I groaned with effort as I took another step. My arms were straining from holding myself up on the bars. I put a tiny bit of weight on my injured leg with each step. It was harder than it looked, walking without really walking.

My other leg was even getting tired from doing most of the work.

I had been eager to start physical therapy. I'd thought it would be a cakewalk for a tough guy like me.

I was wrong.

I felt like I was back in basic, eating dirt with my SO's foot on my back while I did pushups.

"Take a quick breather."

My physical therapist Danny was on the other side of the rail, guiding me along. I bent my leg, leaning on the bars. I realized I was sweating, like I'd just lifted or gone for a run. That was a good reminder of why I was here.

To walk again. To run. To be able to lift a woman up in my arms.

Not just any woman either.

One in particular.

"Your girlfriend is here."

I looked up, my eyes seeking her out immediately. It was weird but Tabby looked different in here. Nervous. Like she didn't think she belonged.

I still drank her up like a cold glass of water on a hot day.

She'd been avoiding me all week. Which was challenging considering she'd been at my house for eight hours a day. But somehow she managed it.

First, there was the cleaning. She'd spent hours with her non-toxic sprays and polishes. She'd even vacuumed. Twice.

The woman had cleaned the whole damn house instead of sitting and talking to me.

Then, there were the books.

Nursing books. Paperbacks. Magazines.

The girl would bring me my food and pills, ask me how I was feeling and then sit her fine ass down as far away as possible to bury her head in a book. And she'd stay that way until her timer went off and it was time to tend to me again.

I felt like a Goddamn houseplant.

I didn't like it.

I didn't fucking like it at all.

Tabitha was shutting me out completely. And she was doing a damn good job of it. I tried not to be mad. I knew why she was doing it. She was afraid I would kiss her again. Not because she didn't like it.

Because she did.

She liked me and she was too chickenshit to admit it.

And that did make me mad.

She set her bag down on a chair by the door and shrugged out of her coat. I noticed how adorable she looked in her oversized black top. This one was more of a sweater than her usual button down, and it clung to her chest. She tugged it away from her body but static cling brought it right back.

I said a small hallelujah for static cling as I let my eyes wander over her body.

That long top of hers even hugged her tiny waist and round ass. As usual, her long curvy legs were encased in those worn-in jeans. Her cheeks were a dusky pink from the cold air outside. I stared at her hungrily, wanting to toss her over my shoulder and carry her to the closest bed.

She probably thought the loose top made her blend in, or hid her curves.

She was wrong.

I could see more of her than I ever had before. And I liked it. My cock did too.

He made his feelings known with a distinct twitch.

"You're late."

She flinched, looking like a beat dog. I hated that. I wanted her to roll her eyes at me and give me some sass. I was starting to realize that there were three Tabby's: the tough one, the weary one, and the real one. Today, she was too weary to be tough and too scared to be real.

I wanted the real one, dammit. The Tabby who melted into my arms when I'd kissed her at the beach. The one who noticed who I sat with and cared what I ate.

"My car broke down."

I took another step. If I could walk, I could get a job. Get my own place.

Get the girl.

"Is it okay?"

She bit her lip, her eyes on my feet.

"Your car. Is it okay?"

"Not really."

"How did you get here then?"

"The bus. Excuse me a minute."

She hurried away, obviously not in the mood to talk. I frowned. The recovery center was almost an hour away in a car. If she'd taken the bus it would have taken two hours, even with her being late.

So, she'd known her car was broken down this morning and still not called me to ask for a ride. That was just stupid. I knew it was her pride, as usual.

Her Goddamn pride was ruining everything.

I grunted as I turned around to go back the other way.

"Had enough?"

"No."

Danny let out a low whistle.

"Damn, dude. Your girlfriend's hot."

I gave Danny a look.

"She's not my girlfriend. She's my aid."

He shook his head.

"That's too bad, man. She's mega fine."

I agreed with him, but I didn't want to talk about her like a piece of meat.

"So if she's not your girlfriend does that mean I can ask her out?"

"No."

He chuckled at my vehemence.

"Ah- I knew it. You do like her! I don't blame you man."

"Just leave her alone, she's working."

I took another step, realizing I'd made the return trip in half the time. I collapsed into the chair with Danny's help. My legs were fucking shaking like jello.

"You did good, man. You were really motoring on the way back."

I nodded. He didn't realize how much he'd pissed me off. I understood why Tabby tried to cover herself up. It must suck to have every guy commenting on her looks, or worse.

I cringed to think about how Pete had touched her while she was working. I wondered how often that kind of stuff went down.

That's why she was being so damn skittish with me. Why she was fighting this thing between us. Because of all the other idiots in the world who couldn't see past her looks.

I wasn't sure which made things worse; her insanely sexy body or her model beautiful face. It was all distracting to guys, who never stopped to think that she was a person with feelings, not just an object of lust.

Tabby came back in and I felt the air change. She did that, just by walking into the room. Everything was brighter. Everything was better.

"Okay, I'm supposed to show you his daily exercises and how to rub him down after."

She nodded and crossed her arms, not coming any closer. Danny was too stupid to notice her defensive posture. Arms protectively over her chest, her stunning eyes wary. Something twisted inside me and cracked open.

I wanted to hold her. Protect her. Love her until she opened up like a flower.

But I couldn't. Not until I was out of this damn chair.

And the world kept turning...

I forced myself to focus as Danny wheeled me over to the exercise bench. I clenched my jaw. I could do this.

"I'm Danny."

"Tabitha."

"Great, let's get started."