man to pet his horse. Dom toed his boot into the dirt and rolled his shoulders back, crossing his arms over his chest in an effort to keep his hands to himself. He’d never handled it well when a guy seemed interested in Chelsea, but this guy, this guy had her interest back. She was blushing for fucks sake.
Less than a half hour ago she’d been blushing for him. By all appearances, Chelsea had forgotten that already in light of, ‘Mr. Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy’.
Dom felt a pull on the chain that looped from his belt to his wallet. He looked down to be greeted by cute, little miss pigtail that ended in curls, smiling up at him with her big blue eyes shining.
“Hi, I’m Roxy. I like kittens. Do you like little baby kittens?” She inquired in a well-rounded speech that sounded out with a slight country twang. It sounded more like li-ake and baby sounded like babah.
Christ, how could he keep having a cocky, if not pissy attitude when this cute as a button little sweetie was befriending him? It was impossible not to smile.
“Hi, Roxy, I’m Dom. I do like kittens. I like all animals actually.” Evidently that was the right answer because she took him by the hand and pulled him to a stall that had the door propped open. In the center of a pile of hay was a quilted blanket that by his count, had seven kittens all cuddled up together.
“Ain’t they the sweetest, Dom? My pa says I gets to keep one and name it all by myself, but I have to give the other’ns ‘way to good homes. I gonna gibs you one. But you cain’t haves the ‘ellow one. Its gon’ be mines.” Dom’s heart melted. Here he was being a jackass to her pa and she was willing to trust him with the care of one of her kittens.
“I don’t know, Roxy. I’m gone a lot since I’m in school. I don’t think I have time to take care of a kitten.” Shit, he sounded like a jerk.
Roxy’s face looked crestfallen. “But, you like kittens. You said so’s. I’m ‘posed to give ‘em to good homes.” When she sniffled, Dom cratered. No way in hell was this sweet little angel going to cry over him not adopting a kitten.
“You’re absolutely right, Roxy. It would make me smile to have one of these as a pet. I haven’t had a kitten of my own since I was little. You let me know when they are ready to leave their momma and I’ll come get one.”
Roxy hiccupped and gave him the most pitiful, snot-nosed, sniffling look. “Can I ever see it again afters it goes home with you?”
Dom laughed and patted her head. “Of course you can, Roxy. It’s fine with me as long as your pa don’t mind.”
Roxy jumped up and squealed, throwing herself at him and hugging him in her little arms. “Pa! I found a home for a kitty! Dom’s gonna keep one. And I gets to see it grow up longs you say it’s okay, Pa. It’s the best, right?” Not waiting for his answer, she hugged his leg then ran back to the bundle of kittens to help Dom decide which one was going to be his.
Later, on the drive home, Lilah started giggling and couldn’t stop.
“What are you laughing about?” Chelsea asked her.
“That little Roxy should be in sales when she grows up. I can’t believe all four of us agreed to adopt one of her kittens!”
The rest of the way home, they tossed around names for the new babies they were all going to be bringing home in a month or so.
Chapter 18
Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months and slowly but surely Angel was improving. Hard work and dedication and pure stubbornness were on her side. There wasn’t a day that went by that she wasn’t in the gym or in the pool. No matter how frustrated she got, no matter how many times she felt disappointed because her legs wouldn’t hold her weight for long, she never quit. The feeling was coming back all the way down to the tips of her toes. Now she had to rebuild lax muscle that she had worked hard to keep from atrophying. The FES bike had kept her muscles stimulated before she had any control over them. Now that she had more control, Dakota had increased her exercise, testing her strength and pushing her harder. He was good at that. Not only was he a great motivator, but he was damn near a drill sergeant on most days. At times he ticked her off, other times he nearly brought her to tears. There had been a time or two she’d gotten so frustrated she considered saying screw it and tossing in the towel. He’d made it clear though that he didn’t put up with a quitter attitude or temper tantrums.
Yesterday morning she’d had a breaking point. Dakota was behind her, ready to catch her while she held onto the parallel bars trying to take steps on her own. Time after time, her legs gave out and tears of frustration made wet trails down her cheeks. Of course, just as her luck would have it, they hadn’t been alone in the gym. Tank was there working with Keegan, spotting him while he did chin-ups. Noah was on the treadmill running so hard he was drenched in sweat and huffing. Two other therapy patients were taking turns spotting each other, while lifting weights.
Angel braced her hands on the bars and took one shaky step and tilted forward, off balance. Dakota braced her and quickly changed positions, ducking in front of her, his hands at her waist lest she fall. Her arms were quivering when she took the second step. Sweat rolled off her in waves, her body crying under the strain.
She shook her head, “I can’t do anymore, D.”
“One more, Angel then we’ll take a break. I got you. Don’t give up.”
“Damn it I’m not giving up, my body is.” Angry tears of frustration burned her eyes, threatening to spill over.
“Lift your leg, one more step. Look at me.” He insisted. “You got this.”
“Fuck you, I don’t.” She cried out, sitting down right where she was and busting out in tears.
“Come on, baby…don’t cry. You were doing great. You had two perfect steps on your own.”
“When I tell you I can’t do it, I can’t do it, D! Stop pushing me so damn hard!” She pushed at his chest when he crouched down in front of her. It pissed her off that it didn’t deter him. He reached out with a towel and dried off her face. Angel swatted his hand away in annoyance.
“What are you afraid of, Angel?”
“I’m afraid of falling and landing wrong, hurting myself worse.”
“Have I ever let you fall?”
“No…not yet, but it’s still scary when my legs are shaking so badly and I feel weak. I’m sick and fucking tired of feeling weak.” She hated that she couldn’t stop crying, especially in front of everyone.
“But you aren’t weak. You’re getting stronger every single day, not weaker. You can’t live your life in fear. You’re better than that.”
Angel yanked the towel from his hand and wiped her face and neck.
“You ready to stop wasting time and get back to work?”
Deep inside, she was thankful he didn’t coddle her and try
to hug her or something that would make her embarrass herself further. God knows if he tried to love on her right now she would either shatter completely or haul off and punch him. The pain-in-the-ass of a man knew her too well.
Holding her hands out to him, she let him pull her to her feet and help her get her balance. One by one, she took her hands from his and grasped the parallel bars again. Once she felt stable she took one more step and instead of backing up, Dakota smiled down at her and tapped her under her chin.
“You are amazing, baby.” He whispered so only she could hear.
A lump formed in her throat, but no way in hell was she going to go all girly on him again and cry more.
“Get the hell outta my way, drill sergeant, or at least eat a damn breath mint if you’re going to insist on drinking coffee while we’re in here. It’s really not fair I can’t run to get outta your face and away from your atrocious breath.” She smirked at him when he backed up and grinned at her.
“It’s a damn good thing you’re so sexy, you get away with being a smart ass.” He breathed into his hand and rolled his eyes.
“Oh hell, it’s a damn good thing you look good naked or I’d kick your ass to the curb.”
Dakota barked out a laugh and eased his shirt up over his abs, teasing her. “This what you want, baby?”
It was enough to get one more step out of her before she wobbled again. When he steadied her she rested her head on his chest and breathed in his spicy scent, comforted more than she cared to admit.
She looked at him with a smirk on her face, “Yeah, that’s what I want. I’ll walk further the more you take off, big guy.” When she heard Tank and Keegan start laughing, she joined in, giving them a wink and struggling to take another step although she was to the point she was starting to gasp for breath from the strain.
“Damn, bruh. I’ll come spot her so you can keep giving her incentive. Our girl will be doing laps in no time.” Tank’s big laugh boomed out, making them all chuckle with him.
What made it even funnier was that he was serious. It became a spirited game to get Angel to the end of the bars that they all joined in on, like one big dysfunctional family. And she did it. Step by glorious, sweaty step until she reached the end. Her shirtless, boxer clad, tall, dark and handsome man waited for her with a huge grin on his face, his arms opened wide and then held her tight. Amidst the cheers of their friends, and his dad, Angel overcame another obstacle and reached a goal she wondered if she ever would complete. She walked the entire length of the parallel bars, right into the arms of the man she loved more than anything. There was no way she could have come this far without him. Even if he’d pissed her off royally by doing it.
***
“Aye, M’lady! And how are you this fine morn?” Keegan greeted her as soon as she left her suite a few days later.
“I’m good, King. How are you?” She kept pace with him as they made their way to the gym.
“I’m feeling fine this day. A bit mischievous if you will.” The wicked smile he had on his face was a prime signal he was up to no good. Angel loved it. He was the bright spot in many days for her, always displaying his wild sense of humor and easygoing attitude.
“What are you up to this time?”
He stopped and waved her to follow him when he pressed the automatic door button that led outside.
“I’ve got something for you, M’lady. I think it will prove to be quite humorous if used in the right moment. I should fancy a good laugh today at Doc’s expense since he’s been riding us both into the ground, God love him.” He pulled a small brown paper sack from behind him and tucked it in her hand, quickly pulling on his sunglasses and whispering, “I’ll go back in first. We shan't have them see us conspiring against Doc. Fair thee well, M’lady, and may you have many giggles on this day.”
Angel was already snorting with laughter as her friend wheeled back inside and she peeked in the sack. Oh, King…you are the man, she thought as she went back inside, tossing the now empty paper sack in the trash can and tucking the item she’d received under her thigh.
She was already in the gym, pulling her hair up in a messy knot on the top of her head when Dakota walked in carrying his ever-present coffee thermos. He was looking sexy in his black flex pants, sleeveless t-shirt and Converse sneakers, carrying his briefcase and a pair of scrubs into his office and dumping it all on his desk. By the time he came out to greet her she had already gotten down on the floor and was doing her stretches. This morning they were doing a yoga class so she was comfortably dressed in gray yoga pants and a pale pink tank top with a gray stripe down each side. Her shoes were off and lying next to her chair along with her cell phone. This morning Nahni called her to let her know she’d been having a few contractions but their timing was still far apart. Angel wanted her phone close in case her sister-in-law went into labor. It was exciting to think her niece may arrive today. Her spirits were already high so when Keegan signaled her with a thumbs up, she had a hard time refraining from laughing. It was obvious Keegan had brought Tank and the other guys in on their morning hijinks since they decided to go to the other side of the mat, fairly close to Angel to start stretches as well.
Dakota came out of his office and set his thermos down by Angel’s chair.
“Morning, everyone,” Dakota crouched down in front of her and tilted her chin up to kiss her. “I missed you, beautiful,” he whispered against her lips.
“Good morning.” She said affectionately. He smelled so good. A clean, spicy scent that was unique to him, with fresh breath none the less. The sweet smell of peppermint made her grin when she thought of her remarks from the day before about his coffee breath.
It was a beautiful morning so the decision was made to take the yoga mats outside. The soothing sound of the fountain and birds paired with the view of the lake in the distance made for the perfect, peaceful session. Angel was delighted that Lilah, Chelsea and Mikayla joined them on the lawn for class. It was nice to have her friends around her and share some female companionship since she normally was around the guys during therapy.
She could feel the difference in not only her body, but her mind as well. The months since her accident had been the hardest of her life but it had been some of the most rewarding times as well. Not only had she become so much closer with Dakota, but she also had formed a special bond with his family. They had taken her under their wing and encouraged her, giving her support just as her own family had done. The sense of calm she felt now was similar to the way she felt before her accident, only somehow it was deeper, maybe because now she had Dakota in her life too. He had a way about him that soothed her soul like nothing ever had before. They had created a harmony between them. They had started their relationship as flirtatious lovers before her accident. Since then, they had taken the time to become friends, best friends. Maybe their journey was backwards compared to how most couples came together, but it was working for them.
As she watched him at the front of the class, his lean, strong body arched in a Reverse Warrior Pose. Angel realized just how lucky she was to have been continuously pursued by him. At this point, she couldn’t and didn’t want to imagine how her life would have been without him. In less than six months, his presence had changed her life. He turned his head and caught her staring at him. When he smiled at her, her stomach flip flopped and her heart skipped a beat. She turned from him and focused on Lilah, who was leading the class members that had mobility issues in floor exercises that didn’t require standing. The smile never left Angel’s face. That’s what he did for her. He made her smile.
After class was over and everyone was back inside again, Angel was drinking her bottle of water while waiting at the parallel bars for Dakota. He was across the room sipping a cup of coffee with Keegan who looked over at her with a conspiratorial wink. She knew what he was hinting at but as sweet as Dakota was being she’d already decided not to pull the little prank on him that her neighbor had planned for her. No, she was in a cloud nine type
of mood and she didn’t want to do anything to disturb that hazy feeling of love right now.
***
An hour later she was seriously reconsidering any sort of lovey dovey feelings towards him. In fact, the way her body was aching, combined with him being in her face, breathing his coffee breath on her while he kept pushing her on, she was feeling anything but love. More like murder. Or at least some serious physical abuse so he could register the pain in her body and maybe think twice about “coaching” her like she was a pro football player.
“Come on, Angel. Stop quitting. Push yourself!”
She sincerely considered taking a chance of falling just so she could take a swing at his pretty face.
“I’m not quitting damn it! Stop pushing me, D.”
For God’s sake, he’d even snorted at her! A red haze clouded her vision and she damn near cried. That’s one of those things she really hated about herself at times…getting so mad that she cried.
He was in her face again with his hands at her waist, holding her steady and when she wobbled he replied, “I’m supposed to push you, Angel. Otherwise you wouldn’t push yourself to do more when I know damn good and well you can. You did yesterday, and the day before that, so do it today and stop complaining about it.”
“I’m not complaining. I…” she stopped when he snorted again. Maybe she was complaining a little but she was sore as hell and frustrated that things weren’t moving along faster.
“This would go a lot better if you’d listen to me and do what you gotta do, baby. I know it’s not easy. I know you’re tired. I’m not trying to hurt your feelings or ride your ass about it, but I know you got more in you. Now, come to me. Six more steps maybe, seven at the most.”
He was in her face—again, his tone was softer, more loving, but his breath….good Lord! How could such a sexy man with incredible personal hygiene have such terrible breath? Wasn’t it bad enough she was sore and aching? That she was wobbly and frustrated all to hell? But to top it off the man of her dreams, her physical therapist and best friend had the worst breath ever in the mornings. And not just the immediate morning either. No, not Dakota. He had to drink that rancid smelling crap until lunchtime when she thanked the heavens that he ate some food and sucked on a breath mint afterwards. When she took a step, the tin in her pocket rattled. She wasn’t feeling so enamored of her chosen partner right now. He didn’t even know how hard it was for her to be nice day after day, breath after breath, melting away at the stench of her least favorite beverage ever. He had no clue the sacrifices she made for him.
Reflecting On Wishes (The Wishes Series) Page 16