Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
I lean forward, slide my right foot out on a towel, lower to a squat with the twenty-kilo barbell. Austin walks around me in the basement gym, adjusting little things with my position and barking orders. Well, he is a professional after all—I’m sure he’d say what he’s doing is gentle corrections. Whatever. I want him the fuck out of my house.
Crap. I’m starting to think of Secluded Rest as my house.
“Ok, last time. Keep up the good work.”
This forced cheerfulness from Austin is the only bright spot of my exercises today. When I allow my mind to wander from PT, it immediately goes to Jenna. I hope the bank doesn’t turn her down because she wants another location so badly. At this rate, she’ll meet her goal of ten clinics in no time. And be farther away from me. I drop the barbell.
“Great job so far. Has Jenna worked with you on skater jumps yet?”
I chug water. Anything with the word “jump” in it makes me queasy. “No. ”
Austin rubs his hands together. “No time like the present, considering how well you’ve mastered the other exercises.”
In addition to pursuing Jenna, this guy’s a sadist. Great. “What exactly do I have to do?”
“Let me show you.” He stands with his legs hip-width apart. “We’ll start out slow. Just step to the left side and bring your other leg behind you, swinging your left arm out to the side and your right in front of your torso. Then repeat on the other side. Eventually, you’ll work up to leaping from side to side.” He demonstrates a smooth leaping motion.
I know how to fucking jump, Asshole.
Part of me wants to dive right into the deep end and jump from foot to foot. The more pragmatic part of me screams it’s going to be impossible to do without aggravating my groin pull. Or worse. Set me back to the beginning.
“I’m not sure. Jenna hasn’t gone over this with me.”
“All right. You don’t have to try this advanced exercise yet. It’s the next level you’ll have to do when you’re ready to progress in your therapy. Guess she doesn’t think you’re ready for it yet. My bad.”
Oh hell no . No way am I letting some sniveling, scrawny guy who has the hots for my woman talk down to me this way. My woman ? Hell, yes she is! I draw up to my full height. “I’m sure I can do it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I’m sure.” I stand with my legs apart.
“Remember, do not jump. You only want to step side to side. Take it slow.” He demonstrates what he means.
“Slow,” I repeat. Part of me wants to rip off the band aid and leap, but I clamp that part down. Doing it slowly will be better than reinjuring myself.
I step to the left and tap my right foot behind, while swinging my arms. My groin twinges in warning. I purse my lips and step out right and tap my left foot behind, which causes the familiar—all too painful—throbbing in my pulled muscle. “Fuck!” I grab my thigh .
Austin rushes to my side. “You did the steps correctly and slowly. I’m surprised it hurts this much.”
“Maybe why Jenna hasn’t done them with me,” I grit out over my panting.
He directs me to a chair. “I’ll get an ice pack.” Asshole disappears to the downstairs bar area while I stretch out my leg onto the overstuffed ottoman, massaging the knotted muscle.
By the time he reappears, my breathing is under control. My anger, however, is not.
“Put this over it, the ice will relax the muscle.”
I grumble, “Like I didn’t already know this after two weeks of dealing with this injury.” I put the numbing baggie of ice over my thigh.
“You were making so much progress, I really thought you were ready for skater jumps.” He runs his palm over his forehead. “I wanted to be able to show off your progress to Jenna.”
“What progress?”
The woman of the hour saunters into the basement wearing a navy-blue suit with a white blouse my fingers itch to unbutton. Not to mention her navy fuck-me pumps have to add another four inches to her height.
“Jenna!” The Asshole joins her at her side. “How did it go with the bank?”
She looks between us—me sitting with an ice pack on my outstretched leg and him standing on her right side. A sunny smile of triumph crosses her face. She doesn’t even have to say the words for me to know the outcome of her meeting.
“I got it.”
The Asshole’s eyes get big. “You did? That’s great! Congratulations.” He reaches out and hugs her.
I growl. I’m sure they didn’t hear me since I’m half a room away.
He adds, “So, when do we break ground?”
She laughs. “I’m going to take over an existing building, so no breaking ground necessary, Austin. I do have to marshal the contractors to do the necessary renovations, though.”
She steps away from him and approaches me. “I see you’re already on the cool down part of your PT. How’d it go?”
I open my mouth, but the Asshole dives in before I can get a sound out. “He did great. He has all the stage one and two exercises down, and even did squats with the barbell.”
She nods, her expression pleased.
“However,” he continues, causing my eyebrows to rise. “I think I might have introduced him to skater steps before he was ready. He did one and his muscle screamed in protest.” He wrings his hands.
Crap. Now I have to give the Asshole some props for coming clean to Jenna. Guess he figured better he do it than me. Nice touch with the hand wringing.
“Oh no.” Jenna rushes to my side. “Bennett, how do you feel?”
I look at her with my puppy-dog eyes. See, Asshole, two can play the same game. “It’s calming down.”
“I wanted to start skater steps today, so I don’t blame you for trying, Austin.”
Well, fuck. There goes my victim positioning. Jenna’s and Austin’s eyes meet and communicate something. I’m not privy to their PT telepathy, but it seems like they’ve reached a conclusion. Not sure what it is, though.
Preferring to get the spotlight onto a happier subject—and not wanting to discuss my treatment plan in front of the Asshole any longer—I say, “Looks like you also have to scout your fourth location too.”
“Four?”
Jenna adjusts the ice pack on my thigh, then stands. “Thanks to Bennett, here, I’ve got the financing for another clinic.”
That’s one thing you can’t give her, Asshole, that I can. Money. Now it’s time for me to get Jenna alone again—I’m sick of sharing her. My fingers itch to unbutton her shirt and strip it off her body, together with the professional blazer. On second thought, perhaps she should keep them on. I can bend her over the table in the corner and live out a boss-secretary fantasy I didn’t know I had.
Blood heating, I tune back into their conversation. Jenna’s saying, “so that’s why I want to get the third clinic up and running first.”
“Agreed,” he replies, as if she needs his approval.
The way he flirts with her, and is solicitous of her every need, makes me want to puke. Could he kiss her ass any harder? Enough.
I toss the ice pack onto the side table, drawing both of their attention. I raise my hands. “It’s lost its cooling power.” C’mon Jenna, make him take care of it.
“Austin, would you please put the ice pack into the freezer?”
His inscrutable brown eyes dart to me. “Sure thing, boss.”
I don’t help him, but make him pick up the ice pack. Soon, he’s out of the room. I struggle to stand, testing my groin pull. Seems like the ice did the trick. “Congrats, Jenna. Told you it would be fine.”
She tucks her loose hair behind her ear. “It was hard for me to believe until I was told yes.”
An unknown protective streak races up my spine. “You deserve it. I know how to celebrate too. Let’s go out to dinner.”
Her hand flies in front of her open mouth. “Won’t there be reporters?”
Shit. “There may be, but only at the door. We can find a restaurant with a back entry.”
“I don’t know of any.”
The Asshole strolls into the room. “Any what?”
“Restaurants around here with a back entrance,” Jenna oh-so-helpfully supplies.
I don’t want to be beholden to this annoying gnat. He works for Jenna, gets to see her every day. Holding up my phone, I announce, “Let me text King.” If anyone in this town would know of secret entrances, it would be Braxton Hunte’s son.
“Good luck,” he mutters. He turns to Jenna. “This is Aroostook, not swanky Manhattan.”
Please let them be wrong. I want to take her out to commemorate her third bank loan. King has to come through. Which he does. I read his text aloud, “King recommends this place called The Dancing Goats. Do you know it?”
“Who doesn’t,” Jenna replies. All Austin does is whistle.
“I’ll take that as it’s good. Let me make a reservation.”
“For after your second PT session tonight,” Jenna adds.
“Will it include those skater steps?” If it does, I may have to rethink dinner.
She smiles. “We’ll see.” Turning her body toward Austin, she says, “Thanks so much for all your help this afternoon. Running Bennett through his paces can be difficult, and I appreciate it.”
“Enough to let me run your next clinic? You’ve said so yourself, the clients love me and flourish under my therapy.”
My fingers form a fist. Seriously? Have I been wrong about him? Does he want Jenna as his girlfriend or merely for a promotion? Whatever. Neither will happen if I have anything to say about it.
“I’m not sure, Austin. I need to talk with Courtney and Felipe.” Jenna glances at me and adds, “They run my first two clinics. I was thinking you’d take over the sixth location. Give you more time to make bigger inroads in the community. You know how both of them do outreach with the locals, which benefits the clinics.”
Gotta hand it to him. The Asshole doesn’t take “no” lying down. “I’ll be here when you’re ready to call me up. I promise never to let you down.”
“Appreciate it.”
Christ. Could this guy suck up anymore? I focus on making a reservation at The Dancing Goats. I hold up my cell. “There. The restaurant will be expecting us at seven p.m. tonight. Maybe I could interest you in an arcade game before my next session?”
A tiny smile dances around her lips, and she turns back to the Asshole. “Thanks for all your help today, Austin. I plan on being back at the clinic in a couple of days.”
Dismissed .
I hide my smirk as I turn toward the games, approaching Donkey Kong. It’s a good game, just not as good as Asteroids Deluxe, but soon I’m immersed.
Two games later, Jenna finally shows up. I don’t ask about the Asshole—don’t care. Instead, I kill another Beespy before I’m hit with shrapnel and the game’s over. I claim a spot on the leaderboard—right behind Jenna.
“Benjamin Howell?”
“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been him when I play arcade games.” I shrug. “Howell for Thurston Howell, III of Gilligan’s Island fame.”
Her head bobs. “Benjamin?”
“Honestly, it was the first B-name that came to mind.” I chuckle.
“You’re something else,” she shakes her head.
I don’t know whether that’s good or bad, so I keep my mouth shut on the alias front. “Want to play a game? I could switch over to Asteroids Deluxe.”
“Sounds good.” I switch places with her, and we play our respective games, pings and zaps and our own exclamations providing the soundtrack.
I walk away first and lean against the wall, admiring the view. Jenna’s taken off the blazer and is barefoot. The image of bending her over one of these games grows stronger. Or even the pool table in the corner of the basement I didn’t notice before. I circle behind her, enjoying how her ass flexes with her movements. Damn.
“Ah, rats!” She steps back. “I was robbed.”
I crane my neck to see what position she landed. “Number eight isn’t too shabby.”
“Thanks. I’ll do better next time.”
I like her statement because it means she plans on being here long enough to play more games. My gaze roves deeper into this area of the basement, taking in a large TV, sofa, and a jukebox. Nice. “We have some time before we need to leave for The Dancing Goats. How about I see what’s on the jukebox?”
“Can’t take the music away for long? ”
“No way. I live and breathe it. Let’s see our selection.” Together, we walk over to the back wall and check it out. “Classics. Elvis Presley, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra.” I flip through more pages, and am rewarded with more contemporary hits. “Better. They have Cole Manchester, Hunte. The Light Rail.”
Our eyes zero in on the same band. She points, “Untamed Coaster.”
“Yeah, well I’m not stuck up enough to play my own music. How about we try some vintage Cole Manchester, ‘No One to Hold.’”
She shrugs. “I like him.”
He’s a good guy. His wife’s pretty awesome too. “Me too.”
The opening strains begin to sound, and I enjoy his piano playing for a moment. It’s a sad song, for sure, but there’s hope in it too. My arms itch to pull her to my body.
I hold up my hands. “Dance with me?”
She bites her lip. “Bennett, like I said before. Not a good idea. You’re my patient.”
I seize this opening. “Since I’m your patient, you’ll definitely be accompanying me to my doctor’s visit in the City tomorrow.”
“I won’t be needed.”
“What if I forget what exercises I do? Or can’t discuss advanced ones to try? I could even give up the goods about the skater triple flips.”
My deliberate misnaming of the exercise the Asshole made me do today earns a giggle. “They’re called skater steps or skater jumps. I want to try them again with you in our next session.”
I sigh heavily. “Then I’m not even sure I’ll be able to make it to dinner.” I drop all pretense. “It fucking hurt.”
“We’ll do them together and I’ll make sure they don’t give you any more pain.”
“Dance with me,” I repeat. I take one more step forward.
Her shoulders droop. “One song.”
She steps into my embrace and my body jolts. Inhaling her floral scent topped with vanilla, my chin falls to the top of her head. We sway in time with the rhythm. I’m careful not to aggravate my injury.
Her body relaxes against mine before the second chorus. Even though we’re fully dressed, this feels like the most magical moment of my life. Well, next to the times we’ve kissed and when I made her come.
I want her to be with me.
I want to be worthy of her.
I want to share myself with her.
Following these monumental thoughts, I pull her tighter to my body and enjoy the moment. When the song ends, we remain locked together in silence for a long while. “Come with me tomorrow morning.” I sweeten the pot. “I’m taking a helicopter.”
Her head falls backward. “Really?”
“Yes.” I get lost in her gorgeous grey eyes.
“That’s decadent.”
I need to appeal to her inner control freak. “Practical,” I correct her. “I can be back for an afternoon of PT.”
Her smile lights up her whole face. “On second thought, I guess it does make sense.
“Then you’ll join me?”
She blinks. “All right.”
Dare I kiss her to seal the deal? Her protests about professional requirements aside, I want to feel her lips on mine again. A moment from Quinn’s movie comes into focus, where she made it clear Darren’s physical therapy had been completed before they got together so as to avoid any ethical issues. This only cements her need to follow every rule to the letter. Which is not in my DNA.
Time to break her out of the confines. I lean forward and kiss her, savoring every second of her response. Despite not wanting to, I keep my lips closed. I’m rewarded when the tip of her tongue reaches out.
I moan and crush her to my body, my tongue exploring her mouth like a madman. Her boobs flatten against my chest. Breaking apart, I trail kisses down her throat, then fuse our mouths again. My fingers hold her head to mine.
The feel of her lips on mine is more passionate than anything I’ve ever felt before—except for the last time we kissed. I want to make her come again. I want more. I want it all.
A ring bounces off the walls of the basement. It’s not mine. Jenna disengages from me. Eyes downcast but cheeks pink, she says, “My phone.”
I kiss her again. “Don’t answer it.”
Her hair brushes against her shoulders. “I have to. It’s my mother.”
My body seizes, then relaxes. It’s her mother, not mine. Still, I don’t like sharing. I step forward again, running my finger down her pert nose. She swallows. The phone rings again. “I gotta take this.” She scampers away from me.
I let her have the conversation. After all, tonight she’s all mine.