Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 191(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 191(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 127(@300wpm)
There's an unspoken rule: never hit on the team's PT, especially when you're half-dead. Honestly, fuck that rule.
She should be mine.
I pick at the plastic ID bracelet like it's a handcuff. "Can I go back to practice now?"
She snorts. "Not a chance. You'll be lucky if you go home at all tonight."
"Bullshit," I say, but there's no real heat in it. Dani gets the soft version of me. Everyone else can get fucked, though. "You know I'll just sneak out. The beds here are made for toddlers." I'm not even joking. My legs dangle in midair from the calves down.
"You almost went into shock, Trent. For once in your life, listen to someone who isn't paid to tell you what you want to hear."
Oof. I deserved that.
"Fine," I say, letting my head loll back on the pillow. "But only if you stay until they spring me. I need a chaperone, or I'll end up escaping and raiding the nurse's snack stash." I pause for effect. "There could be more honey. I might die."
She stiffens. "I have to check in with Coach. He's probably going to–"
"It's the day before Christmas Eve, Dani. Practice was over hours ago. Half the guys are probably already on a plane headed to Wherever the Fuck. And Coach isn't going to fire you. Come on. Please don't leave me all alone." I do my best puppy dog eyes, which is hard with eyelids the size of cold cuts.
She hesitates, lips pursed. "Fine. But you have to promise to follow orders."
"Deal. But only if those orders involve going home today."
She rolls her eyes, but this time it's definitely affectionate. "You're insufferable."
"I know."
We both fall silent again, but it's comfortable now. Or maybe the drugs are better than I thought.
I watch her as she fiddles with the visitor badge, twirling it around her index finger, glancing up at me every few seconds like she's trying to catch me off guard. I let her think she has, just for fun.
When our eyes meet, she blushes and glances down at the floor.
"Hey, Dani?" I ask, my voice lower than I intended.
She tenses, looking up again. "Yeah?"
"When you decided to become a physical therapist, did you ever think you'd end up babysitting a bunch of overgrown children?"
She laughs for real this time. "Why? Did you expect the league to be a grown-up operation when you signed on?"
I shake my head. "No. I guess I just figured you would have followed through on that urge to run after seeing what a goddamn mess we all are."
I can't figure out why she's still sticking it out, and that drives me nuts. Most of my teammates are self-absorbed assholes. We don't deserve her. But…she still shows up every day anyway.
Her cheeks turn pink again, but this time her gaze is soft when she looks at me. "You're not a mess, Trent."
I raise a brow. "Pretty sure the ER doc would disagree."
He wasn't thrilled when he got the rundown on my medical history. Broken bones, torn ligaments, half-healed injuries I reaggravate every season…yeah, he had thoughts about all of that. He was smart enough not to voice them, however.
Dani shrugs. "None of that is your fault. It's not like anyone who plays a sport sets out to get hurt." She pauses, just a tiny one. "Plus, you're my favorite patient."
My heart does this thing I usually reserve for overtime goals. I bite back the dumbest grin of my life. "Good. Wouldn't want to be replaced by one of the other village idiots."
There's a knock at the door, and Dani leaps up so fast the chair nearly tips over.
The same nurse who gave me drugs steps into the room with my chart in hand, flipping through it before she looks up at me. "Mr. Kirk, you're looking a lot better."
Well, that's good news because my ass still itches like a motherfucker.
"With any luck, you'll be out of here today, but I'd recommend you stick with bland foods for a day or two. And absolutely no bee pollen, honey, or honeycomb. And no herbal supplements until cleared by your doctor. You understand?"
"Whatever it takes to get me the fuck out of here," I agree.
She glances at Dani, a smile twitching at her lips. "Good luck with this one."
Dani flushes. "Thank you."
"We'll come check on him again in a little while." The nurse winks at me. "Try not to get into any more trouble in the meantime, okay? We're short-staffed for the holidays."
As soon as the door closes, Dani sinks back into her chair, relief softening the lines of worry on her face.
"See? Told you I was fine," I mumble.
She just shakes her head at me, but I don't mind. I'm alive. Dani Frost is still talking to me. And if I play my cards right, maybe—just maybe—I can still talk her into being my date tomorrow.